Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

Still no deal with controversial property firm regarding the Castle Hill site on which once stood the county gaol Some of you may have picked this up from the County Council’s Strategy and Resources meeting papers. It’s the bit at the end following the *You can’t see this bit!* notice in today’s agenda at itemContinue reading “Please can we have our Shire Hall back?”

…a phrase heard far too often in these parts. Every so often, second hand copies of this excellent book on some of Cambridge’s worst buildings come up for sale. Messrs Jones & Hall could easily publish a second edition given the buildings that have been put up since they published this a decade ago inContinue reading ““How in the world did that monstrosity get planning permission?!?””

2024 will be the 50th anniversary of the last major restructure of local government and public services in England. So who is keeping count of how things have gone? This stems from responses to a report published 20 years ago covering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Ye olde structure planne They don’t make them like they usedContinue reading “Evaluating half a century’s worth of public services – county by county”

Lots of local political fun and games following the spinning of a successful Levelling Up funding bid going out of control – but there are a series of serious issue behind it. #ChequeGate, #StationGate, you name it. You can read the article here by Mr Elworthy, …noting a hastily-edited video with the Conservative Party logoContinue reading “Why the future of Peterborough matters to Cambridge – and even more so to Cambridgeshire”

I missed the initial early consultation at the time, but as the main planning application has not yet been submitted, it’s not too late for people to comment and share. Breakthru? I’m thinking Queen on a train I remember not liking this track at the time – my older brother liked it though, so itContinue reading “‘Breakthruuuuuuu these planning rules of pain!’”

There have been two article that caught my attention this week – one US-based, and one Manchester-based. Cambridge – and national politicians need to pick up on the lessons before the existing financial, planning and urban development systems repeat the same mistakes of the past. To summarise, the two articles are Class-based friendships This articleContinue reading ““Multiple shared interests, multiple shared experiences” – and the challenge of community building”

The passionate disagreement between objectors and one of Cambridge University’s oldest colleges exposed the longstanding tension between the desire of senior Dons for continued expansion in the face of both opposition from local residents and the symptoms of environmental limits to growth. Before I start, there’s a big East of England Development Conference happening atContinue reading “Queens’ College clashes with local residents and environmentalists over proposed student flats in Cambridge”

For lone rangers like me it’s something to keep us out of trouble – and keep councillors and senior officers on their toes! Bullseye prize music if you will please! Cambridge City Council Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Several meetings this month, some of which have happened. The ones looming include: AboveContinue reading “A new season of local democracy meetings to scrutinise for 2023”

The message from Roger Lilley, Trustee for the Museum of Cambridge to the Cambridgeshire Association for Local History at St John the Evangelist Church on Hills Road in Cambridge earlier today (07 Jan 2023) This was at the monthly meeting of the Cambridgeshire Association for Local History, slowly getting back to face-to-face meetings after theContinue reading “The Museum of Cambridge needs to expand to display more of its huge collection – but who will fund it?”

In the olden days, such things fell under various different brand titles – such as Blueprint For Cambridge, which dates from times when Conservatives were dominant within Cambridge, not just in parts of the county. Major infrastructure projects in and around Cambridge – briefing by council officers You can look at the list at itemContinue reading “Will a Conservative Transport Secretary have to sign off the controversial transport projects that are unpopular with their party’s local politicians?”