Protesting the loss of local Cambridge Building Society branches
3 March 2009
As reported in the Cambridge News, Coleridge Councillor Lewis Herbert recently met Cambridge Building Society Chief Executive Stephen Mitcham to protest the planned closure of their Cherry Hinton Road branch, following our Coleridge Labour letter challenging the shock announcement. The branch is relied on by so many locally, including older people.
more >.Labour Councillors demand action after City finance "road crash"
27 February 2009
Cambridge Labour Councillors challenged the financial incompetence of the ruling Liberal Democrats at the annual budget meeting of the City Council. The result of the Lib Dems being "asleep at the wheel" was the city's finances suffering a "catastrophic road crash", argued Cllr Lewis Herbert.
The two self-inflicted finanical losses saw over £10 million wiped from the city's coffers in a matter of months. You would think such massive blows to the city's fiances would chasten the Lib Dems, but instead their irresponsibility continues with claims that the problems are not serious. Not only are they serious, they long to be ongoing as, in a desperate attempt to justify their budget, problems are being put off for future years.
more >Second 2009 Liberal Democrat budget for Cambridge is "like emergency surgery at the scene of a road crash"
28 January 2009
Cambridge Labour Councillors have described the 2009 Liberal Democrat replacement budget for Cambridge City Council as 'the financial equivalent of emergency surgery at the scene of a road crash'.
The replacement 2009 budget proposes future cuts of over £1m in new youth clubs, recreation facilities and city environmental improvements, a further £250,000 chopped from new cycling schemes, and an emergency loan of £1m in 2010 to avoid the risk of the city's finances sliding into the red.
more >Cambridge Labour Party celebrate President Obama's inauguration
20 January 2009
Members of Cambridge Labour Party, along with Cambridge Universities Labour Club, joined John Prescott MP, Richard Howitt MEP and Daniel Zeichner to watch President Barack Hussein Obama's inauguration ceremony. The Guildhall was transformed with American bunting and refreshments, along with stalls from progressive organisations including anti-fascist group Searchlight and the Labour Club.
more >Folk Festival ticket money missing
7 January 2009
Once again Cambridge residents are wondering what has happened to their money. Following the loss of £9million in Icelandic banks it looks likely that over £600,000 in ticket sales from last years Folk Festival will also never appear.
more >Give Cambridge a congestion referendum too...
12 December 2008
Ahead of today's Manchester congestion referendum result, Cambridge Labour representatives have repeated their demand for a similar congestion referendum here in Cambridge in 2009.
more >Pensioners' Saturday bus service under threat from City cuts
27 November 2008
A Saturday bus service, used by older people in Coleridge Ward, could be axed in a review of bus subsidies by the City Council.
more >Integrated Recession Plan needed from Cambridge councils says Labour
19 November 2008
Cambridge Labour Councillors are calling for concerted action by Cambridge councils, a new action group with Cambridge businesses, and greater council urgency in tackling the recession locally.
Labour Councillors want a major focus to be on delivering affordable and other housing.
more >Labour Councillors call for ten more 'speed watch' cameras for Cambridge
10 October 2008
Labour Councillors have called on the City Council to invest £30,000 in mobile community 'speed watch' cameras so local residents and Councillors can use them to record speeders and combat growing speeding by local drivers on Cambridge residential streets.
more >CAMBRIDGE LABOUR RESPONSE TO CITY POST OFFICE CLOSURE CONSULTATION
05 July 2008
City Labour representatives have responded to news that three small Cambridge Sub-Post Offices are proposed for closure, subject to consultation over the summer
along with a larger number of rural Cambridgeshire Post Offices affected.
Cambridge Labour's immediate plans on the closure proposals include carefully vetting the affected sites. Labour will examine each proposal, particularly in terms of accessibility for older and disabled people. Labour will also talk to local residents, users and sub-post masters.
more >Labour City Councillors Welcome Decision by County Tories to Go Back to Drawing Board
24 June 2008
Cambridge Labour Councillors have welcomed the announcement by new county leader, Cllr Jill Tuck, that its "back to the drawing board" with the county's current plan for the congestion charge and city transport investment, as Labour Councillors called for only a few weeks ago .
more >Mike took local 10p tax concerns to heart of government
22 May 2008
Newly elected Labour councillor for Arbury, Cllr Mike Todd-Jones, recently took the concerns of Arbury and other Cambridge residents over the abolition of the 10p tax band directly to the heart of government.
