Tag: Fenland District Council

Selective landlord licensing – the devil in the detail

07:21 Thursday 21st January 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: Peterborough has been reviewing the results of a consultation on whether to charge landlords in parts of the city hundreds of pounds to license their properties. It was an attempt to crack down on anti-social behaviour and unscrupulous landlords, but it proved controversial and provoked allegations of racism when the Council carried out a consultation on the scheme back in 2013. The scheme was deferred again in September last year, only a week after it was put back on the table, and then re-introduced again a month later in October 2015. My producer Dave Webster joins me now. So Dave, how was this scheme actually going to work?
DAVE WEBSTER: Well it’s called selective landlord licensing, and initially it was only going to apply, or it wasn’t going to apply to all landlords in Peterborough, just the ones that have problems in the Gladstone, Millfield, New England and Eastfield areas. Now landlords would have to fill out a form registering the property, that’s for an initial five year period. There was going to be a fee, around about £600, but after consultation with various associations and letting agents, that was dropped to £50. Detractors claimed it was racist, unfairly targeting Asian landlords, who are prevalent in the target area. It would mean additional costs would be passed on to tenants.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And so why was it thought that a scheme like this was needed?
DAVE WEBSTER: Well in short it was designed to try to improve areas of the city to deal with anti-social behaviour, poor quality rental homes and criminal landlords. They’ve been introduced by other councils already. The Government gave the local authorities the power to introduce these licences back in 2006. For example, they’ve had a scheme running in Margate for the last five years. They’ve prosecuted twenty landlords who hadn’t applied for a licence, the maximum fine being £20,000.
DOTTY MCLEOD: And since 2013, this has been a bit of an hokey cokey of a Council policy in that it’s been in, it’s been out, it’s been suggested, it’s been deferred. What’s happened now?
DAVE WEBSTER: Yes. A highly controversial policy. For example landlords queried why the scheme was only proposed for one part of the city, and not make it pan-city wide. back in September last year we reported that councillor Peter Hiller made the decision to defer the scheme. He’s the Council’s Cabinet member for Growth, Planning, Housing and Economic Development. Now in a statement he said that a change to Government legislation in April meant that the Council now required approval from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to introduce selective licensing into the target area. So the story is not over yet Dotty. It needs to be signed off by the Secretary of State if the target area contains more than 20% of privately rented homes in the entire area controlled by the Council, which in this case it did. So then a month later in October last year it was put back on the table would you believe it. The aspiration is it will change the quality of life for private tenants. .. Lisa Forbes is the Chair of the Peterborough City Council’s Scrutiny Committee, which met last night to talk about these plans. Morning Lisa.
Continue reading “Selective landlord licensing – the devil in the detail”

Whittlesey – the forgotten town of the Fens

Supermarket saga ends in calamity..

10:40 Tuesday 12th January 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Many of you getting in touch this morning with regard to Whittlesey. David earlier saying, “Whittlesey has become the forgotten Fenland town.” Stewart Hill says, “Hi Paul. As I’ve been living in Whittlesey for 37 years it’s true. We’re bottom of the pecking order when it comes to having anybody thinking about our small town. Fenland District Council, shame on you.” says Stewart Hill this morning. The reason we’re talking about Whittlesey of course is because first there were two. Then there was only one. Now, there are no new supermarkets coming to Whittlesey. Sainsbury’s have announced they’re not building one there despite promising to do so, despite promising that beautiful country park. And apparently the sign is still up saying Country Park Coming Soon. About time you took it down I think. The people of Whittlesey, how do they feel this morning? Hard done by? Forgotten in Fenland? Is there a Cambridgeshire pecking order? Are you bottom of the list? Brian has called in, Brian Parker. Morning Brian.
PAUL STAINTON: What’s going on in Fenland?
BRIAN PARKER: Let me just go back to the sign, because I was involved with the people who were putting it up. It will come down obviously, but it only happened yesterday. (LAUGHS) Things move slowly in Fenland.
PAUL STAINTON: Yes I was talking metaphorically really.
BRIAN PARKER: Yeah I know I know.
PAUL STAINTON: It’s a sad .. I remember we were on Breakfast doing this story. It seems like it’s been going on as long as North Westgate in Peterborough, another promised development.
BRIAN PARKER: It’s been going on for years Paul, and to say we’re disappointed is an understatement. We feel let down. We feel angry. I’ve been on the Whittlesey blog this morning, speaking to so many people, and the people are just up in arms about the whole situation.
PAUL STAINTON: For those people who don’t live in Whittlesey, what have you got at the moment? What facilities have you got?
Continue reading “Whittlesey – the forgotten town of the Fens”

