Month: March 2012

Democracy in Peterborough

07:07 Friday 23rd March 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Could the way that Peterborough City Council is governed be about to change? From 4th May, councils across the country will have the option of scrapping the current cabinet system, which we have in Peterborough, and replacing it with a new system which would see a committee run various departments. Now some say this is a fairer and more transparent way to run local authorities. Critics say though it makes the whole system way too slow, and you get nothing done. Nick Sandford is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Peterborough, and is in favour of the change, Nick? Continue reading “Democracy in Peterborough”

Belu and WaterAid on World Water Day

17:50 Thursday 22nd March 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Would you buy a particular brand of water if you knew your purchase was going to help a good cause? Today is World Water Day, and the start of a new intiative to turn some of the profits of the massive bottled water industry to helping the world’s poorest communities. To find out more, I spoke earlier with Lydia Zigomo, who heads up the charity WaterAid’s East Africa programme work, and Karen Lynch CEO of Belu Water, the fast-growing ethical water brand. Continue reading “Belu and WaterAid on World Water Day”

Julian Huppert MP of the Month

17:18 Tuesday 20th March 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Cambridge MP Julian Huppert, fresh from being voted MP of the Month, will join a panel debate for sixth form students tonight, to give his views on the War on Drugs. It’s the annual Cambridge University VIth Form Law Conference, aimed at attracting people from wide range of backgrounds. Panel members will debate:  The War on Drugs has failed. This House believes it’s time for a new approach.  Julian Huppert is a Member of the Home Affairs Select Committee of course which is conducting a major inquiry into drugs policy. He recently returned from a trip to Colombia, where he saw first hand the work taking place to tackle the drug cartels, and he joined me earlier. Continue reading “Julian Huppert MP of the Month”

Taxman Targets Interims and Consultants on Local Authorities

20:00 Tuesday 13th March 2012
File on Four Radio Four

ANNOUNCER: With tax avoidance increasingly in the news, Fran Abrahams investigates the extent of the problem. ..
FRAN ABRAHAMS: HMRC is certainly facing criticism. MPs have been asking why it’s doing deals with big business over unpaid tax bills. There was anger over the revelation that the Chief Executive of the Student Loan Company wasn’t on its payroll. And we’ve discovered it isn’t just central government that’s under pressure on the issue. Hammersmith and Fulham Council has been thanking its residents for helping it cut costs. It’s even been able to reduce council tax bills. But there ‘s been concern it might also have been cutting back on another kind of bill, the tax bill. The issue arose over the employment of a man named Nick Johnson, who’s recently been working at Hammersmith in a senior role. Theresa Pearce, who’s now a Labour MP, knew him when he was Chief Executive of Bexley Council in South London. Continue reading “Taxman Targets Interims and Consultants on Local Authorities”

The Accelerating Decline in Road Maintenance

07:17 Thursday 15th March 2012
Cambridge Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

JEREMY SALLIS: Let’s talk about potholes. Despite the mild winter, it’s going to take eleven years to clear the backlog of potholes on the UK roads, according to a new report out today. The annual report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance says £90 million was spent on repairing the 1.7 million potholes last year. The report also says the number of complaints received by local authorities from the general public about the condition of roads increased by 10%. Well let’s speak to the Director of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, David Weeks. A very good morning to you David.
DAVID WEEKS: Good morning.
JEREMY SALLIS: We’re catching our tail here. It doesn’t look like we’re ever going to catch up. Continue reading “The Accelerating Decline in Road Maintenance”

Alaric Aldred on Saving Water

17:50 Wednesday 14th March 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Some of us are facing the first hosepipe ban imposed by Anglian Water in twenty years. What are we in the county doing to save water? Our reporter Johnny D. has been out to Melborn to see Alaric Aldred, who seems, well, quite well prepared. Continue reading “Alaric Aldred on Saving Water”

Afghanistan – The Mechanics of Withdrawal

17:10 Tuesday 13th March 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: The Prime Minister is flying to Washington for talks with President Obama. During the three day trip the two men are expected to discuss measures leading up to the withdrawal of British and US troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2014. .. It’s thought the precise timetable for Afghan troops to take over combat operations could be brought forward. New opinion polls here suggest the tide of public opinion wants it to be speeded up. But how likely and how possible is that? I talked a little earlier to a leading military analyst, Major Charles Heyman. (TAPE)
CHARLES HEYMAN: Well everything is possible. And they could make a quick withdrawal from Afghanistan, if our politicians wanted them to do that. But it’s fraught with danger, both political problems there and military problems as well.
CHRIS MANN: What kind of dangers? Continue reading “Afghanistan – The Mechanics of Withdrawal”