Funding for councillors to improve Peterborough neighbourhoods to be tripled

A fund designed to give city councillors the chance to make improvements to their wards could be tripled – as thousands of pounds has gone unspent.

The Community Leadership Fund (CLF) has seen every city councillor given £1,000 every year to spend in their ward to pay for items like bins and benches, or to support community groups in the neighbourhood.

The deadline for applications to use the funding fell on February 10 – and as of February 2, more than £11,000 of the total £60,000 had yet to be spent. In the past, any money that was not allocated would be lost.

However, the rules are set to be changed by the council, to allow funding to be rolled over to the next year – and give councillors a wider range of options to spend the money on.

At a council meeting next week, councillors will also discuss proposals to triple the amount each councillor receives, to £3,000.

"We know it has been challenging for some members to spend their allowance”

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: "Community Leadership Funding is awarded to each ward member on an annual basis and usually it would need to be spent in that same financial year.

"However, the current scheme can only be spent on capital items, such as buying or maintaining fixed assets such as buildings, roads or equipment and we know it has been challenging for some members to spend their allowance.

"From next year we have moved it from the capital budget to the revenue budget, so members have more choice on how they spend it, helping them to better support their communities.”

"I'm excited to explore how we can make an even greater impact”

Cllr Julie Stevenson, an independent councillor who represents the Orton Waterville Ward, said she would be taking a different approach to using the funding next year, and said: “While it is possible to do a lot with a little, we can do a lot more with a bit more, and I'm excited to explore how we can make an even greater impact in support of local community causes.

"In the past, I've spent my allocation on benches, bins, etc. This year, I split the £1k four ways: signages to improve child road safety in Lynchwood Business Park; a grant for cat traps for Peterborough Cat Rescue to trap feral cats; a dry suit for Cambs Search and Rescue for when they search for missing people in water; funding for Orton Counselling Service to support teenagers.

"I've never found it difficult to spend the £1k, possibly because I come from a charity, public sector and business background where every penny counts and spending small amounts wisely is a creative challenge.

"But more money is going to mean more support for local people so I warmly welcome this move by the council.”

In 2022, funding was withdrawn due to the council’s financial problems – however, it was re-instated shortly afterwards.

There was also a campaign for councillors to use the funding in a bid to save the St George’s Hydrotherapy Pool – but councillors were told they could not use the money outside of their ward.