Peterborough: the Transfers Continue

08:32 Friday 7th October 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridge

PAUL STAINTON: Council tax collection is just one of a number of back-room services at the City Council set to be transferred to a private firm, in a deal which could save the city £25 million. 450 workers at Peterborough City Council will be transferred as part of the move, and the City Council assures there’s unlikely to be job losses, and say they have already made £2 million worth of administrative savings in 2009/10. Let’s Speak to David Seaton. He’s Cabinet Member for Resources at Peterborough City Council. Morning David.
DAVID SEATON: Morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: So you’ve already made £2 million worth of savings. How have they come about? Continue reading “Peterborough: the Transfers Continue”

Cranfield in Peterborough

07:21 Thursday 30th June 2011
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
Let’s find our more by speaking to John Richards, who’s the Executive Director of Children’s Services at Peterborough City Council. Joins us now. Good morning John. So how does this grant work? You’re planning to pay £120,000 to Cranfield University to fund this role and why? …

Now the actual cost of the Chair and all the accoutrements of a Chair of Renewable Energy is over £300,000. The City Council is only putting in £120,000, that’s £40,000 over three years, and the rest of the money is being put up by PREL. So this is a real partnership between business, the Council and the university.
Council Subsidy for PREL’s Cranfield Link-Up

================

Minutes of a Council meeting held on 13th July 2011
From Questions Without Notice on the Record of Executive Decisions:
Provision of grant support to Cranfield University
Councillor Sandford queried what benefit this £300k grant would provide to residents of Peterborough. Councillor Cereste responded that it would ensure a reputable organisation remained in the city providing skills and education opportunities for the residents of Peterborough.
From here: Council Website – 11mb pdf file

================

Marco Cereste is the Conservative Leader of Peterborough City Council and Chairman of PREL, Peterborough Renewable Energy Limited.

Northstowe and the A14

17:06 Thursday 6th October 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Plans for a massive housing development in Cambridgeshire are back on the agenda. The Northstowe development was first put forward over ten years ago. But the plans have been heavily criticised, because of the amount of traffic they would bring to the already congested A14. The Leader of Cambridgeshire’s Chamber of Commerce, John Bridge, says it must be stopped. Continue reading “Northstowe and the A14”

Peterborough’s Grand Designs

08:20 Wednesday 5th October 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: At the end of last month the LibDems on Peterborough City Council came up with this idea to sell Peterborough Town Hall. And you all scoffed. I scoffed. I even scoffed in the column in the ET about it. In fact we poked fun at the LibDems. But, the City Council is actually considering the LibDem suggestion. It will consider a report which shows at least £2 million could be saved by moving Council services elsewhere, and putting them under one roof, while selling off the Town Hall. English Democrat Stephen Goldspink though isn’t sure it’s a great idea. (TAPE) Continue reading “Peterborough’s Grand Designs”

Stop Great Haddon Battle Joined as Stobart Pullout Rumours Spread

07:07 Tuesday 4th October 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Banners opposing a development which would provide up to 5,000 new homes and around 9,000 jobs have been put up ahead of an important meeting. The Government’s inspector is coming to Peterborough to discuss the Great Haddon development. Olive Main is from the Norman Cross Action Group. Good morning Olive.
OLIVE MAIN: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Now .. tsk .. you put banners up. You’re angry. There are 9,000 jobs at stake here Olive. What’s the problem? Continue reading “Stop Great Haddon Battle Joined as Stobart Pullout Rumours Spread”

Lee Cagey on Pickles Bin Boost

17:43 Friday 30th September 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Let’s return to today’s top story, and it’s that £250 million incentive from the Government, to encourage local authorities to start picking up everyone’s general waste, black bin in many cases, every week, rather than every fortnight. We can speak to the Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council Matthew Lee. Hello to you Matthew.
MATTHEW LEE: Hello Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: So you’re going to take Eric Pickles up on his offer. You’ll say yes please. And you’re going to reintroduce weekly general waste collections. Continue reading “Lee Cagey on Pickles Bin Boost”

Hanley Grange Back on the Table

10:10 Friday 30th September 2011
Mid-Morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: We’re looking at the implications for the county following the demise of Cambridgeshire Horizons. The organisation that has overseen development in the county for the last seven years is being wound up today. It promoted plans for Northstowe, but it also led widespread opposition to Hanley Grange. That was the eco-town proposed by Tesco on countryside south of Cambridge. But we’ve learnt that it’s back on the table, along with Six Mile Bottom, Waterbeach and others, as a possible site for future house building. Well Peter Topping is Conservative District Councillor for Triplow, who had just been elected when the Hanley Grange proposals were put forward for the first time. Peter, good morning to you.
PETER TOPPING: Good morning.
ANDY BURROWS: So, you and others must have thought you’d seen that off. Continue reading “Hanley Grange Back on the Table”

Washing Fruit and Veg

09:54 Friday 30th September 2011
Mid-Morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Mark has rejoined me (Mark Williamson Producer), fruit in hand. I say fruit, because technically it is a fruit.
MARK WILLIAMSON: Indeed I’m holding one of your tomatoes. Is this a Tumbling Tom?
ANDY HARPER: It’s a Tumbling Tom, cherry tomato, and we had to wait a long while for them, but now, we’re inundated with them. Continue reading “Washing Fruit and Veg”