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Five Peterborough stories you may have missed

Shariqua AhmedPeterborough
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Three orange cards which say 'Tiger Mayor's £1 Fare' A persons thumb covers a photograph on each card. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
The Tiger Pass allows young people to travel for £1 per journey around Cambridgeshire

The progress of the rebuilding of an Iron Age roundhouse replica, CCTV of fly-tippers in the city and a clinician's toy appeal are among the stories from Peterborough that we have covered this week.

Matić is second-youngest Turner Prize nominee

Diana Pfammatter Rene Matić. They have short black hair and are wearing a black vest top. They are sitting in front of a wooden wall. Diana Pfammatter
Rene Matić, 28, has been shortlisted for the award alongside three other artists

Peterborough's artist Rene Matić is the second-youngest nominee in the history of the Turner Prize.

The 28-year-old has been shortlisted for the 2025 award, given for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation - previous winners include Damien Hirst and Grayson Perry.

Matić's work - which include sound, photography and fabric installations - has been on display at Cartwright Hall in Bradford, which is hosting this year's award.

They said it was "really and truly a dream come true", adding it was "something I wanted for as long as I can remember".

Ambulance staff 'blown away' by toy appeal response

Polly Hurst Polly, a woman, wearing a black shirt and black trousers, holding her son in her arms, standing in front of a Christmas tree with boxes of presents in front of them and a member of the children's ward, a lady in red shirt smiling for camera with them.Polly Hurst
Polly Hurst hoped to inspire her son Cadent, seven, to continue this initiative in the coming years

Polly Hurst, who works as a clinician with the East of England Ambulance Service, said she was "blown away" by the response to her Christmas toy appeal.

Mr Hurst is collecting toys and books for a children's ward at Peterborough City Hospital and has collected 204 items so far this year.

The mum-of-two said: "I understand the pressure and emotional strain on both the children and their parents, so this is my way of giving something back at this time of year."

Empty TK Maxx site should be sold, cabinet told

Local Democracy Reporting Service Roadside view of the TK Maxx building - with a red entrance to a large cream building. People can bee seen walking in front of the building onto the road.Local Democracy Reporting Service
The TK Maxx building was bought as part of the £15m Vine project

A former TK Maxx building in Peterborough city centre should be sold for mixed-use housing, council officers have recommended.

The Bridge Street building was originally bought by the local authority in 2020 for £4.1m to be used as part of a £15m community hub project known as The Vine.

However, in 2023, Peterborough City Council decided to sell the site after works there were estimated to cost about £10.8m and were not deemed economically viable.

The cabinet was recommended to sell the vacant four-storey building to Bridge Street (March) Limited following a marketing exercise that concluded in the autumn.

Roundhouse replica work progressing

The replica roundhouse, with its wooden walls and large thatched roof. It is surrounded by grass and trees. There is a blue sky and clouds above.
The Iron Age roundhouse replica, pictured before the fire, was first built in 2022

Work to rebuild a prehistoric roundhouse destroyed by a fire is expected to be completed by January.

The Iron Age replica at Flag Fen Archaeology Park, near Peterborough, was built in 2022, but it was destroyed in what was suspected to have been a deliberate fire on 13 July.

Flag Fen said £18,000 had been raised through a public appeal and the site's manager, Jacqui Mooney, said the rebuild had happened "far more quickly than we ever imagined" thanks to the "generosity" of local people and businesses.

Fly-tipping CCTV released by council for first time

Local Democracy Reporting Service Piles of rubbish placed next to a green and a black bin.Local Democracy Reporting Service
Peterborough has the highest rate of fly-tipping in the East of England

People living in one of the most fly-tipped parts of England say more needs to be done long-term to combat the problem.

Peterborough has the highest rate of fly-tipping in eastern England and, for the first time, the city council has released CCTV to show how it has been tracking down offenders.

It has also considered creating a "rogue's gallery" so "perpetrators can be identified and named and shamed", it said.

Week in politics

The Tiger bus pass that allows people under 25 to travel for £1 single fares across Cambridgeshire could be extended until spring 2027.

The proposal is set to be discussed by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority on 18 December.

Peterborough City Council is seeking its cabinet's approval to grant £170,000 to Peterborough Women's Aid in funding.

It comes as the local authority's cabinet will be asked on Tuesday to approve a three-year contract to the domestic abuse charity that provides refuge services and safe accommodation.

Week in sport

Getty Images Peterborough United manager Luke Williams dressed all in black clapping his hands. Getty Images
Luke Williams is the new manager for Peterborough United
Ben Stevenson

Peterborough United ended a run of four games without a win by beating Reading 2-1 in League One. Jimmy-Jay Morgan opened the scoring for Posh, while Harry Leonard grabbed the winner in the second half.

Peterborough United women remain top of the Division One Midlands after beating Kidderminster Harriers 4-0. Posh put in a blistering second half display with goals from Keir Perkins, Courtney Clarke, Jessica Rousseau and Kira Rai.

Peterborough Sports slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Hereford in the National League North. The Turbines have moved back into the relegation zone.

Peterborough Phantoms suffered back-to-back defeats against Sheffield Steeldogs and Hull Seahawks. Phantoms have managed to book their place in the semi-finals of the cup, where they will face Sheffield over two legs.

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