Tag: Marco Cereste

The Peterborough Council Shilling

Friday 9th December 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

08:23
PAUL STAINTON: On yesterday’s show there was a little bit of confusion when we spoke to Council Leader Marco Cereste about that independent report into councillors’ allowances. We’d just like to clarify that the report recommended Councillor Matthew Lee’s Special Responsibility Allowance be reduced from 75% of the Leader’s Allowance to 65% of the Leader’s Allowance. That same report also put forward a recommendation to increase the Leader’s pay by over £4000. That suggestion rejected by Councillor Cereste and the Council. Just want to make that clear, because there was some confusion yesterday.

08:30
PAUL STAINTON: Just a quick message, by the way. This is a forum for the people of Peterborough, by text, by phone, by e-mail. however you want to contact us, please do. It is not a forum for one particular councillor to text in with different names, on a number of occasions. I appreciate all the texts that come in, but they will not all get read out if it’s from the same person, even if you are using a different name, councillor. This show’s for the people, alright? Thank you.

08:33
PAUL STAINTON: Perhaps the councillors should get their own radio station for councillors. Then they can text in to their own show.

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”

Lee Confirms Zero Job Security for Workers at Peterborough City Council

08:20 Thursday 27th October 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: The private company taking over the running of a number of services at Peterborough City Council has been chosen. Serco have been confirmed as the preferred bidder for the 10 year partnership, which should deliver at least £20 million in efficiency savings. Council tax collection and the customer service team are among the services being transferred in the deal. Matthew Lee is Deputy Leader at the City Council. Morning, sir.
MATTHEW LEE: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: There’ll be nobody left there soon that works for the city. They’ll all be private companies, won’t they? Continue reading “Lee Confirms Zero Job Security for Workers at Peterborough City Council”

Cranfield in Peterborough

07:21 Thursday 30th June 2011
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
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? …

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.
Council Subsidy for PREL’s Cranfield Link-Up

================

Minutes of a Council meeting held on 13th July 2011
From Questions Without Notice on the Record of Executive Decisions:
Provision of grant support to Cranfield University
Councillor Sandford queried what benefit this £300k grant would provide to residents of Peterborough. Councillor Cereste responded that it would ensure a reputable organisation remained in the city providing skills and education opportunities for the residents of Peterborough.
From here: Council Website – 11mb pdf file

================

Marco Cereste is the Conservative Leader of Peterborough City Council and Chairman of PREL, Peterborough Renewable Energy Limited.

Peterborough’s Grand Designs

08:20 Wednesday 5th October 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: At the end of last month the LibDems on Peterborough City Council came up with this idea to sell Peterborough Town Hall. And you all scoffed. I scoffed. I even scoffed in the column in the ET about it. In fact we poked fun at the LibDems. But, the City Council is actually considering the LibDem suggestion. It will consider a report which shows at least £2 million could be saved by moving Council services elsewhere, and putting them under one roof, while selling off the Town Hall. English Democrat Stephen Goldspink though isn’t sure it’s a great idea. (TAPE) Continue reading “Peterborough’s Grand Designs”

Local Authority Mortgage Scheme: Who Takes the Risk?

Members of Peterborough City Council’s cabinet agreed yesterday to take part in the pilot Local Authority Mortgage Scheme, which will see the authority pay a contribution towards the deposits of first-time buyers.”
Source: Peterborough Evening Telegraph 14th June 2011

On Tuesday 14th June at 08:10 on the BBC Peterborough Breakfast Show Council Leader Marco Cereste made the following statement:
Continue reading “Local Authority Mortgage Scheme: Who Takes the Risk?”

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”

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”