As it happened: Council leader loses no confidence vote

1. The Conservative leader of Peterborough City Council, Wayne Fitzgerald, has lost a vote of no confidence this evening
2. A full council meeting took place at the Town Hall, where 32 voted in favour of the motion and 20 against
3. Mohammed Farooq, member of Peterborough First, was voted in as the new council leader.
4. Mr Fitzgerald said he expected to lose the vote, which was proposed by an alliance of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors
5. A number of Tory councillors have recently switched to the Peterborough First group at the unitary authority

Thanks for joining us

After hours of debate, councillors at Peterborough City Council have voted to remove the Conservative leader Wayne Fitzgerald.

Peterborough First, under the leadership of Mohammed Farooq, a former Conservative councillor, will now run the council as a minority.

We are ending our coverage here. Thank you for joining us tonight, we will bring you more reaction tomorrow.

A tall order for new administration

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC Look East

Predictably, tonight brought discord and disorder.

With a packed chamber and around 300 watching a live video feed, this may not have been Peterborough’s most positive spectacle.

While some of his critics will welcome the end of councillor Wayne Fitzgerald’s term as leader, his party colleagues remained loyal and supportive.

Despite that division, there was some agreement – that Peterborough is facing huge challenges and possible further government oversight or intervention.

Peterborough First will now try to run the council as a minority administration. That’s a tall order with just 11 members out of a total of 60.

Tonight they were able to rely on support from other opposition councillors – an informal and potentially unstable coalition.

Peterborough City Council’s Improvement Panel has encouraged councillors to work more collaboratively. That means parties may have become more used to working together.

But Mr Fitzgerald has made clear he and his group will not recognise the new administration.

So tonight’s early fireworks may not be the last.

Conservatives say defectors should face by-elections

The Conservatives have issued a statement about the outcome of tonight's no confidence motion.

"As the largest party on the council we believe the move has no legitimacy," say former leader Wayne Fitzgerald and former deputy leader Steve Allen.

"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."

They say those who defect should go before the electorate again.

"As the largest political group on the City Council we restate our commitment to Peterborough and will continue to speak and work in the best interest of our City and its residents."

New cabinet announced

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC Look East

Councillor Farooq has just announced his cabinet, saying it is "competent and experienced" and would "hit the ground running".

The following councillors will join the cabinet:

John Howard - Deputy Leader, with responsibility for finance, corporate services, legal and community

Ray Bisby - children's services

Peter Hiller - growth, housing and regeneration

Saqib Farooq - Adults and health

Gavin Elsey - Infrastructure, transport, climate and environment

Conservatives will not recognise new administration

Former council leader Wayne Fitzgerald says his party will not recognise Mr Farooq's administration.

"So forget about that," he tells him.

He says he will campaign to get as many Peterborough First councillors out of the council "through the ballot box" because that's democracy.

"Because what I care about is this city, and I'm passionate and I'm still going to do what I need to do and encourage my members to do that."

Addressing Mr Farooq and his administration, he says: "You have no legitimacy to be in this council chamber, you were voted in as Conservatives."

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Wayne Fitzgerald says the Conservatives will work to oust Peterborough First councillors at the ballot box

New leader wants to work with Conservatives

Mr Farooq says he hopes to work with Conservative colleagues.

He says his party is "fully aware" of the council's financial picture and will put forward a long-term financial plan.

He wants to "extend [a] hand of friendship to Conservative colleagues" and he adds that "with your help" the council will have stable leadership.

Just prior to the leadership vote, Liberal Democrat leader Christian Hogg said he wanted to offer former leader Wayne Fitzgerald an "olive branch" and said that he hoped the Conservative leader could "come back into the fold" and work together "for a positive outcome for the council".

New leader 'honoured and humbled'

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC Look East

Mohammed Farooq has proposed a motion about his new cabinet during a short speech.

He says he is "humbled and honoured" to have been voted in as leader "for our beautiful city of Peterborough".

He adds that his group will work towards four priorities: growth and prosperity, protect the vulnerable, education, and the environment.

At the same time Liberal Democrat councillors can be seen giving high fives to each other.

BreakingMohammed Farooq voted new leader

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

The vote to install Mohammed Farooq, of Peterborough First, as leader of Peterborough City Council has passed.

