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News from before May 1997

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[index] Katrina's Euro hopes - (22/4/97)

Singer Katrina Leskanich of Newmarket and guitarist/song-writer Kimberly Rew (previously of Robyn Hitchcock's Soft Boys) are hopeful of winning at this year's Eurovision Song Contest with their song 'Love Shine A Light'.

Their band 'Katrina and The Waves' shot to fame in 1985 with the song 'Walking on Sunshine'.

25 countries will be competing to win the competition to be held in Dublin in early May.

[index] Jim's Euro nightmare. - (22/4/97)

South East Cambridgeshire's Tory candidate James Paice made national news last week by expressing his opposition to joining a single European currency. The statement goes against the Government's 'wait-and-see' policy on the issue and is not likely to help the Conservative Government get re-elected in the general election next month.

Mr. Paice is the Government's under-secretary for employment and education.

[index] Candidate denies Tories want war in Europe - (22/4/97)

The Tory Candidate for Cambridge has denied that a leaflet delivered to homes in the city claiming to be from the Conservatives had anything to do with his party. The leaflet said that the party wants to end old-age pensions, declare war on Europe and beat up police suspects.

In the Cambridge Evening News last week, candidate Platt is quoted as saying, "I am concerned... ...as it appears to be a sick attempt to frighten the ill and the elderly".

[index] Lies, damn lies and election flyer statisics - (22/4/97)

South East Cambridgeshire's Labour candidate Rex Collinson has hit out at a Liberal Democrat bar chart which he says incorrectly shows the Liberal democrats getting around twice the number of votes as Labour at the last election.
Sal Brinton, Liberal Democrat candidate for the seat was quoted in the Cambridge Evening News as saying, "There are no figures on the axes of the chart, and we have been the second party in the constituency for the past 18 years".

[index] Chatteris - Naked body mystery - (15/4/97)

The naked body of Chatteris father-of-four, Tommy Shepherd, was found last Sunday. The partially concealed body was discovered by a passing cyclist at Horseway Drove.

A police spokesman said that there is no doubt that the death is suspicious. A post mortem has been carried out but was inconclusive.

Shepherd had been missing for six days before the discovery of his body.

Police are keen to find Shepherd's clothes and to discover the wherabouts of the Volvo car he drove.

Information about what might have happened can be passed on to the incident room at March on 01480 456111 ext 6455 or 6458 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 14//4/97 and 15/4/97

[index] Volunteers build hides at Wicken Fen - (15/4/97)

Volunteers have been working on a scheme sponsored by Eastern Group PLC to build new bird hides at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve. A team of 30 Eastern Group employees are living on the reserve while they complete the work.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 14/4/97

[index] Cathedral cash plea - (15/4/97)

Ely cathedral has made a plea to South Cambridgeshire District Council for Ł100,000 to help pay for restoration work. The money will go towards the Ł1.5 million pounds still needed to pay for the Ł11 million pound North Choir restoration.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 14/4/97

[index] Channel 5 does not reach Ely - (7/4/97)

The new national terrestrial television channel isn't quite so national. It is inaccessible to just about everyone from the Cambridge and Ely area other than those few people who are willing to buy signal boosting equipment or who subscribe to the Cambridge Cable service.

A Channel 5 spokesman told the Cambridge Evening News that they are hoping that a new transmitter will come on line in Sudbury in September. However, the paper said that the transmitter will not serve the Cambridge and Ely areas.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 26/3/95.

[index] Nutritional advice clinic - (7/4/97)

A nutritional therapy clinic is now available in Littleport. The clinic is held at the Crown Treatment Centre, Crown Lane, from 1pm to 5pm on Friday afternoons.

[index] Cost of inspection - Bottisham - (7/4/97)

On March 26th, the Cambridge Evening News reported that teachers are annoyed that the Government is to spend Ł35,000 on an inspection of Bottisham Village College. Inspectors from the Government's Office for Standards in Education gave the school an extremely good report in March 1994 and are now set to return to the school in the autumn.

The newspaper report said that teachers are annoyed that so much money would be spent on an inspection in a time when swingeing cuts are being made. The cost of the inspection would pay for two teachers.

[index] Arts venue decision quashed - (1/4/97)

The Arts Strategy Working Party recommendation made last week was that a Ł5 million performing arts centre should be built at the Kings School in Ely instead of a Ł1.4 million at the Ely Community College. However, East Cambridgeshire District Council as a whole voted 17 votes to 5 in favour of the Community College plan after a lengthy debate at a full council meeting last Thursday.

The plan is to be the basis of a National Lottery bid.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 28/3/97

- Last week's story

[index] Recycling programme in jeopardy - (1/4/97)

A district councillor has claimed that a new door to door recycling collection scheme may be in jeopardy since the private contractor is not making collections on time.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 28/3/97

[index] New nature reserve - (24/3/97)

A new grassland nature reserve opened at the Isleham railway cutting last month.

