Category: Article

  • Future Management of Cambridge’s Parks and Green Spaces

    Residents of Garlic Row Enjoying Stourbridge Common Cambridge City Council held a Community Services Scrutiny Committee on the 12th of March 2009. One of the items on the agenda was a draft Parks and Open Spaces Strategy for the City. I spoke on this item to comment on the fact that no specific mention of […]

  • Cambridge City Council Parks and Open Spaces Strategy Omits Trees

    Cambridge City Council held a Community Services Scrutiny Committee on the 12th of March 2009. I used the opportunity for members of the public to speak at council meetings to ask why the draft Parks and Open Spaces Strategy being put to the committee didn’t mention the trees on the parks and open spaces. I […]

  • Cambridge Congestion Charge – The Business Perspective

    On Tuesday the 10th of March 2009 I attended a public evidence gathering session of the Cambridgeshire Transport Commission. The independent commission has been set up by the county council, possibly in an incredibly cynical move to prevent the Conservatives having to defend their support of congestion charging during the forthcoming county council elections in […]

  • Response to the Cambridgeshire Transport Commission Consultation.

    The Cambridgeshire Transport Commission has been set up by the County Council to look at ways of tackling the transport problems the region experiences now and is expect to face in the future. The commission ran a survey on their website in Spring 2009. My response is reproduced below. There will be further opportunities for […]

  • Marshall of Cambridge – A Centenary Celebration

    On Wednesday the 11th of March 2009 I attended a free public presentation entitled: “Marshall of Cambridge ‘A Centenary Celebration’” which had been organised as part of Cambridge University’s Science Festival. The “lecture” was given by Group Captain Terry Holloway a retired RAF officer who has worked for Marshall since 1995. Marshall is a fantastic […]

  • The TV Licence Fee Has Had Its Day

    Not many MPs bothered to turn up to debate the TV license fee in October 2008 Thanks to ToryRadio.com I was able to put a question to Jeremy Hunt MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport today. Via Twitter I asked: “Will you commit to abolish the TV Licence? If you […]

  • A Congestion Charge for Cambridge – The Debate Continues

    I oppose introducing a congestion charge to Cambridge, and will continue to oppose it for at least a decade. We are reducing car use in the city centre without it. A congestion charge isn’t the way to preserve the historic core of the city, a congestion charge will damage the viability of the city and […]

  • Opposing the Database State – Clause 152 of the Coroners and Justice Bill

    On Saturday the 28th of February NO2ID organised a “Convention on Modern Liberty” held in various locations “across the UK”. A satellite meeting , which I attended, was held in the Cambridge Union. This article focuses on just one of many important items which were discussed during the day. Clause 152 of the Coroners and […]

  • Five Mature Trees Under Threat on Empty Common

    Cambridge City Council are proposing to fell five mature Leyland cypresses on Empty Common, the area containing allotments to south of Brooklands road by Hobson’s Brook. Already we have seen the highly controversial felling of many trees along the brook in this area on the grounds of improving the biodiversity of the watercourse though letting […]

  • Regulating Punting in Cambridge in Summer 2009

    I observed a meeting of the Conservators of the river Cam in January 2009. One of the major items discussed was the regulation of punting in the summer of 2009. Independent punters present warned there were increasing numbers of independents and it was looking as if Garret Hostel Lane (pictured) was going to end up […]