Peterborough First: Ruling council group says it'll take a 'city-wide' approach to elections with 'common values'

Peterborough First is looking ahead to the local elections on 2nd May.

The group, which currently leads Peterborough City Council (PCC), says it’ll be fielding more candidates than ever before.

But who are they and what do they stand for?

It’s a question that’s been levelled at them repeatedly since they took control of the council in November last year after bringing about a vote of no confidence in the previous Conservative administration.

The group’s current leadership says it’ll have clearer answers going into the elections, with council leader Cllr Mohammed Farooq (PF, Hargate and Hempsted) promising “common literature” for candidates.

Group leader Cllr Chris Harper (PF, Stanground South) has similarly said the group will take more of a “city-wide approach” and will publish its shared values and ideas in the coming days.

Who are Peterborough First?

Currently, there are 10 members of Peterborough First.

Until March 2024 there were 11, but long-standing member Stephen Lane resigned from the council for personal reasons – leaving an extra seat up for election in Werrington.

Most members are former Conservatives, including council leader Cllr Farooq, group leader Cllr Harper and all of the members who currently make up the council’s decision-making cabinet.

Most (7/10) resigned after the most recent council elections in May 2023.

The group began with a collection of independent Werrington councillors banding together to support each other; initially it was called Werrington First and was made up of Cllrs John and Judy Fox and Mr Lane.

When Cllr Harper joined, the group became Peterborough First, then – after last year’s series of resignations from the Conservatives – went on to become the third largest group on the council, surpassing the Liberal Democrats.

It then ousted former leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives, West) through the vote of no confidence with the support of Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens.

Cllr Farooq laid out “core values of transparency, compassion and ambition” at the time, as well as priorities which consisted of “growth and prosperity, protecting the vulnerable, education and environment”.

Is Peterborough First a political party?

Peterborough First has been registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission since 2016.

But it says it functions differently from most political parties as members are free to vote however they like rather than being instructed how to vote by a whip.

Some other parties do operate in a similar way, though, including the Greens.

What does the future hold for Peterborough First?

The group will be defending four seats at this year’s local elections; five if you count Mr Lane’s vacant seat.

Cllr Harper’s seat is up for re-election, as is Cllr Fox’s Werrington seat, Cllr Saqib Farooq’s Glinton and Castor seat and Cllr Gavin Elsey’s Wittering seat.

Its worst case scenario is being left with six councillors, while its best would mean retaining them and gaining seats elsewhere.

Cllr Harper said he’s “confident” the party will at least retain its seats and is optimistic about its role in leading the council in future.

“I think we’ll be working with leaders of other groups after the election, whether in cabinet roles I have no idea,” he said. “I have no doubt there’ll be some sort of coalition that will involve Peterborough First in some way. We’ll be part of the new administration, whatever that may be.”

It's technically possible that the Conservative group will form a majority, but that would mean retaining the 14 seats they have up for election and winning every other seat available.

Labour could also, technically, gain 31 seats, but this would mean retaining their two seats up for election and winning a further 19 out of an available 21 seats.

While either scenario is possible, it’s also entirely possible a coalition of parties will lead the council – or the largest party will rule with a minority administration.

What are Peterborough First leaders promising?

Cllr Howard said that, “this year we’ll have more of a manifesto, or values-based approach, because before it’s always been about an individual person in Werrington or wherever it might be, but this year we are giving it a more common approach in terms of what our values are”.

Cllr Farooq added that the group does have priorities, which he outlined when it took over the council, but that the ruling group’s job is to deliver government policies.

“When it comes to local councils, we don’t make any policies as such, we deliver policies,” he said.

“So what you really need is community values trying to deliver those and deliver best value for money for taxpayers, whether it’s your bin collection or cutting grass or putting your child into a school place. Sometimes, I don’t think parties should really play any key role in that.”

Peterborough First says it has finalised its list of election candidates and will be sharing this alongside its shared values in the near future.