BBC transcripts
17:53 Wednesday 6th July 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY BURROWS: You know when you see that kind of rainbow effect on the back of a CD or in soap bubbles? Well scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the same spectrum effect is used to attract bees to plants. And that could also help us to find new partners, would you believe. Earlier on I spoke to Jeremy Baumberg. He’s a Professor of NanoScience. It was fascinating. Continue reading “Jeremy Baumberg on Iridescence”
07:09 Tuesday 5th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
PAUL STAINTON: We’ll start with car parking charges in Peterborough, which have risen yet again. Some of Peterborough City Council’s own car parks have gone up by around 10%… Councillor Stephen Goldspink is on the line. Morning.
STEPHEN GOLDSPINK: Morning .. I do understand people’s concerns about the increase in charges. Every year the Council charges seem to go up across a range of services, and whilst I know the Council is in a difficult financial position, following a cut in Government grants, I always maintain there are always choices that the Council can make. And I’m not sure they make the best choices all of the time, when they’re talking about the “blend” of increasing charges and cutting expenditure.
PAUL STAINTON: And this is at a time when we’re trying to drive people into the city, we’re trying to drive businesses into the city. You run a local business. This is going to stop people parking, isn’t it? Continue reading “Peterborough Car Parking Charges Rise Again”
07:18 Monday 4th July 2011
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PETER SWAN: Residents have two weeks to have their say on plans to build hundreds of new homes in Ely. Land at Highflyer Farm, owned by the Churches Commission, will feature a district centre which will provide shops, community facilities and services. Over the weekend an exhibition displaying the plans was put on show at a local school. I’m pleased to say that Jennifer Orchard from the Quatro Public Relations, who are working on behalf of the Church Commissioners can join us now. Thanks for joining us on the show Jennifer.
JENNIFER ORCHARD: Absolutely no problem.
PETER SWAN: Now tell us about your proposals then. What are we going to be getting in Ely? Continue reading “Church Commissioners Plan a Massive Housing Development on Farmland at Ely”
There is a meme presently circulating that the English are workshy. A great deal of political rhetoric and argument has been built up around this meme, and it is used to justify the current levels of immigration.
Here is a clip from a Timothy Samuels documentary called “The Poles are Coming.” The audio is slightly out of synch, but the words are clear. In it, a short-haired member of the public in blue and white is interviewed standing outside Peterborough JobCentre, opposite the Conservative Club, apparently drinking a can of alcohol. At the beginning of the clip the individual has his hands in his jacket pockets, and there is no sign of the can. Later he is seen to reach round and produce the can. At the end of the clip, he is seen signing a document. Continue reading “BBC Memes – The Great British Layabout”
07:25 Friday 1st July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY GALL: British businesses operating abroad are going to have to review almost everything they do from today, as the Bribery Act comes into force. The Act means that companies could face unlimited fines if they fail to prevent bribery, and there are fears that many firms are unprepared for the new rules. Julia Pittam has the details, and she joins us now. Good morning Julia.
JULIA PITTAM: Good morning Andy.
ANDY GALL: So bribery, what does the whole Act mean for businesses? Continue reading “Bribery in Business and the Role of the Anonymous Whistleblower”
07:21 Thursday 30th June 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
(Need to know on this story is that the Leader of Peterborough City Council Marco Cereste is also Chairman of the private company Peterborough Renewable Energy Limited.)
ANDY GALL: Should Peterborough City Council give financial support to universities who want to open learning centres in the city? Council chiefs have announced plans to pay Cranfield University a grant of £120,000. The money would be used to employ a Chair in Renewable Energy, who would then work with the Council, Cranfield and Opportunity Peterborough. 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.
JOHN RICHARDS: Right. Well I’m glad you’re interviewing me actually, because on previous occasions you’ve said to me, how are you going to increase the higher education offer in Peterborough, ie bring universities to Peterborough, and this is one of the ways which we are doing that. Now the Chair in Renewable Energy will be working in Peterborough with not only the City Council but with all the eco-environmental companies, and particularly with PREL. And the idea is that it brings doctorate masters students and they provide continous professional development for staff working in Peterborough. So it’s about upping the skills of Peterborough people. 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. Continue reading “Council Subsidy for PREL’s Cranfield Link-Up”
17:07 Wednesday 29th June 2011
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PETER SWAN: Let’s kick off with Ken Clarke. The Justice Secretary has been defending his criminal justice agenda today, which includes proposed sentencing and legal aid changes. Under the plans, aimed at saving £300 million from the £2.1 billion legal aid bill, people will not be eligible for legal aid in a far broader range of civil cases than currently is the case. To discuss the implications, here’s Rachel Talbot from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Cambridge. Evening to you Rachel.
RACHEL TALBOT: Hello.
PETER SWAN: Now could you just fill us in on what the current situation is. What have we got at the moment, and what is it that Ken Clarke is looking to change? Continue reading “Cutting Legal Aid – Penny Wise Pound Foolish”
17:17 Tuesday 28th June 2011
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PETER SWAN: On Friday’s show we heard from a chap called Alan Melton. He’s the Leader of Fenland District Council. And he was unhappy because he believes archeologists are delaying building projects in the Fenland area. This is what he had to say. (TAPE)
ALAN MELTON: It seems to me that a whole industry has grown up where wherever anybody wants to develop or build, irrespective of where it is, even if it’s in sub-soil such as clays, there has to be some form of archeological dig. And I actually believe that in many instances it’s not necessary, and it’s a very very costly process.(LIVE)
PETER SWAN: Now Mr Melton is keen to ease planning restrictions in Fenland, but as you might imagine. he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to archeologists, both locally and nationally. Now Chris Evans is Executive Director of the Archeological Unit at Cambridge University, and I’m pleased to say he joins us now. Evening to you Chris.
CHRIS EVANS: Good evening to you Peter.
PETER SWAN: Now I guess we ought to start, what is this issue all about? What is Archeological Planning Condition? Continue reading “Christopher Evans in Defence of the Archeological Planning Condition”