Two councillors in Cambridge picked up on these issues on my behalf, and were able to inform the CPCA of the challenges that their own residents face on the provision of post-compulsory education in and around our city. With thanks to Cllrs Sam Davies MBE (Ind – Queen Ediths Ward) and Dr Alexandra Bulat (LabourContinue reading “The Combined Authority’s limitations on further education and on lifelong learning provision in Cambridgeshire”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Why are developers so frightened of democracy and scrutiny?
Some of you will be familiar with the perfectly legal way of working that the former MP for Cambridgeshire Andrew Lansley demonstrates in his business activities – one that many in the Whitehall and Westminster bubbles will be more than familiar with. But it’s one that doesn’t sit well with those whose homes and communitiesContinue reading “Why are developers so frightened of democracy and scrutiny?”
“Cambridgeshire’s politicians leave a legacy of failure” – but were they failed by their predecessors in local and national government?
The opinion piece in the Cambs News is worth reading if only to learn some hard-won lessons about ‘how we do local democracy’ “It has been clear for a while where this was going” Cllr Elisa Meschini (Lab – King’s Hedges Division) Chair of the GCP, 28 Sept 2023 I’ve been pondering on this sentimentContinue reading ““Cambridgeshire’s politicians leave a legacy of failure” – but were they failed by their predecessors in local and national government?”
New findings from the first Great Cambridge Crash Course workshop
People have ***lots of questions*** about how Cambridge is governed, but our city is not putting on the events or making the spaces available for the public to ask and discuss them First of all a big ***Thank you*** to the 15 people who took part in the first Great Cambridge Crash Course at RockContinue reading “New findings from the first Great Cambridge Crash Course workshop”
Some responses to the cancelling of C-Charging in Cambridge are alarming
They say ‘don’t read below the comments line.’ So I did. More than a few responses reflect a lack of historical awareness, frustration of a broken system, and limited knowledge of how the state functions. Or malfunctions. In the meantime, teenagers remain stuck with stupendously-long commutes because of long term national public policy failures. TheContinue reading “Some responses to the cancelling of C-Charging in Cambridge are alarming”
Political consensus fragments over a broken governance structures
The Greater Cambridge Partnership’s proposals for buses and congestion charging finally collapse as the GCP Board refuses to recommend amended proposals to Cambridgeshire County Council to bring in a charge on motorists to fund improved bus services Watch this clip from the Chair of the GCP, Cllr Elisa Meschini (Labour – King’s Hedges Division) atContinue reading “Political consensus fragments over a broken governance structures”
Could paying people to retrain in sectors with skills shortages help alleviate some of Cambridge’s chronic problems?
It’s a policy most senior politicians would not dare touch because to goes counter to the mainstream mindsets and could set precedents that would be difficult to deal with in other sectors. But something has got to give. This follows on from a point made by Prof Sarah Sharples of the University of Nottingham, andContinue reading “Could paying people to retrain in sectors with skills shortages help alleviate some of Cambridge’s chronic problems?”
Prof Sarah Sharples gives Cambridge a masterclass in systems thinking for transport
The Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Transport delivered a timely presentation for the annual Cleevely Lecture at Peterhouse, Cambridge. This was the first public lecture I had been to for a long time, and unlike previous ones, I didn’t live -tweet it. Instead I wrote down notes on a blank piece of A4Continue reading “Prof Sarah Sharples gives Cambridge a masterclass in systems thinking for transport”
Citizens’ UK to host pre-founding assembly in Cambridge
Some of you may have heard about what the Peterborough chapter of Citizens UK has been doing of late. The creation of a Greater Cambridge chapter has been bubbling away for some time, and it looks like they will be having their first gathering at Long Road Sixth For College in November 2023 TL/DR? SignContinue reading “Citizens’ UK to host pre-founding assembly in Cambridge”
Without a renaissance in lifelong learning, Cambridge’s economy and society will crumble
Political parties must debate how to fund not just jobs-focused adult education, but things like civics/democracy education, and lifelong learning for leisure – one that doesn’t have an exam at the end of it. One of the final publications from the long-defunct Adult School Union arrived recently. It was called A sense of purpose, andContinue reading “Without a renaissance in lifelong learning, Cambridge’s economy and society will crumble”
The Cambridge Town Owl 