Papworth Transfer Concerns Raised

10:24 Friday 2nd May 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[A]NDIE HARPER: The planned move of Papworth Hospital to the Addenbrookes site was given the final approval yesterday, after over a decade of planning and deliberation. The plans looked uncertain earlier this year when it was proposed that it be moved to Peterborough City Hospital site instead. Peterborough’s MP Stewart Jackson gave his views on the move to the Bigger Breakfast Show.
(TAPE)
STEWART JACKSON: I generally support the proposals, and I can understand why people like the local MP and others in the South of the county are very pleased with it. My problem comes back to under-utilisation of the facilities at Peterborough, particularly the fourth floor of Peterborough City Hospital. How are we going to continue to scrub our face financially and keep clinical services going at Peterborough City Hospital? That’s an ongoing issue which the Department of Health and the Treasury obviously need to keep addressing.
(LIVE)
ANDIE HARPER: But what does this move mean for people living near the Hospital now? Geoff Heathcock, the former Cambridgeshire county councillor lives in the area, and he’s on the line. Geoff, good morning to you.
GEOFF HEATHCOCK: Good morning to you Andie.
ANDIE HARPER: So, most people would agree that Papworth needed updating, if not completely rebuilding. There were a choice of sites, but Addenbrookes it is, as we all suspected when we first talked about it eleven years ago. What about the area? What impact is this going to have?
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The Gambler’s Tale

17:46 Wednesday 30th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Proposals to tighten up on gambling have been set out by the Government today. It’s an attempt to tackle problem gambling. The Government will force the betting industry to give warnings about the amount of money players are risking on fixed-odds betting terminals. But just how effective will that be? Our reporter Johnny D has been in Peterborough today talking to people who use gambling machines.
(TAPE)
JOHN DEVINE: So you’ve just come out there Charley.
CHARLEY: I have.
JOHN DEVINE: So do you mind me asking you a few personal questions?
CHARLEY: Yes.
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Wisbech – European Businesses Filling Vacant Shops

17:24 Tuesday April 29th 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Over the top and scaremongering. That’s how an article about Wisbech which appeared in the Sun on Sunday newspaper has been described by one business leader in the town. Under the headline “Little Lithuania” it claims locals are being squeezed by the influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe. The Independent councillor for the Waterlees area of Wisbech Cllr Virginia Bucknor has called for people in Wisbech to boycott the Sun.
(TAPE)
VIRGINIA BUCKNOR: There are so many inaccurate comments in that article; the fact that they said one business had to close up after over 100 years because of the Lithuanian shops. He retired. His business is still going well and open for business. I shop there. It’s still being used successfully. Now they do open a lot of the shops there, which I happen to love.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: Steve Tierney is town councillor, Chairman of the Wisbech Conservatives.
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Anaerobic Digestion in Chatteris – Renewable Energy for Cambridgeshire

08:08 Thursday 24th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: Proposals to build an anaerobic digestion plant in Chatteris are being put out to consultation. If it gets the go-ahead it will see a huge plant built near the Mepal Outdoor Centre which will process maize and then turn it into energy. It could be a lifeline for some farmers, who could grow maize on their farms and then turn it into energy and act as a second income. .. Joining me on the line now is Matt Hindle who is a policy manager at the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association. Matt, good morning.
MATT HINDLE: Hi there Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Just tell us a little bit about your association. What does it do?
MATT HINDLE: We’re the trade association for anaerobic digestion. In the UK we represent about 350 businesses who are involved in all parts of developing anaerobic digestion plants, and that can be on farms , that can be to treat food waste from homes and businesses, on food production sites and for water companies on sewage treatment sites.
PAUL STAINTON: In a nutshell, if you can, could you simplify what anaerobic digestion actually is?
MATT HINDLE: It’s not the most nattily titled technology.
PAUL STAINTON: No it’s not. I’ve been struggling with it all morning. energy from waste is easier
MATT HINDLE: Well that can encapsulate a number of things, and anaerobic digestion is one particular process. It’s a natural process. It uses bacteria to break down organic matter from the sort of material I’ve just mentioned, so food waste, farm material and sewage waste. But anything with organic content basically. That’s broken down in the absence of oxygen, hence anaerobic. And that produces biogas, which is captured to produce renewable energy, and is a very flexible form of renewable energy.
PAUL STAINTON: So there’s no burning going on, or anything like that. It’s just a natural way of doing it.
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Stewart Jackson and Christopher Davies on Politics and Religion

