A council report into the education performance of Peterborough pupils in the last academic year highlights the need for improvement across the city. The report by Nick Beech, head of school improvement at Peterborough City Council, provided information about the outcomes of statutory assessments in primary and secondary schools in 2024.

Mr Beech noted that outcomes achieved by children and young people in Peterborough remained "too low" overall in the previous school year. He added: "Whilst there is improvement in some areas, it is not at sufficient pace. Outcomes in some academies are a particular cause for concern."

The report also highlighted 'inequity', with some local schools having achieved very high outcomes and ranked at the top of the national league tables, while others had persistently low levels of attainment. Mr Beech wrote: "The number of schools with low attainment is masking the good success of others."

The council said it is taking steps to further develop the sharing of successful practice between schools to help drive a system-wide improvement.

– Just under a quarter of Peterborough schools achieved the national average in the Early Years Foundation Stage (assessed at the end of Reception).

– Around half of mainstream Peterborough schools achieved the national average in the Phonics Screening Check, assessed at the end of Year 1.

– Key Stage 2 assessments were carried out at the end of Year 6, which include national tests in reading and mathematics, and teacher assessment in writing. One third of schools achieved at or above the national average for combined attainment in reading, maths and writing.

– A total of 58.4 per cent of pupils assessed in Key Stage 4 in Year 11 for English and Maths achieved a pass grade 9-4, with the national average being 65.5 per cent.

– 72 per cent of Key Stage 5 A-level students achieved A*-C grades, slightly lower than the national average of 76 per cent.

Peterborough City Council said that, in terms of Early Years schools in Peterborough where attainment is low, each have received targeted support through things like the Family Hub programme and National Literacy Trust work.

The council report stated that the number of schools that achieved below 50 per cent at Key Stage 2 was a "particular concern". Out of 40 academy settings, 19 schools (48 per cent) had combined attainment of 50 per cent or below. Out of 20 city council maintained schools with Year 6 pupils, one (five per cent) had combined attainment lower than 50 per cent.

Mr Beech wrote: "It should be noted that when Ofsted have inspected Peterborough schools with low outcomes, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the schools are judged to be good in all areas. This provides a level of reassurance that leaders are taking the right actions and pupils are receiving a good quality education."

The council report will be discussed at a children and education scrutiny committee meeting on Monday, March 17.

Peterborough City Council's (PCC) children's services are facing growing pressure on capacity as a result of more asylum-seeking children requiring care. The authority's corporate parenting committee met on Wednesday, March 5, discuss an annual report into Peterborough's children's services, covering 2023 and 2024.

The report said that, as of March 31, 2024, there were 422 children and young people under the care of PCC and 42 of these were unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC). This represents a 46 per cent increase on the 27 UASC cared for by the council in 2022.

The report states: "The needs of these children and young people requires time, expertise and specialist knowledge to understand the impact of the significant trauma they have experienced and to support them to adjust and adapt to a new life which lacks certainty due to the legal process they must follow in seeking asylum."

Peterborough City Council receives asylum-seeking children into care through the National Transfer Scheme which allows the children to move to a different local authority rather than responsibility falling disproportionately on local authorities at their port of entry or across London councils.

Funding for these children is the responsibility of the UK Home Office, with no mandate at this time for local authorities to care for more UASC than 0.7 per cent of their total child population.

Katie Liddle, designated nurse for children in care at PCC, told the committee: "We did see a huge influx of unaccompanied asylum seeking children at the end of the summer and early autumn. It is a pattern that we have noticed over the last few years after the journey that they make to the UK during the summer months.

"It does have an impact on capacity and we do have a bit of a bottleneck. It takes a bit of time to work through those. The duration of an appointment for a UASC is extended to allow for interpretation of those appointments between the young person, the carer if they are present and the healthcare professional."

Out of the 422 children in care in Peterborough in March last year, 57 per cent were 'White British' in ethnicity while 43 per cent were 'Not White British'. PCC said the total number of children requiring care has stabilized in 2023-2024.

However, the increase in the complexity of need that children are presenting with and the number of older children who are becoming looked after continues to create additional pressure on the council to identify and secure suitable homes, education, medical and therapeutic treatment. Limited placement options have made it difficult for the council to find suitable local homes for children and young people.