At a reception at 10 Downing Street following the elections, Mike was able to personally give the Prime Minister his letter, including his payslips (!), on behalf of everyone in Arbury affected by the tax changes.
more >Labour calls for more Cambridge entertainment and events involving minority communities
21 May 2008
Cambridge Labour Councillors want the city council to develop a far wider range of summer entertainment, shows and arts provision in the city, to reflect the needs and character of all sections of the diverse communities in the city.
more >Labour Criticises County Conservatives for Wasting Over £100,000 on Biased Congestion Opinion Research
08 May 2008
Labour City Councillors have responded to the release this week of the County Council's consultation, market research and opinion polling on its congestion charge plans ...
Labour City Councillors have called on the new County Conservative leadership, to be elected this Friday, to 'go back to the Drawing Board' on their badly thought out Congestion Charge plan. This follows a main countywide poll by the county on the county's congestion plan showing 49% against the congestion charge compared to only 31% in favour.
more >Labour's campaign on Plastic Bags supported by the City Council
28 April 2008
City votes to ban all plastic bags by 2010
Councillors aim for a greener Cambridge by 2010. CAMBRIDGE is set to become a plastic bag-free zone, following a historic vote.
City councillors have unanimously backed a Labour motion calling on traders to stop handing out free plastic bags. more >
LABOUR COUNCILLORS CALL FOR JOINED UP CITY STRATEGY TO MAXIMISE DELIVERY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
16 April 2008
Labour councillors are calling on Cambridge City Council to make Affordable Housing one of its top priorities as the city currently has no joined up strategy and opportunities are continually being missed. more >
LABOUR COUNCILLORS HAVE A CUNNING PLAN TO MAKE CAMBRIDGE A 'PLASTIC BAG FREE ZONE'
15 April 2008
Local Labour Councillors are calling for a citywide partnership with Cambridge retailers to end the free plastic carrier bags in the city, switching instead to reusable bags.
The initiative comes from City Labour Councillors Stuart Newbold and Miriam Lynn in a council motion at Thursday's full Cambridge City Council meeting, and would see Cambridge become a 'plastic bag free zone', with the aim of adopting reusable shopping bags across Cambridge by the end of 2009.more >
Labour Councillors have an answer to the current failures of both the LibDem City and Tory County councils
8 April 2008
Labour Councillors have an answer to the current failures of both the LibDem City and Tory County councils including their inability to work effectively on the big problems facing Cambridge residents every day - replace two councils and two bureaucracies with a single unitary council. Spend money on services and have a single organisation leading Cambridge and its surrounding area.
A single council would also help in tackling the six issues Labour is campaigning on and also sorting out issues affecting neighbouring South Cambs. more >
VERGING ON THE RIDICULOUS' - LABOUR COUNCILLORS CALL FOR ACTION ON LOCAL VERGES THAT LOOK MORE LIKE TANK EXERCISE GROUNDS
20 March 2008
Labour Councillors have called for action on local verges that look more like tank exercise grounds.more >
Labour Councillors call for a Fair Deal for chickens and an end to unnecessary cruelty
21 February 2008
Cambridge Labour Councillors want a better deal for chickens and other fowl, and have submitted a motion for this month's City Council to end Council purchases of fowl, battery eggs, and egg-based products which fail to meet RSPCA Freedom Food standards. more >
'Return City's Flower Power' demands former mayor, Cllr Robert Dryden
14 February 2008 - Valentine's Day Press Release
Former Mayor and respected Cherry Hinton Councillor Robert Dryden is leading Labour's campaign to reverse LibDem destruction of 16 seasonal flower and bulb beds across the city. The LibDems are replacing them with ‘low maintenance permanent planting' - all in a bid to save around £20,000 a year, when they spend over £1m a year on consultants and unnecessary bureaucracy. more >
Labour councillors oppose control of buskers by 'cultural commissars'
13 February 2008
Labour councillors have objected to Lib Dem City Council proposals, published by the Cambridge Evening News last week, to introduce new controls on buskers in the city. more >
Labour Councillors call for action to sort out under-age drinking problems on Coleridge Rec
11 February 2008
Local Labour councillors are concerned about anti-social behaviour in our parks and open spaces and respond to residents call for a local park to be locked at night to prevent groups of up to 60 young people gathering there at weekends to drink and take drugs. more >
Labour would buy back the Howard Mallett Site
29 January 2008
Labour city councillors want the City Council to set aside £700,000 to buy the old Howard Mallet site, in Sturton St, from City Life. They believe City Life no longer want to set up an Innovation Centre there, because of opposition from local residents; and that this presents the City Council with an opportunity to enable the local community to have what they have sought - additional open space. So far the Liberal Democrats have refused to do so. more >
Cambridge needs new Bus champion
4 January 2008
Bus passengers in Cambridge could get a new national champion to represent their interests, following proposals launched by the Government. more >
Labour calls on City Council to re-examine proposals to build 11,500 homes on Marshall's Airport
7 December 2007
Cambridge City Council yesterday refused to support petitioners seeking re-examination of proposals to build 11,500 homes on Marshall's airport.
