Tag: East Cambridgeshire District Council

Community Land Trusts in Cambridgeshire

17:48 Tuesday 8th July 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Let’s talk about the community land trust, for the first homes in Cambridgeshire to be built by one have been given outline planning permission. The Stretham and Wilburton Community Land Trust will mix thirty five privately owned houses with fifteen homes for rental to people from the villages. It will also include a doctor’s surgery and some business units. What is a community land trust, or CLT as we shall refer to it from now on? Debbie Wildridge joins me now. Hello Debbie.
DEBBIE WILDRIDGE: Hello Chris.
CHRIS MANN: And you’re the Community Land Trust Manager from CLT East, is that right?
DEBBIE WILDRIDGE: Yes that’s right. We are actually an umbrella organisation that helps anyone who wants to set up a community land trust to do so, anywhere in the East of England.
CHRIS MANN: So what is it exactly? Who owns it, who runs it and who’s it for? Continue reading “Community Land Trusts in Cambridgeshire”

Compost Awareness Week in Cambridgeshire

09:55 Tuesday 6th May 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[A]NDIE HARPER: It’s the start of Compost Awareness Week. This is a week of activities, events and publicity to improve awareness about using organic waste as a resource to produce compost. We’ve just been treated to a beautiful Bank Holiday weekend, and no doubt many of you spent the time in your gardens, but how many of you bothered to make your own compost? How many of you would have bothered to do what we did, which is when we moved quite recently, we filled two sacks up of compost that I had created in one of our two compost bins, and took it with us, because it was such good stuff? Well Mark Shelton is the Education Manager for AmeyCespa. Mark, good morning.
MARK SHELTON: Morning Andie.
ANDIE HARPER: Nice to talk to you. I remember when Donarbon ran the site at Waterbeach a few years ago, I spent a fascinating day there, I have to say, being shown around, and certainly the garden composting department was a busy one, and you could in those days go and buy garden sacks of compost. Does it still happen?
MARK SHELTON: We give it away free. It still happens, and we’ve actually got a visit today, so we are still showing people around, and people are still welcome to come. It’s free here at the Waterbeach site, and we also make the compost available free at our March and our Alconbury sites.
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Assetbank East Cambridgeshire Land For Sale

08:23 Wednesday 16th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[D]OTTY MCLEOD: It’s a big question facing all of our local councils today. And this is really what the big debate over councillors in Peterborough revolves around, isn’t it? It’s money. It’s what do we need to spend most money on. It’s how do we balance our books. Well each council in Cambridgeshire has its own ideas for solving the funding crisis. They’ve all had their Government funding reduced. How do you make up the shortfall? In Peterborough the City Council’s introduced a charge for garden waste collections, and they’re still hoping to create a green energy park. Cambridgeshire County Council has introduced a charge for their park and ride service. But the brains behind East Cambridgeshire District Council think they have a better idea. Cllr Bill Hunt is the Conservative councillor for Stretham. Bill, what is your plan?
BILL HUNT: Well it’s one of many. We’ve got a total package which includes what other councils want, which is cutting down perhaps on the number of members, cutting down on the amount of committees. But the particular thing we’re talking about today is Assetbank, which is looking at all our properties, and seeing what’s the best use, and can we make more money out of it, or serve the people better. It’s a matter of saying we want to cut down on bureaucracy, cut down on costs, and try and get some money in, or benefit to the public.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So you’re potentially selling off parcels of land. This is what people call selling off the family silver Bill, is it?
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Ray Manning on Merging Functions and the Unitary Authority

17:17 Thursday 10th April 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Two Cambridgeshire district councils are to share some services in the future. South Cambs and Huntingdonshire Councils have said the partnership is in response to 25% cuts in national grant funding over the past three years. To explain more on that I’m joined in the studio now by Cllr Ray Manning, who is Leader of South Cambridgeshire. Ray, welcome. Thank you.
RAY MANNING: Hello there.
CHRIS MANN: So, what services are you planning to share?
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City Deal For Cambridge Will Help It To Grow

17:07 Thursday 5th December 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: A billion pound deal called the City Deal has been announced today for Cambridgeshire from the Government. It means more of the money made here will be invested here on housing and infrastructure, and it’s been negotiated by the City, the District, and the County Councils, and others. In a moment or two I’ll be talking to Tim Bick, the Liberal Democrat Leader of Cambridge City Council, who’s with me in the studio, but first of all, I spoke earlier to the Leader of the County Council, Martin Curtis.
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Stewart Jackson On Political Engagement

