Conversations – Page 146 – The New Listener

RSA Affinity create 230 Jobs for Peterborough

Mark Allen from Affinity at RSA announces 230 new jobs created as a result of their contract with Tesco to manage the company’s pet insurance product. Broadcast at 08:10 on Tuesday 11th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: Some good news then on the jobs front in Peterborough this morning. Two hundred and thirty jobs are being created in Peterborough by insurance firm RSA, formerly the Royal Sun Alliance. The company planned to shed twelve hundred jobs last year, but in an upturn in fortunes it’s now signed a deal with supermarket giant Tesco. Let’s find out more and speak to Mark Allen. He’s the managing director of Affinity, one of the operating arms of RSA. Morning.
ALLEN: Morning.
STAINTON: Why choose Peterborough? Continue reading “RSA Affinity create 230 Jobs for Peterborough”

Opportunity Peterborough Defending Their Record

Following criticism from Stewart Jackson the newly-returned Conservative MP for Peterborough, Opportunity Peterborough spokesman and Chief Executive Steve Compton talks to Paul Stainton about why they might be considered a success, and the promises they make for the future.

Following criticism from Stewart Jackson the newly-returned Conservative MP for Peterborough, Opportunity Peterborough Chief Executive Steve Compton talks to Paul Stainton about why they might be considered a success. Broadcast at 07:20 on Tuesday 11th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: Peterborough isn’t being sold as it should. That’s according to our new, old, Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson. On this programme yesterday he laid out his priorities for the coming term in office, and blamed Opportunity Peterborough for not doing enough to promote the city.
JACKSON (TAPE) Well one of the big things that we haven’t done, and a big failure, and I have to say I lay it at the door of Opportunity Peterborough, because it’s no-one else’s fault. We have not sold Peterborough on the national stage as robustly as we should. We haven’t had ads on the sides of taxis, ads in the Financial Times, radio ads, nationally. We need to get really serious about businesses coming to this city, and say Peterborough is a fantastic place to live, work and do business. And I think we’ve failed in that.
STAINTON: (STUDIO) Steve Compton is from Opportunity Peterborough. Morning Steve.
COMPTON: Morning Paul.
STAINTON: Pretty damning, isn’t it?
COMPTON: Well I’m surprised that Stewart made those sort of comments to be honest because you know Opportunity Peterborough has been doing an awful lot to promote Peterborough over the last couple of years. I mean we launched the brand in two thousand and nine, and since then we’ve been rolling it out with a whole series of different sorts of campaigns.
STAINTON: Can you name something that you’ve delivered on time, on budget? Can you name something that we should be proud of? Continue reading “Opportunity Peterborough Defending Their Record”

Stewart Jackson MP on Opportunity Peterborough

This is part of a longer interview where Stewart Jackson Conservative MP celebrates his re-election as MP for Peterborough. Broadcast at 08:10 on Monday 10th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: We’ve got a text in saying: Ask Stewart about North Westgate please, and developments like that. What can he do to ensure we get Peterborough going, and get it developed?
JACKSON: Well one of the big things that we haven’t done, and a big failure, and I have to say I lay it at the door of Opportunity Peterborough, because it’s no-one else’s fault. We have not sold Peterborough on the national stage as robustly as we should. We haven’t had ads on the sides of taxis, ads in the Financial Times, radio ads, nationally. We need to get really serious about businesses coming to this city, and say Peterborough is a fantastic place to live, work and do business. And I think we’ve failed in that. Because we’ve got so many advantages. We’ve got a new University Centre, we’ve got a beautiful city centre that’s coming together, we’ve got possibly a new Station Quarter, we’re an Environment City. And we’ve got great transport links. We need to be banging the drum constantly. And if we don’t do that, we are going to lose out to the Cambridges, Milton Keynes, Leicesters and other places. And that means we won’t get the jobs we desperately need in this city.

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Iain Erskine Fulbridge Primary Headteacher on SATS.