The petition had been signed by more than 1500 local people. Similar views were reflected in an Evening News on-line poll published on on December 1st, in which 910 readers voted, with 63% of respondents opposed to development of the site and 37% supporting it. more >
LABOUR'S PLAN FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO 'ADOPT A VERGE'
10 November 2007
Labour City Councillors today called on the city's Environmental Scrutiny Committee (6/11) to investigate a citywide action plan for Cambridge residents to 'adopt a verge' in front of their homes. Under the plan, streets affected by the scourge of verge parking would be able to vote whether to place bollards or 'white rocks' at strategic locations along the worst affected roads, 'adopted' by adjacent residents.more >
Labour tops the poll again
22 October 2007
For the second year running a Labour Councillor has been named as Youth Champion in the Council's "I'm a Councillor, Get me out of Here!" vote. more >
Punt Wars
October 2007
Cambridge Labour Councillors have welcomed the announcement that the Lib Dem city council plans to end the regular summer encampment of independent punt operators on Jesus Green, a move that Labour asked for last summer as part of its package of proposals to end the city's annual and damaging summer ‘punt wars’, and end aggressive punt touting. more >
Climate Change Action
October 2007
Cambridge Labour Councillors are supporting the city’s new 2007 ‘Cambridge Climate Change Charter’ having also supported its 2006 ‘Climate Change Declaration’ a year ago, but Labour wants to see the city stepping up real action to cool the planet, not just more warm word. more >
LABOUR DEMANDS PROPER CONSULTATION AND PUBLIC INQUIRY ON ALL CONGESTION OPTIONS FOR CAMBRIDGE
11 October 2007
The flawed congestion plan being decided by today's Tory County Council Cabinet is a rushed 'dash for cash' say city Labour representatives, with no proof that's it's the best deal for the future of the Cambridge. more >
Former Cambridge Mayor leads campaign to reverse cuts in Cambridge 'flower power'
16 September 2007
Many of the unique flower displays that make Cambridge parks and green spaces so special are to be chopped by Cambridge City Council to cut costs. more >
Toll plan gets slammed
CAMBRIDGE'S proposed road toll scheme has been accused of being badly thought out compared with the system planned for Manchester. more >
Labour demands affordable home guarantee from Lib Dem Council
8 July 2007
Responding to a report released today launching a citywide consultation by the Lib Dems on affordable homes, Cambridge Labour Councillors have hit out at Lib Dem Cambridge City Council for not doing enough to create local homes that people can afford to buy or rent. more >
£300,000 flats leave key workers stranded
Only London commuters will be able to afford flats being planned for Cambridge city centre, a local councillor has claimed. more >
A new Leader and new Prime Minister
27 June 2007
Cambridge Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson Daniel Zeichner today commented as Gordon Brown became new Prime Minister: more >
LONG-RUNNING ROADWORKS SHOULD BE IN GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS
15 June 2007
Coleridge Labour Councillors say that roadworks at a dangerous city junction that are several months overdue for completion should be entered in the Guinness Book of Records. more >
Gordon Brown accepts the nomination as Leader of the Labour Party
May 2007
I am truly humbled that so many of my colleagues have nominated me for the leadership of the Labour Party and I formally accept the nomination, the responsibility it brings, and the opportunity to serve the people of Britain. more >
Labour launches campaign to Save Open Spaces
Cambridge Labour Party will launch a campaign to Save Our Open Spaces on Saturday, 24th March, outside Tesco supermarket in Newmarket Rd., at 10am. more >
Local Cambridge Labour Councillors have also welcomed the Government's announcement of up to 60% extra funding for the Cambridge growth agenda