Angie Bishop, head of service corporate parenting and fostering at PCC, described the increased complexity of children's needs as "stark and significant" in terms of the pressures that it places on services. She said the issues faced by the council are reflected nationally and not unique to Peterborough.

The city council's children's services were rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted at the end of 2023. A recent visit from the watchdog found vast improvements under new leadership.

Councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children's services at Peterborough City Council, said: "We are fully aware that things still need to improve, but the shoots are there and they are growing fast." She added: "The best thing is that the service is improving for the children here in Peterborough and I just want them to thrive, not survive."

Peterborough City Council received 49 complaints about adult social care services during the 2023/24 period and had one case upheld by an ombudsman, a new council report has revealed. This included 29 complaints (59%) that were either upheld or partially upheld, 18 that were not and two which were withdrawn. The total number of complaints rose from 48 in 2022/23 and 42 in 2021/22.

These figures form part of an annual review into adult social care complaints, which will be discussed at the city council's adults and health scrutiny committee on March 11. A report to be put before the committee revealed that the average complaints response time last year was 23 working days, a reduction from the previous year when the average timescale was 27 days.

It states: "The number of complaints being received about adult social care services in Peterborough is low both compared to neighbouring authorities and in terms of the numbers of people receiving services."

The report adds: "To illustrate the number of complaints that Peterborough City Council Adult Social Care service receives in comparison with the number of people accessing support, during the year April 2023-March 2024, a total of 4,357 people received support."

Peterborough City Council's adult social care services provide support both to people with long term care and support needs (aged 18 years plus), and short term needs such as occupational therapy, sensory support and reablement, as well as support for carers.

The service's contracts and external providers team received 20 out of the 49 complaints, the most of any team. Complaints included issues such as being unhappy with the conduct of a care worker and concern about the standard of care in a respite home.

One complaint about Peterborough City Council's adult social care services was investigated and upheld by the ombudsman in 2023/24. This involved a man who complained about the care provided to his son who has severe autism, learning and communication difficulties, and schizophrenia.

The man claimed that the adult social care services failed to arrange a Section 117 review for his son despite a recommendation by the ombudsman in May 2022. Section 117 means that a patient will get free aftercare when they leave hospital for support or services linked to their mental disorder.

Peterborough City Council, as well as the hospital trust and ICB, were ordered by the ombudsman to write a letter of apology to the father and son, and each pay £100 to them both (£600 in total) in recognition of the inconvenience caused.

Councillor Shabina Qayyum, cabinet member for adults and health at Peterborough City Council, said: "As stated in the report, the number of complaints being received about adult social care services in Peterborough is low both compared to neighbouring authorities and in terms of the numbers of people receiving services.

"However, where complaints are upheld, we actively work to identify what actions can be taken to resolve the matter promptly and fairly but also how to learn lessons from the problems that have occurred to enable service improvements for the future.

"I have, where coming across a complaint, personally signposted service users to the complaints process where they are processed in a timely and satisfactory manner."

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Council tax in one Cambridgeshire area will be increasing by almost 5% this year. Peterborough City Council confirmed how it will spend its money over the next year at a meeting on Wednesday, February 19.

The council has a budget of £233 million, boosted by a 4.99% increase on council tax for the area which will be coming into effect. The council says this means people with Band D properties will be paying £1.59 extra per week.

A total of 21 councillors voted for the 2025/26 budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy up to 2028, with 18 councillors voting against and 11 councillors abstaining from voting. In 2025/26 the council will spend more on care for the elderly and vulnerable, and supporting children and families.

The authority said growth and regeneration of the city will also remain a priority, as it will attract more and better-paid jobs for residents and put more money into the local economy. The budget also includes savings of £23m, which are needed to meet high and rising levels of demand in areas such as children’s social care, adult social care and homelessness.

Following public consultation, a number of saving proposals were changed to reflect the feedback received. A proposal to mothball the Lido was amended, meaning the facility will open in the spring, with the goal of attracting additional income.

The proposal to close cafés in the Lido, Flag Fen, Vivacity Premier Fitness, and the Museum and Art Gallery, which are making losses, have also been paused pending work with the operator to achieve at least a break-even café offer so they can remain open.