Iain Erskine Headteacher of Fulbridge Primary School Peterborough points out the shortcomings of the SATS assessment system on the day that many headteachers from two national unions have called a boycott of this year’s tests. Broadcast at 07:40 on Monday 10th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: Iain Erskine is the Headmaster from Fulbridge Primary School in Peterborough. Morning Iain.
ERSKINE: Good morning.
STAINTON: What are you doing then? Are you Satting or not Satting?
ERSKINE: Well I’m a bit of a chicken. I am doing the SATs, yes. If somebody had said to me last September before the whole sort of journey towards SATs began, I’d have said definitely, no I won’t do them. But at the last minute I found it very hard to make the decision not to go ahead with them. Continue reading “Iain Erskine Fulbridge Primary Headteacher on SATS.”

Asif Shaheed New Peterborough LibDem Councillor

Asif Shaheed talks to the BBC about how he defeated the warring Conservative Party in the Walton Peterborough ward election. Broadcast at 07:20 on Monday 10th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: Let’s speak to one of the new boys. Asif Shaheed is the new Liberal Democrat councillor for Walton. Morning.
SHAHEED: Morning Paul. How are you sir?
STAINTON: I’m very good sir. Nice to speak to you.
SHAHEED: Thank you.
STAINTON: So you’ve been elected. You must be full of the joys of spring this morning. Continue reading “Asif Shaheed New Peterborough LibDem Councillor”

Willie Thorne on Neil Robertson

This very brief and hasty interview with snooker legend Willie Thorne follows the news that last night Cambridge-based snooker player Neil Robertson defeated Graeme Dott to win the world championship at the Crucible Theatre. Broadcast at 08:58 on Tuesday 4th May 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough. Paul interrupts his handover talk with BBC Cambridgeshire’s Andy Harper to hear that producer Ben Stevenson has finally managed to get an interview with a snooker personality. Continue reading “Willie Thorne on Neil Robertson”

Aaron Ross FirstCare on Absenteeism

This interview with Aaron Ross Chief Executive of FirstCare Absence Management Services follows the news that Peterborough City Council is suffering a statistically high level of absenteeism. Broadcast at 08:18 on Tuesday May 4th 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

STAINTON: Now as we mentioned council workers at Peterborough City Council took an average of eleven point eight days off sick, compared to NHS staff in Peterborough who took nine days, and the police who took just over a week off last year. Aaron Ross is from an absence management company who manages sick-leave. They’re called FirstCare. Morning Aaron.
ROSS: Good morning.
STAINTON: How do you manage, first of all, absence? Continue reading “Aaron Ross FirstCare on Absenteeism”

Ashley Law IFA on the Economy

Independent Financial Adviser Joe Jennings from Ashley Law Peterborough talks to Paul Stainton on the three main political parties and their policies on the economy. Broadcast at 07:10 on Thursday 29th April 2010 in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

PAUL: Ten past seven. It’s been described as the issue that none of the Leaders have an answer for. Yes it’s also the subject of tonight’s third election debate as I mentioned earlier, of course, the economy, stupid, which could be the deciding factor in the race to number ten. I would just like to apologise for calling you stupid there. So which of the parties if any have the right strategy? Joe Jennings is from independent financial advisers Ashley Law in Peterborough. He’s got a nice cup of tea. Morning.
JOE: Good morning Paul.
PAUL: You look a right mess in that jacket.
JOE: (LAUGHS)
PAUL: Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. I do apologise. (LAUGHS)
JOE: (LAUGHS) That sort of morning, is it?
PAUL: It’s a good excuse though, isn’t it? If our illustrious leader can call people bigots, you know. Do you know what a bigot is, by the way? It’s someone who’s strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race or politics, and is intolerant of those who differ. You muppet. Sorry. Do any of the main parties, Joe, in all seriousness, have the right answer to get us out of this economic mess and avoid us sliding down the slippery slope towards Greece-dom?
JOE: No. I look forward to tonight in the debate, because each party is supposed to be giving a strategy on how we’re going to get out of this mess. There’s not one. Pain is the only thing to get us out this strategy. Continue reading “Ashley Law IFA on the Economy”