Month: December 2011

The Peterborough Council Shilling

Friday 9th December 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

08:23
PAUL STAINTON: On yesterday’s show there was a little bit of confusion when we spoke to Council Leader Marco Cereste about that independent report into councillors’ allowances. We’d just like to clarify that the report recommended Councillor Matthew Lee’s Special Responsibility Allowance be reduced from 75% of the Leader’s Allowance to 65% of the Leader’s Allowance. That same report also put forward a recommendation to increase the Leader’s pay by over £4000. That suggestion rejected by Councillor Cereste and the Council. Just want to make that clear, because there was some confusion yesterday.

08:30
PAUL STAINTON: Just a quick message, by the way. This is a forum for the people of Peterborough, by text, by phone, by e-mail. however you want to contact us, please do. It is not a forum for one particular councillor to text in with different names, on a number of occasions. I appreciate all the texts that come in, but they will not all get read out if it’s from the same person, even if you are using a different name, councillor. This show’s for the people, alright? Thank you.

08:33
PAUL STAINTON: Perhaps the councillors should get their own radio station for councillors. Then they can text in to their own show.

Eye Village Under Attack Yet Again

07:19 Thursday 8th December 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: We brought you the news last year that Eye was one of the places earmarked for major development. The City Council recommended 85 more homes to be built there. But now an independent report has said that Eye could do with not 85 but 160 new homes. The news has been met with criticism from some residents. Dale McKean is one of those residents. Morning Dale.
DALE MCKEAN: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: What are you so worried about? You’ve got all that land around Eye. We could put plenty of homes around there. It would be lovely. Continue reading “Eye Village Under Attack Yet Again”

Payrise Proposal for Peterborough Councillors

07:08 Thursday 1st December 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Yesterday we brought you the exclusive news about possible changes to councillor allowances in the city. An independent panel has suggested a cut in the size of the Cabinet, and a reduction in the money given to those with special reponsibilities, whatever that means. This could mean an extra cash rise in allowances for members by about 13%, if it all goes through. The recommendations will be debated at the Full Council meeting next Wednesday. Yesterday we spoke to the Leader of the Liberal Democrat group in Peterborough, Councillor Nick Sandford. This is what he had to say. (TAPE)
NICK SANDFORD: There’s a need to attract more people to become councillors. What they would rather do is take away some of these so-called special responsibility payments, or to actually reduce them, and to use that to increase the basic allowance payable to all Members of the Council. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well that’s what Nick Sandford had to say. Ed Murphy, councillor for Ravensthorpe, is putting forward a motion at the Full Council meeting next week to cut allowances and expenses by about £200,000. Morning Ed.
ED MURPHY: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: So you’re not for this, obviously, for a rise in allowances effectively, a redistribution of the wealth, if you like. Continue reading “Payrise Proposal for Peterborough Councillors”