Across the country, dog and cat owners are being forced to give away their beloved pets, as the cost of living crisis grips the nation, and food and vet bills increase.
Thousands of people in Peterborough own some form of pet, and some households have several creatures.
The average price of dog food is 16.75% higher than it was this time last year!
Therefore, as the price of consumables continues to increase, it is no surprise to read that some individuals are now reaching a point where they cannot afford to keep their animals.
Of course, the other problem is, there’s no real government support for such situations, animal charities are already overstretched and right now, no one seems to be coming up with a solution?
What does the Dogs Trust say?
The Dogs Trust charity, recently published some research, discovered 68% of dog owners in the UK feel worried, to some extent, about how they will care for their dog in the next year.
“We know from the experience of the 2008 recession that the economic crisis can and will lead to people needing to give up their beloved dogs. Sadly, many loving dog owners simply won’t be able to afford to keep them.”
Owen Sharp, Dogs Trust CEO
Elsewhere, the RSPCA has pointed out that in 2021, they took 20,188 (55 a day) cats into its care and received 53,388 complaints.
They have also highlighted there’s a shortage of vets and with an increase in pet ownership over the pandemic, many practices are now under a lot of pressure with waiting lists for procedures.
What about the Council?
Sadly, the City Council no longer employs their own dog wardens, and therefore relies on private companies or charities to deal with animal welfare.
The Council have provided some information, which you can read via here!
As always, I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on this matter, so please feel free to post below!
The RSPCA has seen an influx of rabbits as a result of the cost of living issues and fears that coupled with the kitten season, cat numbers could be set to grow to the same worrying levels.
A report by the BBC, says the government understands “the pressures” faced by families on tighter budgets and is taking action.
“Well whatever they are doing, I personally do not know what it is, and I guarantee it’s not enough!”
I mean, the rising cost of living is a pain in the rear for most of us, but imagine the impact on families of children with disabilities, who’s fuel and energy bills were already higher than for most others?
A Peterborough parent
A fully qualified Registered Mental Health Nurse, who cares for her autistic daughter, Nazreen Bibi told the BBC, “It’s just the constant worry. It’s not just one thing – it’s the cost of fuel, the cost of bills, the cost of food and the rising council tax.”
Commenting on the Governments claims of action, Ms Bibi, said, “It’s just putting a plaster on it, it doesn’t solve the problem.”
My thoughts
I find the approach of the Tory Government to be disgusting, and its been that way for a decade!
People with disabilities have been hit the hardest, with previous reports showing 46% of all those who moved from old system DLA to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) lost out financially!
In 2019, the Daily Mirror reported some 351,000 former DLA claimants had payments stopped altogether after PIP was launched in 2013 and another 306,000 people had payments decreased!
And yet, here in Peterborough, we have a Tory MP, who’s been claiming £1500 a month on expenses to pay for his rent, has claimed hundreds of pounds for his petrol and enjoyed a £2000 pay rise, just a few weeks ago!
Since then, several activists, party members, and that includes some at the Town Hall, have now left the Peterborough Labour Party movement. I understand most, if not all, have been found not to have committed any offences and it is important to note this fact.
So what?
However, at the time of writing this, the City Council was still waiting for some form of administration to be assembled, either Conservative or a coalition of opposition parties, to take control of the local authority.
The quality of councillors in Peterborough has been questioned!
And one of the people who could enable such a coalition is Cllr Nicola Day, a Green Party member. Now the things is, a couple of years ago, Ms Day was herself embroiled in some unwanted allegations of antisemitisms (see here). Again, we should note, that Cllr Day, apologised and undertook some training.
“I should make it clear, that in my opinion, anyone who has clearly been found to have published, commented or remarked in an antisemitic way, should be dealt with appropriately!”
But, if some local, and long serving, Labour Party members are no longer involved, or felt pushed out, is surely to the detriment of the movement locally?
