A Peterborough city councillor- and former deputy leader – is to appear in court next month accused of harassment. Amjad Iqbal, 49, of Mayors Walk, Peterborough, has been charged with harassment and is due to appear before Peterborough Magistrates Court on 28 February.
Cllr Iqbal, a specialist in immigration, asylum and human rights, was re-elected to the council last May, topping the poll in Central Ward with 1377 votes. His four opponents polled just 1,587 votes between them.
He has been a Labour councillor since 2016 and following last May’s city council elections became deputy leader following his party’s success in becoming the largest group on the council and taking control.
At the annual council meeting on May 20, Cllr Dennis Jones of the Labour and Cooperative Party was voted in as leader of the Council. Cllr Jones also announced his new cabinet members, which included Cllr Iqbal as deputy leader.
Cllr Iqbal quit in August to become an independent councillor.
In a statement after his resignation Cllr Iqbal said his “views on certain policy matters differ from those of my group, and in view of that, with regret, I have decided to resign from the Labour Group.”
He added: “I have enjoyed working with my Labour colleagues, and I want to thank them for their support over the years.
“I will now represent Central Ward as an independent councillor and will always do my utmost to look after the best interest of my residents.”
