Peterborough City Council has new political leadership after councillors voted to remove Conservative leader Wayne Fitzgerald.
A no confidence motion in Cllr Fitzgerald passed last night, which had been tabled by the leader of the Peterborough First Group, Chris Harper, and supported by the leaders of the Labour, Liberal Democrats and Green groups.
The Peterborough First Group, which has eleven councillors, will rule as a minority administration with Mohammed Farooq as council leader.
Cllr Fitzgerald and former deputy leader Steve Allen said the move ‘had no legitimacy’ and was only possible because since the May elections, when the Conservative group had won 30 out of 60 seats, seven former Conservative councillors had joined Peterborough First.
Cllr Fitzgerald and Cllr Allen said: ‘Electors will obviously question how these councillors were able to present themselves for election under a party banner only to then defect to another self-styled political group without returning to the polls to seek approval of those who have elected them.’
Peterborough First will focus on growth and prosperity, protecting the vulnerable, education, and the environment, Cllr Farooq said, adding that he hoped to work with Conservative colleagues.
