Cambridge City Councillor for Petersfield and Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control, and Infrastructure
Today we were out and about in Trumpington talking to local people about the issues that really matter to them – local, national and even international.Not even the rain and the hailstorms could dampen our enthusiasm.. though our papers did get pretty damp! It was also good to see charging points outside some of the new houses.
We have been out campaigning again this morning, talking to local people about the issues that concern them, from Brexit to aircraft noise, along with worries about traffic congestion, road safety and the development of Cambridge.
If you weren’t in when we called, do get in touch – the details are on the leaflet – or just click here to send me an email.
As it was a sunny Sunday afternoon our canvassing today was lots of fun – and very good exercise, according to my Fitbit.
One of the issues raised was the poor drainage on the roads beside bus stops on Trumpington Road – something I could see when I went to have a look later. As an architect I design drainage, and I’m going to look into this one.
I live off Long Road, and my family and I cycle everywhere, so I’m pleased to see that the road will be improved for cyclists. I believe that this is also good for car users, as it makes things safer for everyone.
It’s been wonderful to have support from local Labour Party members on these canvassing sessions – if you’d like to join me, drop me an email and I’ll let you know where and when to meet.
On Saturday 21st January, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the USA, Cambridge Stand Up to Racism held a well-attended rally celebrating diverse, multicultural Cambridge, and standing up against racism, supported by a wide range of organisations. Daniel Zeichner, MP, was one of the speakers.
I couldn’t be there, because I was on the Women’s March in London, but my husband went to show our support for this important cause. Now, more than ever, we need to stand up and show that Cambridge is a city of refuge, a welcoming city, and a place where people can be safe.
(at the end it looked like we had support from the cast of The Archers, but that was just the way the banner was folded!)
Labour colleagues and I spent a busy afternoon walking around the new estates off Addebroooke’s Road hearing people’s concerns about their neighbourhoods. Some are worried that cars go too fast and don’t respect traffic lights, others are unhappy that rubbish from new developments is not being cleaned up fast enough, and is blowing around the streets – and we heard from some people who have slow access to the internet. All these are issues the Labour campaign team will take forward.
A group of us spent this morning canvassing some of the newly built areas in Trumpington and despite the rain it was a fun day and we learned a lot about the issues concerning local people, especially around traffic flows and broadband access.
I’ll be out again tomorrow afternoon – come rain or shine. But let’s hope it’s sunny!
Today in Cambridge the local Amnesty International group held a demonstration in support of the Truth for Giulio campaign.
Guilio Regeni disappeared on 25 January in Cairo, where he was researching independent trade unions for his PhD in Development Studies at the University of Cambridge.
On 3 February his body was found, bearing signs of severe torture which human rights groups say are the hallmarks of the Egyptian security forces.
It’s important that we discover what happened.
Every fortnight a Labour team spends some of Sunday afternoon in Trumpington Ward knocking on doors and asking people about local issues that concern them, so we can refer matters to our council team where they can help, or at least find out more about problems that people face.
Traffic congestion, graffiti and broken pavements were all issues raised last Sunday when we visited Bishop’s Road, and I’ve already been in touch with councillors and officers to see what can be done to help.
We’ll be back again on Sunday 11th – and if the weather is as cold as it was last weekend I’ll be wearing my bright orange jacket, so you should spot me from a long way away – do come and say hello!
I’ve been hearing and reading about the students and faculty members at Homerton College on Hills Road being ‘cut off’ by a proposed re-routing of the Uni4 bus route.
Buses are the primary public transport service in Cambridge and vital for people with any mobility problems so it’s important that Cambridge University hears that this is a bad decision!
You can read more about it here
http://thetab.com/…/20…/10/06/homerton-cut-off-society-81100
and here:
http://www.cam.ac.uk/…/better-connected-the-new-university-…
I have signed a petition set up by a student. Will you sign it too? Check it out here:
https://www.change.org/p/university-of-cambridge-stop-homer…
I’ve just come back from a busy Sunday afternoon in Trumpington Meadows and along Shelford Road, as one of a team of Labour volunteers aiming to talk to as many people as we could about the issues that matter to them.
You may have come home to find that we’ve left a leaflet at your house, and I hope you’ll get in touch to tell me about the things that concern you.
We heard people’s concerns about the quality of the new houses built at Trumpington, about the increased congestion on the roads making it harder for local residents to get around, and about the importance of reflecting global concerns about climate change in local policy – something that is very dear to my heart. Already the Labour team have passed these messages on to local councillors, and we’ll press them for answers.
We’ll be visiting every house in Trumpington ward between now and the election on May 4 2017, and I look forward to meeting and listening to many more people.