Supermarketgate – no immediate prospect of a Sainsburys in Whittlesey

10:24 Wednesday 25th November 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: So it’s official this morning. The confirmation has come through. The final site of Peterborough City Council’s big solar park dream scrapped. Councillors have confirmed that plans for America Farm won’t now go ahead, alongside Morris Fen and Newborough which have already bitten the dust. It’s the end of the whole project, which has cost the people of Peterborough over £3 million. In return they’ve got diddly squat. So bad news. And there could be even worse news for people in Whittlesey. Remember two supermarkets fighting over the chance to open a big supermarket in Whittlesey? Well we understand there’s a possibility that the whole Sainsbury’s development, the winners in this struggle, might now be pulled. Let’s speak to John Elworthy. He’s Editor of many Cambridgeshire newspapers. It’s easier to say that John than list them all I think.
Continue reading “Supermarketgate – no immediate prospect of a Sainsburys in Whittlesey”

Cambridgeshire budget proposals – Leaders react

10:21 Tuesday 27th October 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

SUE DOUGAN: Cambridgeshire County Council as you’ve been hearing today has announced its budget proposals for the next financial year. The authority has to save over £40 million. Here’s the savings being proposed. Over £9 million to be taken from the care budget that supports vulnerable adults and older people; £1.4 million taken from supporting bus services across Cambridgeshire; the mobile library service could be removed. That would save £160,000; over half a million to be taken from the winter maintenance budget; further cuts to school crossing patrols, libraries, children’s centres. Even things like street parking fees could increase in Cambridge. We have with us today the Conservative councillor Steve Count, who is Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council. Steve good morning.
STEVE COUNT: Good morning Dotty.
SUE DOUGAN: Good morning. It’s Sue actually. Good morning.
STEVE COUNT: Oh sorry Sue.
SUE DOUGAN: That’s quite all right. Ashley Walsh is alongside us as well, the new Labour Leader on Cambridgeshire County Council. Ashley hello.
ASHLEY WALSH: Hello Sue.
SUE DOUGAN: We’ve got Pete Reeve joining us from UKIP as well. Pete good morning.
PETER REEVE: Good morning.
SUE DOUGAN: I thank you all for joining us here on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Let’s start with you Steve first of all. As Leader of the County Council, what were your reactions when these budgets were announced, when this figure was achieved?
Continue reading “Cambridgeshire budget proposals – Leaders react”

Fen town heritage at risk

08:25 Tuesday 20th October 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Vacant and deteriorating buildings are blighting conservation areas we’ve heard earlier today, the assessment of Historic England who put four Fenland town centre areas on their ‘heritage at risk’ register. They are in Chatteris, Whittlesey, Bowthorpe in Wisbech and March town centre. A conservation area is one that’s recognised as having special architectural or historic interest. John Ette is the Heritage at Risk Principal Advisor for Historic England in the East, and earlier he said this to me.
JOHN ETTE: We’ve been working very closely with the council and their conservation officer staff, and it’s very much sites which have got a declining trend in terms of their overall condition. It can be the loss of architectural details as well as the other features that we’ve discussed this morning. And problems with the public realm or vacancy or quite frankly neglected and empty buildings which can be a problem attracting heritage crime in particular too. And those are quite a challenge, and a challenge across the region, not just in Fenland.
CHRIS MANN: Well Johnny D. has been in March town centre for us this morning.
JOHNNY D: So sir, today we understand that the Historic England have actually put March, where we are right now, on the heritage at risk register. Does that surprise you at all?
PUBLIC ONE: It does a little, but it does seem to be a little run down in places, and probably could do with some TLC I guess. But I don’t know where the finance will come from.
JOHNNY D.: Well if we look round us here, a lot of the shops seem well kept. They’ve got flats above the shops, all painted nicely and not too bad. I see a building there covered in scaffolding which I highlighted earlier. And up the road there’s a shop, I think you mentioned, propped up a little bit with some damage it’s had structurally.
PUBLIC ONE: Yes. I think that needs to be looked at, that particular building, because I wouldn’t like to be living above it. But I think there’s cause for optimism perhaps. The people I speak to from work love the area they live in. So I think they’d like to see something done, and for it to be taken out of the ‘at risk’ register.
PUBLIC TWO: I think it’s a good idea. Plenty of buildings in town are old, and if they’re falling down, why not keep March nice? Do you know what I mean? It’s a lovely place. I’ve been here four years. Come up from London. I’d never ever move back. And it’s got a bit of history hasn’t it? There’s loads of old buildings around to have a look at. They just done one up round the corner here, trying to keep it in context. It took them ages to get an arch. So yes, I think it’s good.
CHRIS MANN: Johnny D. talking to people in March. let’s bring in councillor David Oliver. Morning David.
DAVID OLIVER: Good morning.
CHRIS MANN: Portfolio holder for Community Safety and Heritage …
DAVID OLIVER: Yes.
CHRIS MANN: … at Fenland District Council. So your reaction? Four conservation areas put at risk by Historic England, is that deserved?
Continue reading “Fen town heritage at risk”

