Living In The Past

17:20 Friday 5th April 2013
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[C]HRIS MANN: Thousands of civil servants across the country, some in Peterborough, have walked out for the start of a long weekend of industrial action. Unions say they’re defending their pay, pensions and work conditions. Well joining me now is Andy Reid from the Public and Commercial Services Union. Andy, hello to you.
ANDY REID: Hello.
CHRIS MANN: Who took part and why in this half-day strike in Peterborough today? Continue reading “Living In The Past”

Government Money For Cambridge Cycling Safety

17:21 Thursday 4th April 2013
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CHRIS MANN: A cycling MP has reacted with joy at the news that the city he represents is to receive £1.2 million of funding to improve safety for cyclists, and happily that city is one of our own. It’s Cambridge. And the MP is the LibDem Julian Huppert, who joins us on the line now. Hello Julian.
JULIAN HUPPERT: Hi. How are you?
CHRIS MANN: Very well thank you. Very well. And we’ve heard in the last hour that you are Parliamentarian of the Month, so congratulations. Continue reading “Government Money For Cambridge Cycling Safety”

Lynette Burrows On Government Intervention

08:10 Thursday 4th April 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: The Government has announced that 16,000 of the most disadvantaged new mums and dads in the country will be offered tailored help and support from a specialist nurse by 2015. The large extension of the Family Nurse Partnership Programme will give young and disadvantaged mothers one-to-one support to bring up their babies. The idea is for more vulnerable children to get a better start in life. Well the Family Nurse Partnership Programme is already being run in Cambridgeshire, helps parents that are 19 and younger. Earlier, we heard from Lynn Frith. She’s a Family Nurse Partnership supervisor, and she explained how it all works and who gets help. (TAPE)
LYNNE FRITH: The Government have chosen the most disadvantaged who they feel they can make the biggest difference for, and teenagers who’ve had very little support, who found it very difficult in school, who’ve had lots of other issues and can’t support themselves really, as a target group. There’s lots of evidence from America that actually supports this programme.
PAUL STAINTON: Well Lynette Burrows is a social commentator, writer and broadcaster, lives in Cambridge. Morning Lynette.
LYNETTE BURROWS: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: So, this is going to make all the difference, isn’t it? Continue reading “Lynette Burrows On Government Intervention”

A Clear Vision – LibDem Manifesto For Cambridgeshire

08:20 Wednesday 3rd April 2013
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BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[R]ONNIE BARBOUR: The Liberal Democrats in Cambridgeshire have released their manifesto as we head towards local elections. They’re promising to stop cuts to bus services, contribute to the cost of a rail link to Wisbech, improve pavements and street lighting, plus look after the young and the elderly. So how are they going to pay for it? Kilian Bourke is Leader of the LibDems opposition on the County Council. Kilian good morning to you.
KILIAN BOURKE: Morning Ronnie.
RONNIE BARBOUR: There’s a lot of things you’re going to do there, and of course manifestos are famously, you know, people like to put their dream sequence together, but how will you pay for those if you get in? Continue reading “A Clear Vision – LibDem Manifesto For Cambridgeshire”

Government Reduces Benefits

17:12 Tuesday 2nd April 2013
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[C]HRIS MANN: The Chancellor’s been defending controversial changes to the tax and benefit system. George Osborn claims nine out of ten working families will be better off, despite criticism from charities and churches. Our Political Reporter Matt Presland has more.
MATT PRESLAND: Well, basically, of you distill the speech down it was a pretty robust defence of the biggest shake-up to the welfare system in a generation, which of course is going to begin to affect millions of working age people, starting yesterday. He said the current benefit system was failing hard working people, and it’s even responsible for trapping people in poverty. Continue reading “Government Reduces Benefits”

Social Housing Left Empty In Peterborough

08:36 Tuesday 2nd April 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[R]ONNIE BARBOUR: As the Government’s planned housing benefit changes come into place, a block of flats belonging to a social housing provider is sitting empty in Peterborough. That’s according to Councillor John Shearman for Park Ward. He says there are around 25 empty flats at Muir Housing’s Elizabeth Court. As a reminder of the changes, people receiving housing benefit must pay now more rent in the future of they have a spare room. John Shearman is on the line to explain a bit more. John, good morning to you.
JOHN SHEARMAN: Good morning Ronnie.
RONNIE BARBOUR: What can you tell us about Elizabeth Court, and who lives there?
JOHN SHEARMAN: Right. Elizabeth Court is just off the centre of Peterborough, near Central Park, 53 flats altogether, 25 of them empty. In Peterborough we have about 370 long term empty properties that our Empty Property Officer is trying to fill. So that 25 is quite a sizable proportion of that number. Back in February I checked out with the Council how many applicants we had in Peterborough wanting a one bedroom property. It’s a staggering 5,262 people. Now that’s likely to be reduced now the Council has introduced a new allocations policy. But this new bedroom tax will make the situation worse.
RONNIE BARBOUR: How long have the flats been sitting empty? Continue reading “Social Housing Left Empty In Peterborough”

A14 Upgrade A Mixed Blessing For Cambridge

07:07 Friday 29th March 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[R]ONNIE BARBOUR: We won’t give you any money for the A14 upgrade. That’s the message from Cambridge City Council. Councillors say they won’t receive financial benefit from it. Liberal Democrat Councillor Tim Bick is Leader of Cambridge City Council. Tim, good morning to you.
TIM BICK: Good morning.
RONNIE BARBOUR: So you’re not going to give any money towards this. Continue reading “A14 Upgrade A Mixed Blessing For Cambridge”

Fighting Deprivation – Labour’s Manifesto For Cambridgeshire

17:07 Friday 29th March 2013
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[D]OTTY MCLEOD: Now, equality. That’s what the Labour Party in Cambridgeshire claims is at the heart of its Manifesto this year, ahead of the County Council elections in May. Labour currently holds just three seats on the Council. That’s out of a total of 69. Paul Sales joins me now. He’s the head of the Labour group in Cambridgeshire. Good afternoon Paul.
PAUL SALES: Good afternoon Dotty.
DOTTY MCLEOD: Now as a general question Paul, is this election .. does it feel different to those in previous years, given what a huge issue the economy is at the moment in Britain as a whole, and in Cambridgeshire? Continue reading “Fighting Deprivation – Labour’s Manifesto For Cambridgeshire”