This week I attended an event at the council offices where staff had the chance to ask questions of myself, the Chief Executive and others.
One of the questions I was asked was whether I regretted taking charge of the council at a time when our financial situation is so very challenging.
I imagine our Prime Minister has been asked a similar question, and I am sure he responded in the same way I did, which was absolutely not.
I can’t deny that our financial situation restricts us and that I wish we had more money to be able to meet the needs and wishes of everyone in our city. We have been left to roll out the budget proposals of the previous two administrations and now have very little leeway owing to a £10m in-year overspend and a budget pressure in the new financial year of between £13m and £24m.
However, as I said when I stood in the Council Chamber after being voted in as Leader, it is a huge privilege to lead the council, and I will do so with passion and optimism for a better life for everyone in our city. That commitment remains.
We must also not forget that we spend £220m every year providing services for residents and growing and developing our city – there is a huge amount that we can do with that money, and we will be thinking creatively about how we can make it go as far as possible.
However, the reality is that demand is going through the roof, and we simply cannot provide the services that we need to with the budget we have available. It is a common picture across the rest of the country, no council is exempt from this.
For example, the number of people coming to the council for housing support because they’re homeless has increased 40% in the past two years.
The number of children subject to a care plan has doubled since last year and we are expecting to exceed our home to school transport budget by £1.1m this year due to the increasing numbers of children with special education needs and disabilities who require transport to and from school.
In adult social care, we received 2,580 new requests for support in the last 12 months - 18% more than the previous 12 months.
The high interest rates also play a part, as we are refinancing debt at much higher rates, costing us an extra £2.5m each year.
We must find a way to meet this demand and pressure, and one of the ways we are doing that is by providing services differently. For example, in Adult Social Care, we are looking at how we can use artificial intelligence to better predict residents at risk and in need of intervention. This keeps them fit and well and living at home and avoids the need for expensive care.
We are also trying to work with people in housing difficulty much sooner to avoid them reaching crisis point, which reduces the number of people we are supporting with emergency accommodation.
From a growth and regeneration point of view, we are working hard to attract new investment which will unlock additional jobs for our residents, more money in the local economy and additional business rates income which we can use to provide services.
However, our in-year and 2025/26 financial pressures mean that we must look carefully at what we are committing to deliver in the next few years and where we are prioritising our time and money. Any business must change and adapt to survive in those conditions, and we are no different.
At this week’s Cabinet meeting we agreed to launch a consultation – Shaping Our City – on a revised set of priorities for the council.
Included is creating more and better paid jobs, enabling more homes, creating a safer, cleaner and more vibrant city centre and achieving financial sustainability. This is as well as helping our residents stay healthy, independent and active, developing an inclusive and diverse workforce and providing the best support possible for vulnerable children and young people. In addition, we will also be offering the best opportunities for young people in care and leaving care.
The consultation is a chance to have your say on our draft priorities and to also learn more about our financial position and the difficult choices we must make each year to set a balanced budget – something we legally have to do.
You can have your say in a number of ways. Eight public meetings are being held across the city, or you can complete a survey on our website. You can also take part in our social media polls by joining the Shaping Our City Facebook group.
Your views will then be considered by Cabinet at a meeting in December as part of the process to agree our new Corporate Strategy and our budget for 2025/26 and beyond.
For more information and to have your say, visit our Shaping Our City consultation page.
And finally, if you have been looking at our social media channels this week you may have seen me behaving rather oddly.
It’s a trend I am told, where old folk like me read out or perform scripts written by young people you’d describe as Gen Z. For those who don’t know, these are people born between 1997 and 2012.
It was all in aid of a good cause, to promote an event organised by Peterborough Youth Council taking place in Cathedral Square on Saturday 21 September 2024.
Included will be support around employability, focusing on young recruitment and providing opportunities for young people to kickstart their careers. There will also be help with CV writing and how to gain valuable experience through volunteering and work placements, plus a Wellness Zone, promoting overall well-being and mental health.
If you’re interested or know anyone who is, it starts at 10am.