Opposition Councillors Unite to Attack Tory Budget Proposals

08:08 Monday 30th November 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: As the dust settles on the lollipop cuts fiasco, rival parties in Peterborough are now joining together to form their own alternative budget plans. Representatives from Labour, The Libdems and the Independent Group are meeting tomorrow to discuss some of the policies they want to see change from the Council’s budget proposals. The Labour group want to see the Council share more services with neighbouring counties, and for councillors to take a 30% cut in allowances. Well earlier we heard from Jonathan Isaby, the Political Director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance. He criticised the Tory proposals for raising council tax, and said he prefers some of the Labour Group’s cost saving methods. (TAPE)
JONATHAN ISABY: The Labour group have put forward an alternative budget today. I haven’t seen the detail of it, but from what the headlines were saying the idea of cutting councillors’ allowances, sharing some services and having fewer consultants sound some very sensible ideas as to how this can be done. And hopefully Councillor Seaton will take a look at that plan. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well Ed Murphy is a Labour councillor in Peterborough. With us, Nick Sandford as well, from the Liberal Democrats. Morning guys.
BOTH: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Ed first of all, where do you disagree with the budget that’s been proposed already? Where are you considering making changes? Continue reading “Opposition Councillors Unite to Attack Tory Budget Proposals”

Enterprise Peterborough – Making the Best of a Bad Situation

07:20 Friday 27th January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Work experience, apprenticeships and volunteering, just some of the ways a Peterborough company plans to help boost the City of Peterborough. Enterprise of course provides a number of services for the City Council, including street cleansing and looking after parks and trees. And it’s now creating a number of roles to try and give a little bit back to the community. Richard Oldfield is the Transformation Director at Enterprise in Peterborough. Morning. Continue reading “Enterprise Peterborough – Making the Best of a Bad Situation”

Buy to Let in Peterborough

07:20 Wednesday 25th January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: If you’re thinking about buying to let, Peterborough is THE place to do it. A city-based estate agent surveyed the whole country, comparing the average sale price of a house against its letting price, and guess what .. we’re top of the pops. Let’s speak to Martin Fitzjohn from Fitzjohn Ingle. Morning sir. How are you?
MARTIN FITZJOHN: Good morning Paul. I’m fine thank you.
PAUL STAINTON: It’s not very often we’re top of the pops at anything, but this is good, isn’t it? Let’s get out there and get a mortgage .. if we can. Continue reading “Buy to Let in Peterborough”

Tatlin’s Tower at the Royal Academy

17:55 Monday 23rd January 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Welcome to the studio now, Philip Cooper, who is a leading engineer and architect, and he has just built the unbuildable building. He’s based in Gwydir Street in Cambridge. Philip, good evening to you.
PHILIP COOPER: Hello.
CHRIS MANN: Now this is a design from a long time ago that no-one’s actually built. But you have. Explain please.
PHILIP COOPER: Yes it is. Tatlin, who was an artist from the 1920s, a very famous man in Russia, proposed, just after the Revolution, when he took over all the art schools, he proposed to build an enormous monument, both to celebrate the new Communist regime, and to provide an office for their administration. Continue reading “Tatlin’s Tower at the Royal Academy”

Peterborough Conservatives Up in Arms Over Council Cuts and Rate Rise

08:15 Monday 23rd January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

BBC PAUL STAINTON: Lollipop ladies .. it’s caused an absolute furore, and your proposals to get rid of lollipop patrols across the city, in particular in places where it’s incredibly dangerous to cross the road. I’m thinking Newark Hill Primary, I’m thinking Eastfield Road, with cars whizzing up and down there. The first time a child gets knocked down, it’s on your heads, isn’t it, as councillors? Are you going to row back from that now? Is the Council going to see sense on that?
DEPUTY LEADER CLLR MATTHEW LEE: These proposals are all out for consultation ..
BBC PAUL STAINTON: But who came up with that idea?
DEPUTY LEADER CLLR MATTHEW LEE: What we did last year was we put forward a number of proposals. We listened to what the public said, and where we could maek changes we did make changes.
BBC PAUL STAINTON: Do you expect that to go through? Do you expect that to be a proposal that actually gets through? Continue reading “Peterborough Conservatives Up in Arms Over Council Cuts and Rate Rise”

Live Music Bill is Good News for Bands

17:50 Friday 21st January 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridge

CHRIS MANN: A Private Members’ Bill which could radically change the live music scene in the county passed through the House of Commons successfully today. The Live Music Bill proposes relaxation of the licensing rules around small scale live music events, making it easier for grass roots gigs to happen. Many argue that new bureaucracy put in place by the 2003 Licensing Act has made staging such events so tricky that many pubs and small venues that previously staged live music have stopped doing so, to the detriment of the grass roots music community. Earlier I spoke to Richard Brown, a lecturer at Comberton Village College, and Chair of Cambridgeshire’s Strawberry Fair event. Continue reading “Live Music Bill is Good News for Bands”

Cambridge Camera Club

17:52 Thursday 19th January 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: A story now that may have taken many of you by surprise. Kodak, the company that invented the hand-held camera, has filed for bankruptcy protection in America. Although Kodak was one of the original inventors of digital photography, it failed to compete with the likes of Nikon and Canon, and now the digital camera business is on the decline, as people are moving to smartphones with built in cameras. Ann Miles, who runs the Cambridge Camera Club, joined me earlier to remember how Kodak was the camera of choice for amateurs. Continue reading “Cambridge Camera Club”

Full Marks for a Good Answer

08:25 Wednesday 18th January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridge

PAUL STAINTON: Much talk about your salary Malcom. Are you worth £1000 a day?
MALCOLM NEWSAM: I would be the last person to be able to comment on that. I hope I am, but you’ll have to ask Cllr. Sheila Scott, and the Chief Executive and the Leader as we go on through this year. And I hope that I will be able to demonstrate that. What I do bring I think is experience of having done this in a number of troubled authorities. And we have been successful. I have to say that’s primarily not about me, it’s about the people who are inspired and engaged to deliver improvements, and there are already many many people in Peterborough who want to deliver that improvement, and have just been crying out for the leadership to actually deliver that improvement.