Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

…said the Centre for Cities in 2019, and supported by Priced Out in 2023 here, in response to the Government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework. Sounds reasonable in principle, but what are the risks and how can they be mitigated against? (Image is of Dullingham Station with an 800m radius circled around it,Continue reading ““Release for development land within 800 metres of any stations which have a service of 45 minutes or less to a major city””

Above – next month the candidate lists will be released – you can find them on https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ (hence the big tick logo above, which is theirs) You only have to look at the proposals for development sites in the emerging local plan 2031-40 for Greater Cambridge (combined with the chronic water shortage, the sewage scandalContinue reading “Why Cambridge and East Cambridgeshire election candidates must talk to residents about our broken system of local government”

A new book by Professor Mariana Mazzucato and political economist Rosie Collington (currently researching for a Ph.D under Professor Mazzucato’s supervision) promises to be a long-overdue study into the ‘corporate consultantsocracy’ that has drained the budgets of public services for too long. And I write the above as someone who has been one of thoseContinue reading ““It’s time to invest in the collective intelligence of the public sector, and end the consulting con once and for all.””

Protests and marches on social justice issues are often the subject of astroturfing and hijacking by paper-selling far left groups, and have been for decades. The anti-congestion charge protests in Cambridge – backed by local Conservative politicians – found itself on the receiving end of the same tactics by different groups. That does not meanContinue reading “The attempts to astroturf the anti-congestion charge protests won’t make the local issues go away – there’s a long road ahead.”

And not just that. It reflects the complete breakdown of the functioning of our city and wider surrounding districts, from civic culture, governance structures, vision, and political leadership in both local and national government. A new Government must follow the recommendations of several House of Commons Select Committees so we can overhaul our obsolete institutionsContinue reading “The cancelling of The Big Weekend represents a collective failure of Cambridge’s wealthy business sectors to support our city”

The Cambridge Arts Network had its annual conference today (22 Feb 2023). For the short time I was able to be there, I was struck by how the dots between local government and national arts organisations with ministerial access needed to be connected. The joys of chronic fatigue meant it was always going to beContinue reading “Why the Arts and Culture sector needs to lobby ministers to support local councils”

I’ve just returned from a consultation event funded by the developers and facilitated by independent facilitators CommunityRegen. It was about the future of Cambridge’s former Art Deco cinema building on Hobson Street that has been derelict and unused for nearly 15 years. It was one of those meetings where representatives of ‘key community stakeholders’ identifiedContinue reading “Hobson Street’s art deco cinema to be demolished”

“Labour’s National Policy Forum (NPF) launched its 2023 consultation on Monday 30 January.””Labour’s National Policy Forum (NPF) launched its 2023 consultation on Monday 30 January. [It] is open to branch and constituency Labour parties; affiliates such as trade unions and socialist societies; and external stakeholders such as charities, think tanks, businesses and civil society groups.”Continue reading “The Labour Party’s consultation for its next general election manifesto”

Quite a lot as it turns out – but very few people actually know about this. Because it’s local government finance – one of those boring but essential subjects at the heart of the century-long central vs local tensions. Starting with Cambridgeshire: “Cambridgeshire County Council has seen its core funding cut from £143million in 2013/14Continue reading “Central government takes ****how much?**** from Cambridge City Council’s business rates revenues?!?!”

…which was a more realistic headline of the exchanges (and afterthoughts) that were broadcast on Sunday morning (05 Feb 2023) You can read the report here. I went along because various people told me I had to be there, even though I was planning to give it a miss. Mainly because I am too familiarContinue reading “MPs politely disagree on GCP transport proposals as Cambridge labeled “a city in name only””