BBC considering cuts to Local Radio Programmes

Greetings earthlings! just when you've switched over to digital we are now going to scramble your brains with non stop five jabba jabba live on not so local radio!

Hiya,

I thought you might like to see this article from Saturday’s Cambridge Evening Newspaper (12/3/11)...

Keith Murray NUJ Cambridge Branch Chair

Email1: keith@murraysouthwell.plus.com

Cell: 07912-583638

BBC considering cuts to local radio programmes by Jack Grove


Replacing Radio Cambridgeshire programmes with Five Live shows
would be a "betrayal of listeners", a union leader has said.

Staff at the station’s Cambridge studios were said to be “outraged”
after they were briefed by managers yesterday about possible plans to axe many
local programmes.

Only the breakfast and drive-time shows would be produced in the
county, with output from national news and sport station BBC Five Live making up
the rest of the schedule, according to the National Union of Journalists
(NUJ).

It would mean the end of the popular Andie Harper Mid-Morning Show,
while other shows fronted by Sue Marchant, Liz Rhodes, Mandy Morton, Richard
Spendlove and Christopher South could be threatened.

The proposals would lead to the loss of 700 jobs nationwide as the
BBC looks to save more than £400 million following last year’s licence fee
freeze.

Keith Murray, chairman of the NUJ’s Cambridge branch, said: “We
understand the BBC is actively looking at these plans.

“Staff are obviously outraged these cuts are even being considered.
It is only an idea now, but an idea can become firm policy overnight if it is
not strongly opposed.

“Radio Cambridgeshire has an audience of about 140,000 listeners,
many of whom do not consume any other BBC service. It would be a betrayal of
them if almost all its locally produced programmes were axed.

“The BBC is often criticised for being too London-centric and not
connecting with its audience.
“This is what Radio Cambridgeshire does every
day and it is an invaluable service, especially in times of
emergency.

“Out of the £145 licence fee paid each year, local radio represents
only a few pence. It’s extraordinary they are looking to cut it.

“Other local stations have gone down this route and it has not been
a success.”

A BBC spokesman said: “No decisions have been made so it would be
wrong to speculate.
“It is, of course, only right that BBC staff have an
opportunity to input ideas about shaping the BBC’s future.”

He said the briefings were designed to provoke discussion among
staff about the way the BBC works.

“Any decisions coming out the process would be subject to approval
by the BBC Trust,” he added.

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Your Peterborough. Your Council

Morag Irving accompanied Julian Bray to the Scrutiny Committee Council Meeting last night. These are a few of the points Morag found interesting. The meeting lasted about 3 hours.

The views in italics are my own says Morag. If you would like any more information or we can help with anything please don’t hesitate to contact us. (Julian Bray has already written about the threat to our Neighbourhood meetings so we can leave those reports to him).

VivaCity presentation
Flag Fen to made more attractive to tourists. The road to Flag Fen was discussed and the possibility of using the river to access the site was suggested.

The new gym at Bishops road was opened on Dec 22.

Finding sponsorship has been difficult although £50 thousand pounds has been received from the Arts Council for the Peterborough Festival this year.

The pantomime was 92% full last year, an increase from 2009 when it was 82%. This means a small profit was made.

Well deserved as it was jolly good, congratulations to all.

‘Micro libraries’ are being rolled out the first has just been opened in Perkins.

Not sure about this, as the library service is ‘up against it’ shouldn’t funds be spent on existing libraries. With the best will in the world a full bookcase of books still requires a spend of a few hundred pound let alone admin. What about a book exchange instead?

The Museum upgrade is underway and scheduled to reopen at the end of the year.

Crime Figures

Overall showing a reduction of 26% in reported crime figures.

This is very good news. Not often this is reported.

The idea is to tackle crime ‘before’ its spread. Very good example was given as follows:-

A brand new car was parked in a ‘bad’ area of Chicago in the 1970s. The car remained untouched for 2 weeks. As part of the experiment a side window was broken. The car was then stripped overnight.

