Category Archives: Uncategorized

Doesn’t matter whether it is suburban or light rail, the number of jobs they are proposing to create on the site will overwhelm the existing local housing and transport infrastructure Me, Alex, and Cait (who wrote this) braved the elements to go to the latest Beehive Consultation in Cambridge earlier. CFS/ME meant I was alreadyContinue reading “Why the Beehive Redevelopment Plans need a rail station”

The Commission on Political Power is inviting submissions to their inquiry on improving citizen engagement with what looks like Central Government. I’m looking at the role democracy education can play in it from a local perspective, and what the existing limitations are. This stems from a post by Alexandra Hall Hall, a former diplomat stationedContinue reading “Citizen engagement with political power – democracy education”

TL/DR? Northstowe has been in the news – and their issues sound similar to Cambourne. Which indicates that the issues are structural, and risk being repeated. Again. And again. Back in 2012 I wrote a blogpost about local council buildings as civic spaces. It was in the days when I was more known for havingContinue reading “There should be an inquiry into what’s gone wrong and why in Cambourne and Northstowe. Their residents deserve better.”

TL/DR? That’s what they told me at the consultation event on 11 July. There are a few more dates here. And that’s not the only consultation happening for new developments There’s Westbrook off of Milton Road by Mitcham’s Corner Above: ***It’s Cr*p!*** You’ve got until Friday to tell them what you think of their proposalsContinue reading “Redevelopment of Cambridge Airport to start from scratch”

That does not give Labour a free hand – it means there is an even greater responsibility for the main opposition party to come up with credible alternatives for how England (as well as Cambridge) is governed. Furthermore, the smaller opposition parties need to scrutinise those policies in details as well as suggesting alternatives andContinue reading “Gove’s reported plans for Cambridge reflect the panicking thinking of a declining government out of ideas. And time.”

TL/DR? Buy the book and it’ll make sense Chances are more than a few of you will have seen/experienced something like the diagram Mr Cowan illustrated below: In Cambridge we have more than a few examples to choose from, whether Brookgate at Cambridge Station to The Marque at the top of Cherry Hinton Road whichContinue reading “Essential Urban Design – Rob Cowan provides the knowledge & language for community groups to scrutinise developers”

Some of you will be more than familiar with my moans about ‘spreadsheet architecture’ – whether the designs that look like they were they were put together manipulating lines and shading on a spreadsheet, or alternatively focusing so much on the bottom line that any artistic preference is designed out to create a minimalist boxContinue reading ““Ugly-ugly-ugly! Oi-oi-oi!” Trying to separate a desire for more beautiful buildings from politically-inspired culture wars”

Voters give Labour a kick in the ballot box over controversial congestion charge See the Cambridge Independent here. The rain outside at 1.30am probably reflects the mood of opponents in what was previously a solid Labour seat. I’m not going to wax lyrical about the detail – you can see the links to the videoedContinue reading “Tories win King’s Hedges by-election by 24 votes”

Or is it ‘Audit Commission Mark II? TL/DR: Ministers are establishing a new performance reporting organisation for local councils. Unlike its predecessor, the Audit Commission, there won’t be any performance management framework where civil servants go around assessing things on behalf of ministers. Instead, a huge responsibility rests on the shoulders of ordinary residents. YouContinue reading “Do the principles of the new ‘Office for Local Government’ rely too heavily on ‘armchair auditors’?”

TL/DR? The responsibility rests with ministers who signed off an over-complicated system of governance that makes it very difficult for the public to identify where the real decision-making power resides (As your MP to write to ministers on how they will simplify the governance structure of Cambridgeshire to improve accountability https://www.writetothem.com/) Before starting, I declareContinue reading “Why CamCycle is the wrong target for those complaining about Cambridge’s future transport plans”