It’s also worth noting
That last year, as reported in the media, Cllr Ishfaq Hussain, a Conservative for Dogsthorpe, was found to have said on-line, that Jewish people living in Israel are not “true Jews” and that Israel is part of a “Zionist trilogy” alongside America and Saudi Arabia which “breed terrorists”.
The self proclaimed Werrington First councillors have been subtly supporting the ruling Conservative group at the Council for several years.
Even to this day, no one really understands why? It’s not as if they have had a brand new sports centre for their area built and named after them etc 🙂
Werrington First’s Cllr John Fox, Cllr Judy Fox and Cllr Stephen Lane, feeling important at an event last year! (Can you recognise anyone else?)
Worth noting
You might also like to know that the Werrington First (WF) councillors like to tell people they are a bunch of independents, but as you can see from the Electoral Commission website, they are a registered political party, the same way the Conservatives or Labour Party are!
Latest situation
Anyhow, after this years local elections, the WF councillors have, publicly declared that they “will not give their support to any Conservative administration led by Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald,” despite the fact that Cllr Fitzgerald was re-elected as the Tory group leader, unanimously the other day?
The thing is…
Why were the WF councillors happy to support the Tories for several years, even during the previous cuts and increases in Council Tax?
If they have an issue with Wayne, why did they say nothing for the entirety of last year?
Why did one of them, Cllr Lane, vote in favour a few weeks ago, for the latest Tory budget, that includes cuts, closures and another increase in Council Tax?
Cllr Stephen Lane, seemingly excited to meet a rich and entitled individual ….. along with some local Tories!?
So what’s gonna happen?
As is often the way with Pottyborough, no one really knows. But, the chances of having some form of coalition now seems more likely.
But, what promises can be provided to the Werrington First brigade to sustain their consistent support over the financial year?
Equally, how can councillors who have previously supported a range of austerity actions, cuts and detrimental measures, now step up and provide alternative ideas and solutions to the problems that have arisen?
That said, it is still feasible that the Conservatives could form a minority administration, which might cause problems on occasions, but can be done.
And of course, given there are a couple of Fib Dem councillors, who I’d suggest are right of centre, there’s a possibility of an informal agreement between them and thee Tories?
One thing is for certain, the Tories have benefited from being the administration, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of £’s in extra responsibility allowances over the years.
In the 2010 general election, the manifestos of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats outlined plans, to replace or reform the existing police authorities. In coalition government the scheme was introduced.
The role of Police and Crime Commissioner, covering Peterborough, was created in November 2012, following an election held on 15 November 2012, and replaced the Cambridgeshire Police Authority.
£150k worth of politicians looking at bicycles!
There have been 3 elections; in 2012, when turnout was just 15.9%, in 2016, when turnout was 30.56% and 2021, when the turnout was 37%.
We’ve had 4 commissioners and all of them have been Conservative.
One of the reasons we have had 4 is because, one of them, Jason Ablewhite, resigned following reports he’d been “sending pictures of his genitals to a woman”.
Take the oath
Successful candidates are also asked to swear an “oath of impartiality” before taking office:
“I do solemnly and sincerely promise that I will serve all the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in the office of police and crime commissioner without fear or favour.
“I will act with integrity and diligence in my role and, to the best of my ability, will execute the duties of my office to ensure that the police are able to cut crime and protect the public. I will give a voice to the public, especially victims of crime and work with other services to ensure the safety of the community and effective criminal justice.
“I will take all steps within my power to ensure transparency of my decisions, so that I may be properly held to account by the public. I will not seek to influence or prevent any lawful and reasonable investigation or arrest, nor encourage any police action save that which is lawful and justified within the bounds of this office.”
What’s the cost?
The commissioner’s salary is presently £71,400 per annum (£36 p/h). While the role of deputy commissioner receives, £28,560 (£27 p/h) and is required to work flexibly, equating to 2.5 days per week.
For the record, the best paid police officers in this area, get paid £19 an hour.