The reduction in crime represents possible savings of £5.2 million.

Showing that we all need to keep on our toes and not accept ASB/Vandalism etc ,Stamp it out before it becomes a problem.

Homelessness

Some 2 thousand empty homes in the city. 700 of those being long term vacant, as they have empty for more than 6 months.

There is no registration of landlords in the city.

Good presentation and the team do seem to be on top of things. Although it is a crying shame people are sleeping on our streets when we have empty property.


As said all views in italics are my own as are any mistakes. Good to see so many members of the public turning out for the meeting. Some councillors bemoaning the fact that the same people turn out for meetings. I don't think that is really the problem, (everyone has a right to be there). The problem is encouraging more people to attend - that is really down to the councillors themselves who need to contact the people who voted for them in the first place.

I felt one or two councillors had 'lost the plot' slightly and had forgotten they put themselves up for election in the first place and are there to serve. Having said that the majority are hard working and lots of good work has been done. I enjoyed the meeting and pass my thanks on to all involved.

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Digital Telly Switchover Roadshow in Peterborough

The Digital UK Road Show

The Digital UK Road Show is coming to Peterborough.
Staff will be available to answer any questions on the switchover and demonstrate equipment.

18, 30 & 31 March
13, 14 April 2011
Bridge Street, opposite Town Hall, PE1 1HG
Peterborough

With regard to the forthcoming plans to switch off the analogue signal in the Anglia TV region from 30th March in most areas; here's some basic information that may be of benefit as to what or what not to do.

95% of existing TV aerials will be OK. Only aerials with a current weak signal may need to be changed.

Sky/Cable customers need to take no action.

Existing Freeview TV’s will need to be re-tuned at switchover.

New TV’s will NOT be required in most cases.

Help scheme available to the elderly and ALL registered disabled.

Anyone who is in a care home for 6 months or more OR persons of any age who gets (or could get) Disability Living Allowance (DLA), OR Attendance Allowance, OR Mobility supplement, OR is registered blind or partially sighted is eligible for the BBC run switchover help scheme. Any questions can be answered via Freephone on 0800 40 85 900 - or online at www.helpscheme.co.uk

Park Farm Analogue TV Aerials

PRACTICAL ADVICE

SHOW THIS TO YOUR SWITCHOVER ENGINEER!

One look at the skyline will reveal that Stanground/Park Farm Analogue TV aerials point in a variety of directions, this is due to the historical fact that the Yorkshire ITV transmitter signal in the direct opposite direction was miles better than the Anglia ITV transmitter signal. IF your television however old has a SCART socket on the back it will NOT need to be replaced, old sets can be converted to digital via the SCART socket ( looks like a rectangle with slots, one end at a 45 degree angle)

Having just had the engineers in to do the digital switchover, our engineer confirmed that the EXISTING ANALOGUE aerial to pick up the new digital signal now needs to be pointing in the direct OPPOSITE direction to the Yorkshire ITV transmitter ie towards the Anglia ITV transmitter.

The easiest way is to simply put in a second aerial head on the same aerial mast and to run a fresh brand new cable FROM THIS SECOND AERIAL HEAD directly to your freeview/digibox. A simple drill through the outside wall will site the cable socket adjacent to your TV.

Engineers are instructed to basically turn your old existing analogue aerial around using the existing cable run; this way with the second aerial head or array if it is say serving a second TV (in the bedroom perhaps) the existing TV signal route for your main analogue and Sky digital TV, if it is currently piggy backed by cable run to your bedroom is left alone. After switchover the analogue signal to the first aerial will cease, but your Sky digital output on the same cable run will remain and you should possibly get an enhanced Yorkshire digital signal, as well as the prime Anglia digital output. FREEVIEW boxes will need to be simply retuned (automatic programme scan) after the switchover. Very simple to do!

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Gone for a Burton! Hands off our Neighbourhood Meetings!

