Category Archives: Uncategorized

And take the Combined Authority with it – replacing our system of local government with two unitary councils based around Cambridge & Peterborough respectively. If you want a headline for my proposals for the Cambridge City Council elections 2023, abolishing the GCP would be it. And I have been following this for a number ofContinue reading “Abolish the Greater Cambridge Partnership”

…unless enough of us can persuade councillors that this would be a bad idea. (And ditto a planning inspector because I’d expect the developers would appeal given the £sums involved) “What do they want to replace it with?” This Above – the proposals at https://www.camcitycentreopportunity.com/the-proposals Don’t like the proposals? Have your say in their surveyContinue reading “Developers confirm Art Deco cinema to be replaced by spreadsheet block…”

‘Travel to work’ maps from the Office for National Statistics reveal how extreme the problem is. Sadly that radical action has not been forthcoming – and it does not look likely in the short to medium term either You can view the ONS Travel to Work Maps here London’s commuter reach extends far and wideContinue reading “Cambridge cannot solve its housing issues until London’s are resolved. And that requires radical action from ministers”

Around 50 of us rocked up to the AGM of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum – one of the wards on the southern edge of Cambridge that has seen rapid growth in more ways than one during my lifetime in and around the neighbourhood. Videos: I was on filming duties for the first gathering sinceContinue reading “Dr Andy Williams [formerly] of AstraZeneca demonstrated Cambridge’s governance structure cannot handle the sci-tech boom”

The site has a long history, and despite being worn down by previous developers, residents stood their ground repeatedly – resulting in the former owners selling the site to a new investment company. Also, the new owners of The Grafton have revamped plans that you can comment on. TL/DR? See: The site is that ofContinue reading “Cherry Hinton residents grill new land owners of Coldham’s Lane site – and credit to them for doing so at short notice”

This stems from two letters to the Cambridge Independent, and also following the recent votes at Cambridgeshire County Council’s full council of 21 March 2023 I posted the question about what law changes people thought were needed for Cambridge to be able to solve its own problems – and followed it up here. Two lettersContinue reading “How much ability does the City of Cambridge have to solve its own problems? A point-by-point analysis”

In the context of the South-West Chainsaw Massacre in Plymouth, the prospect of ploughing a busway through an orchard hasn’t gone down well at all. The final decision will be taken by the Secretary of State for Transport – after what is certain to be the establishment of a public inquiry by the Secretary ofContinue reading ““Council supports next stage of Cambourne to Cambridge busway””

The contrast between the corporate report on Cambridge University’s Economic Impact written by consultants London Economics (which I wrote about here) shows the difference that going out to where people are to listen to them, can make. TL/DR? Read pages 8-9 of the PDF here. You can read the full report here. It was researchedContinue reading “Cambridge Ahead’s Young Advisory Committee had a choice to look. And did. Their report is worth reading.”

A newly-published review of Cambridge’s economic impact by London Economics is (not surprisingly London-centric, and underplays some of the serious economic issues in and around our city – ones with significant social and environmental externalities that economists should be more than familiar with by now. You can read the Economic Impact Report (EIR) here TL/DR:Continue reading “Cambridge University had a choice to look. And didn’t. Despite calls from its own members.”