NHS Peterborough – £100 Million in Cuts Means Job Losses

08:15 Wednesday 20th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Well just how do you save £100 million on health care in this city without affecting patient safety and patient care? Well there was a big meeting last night. Russ Platt is the Interim Chief Operating Officer from NHS Peterborough. Russ, you were there. You spoke to the Scrutiny Committee. Were they happy with your plans? Continue reading “NHS Peterborough – £100 Million in Cuts Means Job Losses”

Jack Izzard on the Murdochs

17:40 Tuesday 19th July 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: James and Rupert Murdoch have finished giving their evidence to MPs over the handling of the alleged phone-hacking saga. They’re used to running one of the world’s most powerful media organisations of course, but how did they do after the media spotlight was turned on them? Let’s speak to communications consultant Jack Izzard. Hello to you Jack.
JACK IZZARD: Evening Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: It was quite a spectacle. How did you think they did, especially given that rumpus just before five o’clock? Continue reading “Jack Izzard on the Murdochs”

Waterbeach Barracks Closure – Housing Development Possible

11:21 Tuesday 19th July 2011
Mid-morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Thank you for your responses to this decision to close Waterbeach Barracks .. It’s part of a restructural change which will see the UK relying more on the Territorial Army to fight on the front line, as announced by Defence Secretary Liam Fox. James Hockney is the Conservative councillor for Waterbeach on South Cambridgeshire District Council. James, good morning to you.
JAMES HOCKNEY: Good morning.
ANDY HARPER: Dave there says, “This is a bit of a shock for Waterbeach.” Was it a bit of a shock for you?
JAMES HOCKNEY: Well certainly we’ve been taken aback by this news. Definitely. Waterbeach Barracks was a very important part of our community, going all the way back to the Second World War, and the Engineer Regiment are doing a fantastic job representing this country. Continue reading “Waterbeach Barracks Closure – Housing Development Possible”

Peterborough Blighted by Street Drinkers

08:21 Tuesday 19th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

Residents in Fletton say proposed non-drinking zones don’t work, and the Designated Public Place Order shouldn’t be extended. Fletton was one of the first places in Peterborough to get one of these DPPOs, but people living there say it hasn’t really helped. The Safer Peterborough Partnership are now proposing to extend the bans across the areas of New England and the North Ward. Charles Swift is the councillor where these changes will be brought in, and our reporter Sam Appleby has been to meet him. (TAPE)
CHARLES SWIFT: Every morning you’ll find about forty or fifty on here. Anytime, empty beer cans, and things like that, vodka bottles and Jack Daniels whisky bottles. I stopped counting at 450 the other morning, when I was cycling round on my bicycle. Continue reading “Peterborough Blighted by Street Drinkers”

Who Else Sells Stories to the Media?

08:08 Monday 18th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Let’s get some more now on the phone-hacking scandal. As we’ve been hearing all morning, the Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has become the latest casualty, after resigning over Scotland Yard’s handling of the crisis. That dramatic development came just hours after the former head of News International Rebekah Brooks was arrested. That only 48 hours after she’d quit her post. Now in a carefully worded resignation speech, that appeared aimed directly at Downing Street, Sir Paul Stephenson the Commissioner said he felt he had to step down, because his role in the scandal had become a distraction. (TAPE)
SIR PAUL STEPHENSON: I have seen at first hand the distractions for this organisation when the story becomes about the leaders, as opposed to what we do as a service. I was always clear I would never allow that to happen. We the Met cannot afford this, not this year. If I stay, I know that the inquiry outcomes would reaffirm my personal integrity. But time is short, before we face the enormous challenges of policing the Olympics. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: John Elworthy is the Editor of the Cambridgeshire Times and Wisbech Standard. Morning.
JOHN ELWORTHY: Hello there. Good morning to you again.
PAUL STAINTON: Yes. There’s always plenty to talk about isn’t there, with this story? Every day there’s another big bomb. Continue reading “Who Else Sells Stories to the Media?”

New Northstowe Plans Mean More A14 Madness

17:17 Friday 15th July 2010
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Possible changes to the Masterplan for a new town in Cambridgeshire are back on the agenda. Billed as a flagship Government eco-town, Northstowe was due to be built on land near Oakington and Longstanton, just off the A14. There could be a number of potential changes though, to the original plans, including increasing the number of homes by five to ten thousand. We could also see two secondary schools and not one. Independent councillor for Longstanton, Alex Riley, questions the development’s location. Continue reading “New Northstowe Plans Mean More A14 Madness”

Julian Huppert on the Hacking Scandal

17:38 Thursday 14th July 2011
Drivetime BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Just before five o’clock it was confirmed that alongside News International’s Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks, who is set to appear before a committee of MPs to answer questions about phone hacking next Tuesday, will also be Rupert Murdoch and his son James, who own News Corporation. They’d initially declined to appear on the same day as Rebekah Brooks, but then a summons was issued, and everyone seems to have rather changed their minds. They’ll appear before a group of MPs who make up the Home Affairs Select Committee. They heard evidence from those senior members of the Met Police earlier this week. One member of the committee is the Cambridge MP Julian Huppert. Mr. Huppert is on the line now. Hello to you.
JULIAN HUPPERT: Hi Andy. How are you?
ANDY BURROWS: Very well, thank you very much. Perhaps slightly surprised that you’ve managed to convince Rebekah Brooks, Rupert Murdoch and his son James to appear before you. Continue reading “Julian Huppert on the Hacking Scandal”

Recovering the Iceland Cash

08:25 Wednesday 13th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Back in 2008 you may remember the Icelandic banking crisis? It saw Peterborough City Council lose about £3 million’s worth of investments. Well a year ago it was announced that two of the three million pounds had been recouped, and that the other £1 million would also be recovered. Has it? Let’s speak to John Harrison, who’s Director of Strategic Resources for Peterborough City Council. Morning, John.
JOHN HARRISON: Morning.
PAUL STAINTON: have we got it back? Have we got the extra million back?
JOHN HARRISON: We didn’t say a year ago. I think you’re being slightly disingenuous. We never said we would get the whole lot back. Where we are at the moment .. Continue reading “Recovering the Iceland Cash”