Photo from the Standards Committee Meeting. Left: M Sanders Independent member. Middle: Head of Legal Quentin Baker. Right: Chair Mr D Boreham.
On the 1st of November 2011 I observed a Cambridgeshire County Council standards committee meeting at which the committee refused to retrospectively approve the appointment of an independent renumeration panel which had been selected [...]
View of Jesus Green, Cambridge.
Cambridge City Council has recently run a consultation on its Draft Open Space and Recreation Strategy.
What is this Strategy Document For?
If approved the strategy would become key part of the city council’s planning policy; which means it would become a document which councillors making planning decisions will have to have [...]
CPPF Localism and Planning Event
On the evening on the 14th of July 2011 I attended an event run by Cambridge Past Present and Future on localism and planning.
The focus was on the Localism Bill.
The key points I took away were:
The “Neighbourhood planning” provisions in the Localism Bill are democratic in relation to areas [...]
On Friday the 9th of July 2011 Ex Cllr Clare Blair and her neighbours suffered damage to the their cars from kids throwing rocks at them. Clare Blair reported on twitter:
Wonderful evening. Some boys tried to see if they cld throw rocks over our garage. They could. 2 cars damaged - 1 windscreen smashed.
In later [...]
Cambridge City Council’s Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee on the 4th of July 2011 received an annual report from Cambridge’s City Centre management organisation Love Cambridge.
I used the public speaking slot at the meeting to say:
I would like to ask how the council is monitoring the performance of the residents’ representative on the Love [...]
TV Screens Reminded Those Attending Which Meeting They Were At
I observed Cambridge City Council’s Environment Scrutiny committee on the 21st of June 2011.
Rubbish
This was the first scrutiny committee for Cllr Swanson in her new post as Executive Councillor for bins. The committee looked at how the budget for her area, formally titled, “Environmental and [...]
“North Area Profile May 2011
On the evening of the 19th of May 2011 City and County Councillors from North Cambridge will get the opportunity to vote on the area’s local policing priorities for the next three months or so. Councillors’ deliberations and decisions will follow a presentation from the police and a session where [...]
Cambridge City Council’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor Process into the Council Chamber Before the Councillor Allowances Debate
On the 7th of April I observed a Cambridge City Council meeting. Despite many important items being on the agenda, including the future of the NHS and setting the city wide police priorities the item to which most time [...]
Cambridge City Councillor George Owers (centre) has secured a local debate on the future of the NHS. Health Minister Andrew Lansley (left) and Julian Huppert (right) will be invited.
A major debate on the future of the NHS, at which Cambridge’s MPs Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, and Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert are to be invited [...]
Map of Cambridge’s North Area
On Thursday the 24th of March 2011 I attended Cambridge City Council’s North Area committee, held in the Manner School on Arbury Road.
A new format for the meeting was being trialled. The public seating which is usually rows of chairs, had been replaced with tables with 4-6 seats placed [...]
Councillor Armstrong, Councillor Blair, Councillor Boyce, Councillor Levy, Councillor Liddle, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nimmo-Smith, Councillor Pitt, Councillor Todd-Jones, Councillor Upstone, Councillor Ward, Councillor Benstead, Councillor Blencowe, Councillor Bradnack, Councillor Ellis-Miller, Councillor Hart, Councillor Herbert, Councillor Howell, Councillor Lynn, Councillor Shah, Councillor Smart, Councillor Walker, Councillor Wright, Councillor AlBander, Councillor Baker, Councillor Blackhurst, Councillor Dryden, Councillor McPherson, Councillor Newbold, Councillor Sanders, Councillor Stuart, Councillor Taylor, Councillor Bick, Councillor Cantrill, Councillor Dixon, Councillor Hipkin, Councillor Kightley, Councillor Reid, Councillor Rosenstiel, Councillor Smith, Councillor Zmura.
Jesus Green, Midsummer Common, New Square, Christ's Pieces, Parker's Piece, Coldham's Common, Romsey Rec, Coleridge Rec, Cherry Hinton Rec.