Richard Taylor

  • Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Bick Insults Labour’s Cllr Sinnott

    Order broke down at Cambridge City Council on the 14th of April 2016 when the usually polite leader of the Liberal Democrat group Cllr Tim Bick rudely insulted Labour’s Cllr Ann Sinnott. Cllr Bick said: When Cllr Sinnott stands up, and really I wish someone would blow something between her ears sometimes… Quite what Cllr […]

    April 15, 2016
  • Cllrs Ditch Planning Rulebook To Let Applicant Maximise Rental Profits to Pay for Care

    1 Greystoke Road, Cambridge On Monday the 5th of March 2012 I observed City Councillors on Cambridge’s South Area committee consider a planning application to divide a property into two, enabling each part to be let separately. This was an interesting case because almost all councillors ditched normal planning practice and made a decision on […]

    March 8, 2012
  • Magistrates Removed from Cambridge Community Safety Partnership

    Cambridge magistrates have been removed from Cambridge’s community safety partnership – the body which co-ordinates the city’s police, probation services, councils, health bodies, universities and others in their efforts to prevent and reduce crime and generally make Cambridge a safer and more pleasant place to live. Labour councillor Ann Sinnott, representing Cambridge residents, voted for […]

    February 15, 2015
  • Cambridge South Area Committee Farce – February 2015

    I observed Cambridge’s South Area Committee on the evening of Monday the 2nd of February 2015. The meeting was the most farce-ridden disheartening display of attempted democracy I’ve observed. Almost every element of the meeting was either a farce itself or highlighted a farce elsewhere in one of Cambridge’s local councils. Cllr Amanda Taylor claimed […]

    February 3, 2015
  • Farce As Councillors Refuse Permission for Smaller Extension Saying It Is Too Big

    On the 18th of August 2014 I watched Cambridge City Councillors unanimously deny planning permission for an extension on the grounds it would be too big. The councillors making the decision appeared unaware that the applicant had already been given permission by the council for an even bigger extension and that he was actually seeking […]

    August 20, 2014
  • Policing South Cambridge – July 2012

    Cherry Hinton Village Centre – Location of the Police Priority Setting Meeting On the evening of the 16th of July 2012 I attended Cambridge’s South Area committee where councillors held the police to account and set new local police priorities for the area. About fifty people were in the public seating; many were council officers, […]

    July 18, 2012
  • Cambridge City Council – Oral Questions – October 2011

    Cambridge City Council Chamber I observed Cambridge City Council’s full council meeting on Thursday the 20th of October 2011. The following oral questions were answered: Q1 Costs of Police and Crime Commissioner Elections From Leader of the Labour opposition Cllr Herbert to the Leader of the council, Liberal Democrat Cllr Reid : What will the […]

    October 21, 2011
  • Cambridge City Council – Full Council July 2011

    Cambridge Guildhall (Library Image: These Doors Were Open for Thursday’s Meeting) I observed, and took part in, a meeting of Cambridge City Council’s full council on Thursday the 21st of July 2011. Preliminaries The front doors of the Guildhall were open when I arrived and it was possible to walk straight in. This is a […]

    July 26, 2011
  • South Cambridge Police Priorities July 2011

    The South Cambridge Policing Area On the evening of the 11th of July 2011 I observed Cambridge’s South Area Committee hold a session on the local police priorities. I submitted notice before the meeting started that I wanted to use the public speaking slot, to comment on policing. The police item was taken first, after […]

    July 12, 2011
  • Cambridge City Councillors Jostle to Get Snouts in Trough

    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 […]

    April 8, 2011
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Richard Taylor