There are also staffing costs, with some on significant amounts, such as the Chief Executive on £105,000 and the Director of Commissioning on £60,896.
In 2020/21, the office for the Commissioner had a budget of £1.2m.
“….the policing budget in Cambridgeshire is facing significant pressures over the coming four years, with a current financial pressure over the period of £4.3m.” (Latest statement of accounts)
Can it really be scrapped?
Put simply, “Yes!” For example, in 2017, the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner was replaced by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, while the role of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner was absorbed by the mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.
It’s also worth noting that previously the Labour Party have publicly called for the position to be scrapped.
In conclusion
I think when the scheme first came about, there was a level of support. As many felt the local policing authorities had become quiet and toothless?
Since it’s inception, the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner role, has seen millions and millions of pounds spent, just on administration of the role …… with none of this money going to pay for actual police officers.
I’d suggest that the people who have benefitted most from the role, are those who’ve been employed within the office of the Commissioner, rather than local citizens?
Equally, the Commissioner role should be someone independent, who enacts increased openness on the service and acts as a link between the everyday people and the force itself. Yet, right now, our present Commissioner is an ex-copper, “one of the boys”, meaning his perception is clouded, to some degree by his experience.
Furthermore, the fact that the role of Deputy Police Crime Commissioner was created, despite it not needing to be, and that now we have another Tory in that role, who got the job without any competition, provides a stench of political nepotism, in my opinion!
We also cannot ignore, the fact that recently, it was reported one area of Peterborough was revealed as the most dangerous place in Cambridgeshire, according to crime figures.
Thus, given the given the level of crime in Peterborough, and daily occurrences, I’d strongly suggest that the role of Police and Crime commissioner is now a dead duck and needs scrapping.
Ideally, the policing responsibility would be handed directly to local councils, but at the very least should be placed under the responsibility of the elected mayor for the county.
Don’t forget that the Council employs lots of people with lots of qualifications, including in finance, and there’s lots of well paid staff with fancy titles and alleged “expertise”!
Yet, one of the ONLY reasons the Council is still in existence, is because it got a multi-million pound handout from the Government. A Tory Government, handing out cash to a Tory Council, yet they don’t like “handing” money to people in need?
Councillors, on top of their allowances, continue to hand themselves hundreds of thousands of £’s in what they call Special Responsibility Allowances!
In total the Government offered £20m to cover the Town Hall gap in finances.
Leader of the City Council, Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald has already said another bailout might be required!
The financial situation got so bad last year at PCC, that they received a firm letter from the Minister for levelling up communities,Kemi Badenoch.
On top of that, the Government have sent in a team of local government experts into the Tory controlled Council, including Chief Executive of Southwark Council, Eleanor Kelly who is expected to chair the group. Members of this team are being paid £800-900 per person, per day!
Oh! And while the Council bemoan cuts to their annual government grant, they also fail to point out that the amounts of business rates they can collect have been significantly increased in recent years, but because they are rubbish at collecting them, its not really helped!
So remember
If an organisation like the City Council, with its experts and councillors with experience in “business”, cannot balance the books, how can people like you and me be expected to do so smoothly?
Tory leader of the Council, Wayne Fitzgerald, has previously suggested people consider how many children they have, to save money!
“Of most concern is the inclusion of amounts for an increase in Council Tax above the statutory level for which there is no agreement. The Council also has limited reserves to support them through the MTFS period and at the end of 2019/20 had the lowest ratio of reserves to service expenditure of any of the Council’s Near Neighbours. In summary there is a significant risk that the Council will not be able to balance its budget over the period of the MTFS.”
Cllr Nawaz (right) on a day out, with fellow Tory, John Peach, who himself owns over 11 properties in the city.
The allegation
The PTU have claimed the tenant at Haddon Road, complained for years about “serious hazards there,” but nothing was done?
