Brexit risks in Peterborough revealed by council

A Brexit Impact Assessment released by the city council lists 16 possible impacts, with a ranking of how likely they are to happen, what impact they would have, and work being done to mitigate the risks.

Three areas flagged as ‘very likely’ to happen are also expected to result in a ‘very high’ impact. These are:

. A reduction in the workforce in services commissioned by both Peterborough City and Cambridgeshire County councils - such as care workers, cleaners, security staff and in construction

. Budget pressures due to an increase in the cost of paying workers for commissioned services, as well as a rise in cost of products and materials that the council purchases

. Rule changes for recruiting staff from outside the UK.

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, council deputy leader and Leave campaigner, said the UK could overcome any “choppy waters” from a no deal Brexit.

He added: “It certainly is sensible that the council should risk assess all possibilities and test all the scenarios it can think of as we draw closer to March 29 when we will as a nation once more become free from Europe and the shackles that hold us back from trading with the rest of the world.

“The council and its Conservative administration is best placed to deal with whatever the Brexit process throws at us, whereas Labour both locally and nationally it seems are clueless, and the public know this too.”

Other potential impacts include an increase in community tensions (likely to happen), fuel and medicine shortages and financial implications (both possible).

The council said: “Our Brexit Impact Assessment was created drawing on the expertise of officers across the council, local partners and most recent government information, and we’ve set up a taskforce drawn from all parts of Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council to develop and monitor actions identified in it.”