Category: Peterborough

The Cereste Shuffle

08:22 Thursday 23rd May 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Well the Leader of Peterborough City Council has reshuffled his Cabinet team, following an extraordinary two weeks at the Town Hall. Marco Cereste will work without a Deputy, following a failed Leadership challenge earlier this month by his then Deputy Matthew Lee. Cllr Lee has been dropped from the Cabinet, along with disgraced Cllr Peter Hiller, who was recently convicted of causing criminal damage. Elsewhere, Cllr Gavin Elsey has been moved to the position of Culture, Recreation and Waste Management, and Cllr Nigel North moves to Environment Capital and Neighbourhoods, while Cllr Irene Walsh adds responsibility for Public Health and Communications to her Community Cohesion and Safety brief, and Cllr Matthew Dalton has left the Cabinet for family reasons. Well we can now speak to the man himself, Marco Cereste. Morning Marco.
MARCO CERESTE: Good morning Paul. You OK?
PAUL STAINTON: Yes I’m good, thank you. Very very good. memories of wrestling flooding through my mind this morning.
MARCO CERESTE: Oh well you see I’m old enough to remember all of that. It used to be great. You should have seen my grandma when they were wrestling. (HE LAUGHS)
PAUL STAINTON: Was she the one with the handbag?
MARCO CERESTE: She was in the ring with them. You should have seen it. It was great fun.
PAUL STAINTON: Anyway, you’ve had a bit of a wrestle with your new Cabinet, haven’t you? Two falls and a submission for Matthew Lee. Continue reading “The Cereste Shuffle”

Future Cities – The Integrity Of The Process

 

On 14th May on this website an article appeared entitled Peterborough DNA – Future Cities Demonstrator – Questions Arising.

There it was pointed out that the leading actor in a Peterborough bid for funding from the Technology Strategy Board appeared to redact substantial relevant and conflicting private business interests from the Peterborough City Council Register of Interests during the bidding process.

That information was published here, and two media organisations, one Member of Parliament, and four Peterborough City Councillors were directly advised that this information had been published. Continue reading “Future Cities – The Integrity Of The Process”

New Leader For LibDems On Cambs County Council

07:23 Monday 20th May 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: The LibDems in Cambridgeshire have changed their leader, just days before a big meeting that will decide who will lead the County Council. Former Leader Kilian Bourke has been ousted and replaced by the newly elected councillor for Waterbeach Maurice Leeke. Cllr Leake no stranger to Shire Hall, he’s led the Liberal Democrats before. I’m pleased to say Maurice is with us now. Morning.
MAURICE LEEKE: Morning.
PAUL STAINTON: So the new man, a new broom. What’s gone on? Have you all fallen out?
MAURICE LEEKE: No. No. Quite the reverse. Kilian has done an excellent job for us over the last couple of years, and particularly over the last couple of weeks, with the discussions that have been going on since the changes in the County Council elections.
KILIAN BOURKE: So why get rid of him now then, if he’s doing such an excellent job? Continue reading “New Leader For LibDems On Cambs County Council”

£25 Million To Breathe New Life Into Old Huntingdon

08:40 Wednesday 15th May 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Huntingdon town centre is to be spruced up to the tune of twenty five million big ones. A new town centre multi-storey car park is due to be completed by December, and with Sainsburys moving to a new site, more brand new shop units are planned, as well as a redevelopment of the wider Chequers Court area. Jason Ablewhite of course is the Executive Leader of Hunts District Council. He’s with us. Morning.
JASON ABLEWHITE: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: £25 million! Where’s all this come from then? Continue reading “£25 Million To Breathe New Life Into Old Huntingdon”

Peterborough DNA – Future Cities Demonstrator – Questions Arising

Note: this post is a mixture of  items written originally and items edited later when new information emerged.

Via a private arm of the City Council, Peterborough recently bid for £20 million funding from the Technology Strategy Board to develop a Future Cities project. As a runner up to Glasgow Peterborough was given £3 million to develop their ideas.

Their original bid document is here:

Feasibility Study Peterborough City Council.
Continue reading “Peterborough DNA – Future Cities Demonstrator – Questions Arising”

Stewart Jackson On David Cameron’s Solemn Pledge Of Jam Tomorrow

07:40 Tuesday 14th May 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: The Conservatives are to publish a Draft Bill which will legislate for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union by 2017. The move was announced late last night during David Cameron’s visit to the US. It’s being seen as an attempt to satisfy all the Tory critics of his approach to Europe. Now the Prime Minister has promised to reenegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU and then put it to a popular vote. The BBC’s Political Correspondent Robin Brant(?) explains what the Bill will mean for Cameron and his party. (TAPE)
BBC: A it send out the message for millions of voters that this is how serious the Conservatives are about this referendum. It’s not just a private Ministerial pledge. They’ve actually passed a law. And secondly they believe that no political leader, ie David Cameron, could possibly go back on that. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well, will the Bill be enough to satisfy the Eurosceptics and defuse the revolt within the Conservative Party? Stewart Jackson of course is the Conservative MP for Peterborough, and has openly criticised Cameron’s stance on Europe in the past. Morning Stewart.
STEWART JACKSON: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Is it enough to placate you? Continue reading “Stewart Jackson On David Cameron’s Solemn Pledge Of Jam Tomorrow”

Classic BBC Hatchet Job

09:55 Friday 10th May 2013
Mid-Morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Let’s return to public art. That’s what we’re talking about this morning. The fountains on Cathedral Square in Peterborough is an installation that continues to divide opinion, as Johnny D discovered this morning. Continue reading “Classic BBC Hatchet Job”

MP Challenges IPSA Valuation On Peterborough Property

17:18 Thursday 9th May 2013
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Conservative MP Stewart Jackson is being sued by the expenses watchdog after refusing to repay profits on his taxpayer funded home. He had been asked to hand back £54,000 as potential capital gains made on the home since MPs were barred from claiming for mortgage interest. But he’s refused, and has accused the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority of bullying him. Our reporter Alan Soady had the story from Westminster. Continue reading “MP Challenges IPSA Valuation On Peterborough Property”