Five Peterborough stories you might have missed

Hilton Hotel in Peterborough remains unfinished and unoccupied since 2017

From warnings the city council could lose millions in a hotel sale to a major fundraising event called off because of strong winds, here are five Peterborough stories you may have missed this week.

Fear millions may be lost on pigeon-infested hotel

The Hilton Hotel is in the Fletton Quays area of Peterborough

Peterborough City Council could lose millions of pounds after agreeing to sell an unfinished pigeon-infested Hilton hotel, according to its former leader Conservative Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald.

The Hilton, in Peterborough, is set to go on the market after developers, who took a £15m loan from the city council for the project, went into administration.

But Labour's Mohammed Jamil said they were "clearing up the mess that people like Wayne Fitzgerald made" and the full amount might be recouped.

The 160-bedroom hotel remains unfinished and unoccupied, with major works pending, including lifts and gyms.

New drug needle bins installed to tackle littering

Litter picking groups have reportedly collected "hundreds" of needles

Five new needle bins have been installed in Peterborough to help crack down on discarded drug paraphernalia.

Peterborough City Council said it worked with organisations including Cambridgeshire Police, the drugs support group Aspire and local campaigners to tackle the littering and was confident that the new bins would help keep communities safe.

There are now 15 needle bins across the city, which have had more than 2,600 needles deposited in them since 2019. New locations include Boulevard cycle path near Taverners roundabout, Bourges Boulevard near English Street, Gladstone Park, Lincoln Road subway and the Embankment area.

Starlight Hike cancelled due to strong winds

Sue Ryder's Starlight Hike was expected to see crowds of around 420 people

Sue Ryder's hike has been cancelled for a second year in a row after strong winds were forecast, which the charity described as "heart-breaking".

About 420 walkers and 90 volunteers were expected to take part in the Starlight Hike at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough on Saturday.

However, the charity called off the event, which featured a 5km (3.1 mile) and 10km (6.2 mile) route, after "dangerously high wind gusts" of up to 40mph were forecast.

County's new police boss takes charge

Simon Megicks, 54, said he was "thrilled" to take up the post

Cambridgeshire's new Chief Constable said his first priority would be to "understand the demands of the workforce".

Former deputy chief constable for Norfolk, Simon Megicks, has started his new role as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's police boss after taking over from former chief Nick Dean.

Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston appointed Mr Megicks as chief constable following a unanimous vote by the county's police and crime panel.

Litter picker finds road sign 'from the 1970s'

Mark Fishpool said the signboards were hidden under the overgrown bushes

Mark Fishpool, a litter picker, uncovered two "historic" road signs at the side of a city parkway which he believed were more than 50 years old.

Mr Fishpool set up the Pride in Peterborough Community Association two years ago and has been carrying out voluntary litter picks ever since.

This week, he found a "Soke Parkway" signboard hidden beneath overgrown bushes next to the road near the Brotherhood Retail Park. He said he also collected a second signboard from highway contractors "who did not know the history behind the boards".

Mr Fishpool, 69, said he recognised the original signboards, having worked at Mears Construction company, which was responsible for building the parkway, in the 1970s.

A week in Peterborough politics

Bretton city councillor Nicola Jenkins said she was disappointed her ward didn't receive any money from the "Community Regeneration Fund".

Paston, Orton Malbourne and Goldhay were awarded cash - and Jenkins said she was "furious" about Bretton missing out.

The city's Labour MP, Andrew Pakes, called the £40m allocated to the wards a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to transform left-behind areas.

"We've also got an extra £1.5m for other parts of the city. This is just the start," he added.

The council's cabinet met on Thursday. Whilst the sale of the Hilton Hotel got the headlines, other decisions included confirming the Walton Community Centre has been bought by the neighbouring pharmacy, which will be expanding.

Also, funding will be ended for several school crossing patrols in the city. The council also confirmed there is a budget overspend of £5.2m forecast for the current financial year.