Can the promoters of economic growth in the Greater Cambridge area also make the case for providing social and cultural infrastructure – and greening our city too?

Pictured – a CGI of a proposed new rowing lake by https://www.cambridgesportlakes.org.uk/ Can the members of groups such as Cambridge Ahead also offer up shared resources to improve Greater Cambridge’s cultural offer? The challenge came from Cllr Sam Davies (Ind – Queen Edith’s) to the University of Cambridge after I complained about the time itContinue reading “Can the promoters of economic growth in the Greater Cambridge area also make the case for providing social and cultural infrastructure – and greening our city too?”

Cambridge University tells councillors it cannot commit to early delivery of long-promised swimming pool

Can we get a second opinion on that? Not least from the students, as well as any of the Masters & Scholars sympathetic to the interests of town-gown relations, in whose name the planning application for the West Cambridge site is being submitted? Some of you may remember the headlines in 2019: “A new swimmingContinue reading “Cambridge University tells councillors it cannot commit to early delivery of long-promised swimming pool”

Cambridge University’s proposed Enterprise Zone in life & physical sciences – what they miss

You can read the brochure here I’m feeling particularly vanquished and washed out at present, awaiting test results to see if I’ve got moderate Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and basically give up all hope of a future that various people and institutions told me I’d have many moons ago. (The CV19 tests I’ve done have bothContinue reading “Cambridge University’s proposed Enterprise Zone in life & physical sciences – what they miss”

Cambridge to Manchester direct by train? Or Bristol? Could happen.

…but I will probably be plant food before such services are up and running due to the additional infrastructure required. The link is in the press release here “Passenger Rail Study Phase Two.” “England’s Heartland” “What about the Northern Powerhouse?” The cynic in me thinks the branding was thought up prior to the 2019 GeneralContinue reading “Cambridge to Manchester direct by train? Or Bristol? Could happen.”

“What’s going to change, and when?”

Former England Captain Gary Neville called out the Prime Minister on TV today. But will anything change? Above – from SSF from 6mins20secs in. In Parliament today, the Home Secretary was challenged by her Labour Shadow, Nick Thomas-Symonds in the Commons here, and also by the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, former HomeContinue reading ““What’s going to change, and when?””

“I still prefer: ‘Do it for Millichip, Bert'”

On decades of watching the England football team on the telly – culminating in the most socially influential squad, and one I am the least familiar with (compared to past ones in the late 20th Century) reaching the final of a major tournament for the first time in my lifetime. (i.e. after 1966). For thoseContinue reading ““I still prefer: ‘Do it for Millichip, Bert’””

The Committee for Standards in Public Life & The Information Commissioner pull up the Government on propriety, governance, & elections

I’m not going to go through the detail of both of these recent developments other than to say they are of the highest public interest given their content. But before you do so… …have a watch of Labour MP Chris Bryant cross-examining Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the bi-annual Liaison Committee hearings in Parliament. It’sContinue reading “The Committee for Standards in Public Life & The Information Commissioner pull up the Government on propriety, governance, & elections”

City Centre Access – two months for Greater Cambridge Partnership to come up with something new

Following the decision to proceed with the busways, the Greater Cambridge Partnership now needs to come up with something substantial to deal with the ‘last mile’ problem – something that they should have solved first. Ben Hatton has written up the Cambridge News account of last week’s Board Meeting. The problem that the GCP nowContinue reading “City Centre Access – two months for Greater Cambridge Partnership to come up with something new”

Whose future vision of Cambridge is being delivered, and why?

Some of you may have seen the spoof letter to the people of the city regarding access to Grantchester Meadows following the restrictions put in place by landowner King’s College. Picture the scene: The King of England (Henry VI to be precise) rocked up to Cambridge and surveyed the scene on Milne Street. He sawContinue reading “Whose future vision of Cambridge is being delivered, and why?”

The approval of the Greater Cambridge Busways reflects the broken governance system of our city & county

The origin of this lie with the Coalition Government and their decision to create the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and later under the Conservatives to create the Combined Authority – instead of undertaking the long overdue national restructure of local government. It does not, however remove the risk that the general public will look at thisContinue reading “The approval of the Greater Cambridge Busways reflects the broken governance system of our city & county”