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Is this a symptom of the University of Cambridge expanding far too quickly – beyond the capacity of its own resources and those of the city it gets its name from? You can read the article by Apeike Umolu here. It should lead to tough questions being asked by politicians of the big decision-makers holdingContinue reading ““Many PhD students don’t live here” – Varsity Newspaper exposes Cambridge University’s housing crisis”

So why are ministers choosing to cut budgets rather than raising taxes on those with the broadest shoulders in this grossly unequal society of ours? You can see the press release from the WEA – the Workers’ Educational Association, here. The successive cuts to lifelong learning budgets over recent decades has had a devastating impactContinue reading “*It’s time to protect adult learning* says the WEA”

While Labour did not include nationwide reform of local government in their manifesto, there’s nothing to stop them bringing in a new policy so long as Parliament supports them. You can watch the videos of the debates by the following councils as hyperlinked: The joint letter that the above-five councils have co-signed can be foundContinue reading “Councillors voice concern about pace and principles of local government reform”

In a motion to Cambridge City Council (ultimately amended by the Labour ruling group), Cambridge Greens raised a host of issues related to the limits to growth in what was inevitably a highly-partisan meeting due to it being the last one before the local elections. You can listen to Councillor Elliot Tong (Greens – Abbey)Continue reading “Cambridge Greens ask the Chancellor to reconsider her plans for Cambridge”

…says the Carnegie Foundation’s report on Life in the UK 2024 for England You can read the report here. On the four different categories of wellbeing measured – Economic, social, environmental, and democratic, it’s the last of these that England scores the worst Above – Carnegie (2025) p5 “Everyone had the chance to vote inContinue reading ““Put repairing democracy at the centre of plans for English devolution””

This document from Cambridge City Council’s Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee needs publicising and discussing amongst much wider circles See item 7 of the meeting papers here. The main document is at Appendix A, which needs going through carefully by someone who is not me. “The purpose of the Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations SPD isContinue reading “What the developers, consultants, and lobbyists want from Cambridge”

“Glad you asked, kid! …Now listen to this, this is the important part!” I have no idea why they voice of Timon the meerkat came into my head in response to reading out the question about what elected local councillors do, but if you want to find out the actual important part, head along toContinue reading “What do councillors do?”

In Cambridgeshire we’re very lucky to have Form the Future doing great things for nearly a generation of teenagers in spite of the huge barriers that face them. Image – From the Association of Citizenship Teachers – we could do with more schools offering GCSE Citizenship Studies, and more teachers specialising in citizenship education tooContinue reading “Are adults failing our teenagers on work experience and part-time employment?”

A bold pair of policy announcements eight weeks before the county council and mayoral elections which cover much of central England Image: You and The State (1949) – Ralph Miliband (The Energy Secretary’s father) was involved in creating this document. The Guardian has led with both: See also Rachel Charlton-Daley in The Lead here “TheContinue reading “Government briefs media on cuts to NHS England, and on support for the most vulnerable”

County Councillors will meet at their final full council of this term of office before the county elections You can see the meeting papers here, with the item Local Government Reorganisation in Cambridgeshire starting on page 28 drafted by the council’s chief executive Dr Stephen Moir. They will be discussed the day after Cambridge CityContinue reading “Cambridgeshire County Council publishes its discussion paper on unitary councils”