Cllr. Burton "...too busy [i.e. too important] to talk to Neighbourhood Watch" then theatrically repeatedly tapped his wristwatch - but ignored by the Committee Chair ... let them eat cake! Double click on Lemon Drizzle Cake for full effect!

The full picture. Several people have commented they would like to read
Cllr. Burtons Letter to The Peterborough Evening Telegraph and the editorial response by the Editor to that very same letter by Cllr Burton.

This now appears below and our original story follows:

Letter: No ‘rubber stamping’ of neighbourhood council review
Published on Saturday 12 March 2011 10:00

Cllr Burton writes: In response to the article on page 19 of The Peterborough Evening Telegraph of Thursday 10th March 2011 I would like the opportunity to point out what I see as wholly and flagrant inaccuracies in your reporting of the matter of the review carried out into the functioning of neighbourhood councils – soon to become “Area Committees” if the recommendations are accepted and also to give a better balance to the events at the scrutiny committee hearing.

I strongly reject and am quite outraged at the suggestion that the review was “Rubber Stamped”.

Nothing before any scrutiny committee or any other committee of this council that I have ever attended has ever been rubber stamped. There was a great deal of debate, certain items were changed upon reflection.
No - a rubber stamp it most surely was not.

Then the article stated that the review was started because “They came under fire from a number of councillors”- wrong, the cross party review group, which I chair was initiated because it was obvious to the members of the scrutiny committee that as they were performing at that time, the neighbourhood councils were simply not working as well as they could, and so it was the sensible thing to do to look for possible improvements.

That is what scrutiny is for.

The article sought to concentrate on minor suggestions and neglected to mention the exciting initiatives such as area tours by the committee members and all partner agencies and other such ways of engaging with the people of the city.
By providing free transport to anyone who needs it to attend the committee meetings and a total re-launch of the committees to explain to the people how they operate, what they will mean to people and how we look to improve them in the future.

This review is far from being the perfect answer, we realise that and that is why the review will be carried forward into the future to continue to learn and respond to residents’ demands.

The article also carried a disproportionate amount of remarks from Mr Julian Bray of Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch in my opinion,

He purported to represent the views of all of Peterborough’s Neighbourhood watch groups, I have since found out that this is far from the case. [JB comments: I have channged Cllr Burton on this and he refuses to answer]

We allowed him to speak far beyond the original time he had been allotted and he wondered why we had not consulted him or his army of litter pickers.

You failed to report in the article however, my carefully considered response which was that we had consulted with well over 100 groups across the city, we had asked for input from every elected member, we had asked for input from similar sized local authorities with successful area committee models.

We had asked all partner agencies for input, and most pertinently we had spoken to the top city police officer, who interestingly is highly supportive of our proposals, we did not see the need to ask this one man who has high opinions of his own importance. It was simply not possible, practicable or desirable to ask everyone in the city - that is what the point of our system of democracy is - to represent you the people who put us in our privileged position, for the only alternative is anarchy!

The final point I made with my call for the public to engage remains however, I said that a certain section of the public are always saying, “They” should do this or that, It is about time that those same people realised that they are the “They”. We need the public to engage with us for us to be able to adequately represent them.
Area committees are the future of local government at the local level, they are the face of the “big society”, and they offer integrated services at lower cost. The report is a public document, we have nothing to hide. Read it, enjoy it, be part of it.
Cllr Colin Burton

UNUSUALLY in response to Cllr. Burltons letter the Editor of Thed Peterborough Evening Telegraph decided to use his Editorial leader to deliver a few home truths to Cllr. Burton

l EDITOR’S NOTE: Perhaps Cllr Burton should have read the article more carefully before firing off his letter.

We stand by the story. Rubber stamped was a phrase used to reflect the fact that the review had been passed forward without major amendment.

The neighbourhood councils HAD previously come under fire from councillors - the review started as there were concerns about the funding – both David Sanders and John Holdich to name two were critical of their set up.

