Richard Taylor

Police Authority Questions at Cambridgeshire County Council

On the 18th of October 2011 Cambridgeshire County Councillors had the opportunity to ask questions of Cambridgeshire Police Authority. In the past this opportunity has been wasted by councillors raising local issues which would have been better raised at local priority setting meetings. The chair of the Police Authority, Ruth Rogers, was absent without explanation, […]

November 16, 2011
Councillors Ignore Cycle Parking Policy Again – King Street Takeaway

60 King Street, Cambridge On the 3rd of November 2011 I observed Cambridge’s West/Central area committee approve planning permission for a takeway on King Street. The approval, by the committee made up of all Liberal Democrats along with independent Cllr Hipkin, was in contravention of the council’s policy on the provision of cycle parking. Cllr […]

November 4, 2011
1 Hemingford Road Approved as Seven Tenant HMO

1 Hemingford Road Cambridge – Given Planning Permission as a Seven Tenant HMO. (Google Streetview) On Thursday the 27th of October 2011 I observed councillors at Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee give planning permission for 1 Hemingford Road in Romsey to be a House of Multiple Occupancy housing seven tenants. The property, just off […]

October 29, 2011
Planning Application for Sainsbury’s On Mill Road Rejected

The proposed loading bay for Sainsbury’s on Mill Road (Source p40 of the officer report to the meeting) On the evening of the 25th of October 2011 I observed Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee reject an application for a Sainsbury’s Local supermarket in the pool hall building at 103 Mill Road. Key Points The […]

October 27, 2011
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
Cambridgeshire County Councillor Allowances

At their meeting on Tuesday the 18th of October 2011 Cambridgeshire County Council approved the recommendations of a report from an independent panel which proposed an increase in councillors basic allowances from £7,610 to £9,500, as well as increases in the additional allowances for the leader of the council and cabinet members. The leader will […]

October 19, 2011
Lobbying to Keep Democratically Set Police Priorities in Cambridge

Sgt Wragg of the police speaking at the September 2010 North Area Committee in Cambridge At the Monday the 10th of October 2011 meeting of Cambridge City Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee councillors considered a report on Interim Review of Area Working and the North Area Pilot. This was a report on the impact of […]

October 17, 2011
Cambridgeshire Police Blame Sensationalist Media for Prostitution on Histon Road

Histon Road, Cambridge. On the 22nd of September 2011 Cambridge’s North Area committee discussed prostitution on Histon Road in Cambridge. Sgt. Wragg of Cambridgeshire Police said the problem was small, involving only a handful of girls, but was exaggerated by sensationalist reporting in the local press. He said this reporting was having the effect of […]

September 23, 2011
Cambs Police Authority Scrutiny Committee September 2011

On the 12th of September 2011 I attended a meeting of the scrutiny committee of Cambridgeshire’s Police Authority at Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters in Huntington. I have written separate articles on two aspects of the meeting: Restorative Justice Update – My use of the public speaking slot to ask for more information about the way the […]

September 15, 2011
Julian Huppert at the Maypole

Julian Huppert MP at the Maypole Pub On Friday evening Cambridge’s MP Julian Huppert spent a couple of hours in the upstairs room of the Maypole pub fielding questions and talking to people. I think this was absolutely brilliant and it was great to see our MP openly engaging with people at a free, informal, […]

September 11, 2011