George Joffe on the Syrian conflict

08:27 Friday 2nd October 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: The United States has accused Russia of carrying out indiscriminate attacks in Syria. This is on the front pages of many of the papers this morning. The front cover of the Guardian, “Putin moves to prop up Assad” is the headline. Also on the front page of the Telegraph this morning as well. Earlier on Moscow said its strikes targeted the Islamic State group and other terrorists. But America and its allies fear the idea is to support Russia’s ally, Syrian President Bashar al Assad, a claim that’s denied by Moscow. Well George Joffe is a lecturer at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University. Morning George.
GEORGE JOFFE: Good morning.
DOTTY MCLEOD: What’s your view then of what’s happening around Syria at the moment?
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NHS 111 crisis concern

09:26 Tuesday 29th September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: An investigation has revealed that the helpline for non-emergency care is in meltdown in certain parts of the UK. The investigation reveals that places like Derbyshire and Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire just over the border, up to 75% of calls are going unanswered during busy times. It says in some cases there’s just one nurse for every 2 million people, and the hotline has missed answering targets for the last seven months. So we want to know. If you’ve used it, what’s your experience been like? We had a stark warning from the Royal College of Nursing this morning. It says the non-emergency number will be completely overwhelmed this winter, if Government fails to act. Well Sandy Smith is from Healthwatch. Sandy, morning.
SANDY SMITH: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Are these reports accurate? Are they a fair reflection?
SANDY SMITH: Well I am quite concerned about other parts of the country, but we haven’t been told this by patients in Cambridgeshire. Healthwatch Cambridgeshire did a survey earlier this year, and whilst people didn’t .. not a lot of people seemed to be aware of 111. Those people that were using it in Cambridgeshire were quite pleased with the service they got.
PAUL STAINTON: Yes. The problem is so many numbers, isn’t there?
SANDY SMITH: Exactly. 101, 999, 11 .. it is difficult for people. Yes.
PAUL STAINTON: It really is, and there’s nothing to mark it out is there? Even I .. we were talking about it this morning, and we were getting confused with the numbers and we work in this thing. We’re supposed to know it all.
SANDY SMITH: So do I. (SHE LAUGHS)
PAUL STAINTON: Karen Webb is with us as well. She’s the Regional Director for the Royal College of Nursing. Karen, morning.
KAREN WEBB: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Is it a fair reflection? Sandy there saying we don’t really have a problem in Cambridgeshire. Is that true?
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Labour’s first conference under Corbyn

07:41 Monday 28th September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: Labour’s annual conference is underway in Brighton. It’s something the moon was clearly aware of, because it turned red for the occasion. It is of course the first conference of the party under its new Leader Jeremy Corbyn. The fellow left winger John McDonnell makes his first speech as Shadow Chancellor this lunchtime, but the party has avoided a clash over nuclear weapons, with an expected debate on Trident not now going ahead. I’m joined from Brighton now by our political correspondent Paul Rowley, who has been to more party conferences than you’ve had hot dinners. Morning Paul.
PAUL ROWLEY: Good morning. Before you were born Dotty I have to tell you. It’s my thirty sixth year of covering party conferences. I was very young though when I started.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So how significant is this one?
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Urban agriculture for Peterborough

07:55 Thursday 24th September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: A new type of map has been designed for Peterborough to show you unusual areas where you could grow your own food. This project was part of the Harvest Festival which took place this weekend, saw thousands of people eating local produce in the city for free. My producer Kerry Devine went along to meet Mikey Tomkins, who’s designed the ‘edible city map‘.
MIKEY TOMKINS: I’ve worked from Stanley Rec over to the station, and over the river down to the Green Backyard, and along I think what used to be the old railway station at the Embankment here, which is now derelict where B&Q used to be.
KERRY DEVINE: OK. Let’s have a look at this map then. So you’ve actually drawn out a map. It looks very colourful, lots of pinks and greens. So I take it that the blue is the industry?
MIKEY TOMKINS: The blue are all the rooftop spaces for Peterborough. And I think what Peterborough could do, I think if any entrepreneurs are listening to this, there’s some very big rooftop spaces above Queensgate, top storey of car parks, the Market car parks. And coming down to towards the river there’s lots and lots and lots of open rooftop spaces. And what we found over the last few years say in North America is entrepreneurs renting out rooftop spaces and putting up big greenhouses, and producing food right above restaurants and shops and supermarkets.
KERRY DEVINE: Do you think Peterborough is missing a trick here?
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On the merits of Peterborough’s new University Technical College