The article summarised some of the suggestionsmade in the report - the report is a 30-page document with 17 recommendations - the article focused on the ones referred to in the meeting.

Perhaps the fact that Cllr Burton is not only a member of the scruitiny committee but also chair of the group reviewing neighbourhood councils makes it understandable that he is so sensitive about the number of points outlined.

The comments reported by Mr Bray were far from disproportionate.
The fact is that he had some points to make - just because they were critical and Cllr Burton doesn’t like them doesn’t mean they should have been reduced or ignored.

We did not fail to report the fact that a consultation had taken place or that 100 groups had been consulted - it’s all in there.

Admittedly we had not quoted Cllr Burton on this point but we had quoted Cllr Todd when she made the same point.

Cllr Burton’s quotes were used to summarise the position at the end of the artice.
The article was a fair and accurate summary of the meeting, just because Cllr Burton didn’t like parts of it doesn’t make them inaccurate. THE EDITOR

We now return to the orginal story:

Julian Bray addressed the "Strong & Supportive Communities Scrutiny Committee" last night at Peterborough Town Hall. They want to close down local Neighbourhood Council and Neighbourhood policing meetings and introduce a bland Area Committee concept. The source public document file is on:

http://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=407&MId=2410&Ver=4

The script of the remarks to the assembled councillors ...

Julian Bray MCIPR, Chairman,
Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch remarks relating to the Neighbourhood Council Review delivered to the Strong& Supportive Community Scrutiny Committee Peterborough City Council Wednesday 9th March 2011
Bourges/Viersen Room –Town Hall

1. I’m Julian Bray, chairman, Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch [PFNW] – we have 1,300 page hits on the PFNW website http://parkfarmneighbourhoodwatch.blogspot.com/ every 30 days, so we are more than recognised as being an active receptive voice in the neighbourhood and I would like to thank the committee for this opportunity to comment and I’ll try to be brief and to the point. I speak for all my colleagues, unpaid front line volunteers, in the neighbourhood watch networks, all over this proud City and beyond.

2. I should also explain to our council professionals, that I am a member of the Royal Chartered Institute of Public Relations, a life Member of the National Union of Journalists and a full member of Equity. I’ve also during my career controlled national Government public relations and marketing contracts. Just so council PR and communications teams fully understand where I’m coming from.

3. I also worked on the multi-million pathfinder IT Fujitsu Services contract for West Midlands Walsall council, then on an outsourcing spree, when this whole concept of seamless service, one stop shops was first introduced a decade ago, so I know the process and it’s many, many, very expensive pitfalls. Walsall Town Hall eventually dropped the idea, but in the process spent a few million essentially to save face, but then adopted or regressed (as you like) to a structure that local people, electors were more comfortable with. And needless to say I’m happy to assist the committee and the task force.

4. Having found out about the proposal and this meeting from the Evening Telegraph as late as last Saturday, I really have to question why this important change to the democratic process was not raised or mentioned on Thursday March 3rd, the most recent Stanground Central, Stanground East (incorporating Park Farm) and Fletton Neighbourhood Council meeting (full report on http://parkfarmneighbourhoodwatch.blogspot.com/ ).

5. I also have to ask why not one single Neighbourhood Watch scheme, group, committee at county, regional, city, or any other level has been approached and asked to contribute or comment. Neighbourhood Watch members are the people on the ground, we are the people who practically deliver solutions on a day by day basis to police, social services, health professionals and act as a sounding board for future police policy decisions. We’ve even been asked to explain the digital switchover to our residents and members!

6. We are also in line, due to police cuts, to take over some of the basic functions of police routine administration and operate highly visible street patrol schemes such as StreetWatch.

7. On the democratic theme, I see only two residents have been canvassed by the task force and I have to admit none of the pictures of the task force members ring any bells with me. Indeed not one of them has seemingly contacted anyone at neighbourhood level or rung bells in South Peterborough or north, east and west for that matter! Although this is a wide ranging proposal to reform/abolish the local neighbourhood council concept in favour of bland ‘Area Committees’.