They also point out, that the tenant eventually “filed a complaint with Peterborough City Council who inspected the house and directed Cllr Nawaz to act – or face enforcement action.“
Concluding that, while some of the defects were “repaired“, in December last year, a week before Christmas, Cllr Gul Nawaz served a section 21 eviction notice on the tenant.
Mr Nawaz …. the landlord
According to the Councils’ formal Register of Interests, Mr Nawaz is involved with at least 5 separate properties, including; 2 Haddon Road, 1 Haddon Road, 36 West Parade, 39 Midland Road, and 3 Sandford, Ravensthorpe, all in Peterborough.
Landlords on the Council
My thoughts
As someone who told me they’d worked in a factory, Cllr Gul Nawaz has certainly done well to end up owning all these properties!?
If what’s being reported is true, then it really does show a rather unkind approach to such housing matters, by someone who should know better.
Councillors are regularly furnished with details on how hard things can be for people living in rented accommodation, and the need for landlords to ensure the basics are maintained for legal and health reasons.
I also find the suggestion Council Officer time is spent having to ensure an elected Tory councillor is properly maintaining his property portfolio, concerning!
I think it is also worth me pointing out, that over the last 12 months, I have had several conversations with people, who are in similar positions. They are in private rented accommodation, their rent is already high and repairs need to be done. But they fear, any complaining by them will either see them evicted or their rent increased. Hence why we need better legislation to protect tenants in private accommodation.
Slightly ironic
Councillor Gul Nawaz was jailed for two months in 2002 for falsely claiming £3,000 of housing benefit. READ MORE!
Cllr Nawaz served as Mayor of the City Council between 2019-2021.
Due to the pandemic, Cllr Nawaz became the first ever Mayor to serve an additional year in the role. Despite having little to do, it meant he received another years worth of the thousands of £’s in extra allowance the Mayor enjoys!
Opposition councillors have called on the Council Mayor, Cllr Steve Lane, to convene an extraordinary meeting to discuss the saga around St George’s hydrotherapy!
Suggestions of misinformation, senior Tories reneging on previous agreements and under hand activity, have been rife, since the Tory controlled City Council announced it would be closing the well used, hydrotherapy pool in Dogsthorpe.
Last year the hydrotherapy pool celebrated its 10th anniversary!
The leader of the Labour Group on Peterborough City Council has recently stated that his group believe the hydrotherapy pool should remain open.
Ranjith Mahamani is the local businessman, who, until the other day, was under the impression he was set to take over the running of the facility. If only, because he’d been in talks with the Council for many months, and had an agreement!?
Petition Launched
A formal petition has now been launched on the City Council’s website and you can add your support to it, by simply VISITING HERE!
Thoughts from others
The disputed figures behind the story not to sell St George's for #community use are heartbreaking for the #hydrotherapy users involved. Especially when the pool delivers £1,525,000 of economic and social value to #Peterborough every year. 👀⬇️ https://t.co/wxCdCG0uSN
— St George's Hydrotherapy Users (@pbhydro_users) April 12, 2022
I believe an extraordinary council meeting must be called now! @PeterboroughCC concerning the hydrotherapy pool. I had obtained unanimous support from joint scrutiny committee that the user's would be consulted on every aspect @peterboroughtel@PboroughMatters@paulbristow79
As the Conservatives at Peterborough Town hall continue to play politics with our precious hydrotherapy pool this campaign will increase in importance. #PeterboroughUnlimitedhttps://t.co/PGm7Ep1VM8
Thing is, they’d just spent over a year negotiating a hand over, had failed to notify opposition councillors and had failed to even mention this option, when they agreed their Budget a few weeks before!?
What does St Georges do?
St George’s has helped over 4,500 local people by providing pain relief, health improvements and freedom from isolation.
We've been asked to share information about St George's #hydrotherapy users. Thread 1/
— St George's Hydrotherapy Users (@pbhydro_users) April 10, 2022
Within 24 hours
The whole day, when the Council announced it would be reneging on its plans, was itself very bizarre!
