Things get heated in city council chamber debate

Accusations of aggression, talk of a “Liberal Democrat ploy” and a councillor’s sudden exit: Peterborough City Council’s final full council meeting before the local elections in May was uncharacteristically heated.

Councillors have, in recent meetings,congratulatedthemselves on working together more collaboratively since the pandemic and leaving behind what ex-Labour group leader Shaz Nawaz called the “petty, personal attacks” of the past.

But even a seemingly uncontroversial motion calling on PCC to take on a “zero-tolerance approach” to the “intimidation and abuse of councillors”drewbarbedcomments.

“I want to point out what we’veseeninrecentyearsfrom one particular political party at regional and national level,” Cllr Ansar Ali (Independent) saidwhiledebatingthemotion. “There seems to be a desire to move away from democratic processes.”

“I don’t excuse bullying of any description,” council leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives) said during the same debate, “but we mustn’t be afraid to criticise councillors or politicians about their viewsorothersimilarmatters.”

He added that criticism shouldn’t be “personal”, but that it is not the same as bullying.

Further barbed comments were exchanged on Twitter during and after the meeting, which Cllr Julie Stevenson (Independent) left just under an hour in before taking to social media.

As for council business, Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Christian Hogg asked that a report on whether full council or its leader (Cllr Fitzgerald) has the final say on appointments to external organisations be sent back to the constitution and ethics committeebecausethefullcouncil vote scheduled on it didn’t give councillors a proper say.

The report passed through the constitution and ethics committee last month with a voteconfirmingthattheleader would continue to make those decisions–fullcouncilwasjust being asked to approve that

this week.

“That leaves us in the crazy situation that if you vote in favour of this you get one thing, but if you vote against it you get the same thing,” Cllr Nick Sandford (Liberal Democrats) said.

But Cllr Fitzgerald described Cllr Hogg's request as “bonkers”.

“This is a Liberal Democrat ploy to wrestle more decisionmaking from the administration,” he added. “If you send it back to committee, we’ll just vote the same again.”

The original vote was split

along party lines, with the four Conservative members in the committee voting in favour of the leader making the final decisions and the three Labour and Liberal Democrat members voting against.

The vote taken at full council to determine whether the issueshouldbesentbacktothe committee failed.

Procedures around mayoral dress also sparked heated debate between Cllr Sandford and Cllr Fitzgerald.

Cllr Sandford, who, as deputy mayor, is likely to take over asmayorofPeterboroughlater this year, called for greater discretion in what he must wear when carrying out mayoral duties.

“Another bonkers example of what the [constitution and ethics] meeting was about,” Cllr Fitzgerald said of this request. “It’s disappointing that we have in this chamber antimonarchists, but that’s fine, I accept that.

"But when you take on the role of mayor you also take on the role of first citizen and should uphold king and country, all the laws of the land and alltheprotocolsthatgowithit.”

“Sign up to the protocol or don’t sign up to be mayor,” he added.

BothCllrSandfordandcurrent mayor Cllr Alan Dowson (Labour)tookexceptiontothis.

“What I do find slightly disturbing is the very aggressive tone of what Cllr Fitzgerald wassaying,”CllrSandfordsaid. “What I heard was, you will do exactly as I say”.

“I’ve never said that,” Cllr Fitzgerald responded. “You take advice from the civic office. It’s not me saying that; it’s nothing to do with me.”

Cllr Dowson, meanwhile, said that he feels “very strongly" about his "principles as a republican” and that he hopes others who wish to do away with the monarchy will not be denied the chance to be first citizen in future over “some ancient procedures”.

Questionswereaskedabout the council’s commitment to net zero, the Regional Pool car park and the council’s decadelong contract with Serco.

Cllr Sandford asked Cllr Marco Cereste (Conservatives), cabinet member for climate change, whether the net zero target for Peterborough is 2030 – as agreed in 2019 – or 2040–referredtoinlatercouncil documents – and whether the council will put a plan in

place for achieving it.

“We anticipate that, with a fairwind,thetargetforthecity willbe2040,”CllrCerestesaid. “But it is both unreasonable and not sensible to expect the peopleofPeterboroughtodoas they’re told. So whatever happens in the future it’ll be with the cooperation of the people and business of Peterborough and we can hope and aspire to beingabletodeliversomething by 2040.”

On the new temporary Regional Pool car park, “contractual mobilisation” has led to the delay in opening, cabinet member for culture Cllr Steve Allen (Conservatives) said in response to a question about the wait.

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Andy Coles (Conservatives) took the question on the council’s contract with Serco which was extended by a decade in 2018 with performance indicators taken out.

Noneoftheindividualswho signed off on the extension remain in post, Cllr Coles said, so we “can’t say with 100 per cent certainty” why it happened but, he added, it may have been neededtosupportthebudget’s bottom line at the time.

The next full council will take place after the council elections on 4 May.

Mayor of Peterborough Alan Dowson and Mayoress Shabina Qayyum Armistice Day parade at the War Memorial. Councillors have again debated the mayor’s attire.

Questions were asked about a delay to a car park at the Regional Pool