Comments on: Friends of Midsummer Common 2010 AGM

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:48:30 +0000

Today Luther Phillips, a resident boater who lives on the river on Stourbridge Common has called on the council to put a sign up on the cattle ramp by the Victoria Avenue bridge as he has observed further groundings.

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:50:44 +0000

The Cow Ramp was installed in May 2010.

On a bright day, when the river is low and clear it can be easily seen from the bank.

On August Bank Holiday Monday a hired white motor cruiser became stuck on the cow ramp. The “captain”, was from the London area and was on his first boat trip. After trying unsuccessfully to power his boat off the obstruction (during his efforts a fender was torn off the front of the boat in a collision with the bank) he abandoned the craft, leaving his very young son in charge to go and seek help from other hire boat cruisers who had moored further up the common.

There are no signs to warn visiting boaters to Cambridge about the presence of the underwater obstruction.

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:19:35 +0000

The Cambridge News are reporting the City Council won’t let the cattle on the common until the ramp in the river has been created:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Popular-cattle-moo-ve-to-reclaim-their-space.htm

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:29:33 +0000

The common is owned by the City Council; it is through them, and via the democratic process, that the residents of Cambridge decide how to use the common.

Rights to use common land vary; but generally are restricted to access and grazing. There is no general right to use a common for other purposes such as camping or parking.

There are also strong regulations and laws making ensuring development on commons can only take place with the permission of central government.

By: Old Holborn

Old Holborn — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:56:03 +0000

My comment on midsummer common.

It belongs to you. Do with it as you please.

Not as the council please. Not as the Police please. But as you please.

It is yours.

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:57:50 +0000

I’ve written to Old Holborn to say:

You’re welcome to comment on my website; but can you please do so to comment on the article and engage with the discussion rather than link-spamming.

This is the first time I’ve written to a commenter with such a request.

By: Old Holborn

Old Holborn — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:39:40 +0000

http://www.oldholborn.net/2010/03/help-needed-for-cambridge.html

By: David Vincent

David Vincent — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:02:37 +0000

So now we have UKIP, a witch and a pouch of tobacco and, as Andrew says, there isn’t even an election yet. What a pity we haven’t yet changed the voting system - it would be fun to put them in order. Perhaps Mr Holborn could stand for the Council as well. If he has a problem with council houses he could always stand for Newnham.

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:24:43 +0000

Old Holborn’s candidate page on the Jury Team website doesn’t mean he’s been selected by them as far as I can see - just that he’s put himself up.

On Twitter he’s been saying he thinks he can stand anonymously.

By: Old Holborn

Old Holborn — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:15:05 +0000

Would you prefer to come round and kiss your baby?

Expect something different this time.

By: Andrew Bower

Andrew Bower — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:39:27 +0000

Old Holborn: “I’m not the sort of person to go around … knocking on council house doors”

Seems the Jury Team Party hasn’t briefed its candidate on how to get nominated as a candidate representing a party and the alleged ERO response is a bit ignorant too. Last I heard no election had been called anyway.

By: Old Holborn

Old Holborn — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:48:36 +0000

So let’s talk

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:21:41 +0000

Old Holborn,

Another Witch?

It would have been more useful had you engaged with one of the posts highlighting serious problems affecting Cambridge and let us know your views. There are meaty issues raised in this post on things like democratic influence over policing; and the powers and performance of local councillors which you could have addressed.

By: Old Holborn

Old Holborn — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:01:04 +0000

Just to let you know that I’m standing for MP in Cambridge.

By: Frugal Dougal

Frugal Dougal — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:28:29 +0000

It’s a shame that the police don’t tackle Strawberry Fair another way - let it go ahead but get an order to ban legal high sellers, and also execute a “zero tolerance” policy as regards illicit drugs and rowdy behaviour. It’s always sad to see the many lose out over the behaviour of a handful of scum.

By: Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:01:03 +0000

The official minutes; which include less depth on the matters detailed above but cover changes to the friends committee are available at:
http://www.midsummercommon.org.uk/minutes/OpenMinutes4.html

The chairman’s report, while given orally at the meeting, has been supplemented by a more detailed written document available at:

http://www.midsummercommon.org.uk/papers/AnnualReport2009.pdf