Category: Conversations

Mark Edwards Peterborough Evening Telegraph Editor on Journalistic Integrity

08:08 Thursday 7th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: There’s no doubt what the top story is, the story that’s dominating all news agendas, all newspapers, and every media outlet. It’s the hacking story. .. Earlier we spoke to Ian Overton, editor of the Bureau of Investigate Journalism. He said he would never condone the practices, if they are proven to be true. (TAPE)
IAN OVERTON: Certainly there is a fine boundary of what do you cross to get the story. Now nobody has gone as far as phone-tapping something that affects the judicial process, and I think that’s one of the problems here. In the Milly Dowler case, there was an ongoing investigation, and phone-tapping occurred, and messages purportedly were deleted. Now that is obviously a significant issue, if it turns out to be true.(LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well yesterday the Prime Minister called the allegations of phone-hacking “absolutely disgusting”, and promised a full public inquiry. Let’s speak to Mark Edwards. He’s the editor of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph. Morning Mark
MARK EDWARDS: Morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: Newspapers under increasing pressure. We heard from Ian earlier this morning saying that part of the problem in his opinion is young people coming through, not learning the trade, thrust into the limelight, doing their work under extreme presure from espacially national newspaper editors to get the story. And they’re cutting corners. Continue reading “Mark Edwards Peterborough Evening Telegraph Editor on Journalistic Integrity”

Jeremy Baumberg on Iridescence

17:53 Wednesday 6th July 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: You know when you see that kind of rainbow effect on the back of a CD or in soap bubbles? Well scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the same spectrum effect is used to attract bees to plants. And that could also help us to find new partners, would you believe. Earlier on I spoke to Jeremy Baumberg. He’s a Professor of NanoScience. It was fascinating. Continue reading “Jeremy Baumberg on Iridescence”

Peterborough Car Parking Charges Rise Again

07:09 Tuesday 5th July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: We’ll start with car parking charges in Peterborough, which have risen yet again. Some of Peterborough City Council’s own car parks have gone up by around 10%… Councillor Stephen Goldspink is on the line. Morning.
STEPHEN GOLDSPINK: Morning .. I do understand people’s concerns about the increase in charges. Every year the Council charges seem to go up across a range of services, and whilst I know the Council is in a difficult financial position, following a cut in Government grants, I always maintain there are always choices that the Council can make. And I’m not sure they make the best choices all of the time, when they’re talking about the “blend” of increasing charges and cutting expenditure.
PAUL STAINTON: And this is at a time when we’re trying to drive people into the city, we’re trying to drive businesses into the city. You run a local business. This is going to stop people parking, isn’t it? Continue reading “Peterborough Car Parking Charges Rise Again”

Church Commissioners Plan a Massive Housing Development on Farmland at Ely

07:18 Monday 4th July 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PETER SWAN: Residents have two weeks to have their say on plans to build hundreds of new homes in Ely. Land at Highflyer Farm, owned by the Churches Commission, will feature a district centre which will provide shops, community facilities and services. Over the weekend an exhibition displaying the plans was put on show at a local school. I’m pleased to say that Jennifer Orchard from the Quatro Public Relations, who are working on behalf of the Church Commissioners can join us now. Thanks for joining us on the show Jennifer.
JENNIFER ORCHARD: Absolutely no problem.
PETER SWAN: Now tell us about your proposals then. What are we going to be getting in Ely? Continue reading “Church Commissioners Plan a Massive Housing Development on Farmland at Ely”

Bribery in Business and the Role of the Anonymous Whistleblower

07:25 Friday 1st July 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY GALL: British businesses operating abroad are going to have to review almost everything they do from today, as the Bribery Act comes into force. The Act means that companies could face unlimited fines if they fail to prevent bribery, and there are fears that many firms are unprepared for the new rules. Julia Pittam has the details, and she joins us now. Good morning Julia.
JULIA PITTAM: Good morning Andy.
ANDY GALL: So bribery, what does the whole Act mean for businesses? Continue reading “Bribery in Business and the Role of the Anonymous Whistleblower”

Council Subsidy for PREL’s Cranfield Link-Up

07:21 Thursday 30th June 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

(Need to know on this story is that the Leader of Peterborough City Council Marco Cereste is also Chairman of the private company Peterborough Renewable Energy Limited.)

ANDY GALL: Should Peterborough City Council give financial support to universities who want to open learning centres in the city? Council chiefs have announced plans to pay Cranfield University a grant of £120,000. The money would be used to employ a Chair in Renewable Energy, who would then work with the Council, Cranfield and Opportunity Peterborough. Let’s find our more by speaking to John Richards, who’s the Executive Director of Children’s Services at Peterborough City Council. Joins us now. Good morning John. So how does this grant work? You’re planning to pay £120,000 to Cranfield University to fund this role and why.
JOHN RICHARDS: Right. Well I’m glad you’re interviewing me actually, because on previous occasions you’ve said to me, how are you going to increase the higher education offer in Peterborough, ie bring universities to Peterborough, and this is one of the ways which we are doing that. Now the Chair in Renewable Energy will be working in Peterborough with not only the City Council but with all the eco-environmental companies, and particularly with PREL. And the idea is that it brings doctorate masters students and they provide continous professional development for staff working in Peterborough. So it’s about upping the skills of Peterborough people. Now the actual cost of the Chair and all the accoutrements of a Chair of Renewable Energy is over £300,000. The City Council is only putting in £120,000, that’s £40,000 over three years, and the rest of the money is being put up by PREL. So this is a real partnership between business, the Council and the university. Continue reading “Council Subsidy for PREL’s Cranfield Link-Up”

Cutting Legal Aid – Penny Wise Pound Foolish

17:07 Wednesday 29th June 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgshire

PETER SWAN: Let’s kick off with Ken Clarke. The Justice Secretary has been defending his criminal justice agenda today, which includes proposed sentencing and legal aid changes. Under the plans, aimed at saving £300 million from the £2.1 billion legal aid bill, people will not be eligible for legal aid in a far broader range of civil cases than currently is the case. To discuss the implications, here’s Rachel Talbot from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Cambridge. Evening to you Rachel.
RACHEL TALBOT: Hello.
PETER SWAN: Now could you just fill us in on what the current situation is. What have we got at the moment, and what is it that Ken Clarke is looking to change? Continue reading “Cutting Legal Aid – Penny Wise Pound Foolish”

Christopher Evans in Defence of the Archeological Planning Condition

17:17 Tuesday 28th June 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PETER SWAN: On Friday’s show we heard from a chap called Alan Melton. He’s the Leader of Fenland District Council. And he was unhappy because he believes archeologists are delaying building projects in the Fenland area. This is what he had to say. (TAPE)
ALAN MELTON: It seems to me that a whole industry has grown up where wherever anybody wants to develop or build, irrespective of where it is, even if it’s in sub-soil such as clays, there has to be some form of archeological dig. And I actually believe that in many instances it’s not necessary, and it’s a very very costly process.(LIVE)
PETER SWAN: Now Mr Melton is keen to ease planning restrictions in Fenland, but as you might imagine. he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to archeologists, both locally and nationally. Now Chris Evans is Executive Director of the Archeological Unit at Cambridge University, and I’m pleased to say he joins us now. Evening to you Chris.
CHRIS EVANS: Good evening to you Peter.
PETER SWAN: Now I guess we ought to start, what is this issue all about? What is Archeological Planning Condition? Continue reading “Christopher Evans in Defence of the Archeological Planning Condition”