22 March 2007
Coun Lewis Herbert, Leader of the City Labour Group said: more >
Labour Councillors Call on City Lib Dems to End their Absurd Ban on Ceramic Vases at Cambridge Crematorium
19 March 2007
Cambridge Labour Councillors today called on the ruling City Council Lib Dems to reverse their proposed unilateral ban on ceramic vases at Cambridge Crematorium and local cemeteries, which in Labour's view is 'health and safety issue gone mad'. more >
Climate Change Debate Starts at Home
13 March 2007
Cambridge Labour Councillors are backing national Labour heavyweights Blair, Brown and Miliband in the battle against climate change, and have called for extra Government support to green the local planning system too, one of the most powerful UK weapons in the war on climate change. Councillors also plan a warm Cambridge welcome for climate change champion and Oscar winner Al Gore later this month. more >
Camboaters Update
12 March 2007
Labour councillors have been monotoring closely the negotiations between city council officers and Camboaters, which have ended in a climbdown by the council on proposals to charge VAT on mooring charges. more >
Lib Dem Recycling Lie
22 February 2007
In response to outrageous Lib Dem claims that the Labour group have proposed cutting the extension of recycling facilities in flats, Labour Leader Councillor Lewis Herbert today said: more >
"Arrogant" Lib Dems Accused of Adopting Budget before being agreed by Council
20 February 2007
Cambridge's Liberal Democrat Councillors have been branded as "arrogant" and accused of assuming a presidential style administration for publishing the City's Council budget before it has been debated, agreed and adopted by all Councillors later this week. more >
LABOUR'S ALTERNATE BUDGET FOR CAMBRIDGE WOULD DELIVER MORE SERVICES AND CUT COUNCIL TAX
7 February 2007
City Labour Councillors have published their alternative 2007 budget for Cambridge, proposing £300,000 in extra services for local residents and cutting the proposed Lib Dem 4.5% Council Tax increase down to 4%, to the same as level as the last two years. more >
Cambridge's Youth Champion attacks youth services cuts
19 February 2006
Cambridge's Youth Champion today attacked the city's ruling Liberal Democrats for failing to honour pledges over providing much-needed youth facilities in the city. more >
Lib Dem U Turn on Labour's Lost Trolley Law
4 February 2006
From the 7th of February the City Council will be fining any supermarket that does not remove trolleys left on the street within 24 hours of it being reported, using powers recently given to local authorities by the Labour government. more >
COLERIDGE COUNCILLORS THRILLED BY NEWS THAT FUTURE OF COLERIDGE SCHOOL HAS BEEN SECURED
29 January 2007
Coleridge Labour Councillors are thrilled by the news that Coleridge School now has a secure future as part of the Parkside Federation after years of uncertainty, and following the dropping of earlier county council plans to shift Coleridge pupils to a proposed new large school in Trumpington. more >
Labour leaders take affordable housing worries to minister
29 January 2007
Cambridge Labour leaders have met Housing Minister Yvette Cooper at Westminster to voice their concerns that plans for 20,000 badly needed affordable homes in the area could be at risk. more >
HGV ban decision 'unsafe', says mayor
23 January 2007
Cambridge Mayor Rob Dryden today branded a decision to reject his plea for a ban on heavy lorries using Cherry Hinton's narrow Lime Kiln Hill as "unsafe". more >
Crematorium decision 'heavy-handed'
16 January 2007
A leading opposition councillor is to urge Cambridge City Council to reverse its 'heavy-handed' decision to ban mementos from the city's crematorium. more >
Fight to save commons goes on
15 January 2007
The fight to save the commons of east Cambridge from being ploughed up for bus roads will be taken to a full meeting of the City Council next month. more >