Category: Peterborough

Managing the Collapse

07:30 Wednesday 8th February 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Let’s talk business. Apparently we’re spending more of our cash on food Adam Curtley. Well we knew that, didn’t we?
ADAM KIRTLEY: Oh don’t we just. Food inflation has been horrible over the last couple of years hasn’t it? Although actually another piece of information out today says food inflation is down from an annual 4.2% in December to just 3.7% in January and falling quite fast. So that’s good news. Continue reading “Managing the Collapse”

One Head is Better Than None

Although Peterborough Council is in the process of outsourcing most of its functions, including Parks and Refuse (to Enterprise) Arts and Culture (to Vivacity) and Benefits and Payments (to Serco), it seems that Communications is remaining in-house, and apparently growing ever larger.

Peterborough Council has 57 councillors, each with an iPad and therefore a potential Tweeter, a somewhat unknown population hovering between 150,000 and 200,000, and an ever-dwindling direct workforce.

Here is the map of the Communications Team with the latest vacancy at the top of the diagram. Is this a normal sized team? Is this the way things will be in the future? Will councils simply consist of communication experts? Why are the boxes blue? If it was a Labour council, would they be red?  Why aren’t they green? These are all  good questions, crying out for answers.  I don’t have the answers. I don’t believe the current team, the councillors or indeed the Leader know the answers. Maybe the Head of Strategic Communications will provide them.

 

And why don’t they just outsource Comms? Is it because it’s all top secret? And if so, why?

 

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Charles Dickens on Peterborough

07:55 Tuesday 7th February 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON BBC: We heard earlier that he had a friend in Wisbech. We’ve got a crystal ball in the Wisbech Museum up there, and a manuscript from Great Expectations. But he’s been to Peterborough as well, hasn’t he?
STUART ORME PETERBOROUGH MUSEUM: He has indeed. . Continue reading “Charles Dickens on Peterborough”

Julie Fernandez on Disabled Access at Peterborough’s Temporary Bus Station

08:22 Monday 6th February 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

PAUL STAINTON: On Friday’s Show, actress Julie Fernandez highlighted problems with access for disabled people at that temporary bus station behind the Brewery Tap car park. Commuters are catching buses from there, whilst maintenance work is being carried out. We sent Julie Fernandez, a disabled actress, to the Brewery Tap. This is what she had to say. Continue reading “Julie Fernandez on Disabled Access at Peterborough’s Temporary Bus Station”

The NHS – A Patient in Crisis

07:07 Friday 3rd February 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

BBC PAUL STAINTON: Patients are having to wait hours in A&E, appointments and operations cancelled, and people being booked to see the wrong consultant. Just some of the horror stories we’ve heard at Peterborough City Hospital. Unions say the problems being faced by hospitals are also down to a lack of money. .. We’ve also heard reports of staff being used from Stamford, brought across to plug a staffing shortfall at PCH. They get there, and then they’re not needed. There’s a lack of communication by the sounds of it.
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MARY COOKE PETERBOROUGH PENSIONERS’ ASSOCIATION: A slight touch of chaos, I reckon. That’s how nurses would view it. It’s demoralising for staff. That’s no good to anybody. Continue reading “The NHS – A Patient in Crisis”

Peterborough Council Waste Policy

08:13 Tuesday 31st January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

RICHARD OLIVE FRIENDS OF THE EARTH: .. listeners who live in Cambridgeshire and Fenland who are aware of what happens to their waste, which goes to an MBT anaerobic digester in Waterbeach. The running costs of that are less than half, actually about 42% of the cost of the Peterborough one. And the construction costs were £30 million. And it’s a much better environmental solution. You would think Peterborough, aiming to be the UK’s Environment Capital, would have gone for the best possible environmental solution. But even the MBT anaerobic digester in Waterbeach isn’t the best. Peterborough could quite easily recycle 78% of its waste.

One other thing you need to be aware of, and I think the people of Peterborough need to be aware of, is that the Council took advice in terms of how to treat their waste, way back in 2006. We had a meeting with them. And their waste adviser was the gentleman who gave his services totally free to the Council. I’ll name him. He was a Mr.Ian Crummack. And he happened to be the manager of the Cyclerval incinerator in Grimsby. So he may have actually persuaded the Council perhaps to go down the incineration route. .. Sol I think the Council have been led in a particular direction.

The best solution, put a lot more money into recycling. As I said, it’s quite easy to up the recycling rate to 78%. The Council is proposing 65% plus. .. The rest of the waste, some of it could actually still be landfilled if necessary. But I think the best solution really would be to build a small plasma enhanced melter .. to process the remaining stuff and turn it into something useful.

Opposition Councillors Unite to Attack Tory Budget Proposals

08:08 Monday 30th November 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: As the dust settles on the lollipop cuts fiasco, rival parties in Peterborough are now joining together to form their own alternative budget plans. Representatives from Labour, The Libdems and the Independent Group are meeting tomorrow to discuss some of the policies they want to see change from the Council’s budget proposals. The Labour group want to see the Council share more services with neighbouring counties, and for councillors to take a 30% cut in allowances. Well earlier we heard from Jonathan Isaby, the Political Director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance. He criticised the Tory proposals for raising council tax, and said he prefers some of the Labour Group’s cost saving methods. (TAPE)
JONATHAN ISABY: The Labour group have put forward an alternative budget today. I haven’t seen the detail of it, but from what the headlines were saying the idea of cutting councillors’ allowances, sharing some services and having fewer consultants sound some very sensible ideas as to how this can be done. And hopefully Councillor Seaton will take a look at that plan. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well Ed Murphy is a Labour councillor in Peterborough. With us, Nick Sandford as well, from the Liberal Democrats. Morning guys.
BOTH: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Ed first of all, where do you disagree with the budget that’s been proposed already? Where are you considering making changes? Continue reading “Opposition Councillors Unite to Attack Tory Budget Proposals”

Enterprise Peterborough – Making the Best of a Bad Situation

07:20 Friday 27th January 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Work experience, apprenticeships and volunteering, just some of the ways a Peterborough company plans to help boost the City of Peterborough. Enterprise of course provides a number of services for the City Council, including street cleansing and looking after parks and trees. And it’s now creating a number of roles to try and give a little bit back to the community. Richard Oldfield is the Transformation Director at Enterprise in Peterborough. Morning. Continue reading “Enterprise Peterborough – Making the Best of a Bad Situation”