Peterborough and Cambridgeshire could come together with a joint authority and an elected mayor, under government devolution proposals. The good news is that the deal would bring more money for transport, housing and other infrastructure. The bad news, for many, is that the government demands an elected mayor. All the councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterbrough […]

Addenbrooke’s is an outstanding hospital, but the thousands of cars it attracts pose a problem for those of us living nearby, earning the south of Queen Edith’s the sobriquet of the ‘Addenbrooke’s Overflow Car Park’. Last year, Cambridgeshire County Council advertised a raft of parking restrictions, some new yellow lines and some extensions of existing […]

From time to time, people contact the Lib Dem Focus Team about dog fouling – a subject that isn’t very pleasant, but which definitely needs to be addressed. Most responsible dog owners would not allow their dogs to foul grass verges and pavements; if they did, they would clear up afterwards. But a minority do […]

Holbrook Road has a small park with a children’s playground and football area, a few doors away from Homerton Children’s Centre. It has a range of play equipment: a slide, wooden climbing frame/ obstacle course, swings, a few springy things, football goalposts and a picnic table. The wooden equipment came about as a result of […]

The latest motion to appear from the Cambridge Labour Group alarms me greatly. They are raising concerns about shared houses, and call for a report on limiting the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Labour wants to widen the HMO term to include homes with lodgers as well as shared houses of young single people (though whether […]

The news is just in and it is good news: the Icelandic Supreme has today ruled that British councils’ deposits in Landsbanki HF have priority status over other creditors. This means that most of Cambridge City Council’s outstanding deposits should be returned. Cambridge had £9 million invested with Landbanki Islands HF and Heritable Bank, one […]

‘For most people, the only visible service that they get from the council is the removal of refuse.’ Eric Pickles, Daily Mail, 30th September What a fatuous comment and how deeply insulting to the thousands of people who work in councils throughout the country. The hardworking people who empty our bins and sweep the streets […]

Last Thursday, Jean, George and I and our respective husbands and wife went to Corpus Christi College for the annual Cambridge City Council Mayor’s Dinner – to celebrate the mayoral year of the outgoing mayor, Cllr Sheila Stuart. After a civilized aperitif in the college gardens, we filed into the dining hall for a feast, […]