Councillor Mohammed Jamil, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Governance, said: “This year’s budget setting process has been one of the most challenging on record, so I am delighted that we have now set a balanced budget for 2025/26. The hard work does not stop here; we now must deliver these savings in full and we are committed to doing so.

“Once again, I would like to praise council staff for their role in developing proposals and considering new ways of working to make the savings that we needed to. I would also like to recognise those cross-party members who have worked collaboratively as part of our Financial Sustainability Working Group to get to where we are now.

“We will continue to put all our efforts into managing our very difficult financial situation and that includes working with Government on a fairer funding model. The Government is clearly listening and understands the significant challenges facing local government, with more money coming our way in 2025/26 than we expected.

“Difficult decisions remain, as we look to continue delivering the services that our residents rely upon, but we are focussed on our priorities which are to help and support those who need our help the most and to deliver opportunities for all.”

At the same meeting, members signed off the new Corporate Strategy which sets out what the council is prioritising to deliver for its residents and the city in the coming years to create a city of opportunity for all. It includes feedback from residents, including the need for a greater focus on improving the city centre.

Councillor Dennis Jones, Leader of the Council, said: “As we approach nine months in charge of the council, I hope that residents can see that we are a listening administration and we are willing to adapt and change following feedback. We adapted our draft budget following feedback from the public, and we adapted our new updated Corporate Strategy following feedback during the Shaping Our City consultation.

“We will continue to keep listening, and engaging with residents, as we strive to achieve the priorities set out in our updated Corporate Strategy. In doing so, we will protect and support those in the city who need our help the most and create a city of opportunity for all.”

Peterborough City Council’s multi-million pound Lincoln Road project will be completed by Christmas this year, the authority has confirmed. The project, which is part of the council’s £22.9 million Towns Fund Programme, aims to create an attractive destination for residents, visitors and shoppers as well as encourage more people in the area to walk and cycle.

It will include new widened pavements on either side of the road, a new pedestrian crossing at the Lincoln Road/Alma Road junction and new electric vehicle charging points, as well as bins, cycle parking and benches. At a meeting on Tuesday (February 11), Peterborough City Council’s cabinet members agreed to award a £3.5 million works order for the project to the authority’s highways partner, Milestone Infrastructure Services Limited.

The project initially had an estimated overspend in the region of £440,000 to £642,000. However, executive director of place and economy Adrian Chapman told the cabinet that the Towns Fund Board had since agreed to allocate further grant funding to cover the projected shortfall.

He said: “The Towns Fund Board have met and approved a further grant allocation from the Towns Fund pot, which all but closes the funding shortfall and essentially guarantees delivery of the full project. As Councillor [Angus] Ellis has mentioned, delivery starts in the spring. It will be concluded before Christmas so it’s a very much in-year and very live piece of work.

“To cover off where the funding has come from, the vast majority, nearly £3 million, has been made available through the Towns Fund. We’ve added a small amount from our UK Shared Prosperity Fund and a small amount from section 106 and community infrastructure levy funding.”

The council says the full target cost of the project is due later this month, which will provide a final amount that could be less than the £3.5 million upper limit of construction costs approved by cabinet. Non-construction related spend for the project is predicted to be in the region of £650,000.

At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, deputy leader Cllr Mohammed Jamil, who represents Central ward, recalled originally asking for much more money to be put towards the Lincoln Road project. He said: “We asked for £15 million. We were then offered £7.5 million. And now we’re settling with the £4 million.

“But I’m kind of hoping that this is also a catalyst to bring further money in as well. It’s not what we asked for, but it’s a start and I’m hoping that we can get the rest of Millfield done with further funding in the future.”

Mr Chapman said: “These things need to be seen as catalysts for change. This will deliver quite a significant improvement to a small stretch of Lincoln Road but I think it will then shine a light on the potential for the rest of Lincoln Road.

“Most of us know that Lincoln Road has vast potential. It’s already a place where you can go and enjoy some leisure time, amazing flavours, socialise and so on. I think this will be the precursor for something much more exciting.”

He added: “Ultimately, this is an opportunity to showcase Lincoln Road for what it is. So a few months of disruption that then creates a fantastic destination is well worth it.”

The council’s licenses to carry out works on private property will expire in December 2025, but the authority has assured that the work will be completed by then.