East Of England Ambulance Workers Sleeping In Tents

08:20 Wednesday 7th August 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: It has emerged some ambulance crews in this region are sleeping in tents in Huntingdon in order to save cash. The workers are employed by private ambulance companies to cover shifts for the East of England Ambulance Service, and they say the £35 they’re being given for expenses makes it incredibly difficult to find accommodation. .. Denise Burke is from the Labour-led campaign group Act On Ambulances. She’s also Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for North Norfolk, and she’s with us this morning. Morning.
DENISE BURKE: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: What’s your reaction to this? Continue reading “East Of England Ambulance Workers Sleeping In Tents”

Survey Notes A Trend Towards Hiring Casual Labour

17:18 Monday 5th August 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: More than a million workers in the UK are on so-called zero hours contracts, with no guaranteed shifts or work patterns. That’s according to new research. And it’s four times the official estimate. The Government’s reviewing the contracts, but the unions and some in the Labour Party want zero hour contracts banned altogether. Labour’s already thinking ahead to its strategy for the next election, arguing the Coalition is failing to help ordinary families cope with the cost of living. In response, the Government is likely to point to its measures to bring down the cost of childcare, saying today it wants to expand a new childcare tax credit scheme to include parents who stay at home. Our political reporter Ellie Zaniewska is keeping across the main political stories of the day. Continue reading “Survey Notes A Trend Towards Hiring Casual Labour”

Public Disapproval Mounts Over Broken Fountains

17:45 Friday 2nd August 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: The fountains in Cathedral Square in Peterborough have yet to be switched on, despite repair costs of £96,000. They were due on today, but that’s been postponed again. Earlier our reporter Johhny D. was in Cathedral Square to see what people thought about the delay. (TAPE)
JOHN DEVINE: We’re near the fountains in Peterborough’s Cathedral Square. Still no sign of life though. The barriers still surround them. Got a gentleman with me. Do you think they should put them to bed ’till next year now, do you think?
PUBLIC ONE: Well I think they should put them to bed full stop. They’ve never worked properly, and the amount of money they cost, they’d have been better off putting just a round fountain there, with just a nice little water feature on it and be done with it. It would be far cheaper. They could have spent the money on something else like health care or whatever. It’s a waste of money. Continue reading “Public Disapproval Mounts Over Broken Fountains”

Epic Season Starts At London Road

08:35 Friday 2nd August 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[S]TEVE JACKSON: Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has ordered his squad to aim high ahead of the new League One season. Posh get underway against Swindon tomorrow. They’re among the favourites for promotion following their relegation from the Championship back in may. Given their quality, Ferguson’s urged his side to concentrate on their own performances. (TAPE)
DARREN FERGUSON: Other opposition, I can speak about them. Swindon, I know their strengths and their weaknesses, what I feel could be weaknesses anyway. It’s about us. It’s about us getting consistent in the season. It’s about us hitting the ground running. Before I would say March and December, really pivotal months. They still will be this season, but perhaps August could be the most important one this season. (LIVE)
STEVE JACKSON: Striker Lee Tomlin’s been passed fit ahead of tomorrow’s match, while record signing Britt Assombalonga will also be included in the squad. Defender Mark Little penned a new one year deal yesterday, so could be involved. Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony says his club is fully prepared for what lies ahead. (TAPE)
DARRAGH MACANTHONY: I’m very confident they’re going to have a very good season. There’s going to be highs and lows of course, but we’ve got to find consistency. We’ve got to start well. We’ve got to finish strong. But we’ve got to be really consistent. Most importantly we all have to be in it together as well, because we know League One. We’ve been there, seen it and done it before. And it’s not all going to go to plan. It never does when you run a football club, but we’re very confident in what we have inside the football club, and the players with the bit between their teeth, that we’re going to be back in the Championship in nine months time.

08:40

[P]AUL STAINTON: (MUSICAL PLAY ON THE NAME ASSOMBALONGA) It’s going to take a bit of pronouncing for our commentators. Edwin Overland our Posh commentator is here. Morning sir.
EDWIN OVERLAND: Good morning to you.
PAUL STAINTON: On the eve of yet another new season.
EDWIN OVERLAND: Yes. Yet another. Where did that summer go? It seems like a fortnight. Well it wasn’t much more really was it?
PAUL STAINTON: No. And of course the disappointment of the Championship has gone, and there will be many Posh fans listening this morning thinking it’s a foregone conclusion this, getting back up. Continue reading “Epic Season Starts At London Road”

East Cambs Employs Former Deputy To Advise On Budget Cuts

17:20 Thursday 1st August 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: East Cambridgeshire is to spend £30,000 to ask a former council official how to save money. As we reported on Drivetime earlier in the week, the district council needs to find £900,000 of savings in about eighteen months time. So former Deputy Chief Executive Cecilia Tredget is being hired to find those savings. James Palmer is the Council Leader, and he joins me now. Hi James.
JAMES PALMER: Good afternoon.
CHRIS MANN: Do you really need to pay somebody £30,000 to tell you how to save money? Continue reading “East Cambs Employs Former Deputy To Advise On Budget Cuts”

The Mounting Cost Of Peterborough’s Stalled Solar Venture

17:22 Tuesday 30th July 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: A Freedom of Information request shows that more than £1.5 million has been spent by Peterborough City Council on proposals for a huge solar farm. A decision has not yet been made on the controversial plans for farmland just outside Newborough, but money has already been spent on them, including nearly £800,000 on a feasibility study. Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson is due to attend a meeting from about seven o’clock this evening. I spoke to him a short while ago .. Stewart, you’re going to this meeting tonight. What are you going to say at it? Continue reading “The Mounting Cost Of Peterborough’s Stalled Solar Venture”

Off The Beaten Track – Indie Shops In Peterborough

07:07 Friday 26th July 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[R]ONNIE BARBOUR: We’re celebrating the independent shops of Cambridgeshire this morning. This is after a new map which shows where all the the independent shops are in Peterborough city centre being launched today. It’s the idea of the city’s local indie retailers. They hope it will boost trade. And Peterborough isn’t the only city celebrating its wide range of shops. Huntingdon and Cambridge have both started business improvement districts, which have web sites advertising. We’re joined now by Rachel Parkin who owns gift shop Reba in Cathedral Square. She’s part of the local independent group. Good morning to you Rachel.
RACHEL PARKIN: Good morning Ronnie. How are you?
RONNIE BARBOUR: Yeah. Good. I love to hear this, because it’s quite a big step to start up a local business, especially a shop these days. How’s it going for you? Continue reading “Off The Beaten Track – Indie Shops In Peterborough”

The Church Of England Targets The Payday Loan Industry

17:55 Thursday 25th July 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Is it the job of the Church of England to compete with short term lending firms like this one. (TAPE)
ADVERT: With a cash loan from wonga dot com, you can choose how much you want and for how long. And money can be in your account in fifteen minutes. That’s how we roll. (CAR HORN FANFARE)(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: Well that’s an advert for the online lender Wonga, who’ve been given a stark warning from the Archbishop of Canterbury today. The Most Reverend Justin Welby has told Wonga’s boss the Church of England plans to force it out of business, not through new laws, but by competing against it. And how might that happen? Well, through credit unions. They’re usually small community based organisations which charge their members low rates of interest to borrow money. Dr Malcolm Brown is the Director of Public Affairs at the Church of England. Continue reading “The Church Of England Targets The Payday Loan Industry”