8. Dumping our neighbourhood councils – but in so doing without full consultation. But they have travelled and interviewed someone in LUTON!

9. The neighbourhood policing panels have also been done away with, almost by stealth, according to this proposal; again with no consultation, no input from neighbourhood watch, no input from neighbourhood policing teams, neighbourhood sergeants, neighbourhood PC’s neighbourhood PCSO’s or anyone else directly associated with the neighbourhood.

10. Bodies on the ground, and without Neighbourhood Watch and our regular contact with police that phrase could sadly become a reality, harsh but true.

11. Surprising as it may seem, the idea of neighbourhood councils are a fundamental part of the democratic process, to which every councillor is paid for and has signed up to. I don’t want to live in an Area, how dare you, that’s outmoded 1980’s corporate marketing jargon. I live in, help to create and support a living neighbourhood.

12. Council officials, many of whom do not live in the City and some even live hundreds of miles away, their families see the City of Peterborough as a distant commuting destination and accordingly evening meetings are nothing less than an intrusion into their metropolitan family lifestyle. Some have little or no physical connection with the day to day residential and community aspect of living and surviving in this City.

13. I’m not saying that council officers are not professional, but simple human nature would dictate officials find the most accommodating system to first suit them and not us, the residents and voters who live in this City.

14. So I’m strongly suggesting to you, each one individually, this proposal is still very much work in progress, the basic consultation is fatally flawed and the whole Part II, 64 page document (and I have read it) not suitable for a proud city council but would probably work for a Borough or even a town such as Luton.

15. Neighbourhood Policing Panels with their own specific single agenda meetings are a key and a vital element in obtaining Neighbourhood Watch and neighbourhood agency co-operation and resources, combating all forms of anti social behaviour, serious crime, rape, drug and drink offences, domestic violence, property and street crime such as muggings and bag snatches.

16. We even have Neighbourhood Watch members on our patch physically painting out grafitti on street furniture and telecoms turrets. The utilities having supplied us directly with the paint, as council officials take months to remove unsightly tags even though they are made aware of them. I still have some bleached out street signs on my patch Ramsay Way it should read. PCC neighbourhood managers have known about this sign for some 5 months. It will however feature on our website.

17. It stands to reason that Neighbourhood Policing meetings cannot be truncated into a superficial one size fits all one shop, or rushed through at the early start of an “Area Committee” public meeting and sitting in a horseshoe for heavens sake! [The horseshoe format is specifically designed so that all members of a committee can see each other, those addressing the committee however sit facing the horseshoe with their backs to the main body of the hall i.e. the ‘audience’ and effectively block and exclude the ‘audience’; as all they see throughout the meeting is an ever changing row of backs and therefore cannot connect to the person or persons addressing the committee or even see the committee.]

18. Indeed figures on our patch show that ASB incidents are dramatically down ask Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector Matt Snow at Hampton. Clear up rates do however differ from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

19. The initial terms of reference do not mention at all Police led neighbourhood policing panels and they only seem to come into the narrative on page 17 where the success of the police led meetings are brutally hijacked to make the ‘Area committee’ concept ‘more interesting’ and ‘attract an audience’, the reality is that council officials in some areas have simply failed.

20. It is expedient according to the proposal to hijack and annex the successful police-led meetings. I’ll just say it’s a crime to do so. Police Neighbourhood Panels in conjunction with e-cops really do work.

21. At police led meetings it is the concentrated opportunity for Neighbourhood Watch and local social activists to exchange information and intelligence with police and agencies.

22. Agree objectives face to face, to get information on ASB hotspots and a whole range of crime issues, underage drinking, glue sniffing, domestic violence, car theft, drug taking, criminal damage. The result: we can dynamically and immediately adjust the local Neighbourhood Watch strategy, accordingly this cannot be done in a one size fits all PR driven arrangement.

