One Of Those Days In England

17:56 Thursday 20th June 2013
Drive BBC Radio Cambridge

CHRIS MANN: It may seem hard to believe, but a Cambridgeshire removals expert says he’s seen a sharp rise in people repatriating to England from warmer sunnier climes. Mel Cohen manages the Ely depot for removal firm Bishops Move, and says there’s been a particularly steep jump in those coming back from France.. (TAPE)
MEL COHEN: At the moment, coming back from France .. I’ve just had a quick look at our figures and the amount coming back from France, up this year, has gone up about 70%. I think there’s a lot of people obviously worked out the sums on their retirement, and will get the pension, etcetera, etcetera, and relying on exchange rates. And then obviously the pound and the euro used to be two euros to the pound, now it’s not. And so many people are finding life quite tough. And having put all your savings into a house, where do you go from there? (LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: So a 70% rise in people coming back to England. It seems unbelievable, with summer weather like today’s, but just how much of a problem is the weather? And is it likely to drive those currently living in Cambridgeshire away? Well our reporter Johnny Dee found out. Continue reading “One Of Those Days In England”

Three Formats – Which Is Best?

The great philosophers say that you can’t stand still.  Change or perish.
That’s the natural way.

Over the years this site has tried out three different formats as listed below.

The first is a summary of a radio programme as per this one:
BBC Peterborough March 29th 2010

The second is a selected transcript of an interview as follows:
Tariq Sadiq on George Galloway

The third is analysis drawn from observation of local media instances and documents available:
A Rose By Any Other Name

It would be nice to have them all, but as things stand that isn’t happening. Continue reading “Three Formats – Which Is Best?”

Popcorn Community TV From March Cambridgeshire

17:48 Wednesday 19th June 2013
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: A local TV station is on its way to Fenland. And you have the opportunity to have a voice in front of the camera. Our reporter Sue Marchant bumped into the Popcorn TV team out and about in March, including 20Twenty Production’s Katherine Nightingale. (TAPE)
KATHERINE NIGHTINGALE: Popcorn Community TV is something we introduced late last year. It started by us doing very short films for local community organisations, people and businesses, to give them an opportunity to talk about what it is that they do, and enable other people within their community to understand and know that that service or whatever it is was available. Since then the funding stopped, and we’ve been really really lucky that we’ve got a wonderful group of volunteers who’ve come along to engage with Popcorn, and do and develop some of their own style of community television.
SUE MARCHANT: Simon. How did you get involved with this? Continue reading “Popcorn Community TV From March Cambridgeshire”

Godmanchester Bearscroft Development Controversy – Fairfield Statement

08:38 Wednesday 19th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: In yesterday’s show we were discussing the prospect of 750 new homes being built on the outskirts of Godmanchester. The development called Bears Croft has been strongly opposed by local residents, and many of the town, district and county councillors too. Councillor Colin Hyams said yesterday he recognised that new homes are needed, but that they shouldn’t be built now, on the planned location near the A1198. This is what Colin had to say. (TAPE)
COLIN HYAMS: I moved up here about twelve years ago, into a house that was twenty three years old. And we need houses. I want my kids to have houses, and everybody else does. But let’s do it properly. Let’s not put them where .. it’s the wrong place and the wrong time, ie get the A14 up, and let’s look at how we can cope with it. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well the developers Fairfield have finally got back to us. My producer Samantha Dalton is here. What have they said Sam? Continue reading “Godmanchester Bearscroft Development Controversy – Fairfield Statement”

AstraZeneca Cambridge Site Selected

08:20 Tuesday 18th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Some great news for the South of the county this morning. Cambridge’s Biomedical Campus is to be the new global headquarters and research and development hub for the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. About 1600 staff will be relocated to the city from Cheshire. About 300 will be coming up from London. It will also mean that staff at Medlmmune, the firm’s biologics research and protein engineering arm will move from their base south of the city to the campus near Addenbrookes. We can now speak to Dr Robert Winter. He’s the Director of the Eastern Academic Health Science Network. Morning Robert.
ROBERT WINTER: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: A big deal for Cambridge this, isn’t it? Continue reading “AstraZeneca Cambridge Site Selected”

People United Peterborough

17:42 Monday 24th June 2013
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: A People United bus is touring the country at present, a conglomeration of five unions, to listen to people’s stories. It’s been in Cambridge today. Sue Marchant went along to find why people were attracted to climb aboard. (TAPE)
VOX ONE: We were at the People’s Assembly yesterday in London, where the buses were actually launched from, so we’ve come along to see what’s on offer.
SUE MARCHANT: Why would you want to be here?
VOX ONE: We’re concerned with the situation, the economic situation in the country, and the way it’s being tackled at the moment, which we think is quite wrong. The poorest people being forced to bear the brunt of things, we think that’s quite immoral, and people are beginning to more effectively protest against that.
SUE MARCHANT: And what about you madam? Continue reading “People United Peterborough”

Westcombe Engineering – Councillor Slams VAT Error

07:22 Monday 17th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: The future of jobs at a Peterborough engineering firm is looking uncertain after a serious accounting error. Westcombe Engineering, which is controlled by the City Council, failed to pay half a million pounds in VAT. The cash has now been repaid in full, but the Council has announced a consultation that puts two posts at risk of redundancy. The workforce there is largely made up of individuals with disabilities. .. Mike Fletcher is the Independent councillor in Peterborough. He’s fought to keep Westcombe Engineering open in the past. Morning Mike.
MIKE FLETCHER: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Are you shocked to learn there could be some redundancies here.
MIKE FLETCHER: It’s very sad news. Making a cock-up like they have done and then wanting to make the most vulnerable disabled people pay for it is absolutely shameful. What I would like to have, and we haven’t got it now, but is the time to talk about the whole core of rottenness that I found surrounded Westcombe.
PAUL STAINTON: Well let’s not get into that right now, because obviously we’d need to go through ..
MIKE FLETCHER: It’s awful.
PAUL STAINTON: … yes let’s not make any accusations that we can’t sustantiate at the moment.
MIKE FLETCHER: I can. I can substantiate it Paul. Continue reading “Westcombe Engineering – Councillor Slams VAT Error”

Peterborough Energy Plans – Government Steps In

07:41 Friday 14th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has warned Peterborough City Council that he will call in plans to build an energy park near Newborough, if they give it the go-ahead at a meeting on Monday. The Council is planning to erect solar panels and wind turbines of course on that farmland in the North of the city. Local residents up in arms, campaigning against it. Earlier this week English Heritage sent a letter to the City Council saying more archeological investigation was needed. So planning officers have now recommended that initial approval for the first part of the project be delayed. Well Conservative MP for Peterborough Stewart Jackson has publicly condemned the project, and has written a letter to Eric Pickles voicing his concerns. And Stewart I believe you’ve tabled a Question in Parliament as well, haven’t you?
STEWART JACKSON: Yes. The Question I tabled Paul was whether he was going to call in the application, and he’s answered that Question now for me, without writing back to me, which is fine.
PAUL STAINTON: OK. So even if it’s rubber stamped at this meeting on Monday, or at a further date, he will look at it. And what does that mean? Continue reading “Peterborough Energy Plans – Government Steps In”