The results are as follows:

For - 32

Against - 19

Abstentions - 2

Motion to reinstate Wayne Fitzgerald fails

Amendment to the motion (to re-install Wayne Fitzgerald as leader). The results are as follows:

For - 20

Against - 32

Abstentions - 1

'Debate has deteriorated'

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC Look East

John Howard from Peterborough First says he would like to "apologise to the officers and the public watching" because the "debate has deteriorated and we deserve better".

"There's a lot of ill-feeling and this chamber deserves better," he adds.

Former leader says voters have been betrayed

Ben Schofield

Political correspondent, BBC Look East

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Wayne Fitzgerald calls Mohammed Farooq a liar

We're hearing from Wayne Fitzgerald for the first time since the no confidence motion was passed.

He says he would like to "apologise to all those people who voted Conservative over the years who have been betrayed by those on my right".

After calling Mr Farooq "a liar", he is asked by mayor Sandford to withdraw the comment, which he does.

He adds that when he arrived in the chamber he thought it was Halloween because of a "freak show" on display but realised it had moved into "panto season".

Mr Fitzgerald ends his remarks - after high tempered exchanges with some former Conservative members about their records in office - by saying: "I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have not been unelected."

'Opportunistic power grab'

Conservative Steve Allen said the motion was nothing more than "an illegitimate power grab".

It has been "dressed up with idealistic clap-trap. An administration of 'me first' masquerading as Peterborough First," he says.

The motion was supported by a "disparate group of opportunistic opposition parties", he adds, who have no conviction or confidence to run an administration themselves.

Mohammed Farooq proposed as the new council leader

Mohammed Farooq, member of Peterborough First, has been proposed as the new council leader.

Despite just being voted out, the Conservative Steve Allen has just proposed Wayne Fitzgerald as a candidate for leader of the council.

His proposal is met with cheers and applause from the Conservative group.

Although it seems "a bit odd", constitutionally there is nothing to stop him, says mayor Nick Sandford.

BBC

What happens next?

The council has passed the no confidence motion.

It means that Conservative Wayne Fitzgerald is no longer leader of the council and the Conservative party will no longer form the administration.

There are some procedural matters to be dealt with next.

Shortly a new motion will be introduced to elect a new leader and administration.

BreakingMotion carried

The vote has just happened.

The results are as follows:

32 in favour

20 against

1 abstention

Peterborough First promise stability

Summing up, Peterborough First's Chris Harper, who proposed the motion, says his group would "promise that we will put the citizens of Peterborough first, while we have collaboration, listening, transparency, stability and financial competence, and hope for the future of this city".

Lib Dems approached by Peterborough First repeatedly

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Christian Hogg, in the light blue sweater, says many things have led him to support the motion

Liberal Democrat group leader Christian Hogg, one of the councillors who backed the no confidence motion, says Peterborough First made several approaches about taking control.

He says in July there were a number of motions at a full council that were "very combative" from the administration.

Under Peterborough First he says there appears to be more allowance for cross party working.

Fellow Liberal Democrat Chris Wiggin says the "relationship with the administration has broken down".

"Peterborough First have given me every indication that they will be different," he tells the chamber.

Restraint needed says mayor

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Labour group leader Dennis Jones is speaking to the mayor and says councillors to his left are interrupting people talking. He says that includes Conservatives Wayne Fitzgerald, Steve Allen and Oliver Sainsbury.

The mayor says it is a "very emotive issue" and that "people need to show restraint".

Conservative councillor 'bamboozled' by motion

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Councillors are sharing their views on the motion

Conservative Charles Fenner says the motion is "regrettable and wrong".

A leader needs to be strong and tough, this is not the way to do it, he says.

Mr Fenner warns that intervention from government "seems more likely" if the motion passes.

Fellow Conservative Scott Warren says he is "bamboozled" by the motion.

'You should be ashamed of yourselves'

Marco Cereste, a Conservative cabinet member responsible for things like planning, lists what he says are achievements in the city, including opening a new university, education improvements and creating new jobs.

He says the motion is "the worst form of democracy" and asks members to "think twice" before voting for it. Those who support it, he concludes, should be "ashamed of yourselves".

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

Councillor Marco Cereste says the motion is "the worst form of democracy"

Stephen Lane of Peterborough First says he is "100% against this motion".

He says "cutting the cake differently will not serve up something better nor richer" and he fears "no good can come from this".

Steve Allen, the deputy leader, says he does not recognise the "weaponization" mentioned in the no confidence motion and that the leader of the council has worked with opposition parties.