23. Save the one stop shops for the likes of Vivacity to play with. It’s just not practicable, sensible or something that Neighbourhood Watch members would feel comfortable with. We would then have to seek out our own private meetings with police, thus adding to their workload, thus avoiding an endless agenda suggested by an “Area Committee”

24. Over the years, many Neighbourhood Watch leaders and supporters have been threatened and one leader in particular - instrumental in breaking up a gang culture in her area - this included murders and generation on generation family vendettas - had police protection for five years following the trial and jailing of the offenders. Tell her, that her selfless years of running and sustaining Neighbourhood Watch schemes is now just cannon fodder for a bland one-stop shop where we all sit in a horseshoe..

25. Crimewatch committee members may also discreetly attend the police led meetings , they are very unlikely to attend or welcome the one size fits all format. For that is what it is.

26. Councillors, you have the power to conduct a fully inclusive and well thought out consultation. You have the power to send this incomplete and lopsided proposal back for further work. Drill down, (a bottom up consultation if you like) talk to the people on the ground, in the neighbourhoods, the people at the front line, volunteers who don’t mind getting their hands dirty, litter picking even, all to support their community and local neighbourhood.

27. An ‘area’ is just a slab of concrete. It sounds nasty and indeed the proposal is at face value just that, unworthy of a proud City, the City of Peterborough. Honourable councillors and officers. Thank You

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT

Fletton, Stanground & Woodston Neighbourhood Council Report:

More Car Park Places .....

STOP PRESS: PCC Neighbourhood Manager, Lisa Emmanuel writes:

You refer to the Youth Forum’s spend of Section 106 money, which is in fact inaccurate, this money is not Section 106 money, the money could potentially come from Capital budget (as per this year’s Neighbourhood Council Budget) or from the Councillors Community Leadership Fund.

The Neighbourhood Council Budget update, you refer to the allocation, to Youth Activities as £5000.00 and then record the actual spend as £8008.00 – both of which are correct, I just wanted to clarify that the Youth activities allocation was pooled with the £5000.00 allocation for improvements to Parks & Open spaces which then allowed for the full cost of £8008 to be covered.


A full house for the Neighbourhood Council Meeting which curiously didn't reveal that a proposal to merge and combine into one single meeting, this event with the Police Neighbourhood Panel Meeting. (See earlier item below) had been tabled and would be debated this week in Council.



Under the chairmanship of Cllr. Goodwin an almost full turnout of of our elected councillors with the exception of Flettons Cllr F. Benton (apologies) who also was absent from the previous meeting.



Attending: Stanground Central : Cllr M Cereste, Cllr B. Rush, Cllr. I Walsh Stanground East: Cllr J. Wilkinson, Fletton: Cllr M Lee and Cllr. L Serluca



Youth Forum gave a spirited and well managed lucid PowerPoint presentation on how they would spend S106 funds of (ie not fundraise!) £10,000 to make improvements in the area and although some of the ideas were not practicable, several were and at least one the provision of a pathway between the new skateboard park, the shelter and the public pathway was adopted. The idea was to ensure that mud from the grass approach would not be deposited on the skateboard ramps making them dangerous to use, and funding from a variety of sources earmarked for the project.

Neighbourhood Manager Lisa Emmanuel confirmed that the 'top-slice' funding required had been found that that she had physically signed off the requirement earlier in the day! Clearly a case of great minds thinking alike. Mention should also be made of Susan Schofield and Jenny Humphreys (either of which could immediately get a job with the Key Theatre as highly energetic stage prompts) 'Youth MP' Kamal Highman was also introduced and takes up his role on the 1st April 2011, and once he has his feet under the desk will be back to give us all an update. Best of Luck Kamal and we are happy to support you!



