Two of the brightest rising stars in public policy world have got me thinking about how the country can hold to account those in power, and those that recently wielded it with significant consequences. The first was Dr Alice Lilly, senior researcher at the Institute for Government, and someone qualified to comment with expert insightContinue reading “What the US Impeachment trial can teach the UK about both ministerial accountability and policy evaluation”
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What did the Handforth Parish Council reveal about local democracy to those that don’t follow it closely?
And what could or should change as a result? The exchanges at a seemingly anonymous parish council meeting up in Cheshire caught the attention of the social media world outside local democracy politics, and went global, making an internet legend of Jackie Weaver of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, while the Monitoring Officer atContinue reading “What did the Handforth Parish Council reveal about local democracy to those that don’t follow it closely?”
Cambridge Liberal Democrats publish proposals in run up to the re-election of the entire city council due for May 2021
They published their ideas yesterday (03 Feb 2021) You can read their proposals here. Their individual policy ideas are listed as: “Exploring a redevelopment of the Queen Anne Terrace Car Park, primarily for housing Developing an investment programme to refurbish and modernise public toilets, rather than removing them Launching a campaign to promote effective recycling andContinue reading “Cambridge Liberal Democrats publish proposals in run up to the re-election of the entire city council due for May 2021”
Is investing in local histories a more richer seam for political parties than staged flag-placement?
Government telly-interview style guides seem to mandate the presence of a flag behind the politician being interviewed. In the meantime, someone in Labour wants to get in on the act. About an hour and a half ago, this dropped in. You can read the article here – including the official Labour response at the end.Continue reading “Is investing in local histories a more richer seam for political parties than staged flag-placement?”
Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner tears into the house-building industry over poor building standards
Mr Zeichner was speaking in the Opposition Day Debate on Protecting tenants and leaseholders from unsafe cladding You can watch Mr Zeichner’s speech here on Parliament TV. From the uncorrected transcript from Hansard, Mr Zeichner said: “For some hours now, we have been hearing accounts of those whose lives have been ruined by an appallingContinue reading “Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner tears into the house-building industry over poor building standards”
Bogs have higher standards than the proposed registry office for Cambridgeshire
But if that’s what the majority Conservative-run County Council thinks the people of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire deserve, that’s their call to defend at the ballot box this year – something that the pandemic has brought along its own set of unique challenges. Residents of Cambridgeshire (and anywhere else across the country for that matter) canContinue reading “Bogs have higher standards than the proposed registry office for Cambridgeshire”
A late starters’ orchestra for adults in Cambridge?
A musical challenge for Cambridge students on the Social Innovation Programme at The Cambridge Hub. They have until the end of March to come up with their proposals. And it all has to be done online. Not easy by any means – but having seen what the students on the Cambridge Hub’s Social Innovation ProgrammeContinue reading “A late starters’ orchestra for adults in Cambridge?”
Bronwen Maddox dissects The Government’s performance in 2020 – IfG’s Annual Lecture
The Director of the Institute for Government provided some much-needed expert analysis, unpicking the record and the decisions made by the Prime Minister and his ministers in a week where the former said his Government had done everything it could in response to the pandemic, and that he took ‘full responsibility’ for everything that hisContinue reading “Bronwen Maddox dissects The Government’s performance in 2020 – IfG’s Annual Lecture”
Will Mayor James Palmer’s independent review of local government in Cambridgeshire report before the elections?
I hope so, as it should provide a sound evidence base for politicians, candidates, and voters to debate the future of our county at a time when (in Cambridge at least) we have an unprecedented number of elections and votes to take part in and cast. With the various local elections in England due toContinue reading “Will Mayor James Palmer’s independent review of local government in Cambridgeshire report before the elections?”
The Right to Regenerate – the Hobson Street Cinema?
The Housing Secretary has launched a new policy – but it applies to council-owned buildings only. His list of questions in the consultation here does not mention privately-owned assets. To respond to the consultation (and call for the powers to be extended to privately-owned long-term unused buildings) you can email directly righttocontestconsultation@communities.gov.uk or at theContinue reading “The Right to Regenerate – the Hobson Street Cinema?”
The Cambridge Town Owl 