First off, City Councillors received a letter to say sale plans had been scrapped. The issue then got mentioned on-line. Then “Angry” opposition councillors called for a u-turn. In the afternoon, Paul Bristow MP did a video outside of St George’s, saying he’d be OK with the closure, if a replacement was found. At which point, the Council magically claimed, Thistlemoor surgery was planning to open a new Hydrotherapy Pool next year!
And before the day was done, Ranjith Mahamani, the Physio who was due to buy existing pool, told the media, he’d been in discussions with the council for over a year!?
What’s been said since…
42 meetings over 15 months! 7 site visits! 12k spent by us so far in planning and legal costs! No outcome, but you achieved a deal in a single phone call! Well done & keep fibbing about the 100k spend although I have proved that’s a wrong claim! 1/2
Part of the problem is that when you are in need of such facilities you are often at your least able to pick up the fight. This is why it's so important that we all express our support for St George's and its users. They need to know the people of the city have their back. ❤️ https://t.co/JvAtuyGx74
I did move a motion at the Council joint scrutiny meeting that was agreed to protect the users interests see.s to have been ignored by the administration. If re elected on May5 I will insist on a date for re opening #SortCouncilOuthttps://t.co/w3a5sthHYy
There is NO doubt that something FISHY is going on here!
Given the way the Tories have handled the Key Theatre, City market and the purse strings at the Town Hall, it does not surprise me!
It does dishearten me though, their arrogance in dismissing the needs of some of the most vulnerable in our city!
The claim that a new hydrotherapy pool will be sorted in a year is utter tosh. Even if building, planning applications etc go perfectly, which they won’t, it would take longer than a year to realise!
Its times like these that our city REALLY does miss out not having an investigative journalist willing to delve into this matter.
That said, councillors could of course do this, but many are pre-occupied seeking re-election, and too many of them do not care or are incapable of actually holding the Conservative controlled Council to account!
That said, feel free to drop a comment, opinion or snippet of information below!
In June 2020, “Tory Boy” Paul Bristow MP said, “Peterborough City Council, Karen and I are all united in valuing the community pool which can benefit children and adults with a wide range of disabilities or long-term health conditions.”
It was certainly a surprise to me to see Cllr Ed Murphy standing as an Independent in this years local elections.
From what I can fathom, it seems there’s been some issues between him and the Labour party central office, which has resulted in him deciding enough is enough etc?
Anyhow, he’s certainly in the top 5% of existing councillors when it comes to a track record of dealing with issues and experience.
There’s not much Cllr Ed Murphy won’t talk about!
Fower Facts
The last time Ed stood for election, was in 2018, when he beat a certain Paul Bristow, by just 28 votes!
Ed has previously served as a County Councillor for Ravensthorpe.
At one point, Cllr Murphy served as leader of the Labour group.
He’s also served as a senior manager for the local authority in Peterborough and even held the job of Chief Executive for public/private partnerships delivering major regeneration projects.
“We need to tackle the excesses of some private landlords and ensure our neighbourhoods are not blighted by badly kept or badly managed dwellings. If you want an independent representative working for you irrespective of party politics, with a strong track record, then please vote for me on 5th May.”
– Cllr Ed Murphy
Ed speaking with local residents
My Thoughts
There’s absolutely no doubt, that anyone who decides to stand for election after spending so long as a political party member, is facing challenge.
There’s also no doubt that there will be 300 or so hard-core Labour supporters will continue to vote for the red candidate.
However, Ed does have several elements in his favour.
He’s well known within the local community.
He’s been the councillor for that area for a long time.
He has a track record of holding the Conservative Council to account.
He’s a strong minded and experienced individual, certainly not a “yes” man.
He clearly has a top notch knowledge of his patch.
Therefore, in my opinion, and given that around 60% of electors don’t normally bother to even vote, I’d say he certainly has a chance, and the successful candidate, could end being either the Tory or Cllr Ed Murphy!?
Darren Fower 