Tag: Ed Murphy

Hard Fi Festival Fiasco – Massive Inquiry Planned

08:18 Monday 9th July 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Many of you contacted us about the Peterborough Festival, the Finale of which fell victim to the bad weather this weekend. Thousands of you expecting to see Hard Fi playing in Central Park. But disappointment after torrential downpours, when Vivacity decided to put a stop to the festivities. A small scale street theatre performance was held yesterday on Bridge Street. It was an unfortunate way to end what would have been a great event. Wonderful stuff booked in. And it looked like it was only going to get better on Saturday. Criticism of how Council officials communicated with each other and the public, the way Vivacity and Enterprise perhaps worked together with the Council in the run up to the Festival. We saw a bit of confusion all round, and we spoke to Cllr Yvonne Lowndes earlier, who said the show should have gone on, should have carried on.
YVONNE LOWNDES: They could have cordoned off the areas with a lot of the mud, and everything could have gone ahead. In hindsight, yesterday it was quite dry, and we could have had continued the Festival. And there are lots and lots of disappointed people. And I was talking to them. Some people yesterday came all the way from Lincoln, thinking they were going to see the orchestra last night. And of course they were very disappointed.
PAUL STAINTON: Well Deputy Leader of the Peterborough City Council Matthew Lee is here now. Morning Matthew.
MATTHEW LEE: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Before I get into the weekend, can I take you back to the planning of this, last week, and the fact that .. this is how I read it last week .. there was an application to increase the capacity of Central Park to 15,000 at the last minute, which seemed like some sort of panic act by Enterprise. You, according to Cllr John Peach, knew nothing about this. And then at the last minute you slapped it down and said 5,000 would be enough. Have I read it right? Continue reading “Hard Fi Festival Fiasco – Massive Inquiry Planned”

Hard Fi Gig a Council PR Disaster

07:14 Friday 6th July 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Mike’s been on this morning on text. He says “Hello Paul. I think your show has been blacklisted by the Council. These days, when you want to ask critical questions, they refuse to come on to your show. It all seemed to start after you started asking relevant questions about  Children’s Services in the city.” says Mike. We are still searching for answers over this Hard-Fi gig Ed, and I wonder whether you’ve got an opinion on it. Because to apply for a licence to raise the capacity to 15,000 suggests, well a: it was last minute, so there was panic. It suggests that Enterprise and Vivacity thought, Oh, we might have more than 5,000 people. Now we are being told, no, no, it’s all right. There’ll only be 5,000. But we don’t know if people are going to be allowed in if you’re 5,002 or 5,003. And nobody from this big pow-wow yesterday has come on this show to answer questions for the public of Peterborough this morning.
ED MURPHY COUNCILLOR: Well let’s get the risk assessment published. There will have been work done on that, and it is a document that everybody should be entitled to see. They do plan for these things. I don’t know how well they plan in Peterborough. I find it astonishing that the local authority, over a number of months now, have not been responding to the media in Peterborough, and particularly your show, which is THE media in Peterborough.
PAUL STAINTON: Yes. Should we stop asking critical questions? Is that the problem, do you think Ed?
ED MURPHY COUNCILLOR: No. I think you need to continue asking critical questions. I don’t know whether they haven’t got the capacity. They pay people as special advisers to be communications advisers to the Cabinet. I don’t know what it is. I understand there have been people pushed out of employment in the Council. I think the spokespeople need to realise that’s what they are. That’s what the public expects from them. And don’t blame the officers. If you’re shy, don’t take on the role. Get some training. But just keep talking. The facts are the facts. And whatever you try and do, most of them will eventually come out. Tell the truth. If you made mistakes, put your hands up and learn from your mistakes.
PAUL STAINTON: And I have to say, whether it’s good news or bad Ed Murphy, you do come on the show. So thank you very much for that. Sometimes you get a kicking, and sometimes you don’t. But he always comes on. But there are questions that we need answering, I think, before Hard Fi come tomorrow. Hopefully it will all go off fine. But how to turn a good news story into a bad news story. There’s an absolute object lesson in how to do it between Enterprise, Vivacity and Peterborough City Council.

