Peterborough has a new council leader, but political divisions in the city remain as sharp as ever. Councillor Dr Shabina Qayyum was elected Leader of Peterborough City Council on September 12, replacing Dennis Jones, who resigned following a row over offensive comments. Qayyum, who previously held the portfolio for Adults and Health, secured the leadership with 37 votes against Conservative group leader Wayne Fitzgerald’s 12.
Her appointment marks a historic milestone, making her the first female leader of the council in 26 years, since Labour’s Cathy Weaver in 1999.
Speaking after her election, Qayyum promised “a dawn of a new era” and said her coalition administration – comprised of Labour, Peterborough First and the Liberal Democrats – would bring “stability, collaboration and inclusivity” to the council.
“Our objectives are clear,” she wrote in her column for a local newspaper. “We are going to hit the ground running… to create opportunities for all and finally put Peterborough on the map.”
Qayyum set out priorities including progressing a new city swimming pool, securing government agreement on local government reorganisation, tackling the budget for 2025/26, and driving forward the city’s long-discussed tourism strategy.
- “We desperately need grown-up politics in Peterborough. Every councillor needs to put differences aside.” – Mayor Paul Bristow
She also highlighted Labour government commitments such as £600m for the national Holiday Activities and Food programme, which she said aligns with her ambition to make Peterborough a “child friendly city.”
But the new leader’s collaborative message has been met with hostility from local Conservatives, who branded her coalition a “Coalition of Betrayal.”
In a statement on their Facebook page, the Conservative group said residents “should be concerned” by the pact, accusing Labour, Peterborough First and the Liberal Democrats of being “at each other’s throats” just weeks ago before “stitching together a shaky coalition that puts politics before people.”
They also criticised the reduction of their committee roles. Under the new administration, Conservative councillors were offered just one chair and five vice-chair positions, down from three chairs and five vice-chairs previously.
Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of the Conservative group, confirmed his councillors would not accept the appointments, saying they were “derisory and disrespectful.” He accused Qayyum of favouring inexperienced councillors from other parties and claimed his group felt “deliberately excluded.”
- “This is your administration and your Town Hall. We will change the culture of politics in this city.” – Cllr Shabina Qayyum
Qayyum, however, rejected the suggestion her decisions were politically motivated, accusing the Conservatives of putting “personal grievance” ahead of the city’s interests.
She insisted her “door is still open” if the group wishes to reconsider. “It’s not me that doesn’t want to work with them,” she said. “It’s them that don’t want to work with me – and that is very telling.”
Meanwhile, Combined Authority Mayor and former Conservative MP for Peterborough, Paul Bristow, struck a different tone, urging unity and warning against further instability.
Bristow described recent weeks as “embarrassing for Peterborough” and said councillors had been “too focused on what divides them rather than what should unite them.” He called for “grown-up politics” and urged councillors to put aside their differences.
- “We will still hold the coalition to account – but we won’t accept derisory roles.” – Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald
Bristow also set out his priorities, including free parking in the city centre, reviving the city’s tourism strategy, and finally delivering a new community stadium – a project first agreed in 2020 but since mired in delays.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for a reset at the Council so we can work together to deliver for the city that we all love,” he wrote. “Let’s get Peterborough moving again.”
For Qayyum, who has promised to “change the culture of how politics is perceived” at Town Hall, her first weeks in office have already highlighted the challenge she faces: balancing coalition partners, fending off Conservative criticism, and finding common ground with the city’s outspoken mayor.
Whether her “new era” of collaboration can withstand the pressure of entrenched rivalries will be tested in the months ahead – with committee appointments due to return to full council in October and local elections looming in May.