17:07 Friday 22nd November 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: This hour we’re asking why do so few people vote or get involved in public life. Why are people apparently turning their backs on the idea of the Big Society? Is it apathy? And does anyone care? Is the answer that we should be able to do more on-line, like vote in referenda and elections? Yesterday there were local elections in the county, and about one in three bothered to vote. In the PCC elections a year ago fewer than 15% voted. And now the idea of neighbourhood panels has been scrapped here in East Cambs, because no-one it appeared was bothering to attend. So much for the Big vaunted Society the Prime Minister had put so much store by. Well earlier I asked Conservative MP for Peterborough Stewart Jackson what was in the theory, and what was it all supposed to be about?
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Unitary Authority For Greater Cambridge

17:07 Monday 11th November 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: So, the man who was, until earlier this year, the most powerful politician in Cambridgeshire local government, has declared his support for a radical shake-up, and the abolition of a tier of councils. It would mean an end to Cambridge City Council, East Cambs, South Cambs, Hunts District and Fenland. In their place, former Conservative Leader of the County Council Nick Clarke now favours a new unitary authority for Greater Cambridge, and an enlargement of the one in Peterborough that already exists. He says the move would save money and be more effective. I’ll get reaction live in the studio from the Leader of Cambridge City Council, and the Leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, both with axes apparently poised above their heads. But first of all Nick Clarke. Welcome.
NICK CLARKE: Good afternoon Chris.
CHRIS MANN: You didn’t say this when you were in power.
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Supermarket Visible From Cathedral Window

17:24 Thursday 7th November 2013
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[C]HRIS MANN: Plans for a new supermarket and retail park on the outskirts of Ely have been approved by East Cambridgeshire District Council, despite objections from its Conservation Officer and English Heritage. The design of the park was described as disappointing. Well our reporter Emma Howgego has been to Ely.
(TAPE)
EMMA HOWGEGO: The proposals will see a new Tesco superstore built on land near Angel Drove, just south east of the existing industrial unit. The plans also allow for a number of smaller retail units, a petrol station, a DIY store, and over 1,000 car parking spaces. Now in the past there have been objections from parts of the local business community. They thought it would take customers away from the city centre. However, at yesterday’s planning meeting it was the design of the proposed development that caused a lot of concern. East Cambridgeshire District Council’s own Conservation Officer said that the design of units was neither modern nor contemporary, and replicated existing retail units around the country. She also said it would not enhance or preserve the quality of the setting of Ely as a cathedral city. And English Heritage have raised similar concerns, saying development would erode the relationship of the Cathedral with the surrounding fens, in particular, the view from the Cathedral’s West Tower. So what do local people think?
(VOXPOP)
PUBLIC ONE: I’ve only been in Ely for, what, four and a half years. My entire time in England actually. And from what I’ve noticed, people are a bit picky about what things look like. In Australia everything looks the same. It’s all newer buildings. So for me, it doesn’t really matter what it looks like.
EMMA HOWGEGO: Would you like to see a design more in keeping with Ely’s historical nature, and taking into account the views of the Cathedral?
PUBLIC TWO: I don’t think it matters on the outskirts of Ely. I really don’t. I think people just want good value for money, and they’ll go there.
PUBLIC THREE: I think they should. Things should be tasteful in any case, and they shouldn’t be bland, shouldn’t be garish. I think in a place like Ely things should be similar. Maybe not similar, but in keeping.
EMMA HOWGEGO: Do you think when they’re building new buildings they should think about the setting they’re in, and pay heed to the historical nature of a city like Ely?
PUBLIC FOUR: To a certain extent. A bit of sympathetic building wouldn’t go amiss. But other than that, fine.
PUBLIC FIVE: Definitely. Yes. Ely is an historical city, isn’t it, so it should be in keeping with the area.
PUBLIC SIX: I think the need is more important than design, if it’s needed, which I don’t think it is. But if it’s needed, that’s fine. Where’s it going to be?
EMMA HOWGEGO: It’s going to be out on Angel Drove, past the train station towards the A10.
PUBLIC SIX: Oh. Well out there there’s no historical buildings out that way, is there?
EMMA HOWGEGO: Well some people say it might spoil the view from the Cathedral, when you look out from the West Tower, you’re going to be able to see it. Does that bother you at all?
PUBLIC SIX: Hadn’t thought about it to be honest.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: Emma Howgego there reporting from Ely. Well let’s bring in Mike Rouse now. Hello Mike.
MIKE ROUSE: Hello Chris.
CHRIS MANN: Councillor for Ely North, a Member of the East Cambs Planning Committee. Now English Heritage have made some objections to this. They talk about a blot on the landscape, apart from other things. What do you make of that?
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