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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 […]
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SLM Contract Extension
SLM Contract Extension Document ( Download, PDF) On Wednesday the 27th of July I visited Cambridge City Council, accompanied by two readers of my website, to view the city council’s accounts. One of the areas we looked into was the council’s transactions with Sports and Leisure Management Limited (SLM). SLM run the city’s swimming pools, […]
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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 […]
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Cambridge City Council Environment Scrutiny June 2011
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, […]
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Speaking at Cambridge City Council on the City Wide Police Priorities
On Thursday the 7th of April Cambridge City Council’s full council debated and approved new city wide police priorities. All Liberal Democrats and most Labour councillors voted to drop burglary, robbery and cycle theft from the priorities and approved new priorities of: Alcohol-related violent crime in the city centre Repeat victims of domestic violence Repeat […]
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Debate on Future of the NHS to be Held in Cambridge
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 […]
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Holy Trinity Church War Memorial Trees
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 only […]
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Transparency Changes Outcome of Police Priority Vote
Coleridge Road, Cambridge. A fantastic example of why transparency is good for democratic decision making occurred at the Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee on the 19th of August 2010. Green Party Councillor Margaret Wright had proposed a motion removing an existing police priority aimed at reducing speeding on a range of target roads across […]
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Untouchable York Street Drug Dealers Bantering With Police
Contents of a needle exchange kit. Image: Todd Huffman (licence) Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee on the 19th of August 2010 was told of problems of drug use and drug dealing in the area around the York Street playground. Police Sergent Kay Stevens painted a picture of dealers running rings around the police and […]
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Providing Open Space in the City as Cambridge Grows
Cambridge Liberal Democrats prefer spending money enhancing existing spaces like Jesus Green, rather than requiring developers to provide new green space as the city grows. At Cambridge City Council’s full council meeting on the 22nd of April 2010 the Labour opposition challenged the ruling Liberal Democrats over a message they’ve been putting out during the […]