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Strategy for Locating New Homes in Cambridgeshire
On the 7th of April 2009 I observed a meeting of the “Joint Cambridgeshire Regional Spatial Strategy Review Panel”. County Councillors, Cambridge City Councillors along with District Councillors from Huntingdonshire, East Cambridgeshire, and South Cambridgeshire discussed the high-level strategy for locating new homes in the region. Councillors received a presentation from consultants and discussed what […]
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A Democratic Decision to Fell Trees on Midsummer Common
I attended Cambridge City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday the 1st of April 2009 where councillors considered the proposed felling of trees on Midsummer Common. The decision to fell was originally taken by officers, however following an objection I made, it was referred to Executive Councillor Julie Smith who in turn decided to seek the […]
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Looking into the Folk Festival Mistakes
On the evening of Monday the 30th of March 2009 Cambridge City Council’s Civic Affairs Committee considered a report into how the council came to lose £644,951 which was not paid to the council by the company it appointed to sell Folk Festival tickets online in 2008. I have written a previous article on the […]
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Holding the Police to Account – March 2009
On Thursday the 19th of March 2009 I attended Cambridge’s North Area committee, where councillors vote on what they believe ought to be the local policing priorities and hold the police to account for their performance in the areas they have prioritised. The police were represented by Sgt. Jason Wragg. Using the opportunity given to […]
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Future Management of Cambridge’s Parks and Green Spaces
Residents of Garlic Row Enjoying Stourbridge Common Cambridge City Council held a Community Services Scrutiny Committee on the 12th of March 2009. One of the items on the agenda was a draft Parks and Open Spaces Strategy for the City. I spoke on this item to comment on the fact that no specific mention of […]
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Cambridge City Council Parks and Open Spaces Strategy Omits Trees
Cambridge City Council held a Community Services Scrutiny Committee on the 12th of March 2009. I used the opportunity for members of the public to speak at council meetings to ask why the draft Parks and Open Spaces Strategy being put to the committee didn’t mention the trees on the parks and open spaces. I […]
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Friends of Midsummer Common 2009 AGM
On Tuesday the 24th of February 2009 I attended the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Midsummer Common. About eighty people were present, including city councillors Bick and Blair. A number of council officers attended: Debbie Kaye, Cambridge City Council’s Active Communities Manager, Green Space Officer Sarah Tovell and Green Space Manager Alistair Wilson. […]
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Cambridge City Council 2008/9 Budget Scrutiny
Cambridge City Council’s budgets were yet again under scrutiny at a meeting at the guildhall this evening (13th February 2009). The meeting was scheduled to enable scrutiny of the opposition budget presented by the Labour group, but because of the significant changes in the Liberal executive’s budget made in January the scope of the meeting […]
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Luard Road – Sedley Taylor Road Traffic Calming
I attended the Cambridge Traffic Management Area Joint Committee on the 26th of January 2009. While the County Council is the Highways Authority for Cambridge they delegate many highways decisions a joint committee made up of both City and County Councillors. County Councillor John Reynolds (Girton) is a member of the committee, as the lone […]
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Parking Controls – Blinco Grove Area
On-Street Parking Controls – Blinco Grove Area I attended the Cambridge Traffic Management Area Joint Committee on the 26th of January 2009. While the County Council is the Highways Authority for Cambridge they delegate many decisions to a joint committee made up of both City and County Councillors. County Councillor John Reynolds (Girton) is a […]