-
Cambridge City Council Reshuffle
I observed Cambridge City Council’s Civic Affairs committee on Monday the 11th of May 2009 which discussed councillors’ roles for the upcoming year. The formal discussion at a public meeting occurred following a Liberal Democrat group meeting on the Saturday two days earlier, the real decisions had been made there. The headline changes are: Cllr […]
-
Rare Outbreak of Common Sense as Cambridge City Council Shelves “Tree-Chess” Plans
Substantial plans for felling, transplanting and planting trees on Midsummer Common, Jesus Green and New Square were taken to Cambridge City Council’s West/Central Area Committee on the 30th of April 2009. The plans involved: Playing chess with the trees on Jesus Green, moving them into straight lines. The felling of healthy trees on New Square […]
-
Proposals for Yet More Trees to be Felled on Midsummer Common and for New Planting to Encroach on the Open Space.
Cambridge City Council’s tree officers have published a new plan for tree works on Midsummer Common. The proposals are being put before Cambridge City Council’s West/Central Area Committee to be held on Thursday 30 April 2009 at 1915 in the University Centre off Mill Lane. It is not clear if the final decision to go-ahead […]
-
Cambridgeshire County Council to Consider Improving Oversight of Spying
Cambridgeshire County Council’s Cabinet on the 21st of April is to receive a Review of the Application of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) This report reveals that the county council currently allows a large number of relatively junior officers (23) to authorise the use of its spying powers (It follows from the fact there […]
-
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 […]
-
Five Mature Trees Under Threat on Empty Common
Cambridge City Council are proposing to fell five mature Leyland cypresses on Empty Common, the area containing allotments to south of Brooklands road by Hobson’s Brook. Already we have seen the highly controversial felling of many trees along the brook in this area on the grounds of improving the biodiversity of the watercourse though letting […]
-
Regulating Punting in Cambridge in Summer 2009
I observed a meeting of the Conservators of the river Cam in January 2009. One of the major items discussed was the regulation of punting in the summer of 2009. Independent punters present warned there were increasing numbers of independents and it was looking as if Garret Hostel Lane (pictured) was going to end up […]
-
More Than 665 Trees Felled In Cambridge Last Year
At Cambridge City Council’s Full Council meeting on February 26th 2009 Labour opposition Councillor Lucy Walker received an answer to a written question in which she had asked: Where and how may trees have been felled in the city during the last year, and where are more planned to be felled? I do not think […]
-
Ambulance Obstructing Councillor to Step Down
A member of the Liberal Democrats in Cambridge has tonight told me that Cllr Colin Rosenstiel is to stand down from his position as a City Councillor. This follows the finding of a city council hearing panel which concluded that Councillor Rosenstiel failed to comply with two provisions of the Council’s Code of Conduct for […]
-
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. […]