Councils deny plans to merge

07:21 Monday 27th July 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: A joint team of planners shared between Fenland District Council and Peterborough City Council could save nearly £800,000 over the next three years. The shared service will be in place by January next year, after a consultation with affected staff. Simon Machin joins me. He’s Corporate Director of Growth and Regeneration at Peterborough City Council. Morning Simon.
SIMON MACHIN: Morning Chris. ..
CHRIS MANN: Now you’ve got together with Fenland. Tell us all about it.
SIMON MACHIN: That’s right. We’ve been working with Fenland District Council for probably about four years now. We help them put in place their new Local Plan. And increasingly the two councils have realised that there’s greater efficiencies to be made by working together. Both councils have got a very ambitious growth agenda, and a planning service is critical to delivering that.
CHRIS MANN: So you’ve just woken up to the fact that if you work together you could save some money.
Continue reading “Councils deny plans to merge”

Whittlesey planning approval for Sainsburys

08:27 Tuesday 23rd June 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: It has been dubbed Supermarketgate. For a number of years we have been reporting on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire that the town of Whittlesey could get a new supermarket. Well, there was a battle, and then it was over, between a couple of the biggest players in the industry. Sainsburys seems to have come out on top. The planning application for the supermarket included an industrial estate, a new nature and leisure reserve to include Gildenburgh Water, and then that was all thrown into a muddle. There were reports that Sainsburys could pull out if final planning permission wasn’t granted within a certain time. Well yesterday that planning permission was granted by Fenland District Council. So is Whittlesey finally going to get its Sainsburys? Johnnie Dee is in Whittlesey for me this morning. Hi there Johnny.
(OB)
JOHHNY DEE: Hello Dotty. Yes I’m right on the border Dotty between Whittlesey and the very small village of Eastrea, which is about seven, eight miles from Peterborough. I’ve come down a little country lane, and to my left it’s very idyllic and right out in the countryside really, because there’s a field of wheat to my left, and if I turn just 180° over the other side on the right, there’s this huge area which will be a 55 acre country park, in the mould of Ferry Meadows or indeed the Milton Country Park over your way in Cambridge Dotty. I’ve also got with me a guest. He’s councillor Alex Miscandlon, who’s the Chair of Fenland District Council’s Planning Committee, and a local councillor, and to boot, the new Mayor of Whittlesey. Congratulations Alex.
ALEX MISCANDLON: Thank you very much.
JOHNNY DEE: So Alex, what happened yesterday?
Continue reading “Whittlesey planning approval for Sainsburys”

Wisbech 2020 Vision gathering pace

17:48 Friday 13th March 2015
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS BERROW: Detailed proposals aimed at bringing about the wholesale regeneration of Wisbech and its surrounding area have been published. The project is called Wisbech 2020 Vision. It’s a twenty nine point action plan, and it was launched in January 2013. Now the idea is to make Wisbech a good place to work and a nice place to live. This morning there was a meeting to review the progress that’s been made so far. Steve Count is Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, and I asked him what progress has actually been made.
(TAPE)
STEVE COUNT: It was a good news day. There was a whole raft of things that we were able to update people on. I think the big one that most people have been talking about is getting the railway line back to Wisbech. The progress on that has been very good. We’ve completed a GRIP 1 Study and a GRIP 2 Study, and we’re now commissioning and underway with a GRIP 3 Study. And these are the hoops that we have to get through in order to reopen a railway line that will link Wisbech with the national rail network. I think one of the things that people have realised now is that it’s not just good for the people of Wisbech, it’s good for the people of March, Manea, those that are along the line towards Cambridge. And also there’ll be benefits for the people of Cambridge, because if you look at the house prices in Cambridge which I think are quite a bit above £300,000 average, and just over £140,000 is the average prices in Wisbech. If we introduce that into the travel to work area for Cambridge, it’s going to be fantastic news for everyone.
CHRIS BERROW: Infrastructure is a problem in Wisbech. What other problems does it face?
Continue reading “Wisbech 2020 Vision gathering pace”