The Carbon Challenge Development and the STEM Centre Project at PUFC We have already commented on Richard Hodgsons dire presentational style but this important project does seem to have not only gone off the rails but also into the realms of fantasty. We are talking about the parcel of land alongside the River Nene, the Old B&Q and Matalan sheds, PUFC ground, football stands and pitch, old railway building and all the buildings/nightclub fronting London Road adjacent to the football ground.



This was billed as "an update on the proposals and an opportunity for discussion with the officers involved" In reality it fell to project leader Richard Hodgson who then raced through the proposals at breakneck speed but not before we all managed to extract some nuggets from his presentation. The development seeks to be carbon neutral, will save one football spectator stand but introduce three new stands and increase the overall capacity by some 4,000 people on matchdays.



The number of units is given as 70-300 and the number of residential units ie houses 294, all eco-carbon friendly and in line with that, very few car parking spaces have been designed into the overall plan, the idea Mr Hodgson suggested was for the residents and businesses to use the bus, walk or a park and ride, he even suggested that electric cars would probably be acceptable in the future (as we reported earlier in response to a question from the floor Mr Hodgson used his car to get to the meeting).



Completion is thought to be around 2013. Mr Hodgson briefly touched on a 'public sector hub relocation' and we've asked the jargon police for a clarification. No one was able to say that as this seems to be a community stadium, would it be open for use by other sports such as Rugby or field sports and local groups or is this exclusively for the use of PUFC and football?



Clearly the assembled residents were not happy with what they they were hearing, and one resident called the artists impressions of the development 'dishonest' another 'the flats looked like something out of East Germany under the GDR'.



Generally most people present were unhappy and after several interventions concluded that apart from planning blight and a further severe drop in property and apartment prices, severe disruption to London Road would continue for some four years or so. There would be no let up from illegally parked vehicles on football days and Mr Hodgson was unable to confirm in response from a concerned resident who lives opposite the proposed site, if the contractors would be on a fixed price or if the works would increase employment locally.

On a lighter note, Mr Hodgson confirmed that PUFC would effectively be in charge of the carbon challenge once the development was completed but none of the proposals had been approved or formally presented to PUFC as "We wouldn't want PUFC to have to attend meetings like this....." Still the idea of Barry Fry as the new Carbon Tzar suggests that anything is possible... general feeling "work in progress" or as another resident put it "dinner of a dog...", more widespread and realistic consultation is required and the need to greatly increase the car parking space provision in order to accommodate the weekday traffic flow and additionally the greatly increased matchday traffic flow.....



Street Leader Scheme Roy Clark gave a report on the progress of the Street Leader Scheme and said they had volunteers and were looking for things to do. They now have 'toolkits' and can rapidly train up volunteers so far 70 strong and 120 on the books.



Budgets An impressive short PowerPoint presentation from Lisa Emmanuel, Neighbourhood Manager, Funding total; £25,000 actual spend: £24,830 Youth Budget £5,000 Actual spend: £8,008



E&OE



(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

RESIDENTS TO BE SQUEEZED OUT OF COUNCIL & POLICE DIALOGUE

PCC's Carbon Chief Richard Hodgson is seemingly way too 'posh' to use a microphone, talk at normal speed and unable travel by Bus!

RESIDENTS TO BE SQUEEZED OUT OF COUNCIL & POLICE DIALOGUE says PCC taskforce

According to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph [report below], residents are to be politically shortchanged by merging Neighbourhood Council Meetings with Neighbourhood Police Panel Meetings, making the whole event less formal (no minutes) and with a Ward Forum where Ward Councillors can chat informally with Council Officers and residents. That can already be done over tea and biscuits before the meeting so no change there. What does go out the window is the already short time allocated to residents issues as under the new proposals, all the business will have to be shoehorned into one single evening session not two as at present. Effectively cutting the business time by half or the democratic 'Big Society' by half.....

Clearly Neighbourhood Council issues have little or no overlap with Local Police issues, where we are facing almost immediate dramatic cuts in budgets, reductions in manning, wholesale redundancies for civilian police staff and the prospect of officers and cars no longer attending residential call outs on none life threatening matters - you'll have to report it in person at a police station!

