Category: Article

  • Opposing More UK Police being Armed with TASERs

    Dear David Howarth (Cambridge MP), I am writing to you following the arming of non-firearms police with TASER electroshock weapons in the UK as part of a year long trial which started on 1st September 2007. (1) I support police firearms units having access to TASER weapons which they can elect to use as an […]

  • School Councils

    I wrote to relevant Cambridgeshire County Council officers also copied my local county councillor on the subject of School Councils. I can see that a number (around 15%) of the authority’s schools are members of Schools Council UK from: http://www.schoolcouncils.org/map_view However others run school councils without membership, are they doing so without training and support? […]

  • Street Lighting and Belisha Beacons

    Dear Malcolm Mugridge (Lead Engineer, Road Safety Engineering, Cambridgeshire) I got your name and email from the letter you sent out to those who responded to the consultation on the Chesterton Road Crossing; which resulted in the installation of the fantastically bright LED orange halos around the belisha beacons – which I think are excellent. […]

  • UK failing Asian girls vulnerable to “honour crime”

    David Howarth (Cambridge MP), I was listening to “File on Four” on Radio Four on Sunday afternoon. It was about “Honour Crime” against British Asian/Muslim women and girls in Britain, what I heard shocked and appalled me and has driven me to write to you. The programme revealed that the UK state (Police and Education […]

  • Suggestions for Improving Cambridge University

    The below was written, following an invitation, to the graduate representative on the University’s Council and General Board I’m going to limit myself to the most important items, which I think can be usefully dealt with at the level of the University’s Council and General Board and the other committees you are on. Introduce minimum […]

  • Cambridge’s Graduate Union

    I was asked by the Student Representative on Cambridge University’s University’s Council and General Board to comment on the status of Cambridge’s Graduate Union. My reply is below: John, Thank you for taking the contents of my previous email into consideration. I’ve given you my thoughts on the points you’ve raised: I have been trying […]

  • Chesterton Road Crossing

    Malcolm Mugridge, (Lead Engineer, Road Safety Engineering, Cambridgeshire County Council) First I’d like to express my concern that the new A428 was closed due to flooding last week and hope that there will be an appropriate response. However primarily I’m writing to comment on the “New plans for Chesterton Road, Cambridge” published at: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/safety/accidents/safety+scheme+for+chesterton+road+cambridge.htm (Since […]

  • Council Scrutiny of Dispersal Zones

    Dear Councillor Ward, In response to the Police priorities section of Wednesday’s North Area Committee Meeting, I asked the councillors if they were happy with the process for introducing dispersal zones in the City. I noted that the council leader appeared to be authorising these police powers without routinely seeking input from other councillors at […]

  • Congestion Charge Views

    Key points regarding my opposition to Cambridge’s proposed Congestion Charge, based on what I have said to Paul Cook, Cambridgeshire’s Head of Transport Policy and Strategy during the Congestion Charge exhibition held before Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee meeting on Thursday 28th February, my local councillors and others: I oppose a congestion charge, primarily […]

  • Scrutiny of Dispersal Zone Designations in Cambridge

    Councillor Bruce, I am writing to you as I believe you are the Chair of the Strategy Scrutiny Committee. Can you let me know if the Council Leader’s decision to make an area of Cambridge including Mill Road, Parker’s Piece, Christ’s Pieces, Midsummer Common, Brunswick Gardens and Riverside a designated area under Section 30 Subsections […]