BBC transcripts
08:26 Thursday 19th May 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
PAUL STAINTON: Sounds like an interesting meeting last night. What was it like?
DARREN FOWER: Well I wasn’t there, so I’m afraid I can’t ..
PAUL STAINTON: You weren’t there?
DARREN FOWER: I wasn’t there. I was out in the ward I’m afraid. I was doing ward work.
PAUL STAINTON: Shouldn’t you be at Full Council meetings? Continue reading “Peterborough LibDems Absent From Crucial Vote on Housing Expansion”
08:17 Wednesday 11th April 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY GALL: Peterborough could soon get its very own designer garden, but it would seem that not everyone wants it in the city. The City Council says it’s been offered the chance to buy a garden from the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s creator is Adam Frost from Stamford, and there are claims that it’s on sale for just under £50,000. But some councillors have questioned how the garden would be paid for. It’s been suggested that Section 106 money could be one way, but that’s not on, according to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Nick Sandford. He questioned the Council’s policy on Section 106 money earlier. (TAPE)
NICK SANDFORD: I’m very confused on the Council’s policy on Section 106 funding, because when I go to the planning department, and I say there’s a project in the Council ward that I represent, there’s an urgent need to have some highway improvement, I get told that you can only spend Section 106 funding on things that have been properly researched, that have gone into the Infrastructure Development Plan. But it seems that when the Leader of the Council has a pet project that he wants to put forward, he can immediately just say, we can use Section 106 money. (LIVE)
ANDY GALL: Joining us now is the Leader of Peterborough City Council, Marco Cereste. Good morning Marco. Continue reading “John Clare Garden”
07:07 Friday 23rd March 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
PAUL STAINTON: Could the way that Peterborough City Council is governed be about to change? From 4th May, councils across the country will have the option of scrapping the current cabinet system, which we have in Peterborough, and replacing it with a new system which would see a committee run various departments. Now some say this is a fairer and more transparent way to run local authorities. Critics say though it makes the whole system way too slow, and you get nothing done. Nick Sandford is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Peterborough, and is in favour of the change, Nick? Continue reading “Democracy in Peterborough”
08:08 Monday 5th March 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
PAUL STAINTON: A City councillor has expressed his dismay after the City Council agreed a deal with a developer to accept a lower Section 106 contribution. Basically every time a development is built in the city, a fee is agreed between the developer and the Council for how much money needs to be given to accommodate the new facilities. And it means if you get something built in your ward, then you generally get something nice to spend on say a park, or a community centre, or something that your ward needs. This particular deal means that Central ward has missed out on around £39,000. Now earlier we heard from Councillor Nazim Khan. He represents Labour in Central ward. He explained what happened. (TAPE)
NAZIM KHAN: There was a development taking place on Lincoln Road. There was about 23 apartments that were to be built. And the money was allocated, £50,000 towards the Hobson site, that they were going to make use of for children and young people. And apparently, after the completion of the building and everything else, they have decided that they can’t afford to pay £50,000, and they can only make the contribution of £11,000. (LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Well the Council says the terms of the development has changed. Well last year the Council revealed that a total of £6.5 million of Section 106 money has yet to be spent, and was lying in Council coffers. Nick Sandford’s here from the LibDem group. Morning Nick.
NICK SANDFORD: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: It sounds a bit odd to me, that you make an agreement with a developer. They agree to pay £50,000. Then they go at the end, I can’t afford that. What if we call it student accommodation, and we only pay £11,000? Continue reading “Peterborough Council and the Section 106 Money”
08:07 Monday 13th February 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY GALL: Peterborough City Council has made more changes to its budget, but it still has a budget deficit of £2.7 million. The amount Enterprise has to save has been reduced by £320,000. Enterprise, of course provides a number of services for the City Council, including street cleaning and looking after parks and trees. The amount being invested in trees is £250,000 less, and crossing patrols have been saved as well, which would have been an extra £43,000 for the Council. Nick Sandford is the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party in Peterborough, and joins us in the studio now. Good morning Nick.
NICK SANDFORD: Good morning Andy.
ANDY GALL: So what do you make of these figures then? Continue reading “Council Budget Numbers “Suspiciously Round””
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”
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”
07:07 Thursday 8th September 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
PAUL STAINTON: A year ago, we exclusively revealed on this show that Peterborough City Council wanted to adopt the slogan “Home of Environment Capital”. But have they managed it? How far have they managed to push the green agenda for the city? Well our reporter Kerry Devine has been out and about in the city, looking for signs that Peterborough is the home of environment capital. Continue reading “Green Bank – Peterborough’s Capital Aspirations Under Scrutiny”