07:09 Wednesday 23rd September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: It might not have been the smoothest start for a new school in Peterborough, but next September the University Technical College will open its doors in the city, and hopefully there will be a few students there. The £10 million UTC was meant to open this September, but in March BBC Radio Cambridgeshire found that after only 40 students applied, the cutting of the ribbon was being postponed by twelve months. The Trust board said at the time it was to give more certainty to prospective students. Well today to great fanfare the keys to the new building will be handed over to the Greater Peterborough UTC. Dr Alan McMurdo is the Principal Designate of the new school. Morning Alan.
ALAN MCMURDO: Good morning Dotty.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So explain just briefly what the idea of a UTC is.
ALAN MCMURDO: Well our aim is to provide world-class vocational education to young people in the city and the wider area. Plug in that skills gap that we hear so much about in construction and in engineering. So the aim is to .. we’re opening a school for 14 to 19 year olds. They can come and experience a unique curriculum and a unique offer in the area.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And you’ve now got the keys to the building, or you will do later on. Actually it’s a year earlier than you need them I suppose.
ALAN MCMURDO: Well that’s right, but it does give us an opportunity to open the building and get some people in. We’ve got an open evening tonight for example between 6 and 8. On Saturday 17th October we’ve got a morning, 10 until 2. We’ve got activities going on. So we’re able to get in there and use the building, even though it’s not fully kitted out with all the state of the art stuff that we will be putting in next Spring.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And remind us why the opening was delayed by a year.
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Government incentivises Chinese involvement in UK nuclear

17:48 Monday 21st September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Britain’s first new nuclear power station in nearly twenty years appears to be a step closer. The Chancellor has announced the UK will guarantee a £2 billion deal to try to secure Chinese investment in the new Hinkley Point power plant in Somerset. George Osborne made the announcement on a visit to Beijing.
GEORGE OSBORNE: I think it’s a partnership that’s good for both countries. We get secure reliable low-carbon electricity for decades to come, without drawing on vast sums of taxpayers’ money. And China gets a great investment opportunity.
CHRIS MANN: A French energy firm EDF is leading the project. The Government has a lready guaranteed a minimum price, some argue a very high price, for the electricity it will generate at Hinkley. But the company can’t afford the £24 billion price tag by itself, and it’s so far struggled to find financial partners. That’s why the Government has now stepped in to guarantee part of the cost. Stephen Tindale is a climate and energy consultant. He reckons that the proposed reactor is a poor design.
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MP attacks decision to shelve landlord licensing scheme

10:38 Friday 18th September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Now more on housing, and in particular in Peterborough. The Conservative MP for the city has launched a scathing attack on the city’s Conservative-led council, after it performed a dramatic U-turn this week. The Council had announced plans to introduce a licence that would see landlords charged a fee in areas like Gladstone, Millfield, New England and Eastfield. The idea of the licence was to crack down on anti-social behaviour and unscrupulous landlords. Many thought that was a good idea. Critics though said it’s a bit racist, saying the Council was targeting an area which predominantly is home to Asian landlords. Well at a meeting earlier this week, the Council decided to delay the introduction of the scheme, which has annoyed our next guest. Stewart Jackson MP for Peterborough is with me now. Stewart, good morning.
STEWART JACKSON: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: So there were criticisms that it was targeting perhaps Asian landlords in those areas. And the Council are saying look, we’ve had a look at this. The scheme is two years old. We’re going to have a consultation and perhaps bring out something bigger and better later down the line.
STEWART JACKSON: Well this is about fairness, and the fact is that it’s quite despicable, particular for Labour councillors, to play the race card. The fact is that unscrupulous landlords happen to be to some extent Asian or Pakistani heritage. It’s not aimed at Pakistani heritage people who are also landlords. And there is a distinction there. The fact is it’s a fairness issue. Why should landlords who have a vested financial interest have their own committee, their own working group, be able to turn up to influence and harangue councillors, have their own pet councillors frankly who put their view across, when vulnerable families, decent people in rented accommodation, people who’ve lived in central Peterborough for years, they don’t have a say directly to the decision makers? And I think this decision by Peterborough City Council, it’s either two things. It’s either borderline civic corruption, in other words undue coercion and pressure.
PAUL STAINTON: Because there’s a lot of councillors who own houses in the city.
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Stretham Manor Farm – Cambridgeshire’s first community land trust development

08:23 Thursday 17th September 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: Construction work is due to officially begin in the village later on on a housing development that local residents have been heavily involved in planning. It involves around 50 new homes as well as a doctors surgery, business space and a children’s play area. They’re all being built at Manor Farm in Stretham, and 15 of those 50 houses will be reserved for local people to buy or rent. It’s part of the first community land trust set up in Cambridgeshire, and it saw around 250 people involved in the design process. Joining me in the studio now are community land trust chair and deputy leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council Charles Roberts. Morning Charles.
CHARLES ROBERTS: Good morning Dotty.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And also Phil Rose who is from Laragh Homes, Morning Phil.
PHIL ROSE: Good morning.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So Charles, explain the concept of the community land trust, how it works.
CHARLES ROBERTS: OK. The community land trust. At East Cambridgeshire District Council we’ve a new planning policy now, which allows communities to bring forward planning applications for building on land outside the building line in their community, so building on farmland surrounding the community, subject to a number of tests of course to be sure that it’s appropriate development in the right place. The community bring the application forward together with the land owner and a building developer, and a proportion of the houses are sold on the open market, and a share of the profit from those houses is given to the community, together with some land to build houses for the community.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So the idea is that local people are involved from the very start.
CHARLES ROBERTS: Yes. that’s absolutely right. This is about local people. It’s about providing homes for local people. But it’s also making sure that people are involved in the design process, and the communities actually want the development for their own people. It’s appropriate to their community.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And Phil, what’s in it for your company, as a development firm?
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