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 extra cost [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I observed Cambridge City Council’s South Area Committee on the 11th of November 2010 where councillors refused to give planning permission for the demolition of The Queen Edith pub and for new homes to be built on the site.
Councillors on the committee were told by the planning officer that Cambridge City Council’s own planning [...]
At a meeting of Cambridge City Council on the 21st of October 2010 the Liberal Democrat ruling group’s plan to privatise council house maintenance was debated.
I filmed the debate and have made it available on YouTube as well as embedded within this article; the debate is presented as a “Playlist” with one video per [...]
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Computer generated image showing the approved proposal for the redevelopment of Cambridge Fire Station.
On the 22nd of September 2010 I observed Cambridge City Council’s planning committee approve a new planning application for the fire station site on Parkside. Councillors approved plans for an eight story residential tower on the corner of East Road and [...]
Thursday, September 23, 2010
On the 22nd of September 2010 I observed, and filmed, Cambridge City Council’s planning committee as they discussed the proposed felling of a healthy western red cedar tree and two holly trees in Holy Trinity Churchyard in the City Centre. This was the first City Council deliberation ever to have been filmed, the council [...]
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Liberal Democrat councillors have approved building a new bungalow on the site of this tree in a Cambridge back garden
At a national level the coalition’s governing document, the programme for Government, states an intent to give “councils new powers to stop ‘garden grabbing’”. Localism is still at the core of the way planning decisions are [...]