Category: Peterborough

Peterborough Labour Party – Disaffected Elements Complain To Miliband

17:55 Monday 8th July 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Now we’ve got some breaking news for you. The BBC understands that members of the Labour Party in Peterborough have written to the Party Leader Ed Miliband asking him to investigate the running of the local Party. So the Labour Party in Peterborough have asked the Leader of the Party to investigate the running of the local Party. It follows allegations which may have been repeatedly denied that members of the trade union Unite have played a role in selecting the city’s Parliamentary Candidate Lisa Forbes. Let’s get some more now from the BBC East’s Political Correspondent Andrew Sinclair, who joins me in the studio. Hello Andrew.
ANDREW SINCLAIR: Hi.
CHRIS MANN: As we said breaking news. What can you tell us? Continue reading “Peterborough Labour Party – Disaffected Elements Complain To Miliband”

Stewart Jackson On High Trees Preservation

17:07 Thursday 4th July 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson has urged the Government to intervene over the planned demolition of a prominent building in Peterborough, to make way for student accommodation. The Victorian building, High Trees in Eastfield Road has been sold to a property company, in the face of objections from local residents. Well the Leader of the House of Commons, Andrew Lansley, who is of course the MP for South Cambridgeshire, promised to raise it with fellow Ministers. (TAPE)
ANDREW LANSLEY: I can imagine how he and his constituents might be alarmed by an experience of that kind. I will of course raise it with my Honourable Friends at the Department of Communities and Local Government, and encourage them to respond to him. (LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: Well the MP For Peterborough Stewart Jackson joins me now. Hello Stewart.
STEWART JACKSON: Good evening Chris.
CHRIS MANN: So, why have you brought this to the Government’s attention? Why is it so important? Continue reading “Stewart Jackson On High Trees Preservation”

Matthew Dalton On Cutting Bus Subsidies

07:20 Tuesday 2nd July 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: The amount of money used to subsidise bus services in Peterborough is being cut in half. It means that places like Maxey, Peakirk, and Etton could be left without a timetabled bus service. The City Council say they’ll invest in so-called demand responsive services instead. .. Joining me now to explain more about the changes in Peterborough is Cllr Matthew Dalton, the Cabinet Adviser to the Leader. Morning.
MATTHEW DALTON: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: So you’re going to save about half a million pounds here.
MATTHEW DALTON: That’s correct.
PAUL STAINTON: But didn’t you task a cross-party committee of councillors with coming up with some recommendations? They came up with something, you’ve ignored them, haven’t you? Continue reading “Matthew Dalton On Cutting Bus Subsidies”

Queensgate Footfall Rise – Small Shops Neglected

07:07 Friday 28th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: It seems that Peterborough city centre is seeing something of a revival. New figures from the Queensgate shopping centre show that footfall has risen by 4% since November last year. The opening of discount clothes retailer Primark in November last year has contributed to a 4% rise in shoppers at the Queensgate centre. .. Meanwhile there’s something of a cafe culture emerging. Now nearly 300 seats available for outdoor dining across the city centre, and Cowgate has been much improved, after an £800,000 revamp. .. Rachel Parkin owns Reba, a gift shop on Cathedral Square Peterborough. She told me her shop hadn’t felt the benefit of the city centre revamp any time yet, and felt independent shops need much more help. Continue reading “Queensgate Footfall Rise – Small Shops Neglected”

This Blessed Plot

07:25 Monday 24th June 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: For decades, when it comes to housing, politicians have only provided short-term fixes, according to our country’s chartered surveyors. They say the UK is at risk of creating another house price problem, (and) that the Government should be aiming to build twice the number of houses than it’s currently aiming for. But is that going to happen? Sean Farrington is from our business unit. Morning Sean.
SEAN FARRINGTON: Morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: We’d all like more houses built, I think. Every council in Cambridgeshire would like to build more houses, but there ain’t the money around.
SEAN FARRINGTON: Well you say we’d all like more houses, but of course if there was all of a sudden a plethora of new houses all across the country, that would mean house prices probably wouldn’t go up as quickly as they might already. And it’s a question that everybody really has to answer themselves. Do you want to see house prices going up? If you own one, do you like the idea of it, but if that means your child can’t afford one, or you’re in the market for one, you don’t really want to see them going up any more. And actually what the chartered surveyors say is that Government policy over decades now has been based around people owning homes. That has helped push prices up. And that is not a healthy way to have a housing market strategy.
PAUL STAINTON: The Government’s announced several housing schemes, part-buy, part-this, part-that. They’re sort of working, aren’t they, in the short term? Continue reading “This Blessed Plot”

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”

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”