BBC Cambridgeshire on Paul Staintons Breakfast Show
(MONDAY 7 MARCH at around 7:50am) will broadcast a series of interviews on Police Budgets...

So someone legitimately complaining about road works, street lights and potholes or even pavement parking in Hampton will have to compete and listen to trunkated time challenged presentations from police about manning levels and anti social behaviour hotspots? Clearly this task force proposal if accepted this week will then enable the PCC to present the new idea as agreed policy and we the residents have little say in the matter? A done deal.

The latest Neigbourhood Council Meeting (last Monday, and a full formal report will appear in later issues) finally broke up at 9:45pm with a start time of 6:15pm (to view an associated exhibition) and to find out from a repeatedly challenged Mr Richard Hodgson (The Carbon Challenge Development and the STEM Centre Project at PUFC) that Barry Fry could well be running the council carbon neutral policy if the current proposal for the 'parking light' football ground/ riverside residential/ business redevelopment goes through!!! (Should explain Barry Fry is not aware of this yet!)

The clearly vocally challenged Richard Hodgson then rudely refused to use a microphone for his gabbled breakneck speed presentation and a PowerPoint presentation (challeged by one resident as being 'dishonest') which seemed to show residential tower blocks (with sun/power roof panels!) more appropriate to East Germany during the GDR era.

Richard Hodgson thus neatly ensuring that many residents in the audience with hearing difficulties could not hear what he was saying - so a full transcript of his remarks has now been requested and we will carry them on here! If we don't get the transcript we also have notes.....

Richard Hodgson also admitted that he does not want to subject the football club to democratic scruitiny by "meetings such as these" and therefore had not formally agreed the project with the Club! But from first view, so much has been planted on the plot that football supporters (seating capacity increased by 4,000)/ residents and businesses servicing the development (294 residential units) will find very few car park spaces and goods vehicle parking and Hodgson (who admitted using a car to get to the neighbourhood council meeting) asserted that "everyone (including the 4,000 extra football supporters) could use the bus, walk or even possibly use electric cars!!!!

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PFNW who had three representatives at the Neighbourhood Council Meeting confirms that no one from PCC has approached PFNW for a view on the proposal below and frankly it stinks. This so called PCC task force has without publicity or consultation put the report before the Councils Strong and Supportive Communities Scruitiny Committee who meet this Wednesday. For the record, based on the PET report. PFNW totally oppose the proposal as being without merit and wholly from a neighbourhood watch point of view unworkable. We would be happy to expand on this premise.


From the Peterborough Evening Telegraph Saturday 5th March 2011 http://bit.ly/fIrz8i

A PROPOSAL to re-name neighbourhood councils as “Area Committees” and merge
their meetings with neighbourhood police panels has been put forward to
Peterborough City Council.
A report that goes before the council’s Strong and Supportive Communities Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday makes the recommendation as a way of creating a “one-stop shop” for the public to better raise issues to representatives from the police and council.
The report, put together by a council task group, also suggests the “Area
Committee” meetings would follow the police panel meeting and a “Ward Forum”
meeting, an informal session where ward councillors and council officers can
talk to residents. The report said: “The recommendation is to create a
single, seamless approach to neighbourhood engagement by creating a structure which enables Ward Forums, neighbourhood panels and Area Committee
meetings during the same session.”

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Neighbourhood Council Meeting

The FLETTON, STANGROUND AND WOODSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD COUNCIL meeting was held on Thursday 3rd March 2011 at 7.00 pm at Stanground College.

This Neighbourhood Council meeting included a pre-meeting exhibition from 6.15pm of the Local transport plan and Capital programme of works from 2011-16 and information how you can influence further schemes in our neighbourhood.

There was also an opportunity to view displays by Council officers giving information on the ‘You Said, We Did’ items, Census Completion Events and Fuel Poverty, grants and help available.

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581