Luke Clark on the Psychology of Gambling

17:54 Tuesday 12th July 2011
Drivetime BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: If you can’t get yourself a big payout, or have not got a massive pension pot, maybe you can try and win the Euromillions lottery. It’s up for grabs tonight, £166 million. I think it would mean, if you won it, you would become one of the top 500 most wealthy people in the UK, if you managed to bag all of the cash. Last Friday it was reported that there was a massive rush on tickets just before the deadline. Organisers are expecting the same again tonight. But why do we decide to enter, even when we know there’s next to no chance of winning? Let’s speak to Dr Luke Clark. He’s from the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. He’s done a fair bit of work, looking at gambling and risk-taking. Hello to you Dr Luke.
LUKE CLARKE: Good evening Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: Will you be spending your two quid? I think it’s two quid, isn’t it, for Euromillions? Will you be popping out and buying a ticket? Continue reading “Luke Clark on the Psychology of Gambling”

Alcohol Warzones in Peterborough – Council Blamed

08:18 Tuesday 12th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Residents up in arms in Cromwell Road and that area, they’re using legal powers to try and reduce the opening hours of a restaurant around that area. South Central East Residents Association’s put in an application to Peterborough City Council calling for a premises licence review of Marisqueira Restaurant in Cromwell Road. It’s the first time that a group of residents has requested a review of a premises licence in Peterborough. So a first for Peterborough. Here. residents tell us what it’s like to live in that area.
(VOXPOP)
PUBLIC ONE: Some of the problems being the antisocial behaviour, the fighting, the rowdiness. About two weeks ago, it was around nine o’clock, a massive fight took place outside here.
PUBLIC TWO: We like to be .. we are a peaceful society here. We like to do things peacefully. Nobody wants to take things into their own hands. But now I think it’s time for this to stop.
PUBLIC THREE: It shouldn’t have come to this really. We believe it’s a problem that the City Council has created, by not actually investigating the licence before they issued it. So if they’d looked into the location of the premises, and them applying to open until three in the morning, they would have clearly seen that it’s not viable. (LIVE) Continue reading “Alcohol Warzones in Peterborough – Council Blamed”

Wind Turbines – What Makes the Fens So Attractive?

11:35 Monday 11th July 2011
Mid-Morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Local people who campaigned against new wind turbines in the Fens are unhappy, after plans which were rejected by planners at Fenland District Council have been approved by the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles. Eight turbines will be put up in total, five at Boarding House Farm to the west of Wimblington, and three at Burnt House Farm near March. Further plans are in the pipeline. So, are the flat open spaces of the Fens especially appealing for promoters of wind energy? Nick Medic is from Renewable UK, which represents the wind wave and tidal energy industry. Nick, Good morning to you.
NICK MEDIC: Good morning.
ANDY HARPER: So, one assumes that the flat lands of Cambridgeshire lend themselves to be prolific when it comes to wind turbines. Is that the reason? Or is it because there is acquirable land available? Continue reading “Wind Turbines – What Makes the Fens So Attractive?”

Public Told to Stop Asking Questions at Neighbourhood Council Meetings

07:13 Monday 11th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: There’s more criticism of Neighbourhood Councils in Peterborough, which are designed to promote democracy in the city. The way they are run was reviewed, but Dale McKean went to one of the revamped meetings the other night, and thinks actually they’re worse. Let’s speak to him. Morning Dale.
DALE MCKEAN: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: What happened at this Neighbourhood meeting then? Continue reading “Public Told to Stop Asking Questions at Neighbourhood Council Meetings”

Local Authority Mortgage Scheme: Who Takes the Risk?

Members of Peterborough City Council’s cabinet agreed yesterday to take part in the pilot Local Authority Mortgage Scheme, which will see the authority pay a contribution towards the deposits of first-time buyers.”
Source: Peterborough Evening Telegraph 14th June 2011

On Tuesday 14th June at 08:10 on the BBC Peterborough Breakfast Show Council Leader Marco Cereste made the following statement:
Continue reading “Local Authority Mortgage Scheme: Who Takes the Risk?”

NHS Peterborough – MP Condemns Consultancy Spending

07:28 Friday 8th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Millions of pounds to consultants. NHS Peterborough spent more than £1.3 million on consultants in the last year, the second highest out of all the PCTs in England, even though they had to make a £2 million reduction in running costs by April 2012. The figures have been revealed through an FOI, Freedom of Information request, submitted by medical magazine Pulse. Richard Hoey is the Editor. Morning Richard.
RICHARD HOEY: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: That’s a heck of a lot of cash. Tell us more. Continue reading “NHS Peterborough – MP Condemns Consultancy Spending”

Peterborough City Council and Geoffrey Osborne Limited

07:20 Friday 8th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: A Peterborough City councillor is querying why the Council has paid over £1 million to one company in just a month. Construction company Geoffrey Osborne Limited worked on the Cathedral and St Johns development, as well as doing work on the parkways and Northey Gravel Bridge. Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower wants to know exactly what work the company Geoffrey Osborne Limited did for the Council in January, and what the payments are for. Darren’s with us now. Morning Darren.
DARREN FOWER: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: How did you come across this information?
DARREN FOWER: It was while I was doing a little bit of reading up on how the City Council decided to ahnd the work for introducing solar panels on to the Town Hall building to a Leicestershire company. I happened to come across this openly local website, which does quite a good job at being open about the financial figures.
PAUL STAINTON: Right. So you’ve spoken to the Council, and asked them why they paid this company a million pounds in January. What’s been their response? Continue reading “Peterborough City Council and Geoffrey Osborne Limited”

Mark Edwards Peterborough Evening Telegraph Editor on Journalistic Integrity

08:08 Thursday 7th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: There’s no doubt what the top story is, the story that’s dominating all news agendas, all newspapers, and every media outlet. It’s the hacking story. .. Earlier we spoke to Ian Overton, editor of the Bureau of Investigate Journalism. He said he would never condone the practices, if they are proven to be true. (TAPE)
IAN OVERTON: Certainly there is a fine boundary of what do you cross to get the story. Now nobody has gone as far as phone-tapping something that affects the judicial process, and I think that’s one of the problems here. In the Milly Dowler case, there was an ongoing investigation, and phone-tapping occurred, and messages purportedly were deleted. Now that is obviously a significant issue, if it turns out to be true.(LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well yesterday the Prime Minister called the allegations of phone-hacking “absolutely disgusting”, and promised a full public inquiry. Let’s speak to Mark Edwards. He’s the editor of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph. Morning Mark
MARK EDWARDS: Morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Newspapers under increasing pressure. We heard from Ian earlier this morning saying that part of the problem in his opinion is young people coming through, not learning the trade, thrust into the limelight, doing their work under extreme presure from espacially national newspaper editors to get the story. And they’re cutting corners. Continue reading “Mark Edwards Peterborough Evening Telegraph Editor on Journalistic Integrity”