Category Archives: Uncategorized

What national and local public policies miss on community development and tackling loneliness in society Image: Front page of The New Statesman by Kris Andrew Small for housing policy reporter Vicky Spratt in September’s edition – £read the latter’s article here. The following sounds painfully familiar “Go to university, get a job, buy a house,Continue reading “Proximity, regularity, and affinity”

In the meantime, Skoda in the Czech Republic shows the UK what we could have had – if only successive governments had invested in the declining manufacturing base for a new generation of electrified public transport systems TL:DR? Persuade your councillors, council officers, MPs, elected politicians and senior transport people to go and visit theContinue reading “Greater Cambridge Transport Strategy stubbornly refuses to mention ‘light rail’ or ‘tunnels’”

One participant in the CPCA’s Mass Rapid Transit trying to make the case for buses vs trams Image: The Vengabus inspired by Dutch public transport and Europop. Looked like a step up from what Stagecoach offered Cambridge in the same year, such was the state of privatised and deregulated buses Above – Appendix A –Continue reading “*“If you can make buses sexy, you will be billionaire.”*”

At the same time, Huntingdonshire District Councillors debated a Motion of No Confidence in the council leader (which may or may not have finished by the time I finish this blogpost!) In a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon Mr Ben Obese Jecty raised issues over both the delay on aContinue reading “Minister for Local Government delays decision on Cambridgeshire’s future until October 2026”

Only for a few weeks mind you – because the political parties have their annual conferences in late September/Early October Image: From the Trials of Democracy project by Menagerie Theatre from 2024 You can: Labour get theirs out of the way early I’m sure it used to be the party in government was the oneContinue reading “Parliament returns – Autumn 2026”

The announcement came earlier today (26 August 2026) highlighting a new piece of legislation that will be tabled by ministers on the water industry. For those of you not familiar with the essentials, have a listen to The Cambridge Radio podcast hosted by Lewis Herbert here from 12 July 2026 where he interviews Deputy ChiefContinue reading “Greater Cambridge Development Corporation re-opens search for Chief Executive”

The announcement from the Prime Minister and the Housing Secretary enables the redevelopment of Hanover and Princess Court to go ahead with the new council housing as planned (It’s worth noting that Cambridge City Council is a net contributor to HM Treasury on business rates to the tune of over £100million per year and theContinue reading “Government gives Cambridge City Council £96m to build hundreds of council homes”

The embargo on the new policy has just been lifted. This alongside announcements on building on rural land near railway stations linked to key cities, and Mayoral overrides on large development applications inevitably raises concerns about environmental protection. Image: Spitting Image’s Camberwick Greenbelt from the clip here from 75s in, lampooning arch-Thatcherite Nicholas Ridley MP,Continue reading “Andy Burnham brings back council house-building at scale”

The MP-Candidate for Cambridge Liberal Democrats, Cllr Cheney Payne (Castle Ward on Cambridge City Council) on what residents are telling her about our city You can ‘Residents are telling me that Cambridge is starting to feel run down’ Above – Cllr Cheney Payne (LibDems – Castle) 19 August 2026 “Starting? It already is and hasContinue reading “‘Cambridge is starting to feel run down’ Cllr Cheney Payne of Cambridge Liberal Democrats”

And in my case, climate despondency. Because I can’t see how things are going to get any better climate-wise in my lifetime. Image: Nightingale Rec off Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge. 09 August 2026 I took this photo of Nightingale Rec on 09 August 2026. I’ve not noticed any rain since then, and the amount neededContinue reading “Climate grief in face of droughts and wildfires”