17:17 Tuesday 22nd April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Leading public figures have said the Prime Minister’s claim that Britain is a Christian country risks sowing alienation and division in society. It follows an article from the Church Times by Mr. Cameron in which he wrote of his own faith, and his desire to infuse politics with Christian ideals and values.
(VOXPOP)
CHRIS MANN: Let’s welcome first of all Stewart Jackson, the Conservative MP for Peterborough. Hello Stewart.
STEWART JACKSON: Hi Chris.
CHRIS MANN: And also Dr Christopher Davies. Hello Chris.
CHRISTOPHER DAVIES: Hi Chris. I’m here too.
CHRIS MANN: A member of the Cambridge Humanist group. So what’s wrong with the Prime Minister’s comments?
CHRISTOPHER DAVIES: Would you like me to take that first?
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Councillors in Cahoots

09:35 Thursday 17th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[A]NDIE HARPER: The Liberal Democrats in Peterborough caused a stir last night after walking out of the City Council meeting. They were protesting against a decision to give five senior officers in the Council pay rises ranging from £10,000 to £30,000 a year. Councillor Darren Fower told the Bigger Breakfast Show why he led the walkout.
(TAPE)
DARREN FOWER: I made the point that the whole thing had reached a new level in PottyBorough. I think the phrase I used was obfuscation personified, as far as I’m concerned. Luckily my colleagues supported me. And the only thing we could do at the end of the day was to protest by walking out, and showing our dissatisfaction with what we considered to be a truly truly out of touch, insane idea.
(LIVE)
ANDIE HARPER: Darren Fower talking earlier. But is walking out of a meeting the best way of making a political statement? The Liberal Democrat group leader for Peterborough is Nick Sandford, and I’m delighted to say he joins me now. Nick, good morning to you.
NICK SANDFORD: Morning Andie.
ANDIE HARPER: Was much thought given to how you would register your protest? Or was this something which just happened off the cuff, almost?
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Assetbank East Cambridgeshire Land For Sale

08:23 Wednesday 16th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[D]OTTY MCLEOD: It’s a big question facing all of our local councils today. And this is really what the big debate over councillors in Peterborough revolves around, isn’t it? It’s money. It’s what do we need to spend most money on. It’s how do we balance our books. Well each council in Cambridgeshire has its own ideas for solving the funding crisis. They’ve all had their Government funding reduced. How do you make up the shortfall? In Peterborough the City Council’s introduced a charge for garden waste collections, and they’re still hoping to create a green energy park. Cambridgeshire County Council has introduced a charge for their park and ride service. But the brains behind East Cambridgeshire District Council think they have a better idea. Cllr Bill Hunt is the Conservative councillor for Stretham. Bill, what is your plan?
BILL HUNT: Well it’s one of many. We’ve got a total package which includes what other councils want, which is cutting down perhaps on the number of members, cutting down on the amount of committees. But the particular thing we’re talking about today is Assetbank, which is looking at all our properties, and seeing what’s the best use, and can we make more money out of it, or serve the people better. It’s a matter of saying we want to cut down on bureaucracy, cut down on costs, and try and get some money in, or benefit to the public.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So you’re potentially selling off parcels of land. This is what people call selling off the family silver Bill, is it?
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Boundary Commission on Peterborough Council

07:07 Wednesday 16th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[D]OTTY MCLEOD BBC: Our population is growing and therefore we need more councillors to represent us. Or do we? Advice by the Boundary Commission to Peterborough City Council suggests they need at least another three.

07:14
MARCUS BOWELL BOUNDARY COMMISSION: One of the most important things we do in an electoral review is we talk to the council at an early stage about what their expectations are, how they want to run their authority. And the Council came to us and proposed the small increase in councillors.

08:13
PCC CLLR HOLDICH: I’ve got some sympathy for having less councillors. If it was my business of course I wouldn’t want 57 or 61 directors of that company. But that’s not our decision. Our decision from Government is purely and simply that we need so many councillors per so many electorate. And in this proposal, and we did ask them, Charles Swift put it to them that we needed less councillors. But the Boundary Commission insisted you needed so many councillors per electorate.

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