The Boundary Commission will present its final recommendations to Parliament in a few months time, proposing an additional constituency for Cambridgeshire (due to rising population in the face of the property boom/house building/sci-tech bubble). The result? Cambridge will be encompassed by three constituencies, instead of two. Which would you choose? (Also a reminder for https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/Continue reading “MP for South Cambs accused of abandoning South Cambs following redrawn constituency boundaries”
Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl
From ‘Big Society’ to ‘Culture wars’, ministers misjudged the essential links between local government and community groups
Do you remember Big Society [pictured]? Or was it “Levelling Up?” Either way, the collapse of local government in England in the face of outsourcing, cost-cutting, and Treasury cuts has had a devastating impact on community groups that rely on a properly-functioning local council. The announcement that The Big Weekend 2023 having been cancelled wasContinue reading “From ‘Big Society’ to ‘Culture wars’, ministers misjudged the essential links between local government and community groups”
Cambridge Past, Present, & Future slam Brookgate’s ‘Great Wall of North East Cambridge’
The charity founded as the Cambridge Preservation Society call out the behaviour of one of Cambridge’s most controversial firms. TL/DR? You can read the article by James Littlewood here. You can see the proposals from the developers at https://cambridgenorth.co.uk/partners ….and judge for yourselves. It’s a controversy that future generations will argue over just as theContinue reading “Cambridge Past, Present, & Future slam Brookgate’s ‘Great Wall of North East Cambridge’”
Why the call for a referendum on congestion charging for Cambridge is flawed – but is not the fault of those signing it.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership senior officers and board members past and present of all three political parties, and the ministers that created the institution, only have themselves to blame. You can read the following: the meeting papers for Cambridgeshire County Council’s full council The news item in the Cambridge Independent with the link to theContinue reading “Why the call for a referendum on congestion charging for Cambridge is flawed – but is not the fault of those signing it.”
Gove dismisses calls for an overhaul of how England is governed
…and MPs are not happy. Neither are others with proposals for regional committees of MPs to scrutinise combined authorities Scrutiny and accountability between elections has always been a problem for combined authorities and metro mayors. In late October 2022 (just over four months ago,) MPs on the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional AffairsContinue reading “Gove dismisses calls for an overhaul of how England is governed”
Cambridge Tories to host public meeting in Cherry Hinton
***Wow! This is rare!*** It has been decades since the Cambridge Conservatives organised a public meeting in Cambridge, let alone showcasing four election candidates at the same time. But the proposed road user charging / congestion charging plans from the Greater Cambridge Partnership (ironically established by the Conservative-led Coalition Government along with Conservative-led South CambsContinue reading “Cambridge Tories to host public meeting in Cherry Hinton”
Cambridge’s challenges on town planning – on Cambridge 105 with former Chief Town Planner Peter Studdert & Cllrs Lewis Herbert, & Sam Davies MBE
It may feel like quite heavy listening, but it’s essential for anyone who wants to get a feel for how national policies set in Whitehall (my old neck of the woods) affects town planning decisions in local neighbourhoods. You can listen to the full show here on Cambridge 105. See also Cllr Sam Davies’ commentaryContinue reading “Cambridge’s challenges on town planning – on Cambridge 105 with former Chief Town Planner Peter Studdert & Cllrs Lewis Herbert, & Sam Davies MBE”
What does the BBC do when it becomes the news? (As Gary Lineker stands his ground)
Looking at the reaction to *that* tweet. One of the most thoughtful of responses was from historian Robert Saunders “If fascism becomes simply a grotesque anomaly, which others committed and ‘we’ defeated, it becomes impossible to relate any part of it to our own experience. Paradoxically, it becomes a source of complacency that assures usContinue reading “What does the BBC do when it becomes the news? (As Gary Lineker stands his ground)”
Make responding to Cambridgeshire’s consultations easier through standardising & co-ordination (Part 3 of 3)
At the third time of trying… Part 1 – the background Part 2 – existing guidance The guidance from the Local Government Association applies. It answers: What is consultation? Why Consult? Is consultation always necessary? How long should consultation take? Whom to consult? Ways to consult Communicate the results Evaluate the results These look similarContinue reading “Make responding to Cambridgeshire’s consultations easier through standardising & co-ordination (Part 3 of 3)”
Make responding to Cambridgeshire’s consultations easier through standardising & co-ordination (Part 2 of 3)
The background is in Part 1 here …and started as a result of this: The case Mr Elworthy of the CambsNews refers to is on Broad Street, in the Fenland town of March, Cambridgeshire. (If anyone wants to go on the March march in March (or from March to Cambridge), this annual event for 2023Continue reading “Make responding to Cambridgeshire’s consultations easier through standardising & co-ordination (Part 2 of 3)”