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Labour Man for Police Commissioner

17:18 Monday 18th June 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Labour has unveiled its list of candidates for elections to appoint new police commissioners in England and Wales. Here in Cambridgeshire it’s Ed Murphy, a Peterborough City councillor and former Chair of the Joint Cambridgeshire District and County Crime Reduction Panel. Elections in 41 forces’ areas will take place in November, when the current police authorities will be scrapped. The new commissioners will have the power to hire and fire chief constables, hold them to account, and set the forces’ budgets. The Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says any of their candidates who are selected will first try to reverse some of the cuts in police numbers. .. Ed, good evening to you.
ED MURPHY: Good evening.
CHRIS MANN: So you want to be the face of policing in Cambridgeshire. Continue reading “Labour Man for Police Commissioner”

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”

Payrise Proposal for Peterborough Councillors

07:08 Thursday 1st December 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Yesterday we brought you the exclusive news about possible changes to councillor allowances in the city. An independent panel has suggested a cut in the size of the Cabinet, and a reduction in the money given to those with special reponsibilities, whatever that means. This could mean an extra cash rise in allowances for members by about 13%, if it all goes through. The recommendations will be debated at the Full Council meeting next Wednesday. Yesterday we spoke to the Leader of the Liberal Democrat group in Peterborough, Councillor Nick Sandford. This is what he had to say. (TAPE)
NICK SANDFORD: There’s a need to attract more people to become councillors. What they would rather do is take away some of these so-called special responsibility payments, or to actually reduce them, and to use that to increase the basic allowance payable to all Members of the Council. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well that’s what Nick Sandford had to say. Ed Murphy, councillor for Ravensthorpe, is putting forward a motion at the Full Council meeting next week to cut allowances and expenses by about £200,000. Morning Ed.
ED MURPHY: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: So you’re not for this, obviously, for a rise in allowances effectively, a redistribution of the wealth, if you like. Continue reading “Payrise Proposal for Peterborough Councillors”

School Places and Broken Promises

08:13 Tuesday 10th May 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: 14% of parents didn’t get their first choice primary school for their child in Peterborough. 95% of Peterborough schoolchildren will be going though to one of their 3 preferred primary schools, from September 2011. Earlier we spoke to Cabinet Member for Education Councillor John Holdich. He admitted to us there was a shortage of school places in Peterborough. Well the new councillor for Ravensthorpe Ed Murphy has been in touch. He says a lack of school places is a big problem in his ward, and the West ward. Ed Murphy is on the line now. Morning Ed.
ED MURPHY: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: When you say a big problem, can you quantify that for us? Continue reading “School Places and Broken Promises”

Nick Sandford Reflects

08:22 Friday 6th May 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Trying to bring you interviews with all the main protagonists this morning in the local elections. in Peterborough. But unfortunately none of them are answering their phones. It was a late night last night, I think, for Marco Cereste, who regained his seat in Stanground Central with an increased majority, and some would say a vindication of what he’s been doing in Peterborough as Council Leader. We’ve been trying to get hold of him this morning. Not picking up. Charlie Swift, re-elected in North ward, heading towards 60 years as a councillor. Not picking his phone up. And it’s goodbye to Graham Murphy, Mark Collins and Yvonne Lowndes. Not picking her phone up. Yes, they’re all in bed this morning. Yes, there’s a common thread. The one man who is picking his phone up and taking it on the chin this morning is Liberal Democrat Nick Sandford, of course the former Parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Peterborough. Morning again Nick.
NICK SANDFORD: Morning. Hi.
PAUL STAINTON: I won’t keep kicking you while you’re a bit down …
NICK SANDFORD: That’s extremely kind of you. Continue reading “Nick Sandford Reflects”

Labour Back in Force in Peterborough

07:08 Friday 6th May 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Now, last night, passion, turnout, jubilation. (AUDIO: CHANTING AND CLAPPING) Who says local elections don’t count? Who says nobody cares? Jubilant scenes last night in Peterborough. 19 seats up for grabs. Leader Marco Cereste increased his majority in Stanground Central, but he watched in agony as his Tory Party lost 4 seats to Labour. Continue reading “Labour Back in Force in Peterborough”