[index] Performing arts centre venue row - (24/3/97)

A row has broken out over whether a major new performing arts venue should be built at the King's School in Ely or at Ely Community College. A final decision on the East Cambridgeshire District Council's Arts Strategy Working Party recommendation is expected to be made at a full council meeting on March 27th.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 19/3/97

[index] Election candidates - (24/3/97)

Candidates who will be fighting for the South East Cambridgeshire constituency seat in the general election on May 1st include:
James Paice (Conservative) - current S.E. Cambs MP
Rex Collinson (Labour)
Sal Brinton (Liberal Democrat)
John Howlett (Referendum Party)

[index] Ely millenium maze - (24/3/97)

The recent unsuccessful bid for millenium funds has not deterred the dean and chapter of Ely cathedral from forging ahead with plans to build a giant maze. Planning permission has been sought to build the yew hedge maze on the ground between the Forehill carpark and the cathedral known as the Dean's Paddock.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 17/3/97

[index] Farmland museum tribute - (24/3/97)

The new Delanoy Visitors' Centre at the Farmland Museum at Denny Abbey was named as a tribute to the family who collected most of the exhibits. The Delanoy family ran the original museum for 25 years from their home in Haddenham.

The new Farmland Museum at Denny Abbey was opened last weekend by Lloyd Grossman

[index] Fighting off the human tide - (10/3/97)

Peter Dawe recently sold his share of Unipalm Pipex (as UUNet Pipex used to be called) and made a lot of money. He is now putting his energy into trying to slow down the growth of Cambridge. On March 5th. the Cambridge Evening News newspaper declared one of his aims is to publish a brochure "depromoting" Cambridge to potential companies considering moving to the area.

[index] When the levee breaks... - (10/3/97)

There is an ex nuclear war strategic command bunker under the Cambridgeshire County Council buildings - which has been re-established as a strategic command center in case of catestrophic flooding. Perhaps someone should tell strategic command that basements aren't the ideal place to be in a flood.

[index] Paedophile jail sentence - (10/3/97)

Wilburton paedophile Keith Laverack has been sent to jail for 18 years.

[index] Man calls for wheelchair death inquiry - (21/2/97)

A man from Littleport is calling for an inquiry into the death of his sister who was involved in an accident whilst on a nursing home day trip to Hunstanton. The woman died in Addenbrooke's hospital eight days after her wheelchair fell off the promenade onto the beach below.

[index] IRA prison warders found dead - (21/2/97)

On the 13th. of February the 'Cambridge Evening News' reported that police were investigating the death of a Whitemoor prison officer found in the Forty Foot Drain at Chatteris. The man disappeared in March 1995, two days after being suspended for allegedly supplying toiletries to prisoners. His decomposed body was found strapped into his submerged car during an operation to recover stolen vehicles earlier this month.

His disappearance was initially thought by some to have possibly been connected with the breakout of five IRA men and an armed robber from Whitemoor in September 1994. Police have dismissed any link with the death of a female prison officer from Whitemoor whose body was found in the back seat of a car submerged in the near-by Twentyfoot River a few weeks earlier. She had been about to give evidence at the trial of the escapers.

She had apparently lost control of her car while driving at speed round the sharp Stag's Holt Bend.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 24/1/97 and 13/2/97

[index] Wicken Fen - Ł100,000 to restore bitterns' habitat - (10/2/97)

Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve has been awarded a Ł100,000 slice of a grant from the European Union's Environment Programme. The money will be used for work on reed-beds - ultimately in an attempt to restore the fortunes of one of Britain's most endangered birds, the bittern.

Throughout the country, the destruction of reed-beds, land drainage and declining water quality has brought about an almost complete disappearance of bitterns.

The species was spotted for the first time in a year last weekend at Wicken Fen.

[index] Flooded underpass - Railtrack responded eventually - (10/2/97)

A local councillor apparently managed to shame Railtrack into taking action to clear two feet of water from a railway underpass at Littleport. He set up a one-man ferry service for people and dogs wishing to cross.

Railtrack had previously claimed the three month old problem was complicated to solve. However, shortly after the story of the ferry service appeared in the local press, a ditch was cleared which allowed the flood to drain away. The work was done by the Littleport and Downham Internal Drainage Board.

- based on information published in the 'Soham Advertiser' of 6/2/97.

[index] Setback for Soham Fen Centre - (4/2/97)

Soham town councillor, Murray Jones' plan for a Fens Heritage Centre in Soham suffered a major setback when the county council failed to hand over the 12.14 Hectares of land required for the scheme. However, in last Thursday's 'Cambridge Evening News' the councillor was reported to have said that although he was disappointed, he was not defeated.

[index] Money found for teachers and social services - (4/2/97)

The county council previously would have had us believe that there was a cash shortfall. The extra money found will only bring the budgets up to the level of last year.

- based on information published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 29/1/97.

[index] Duchess depreciation? - (4/2/97)

At the auction of a race horse breeders' estate at Tattersall's in Newmarket, a porcelain figure of the Duchess of York failed to raise its estimated value. The Royal Doulton figure of Fergie in her wedding gown was sold for Ł75 to an undisclosed buyer. Its original cost, from around the time of the Royal Wedding in 1986, was estimated to have been between Ł100 to Ł200. An auctioneer thought the item had kept its value.

- based on a story published in the 'Cambridge Evening News' of 30/1/97

[index] How to create a million jobs - (4/2/97)

The founding editor of the Cambridge Journal of Economics has said 'The present time is a critical time for economies and economics'.

A study by the journal indicates that a modest increase in spending could create a million good quality new jobs. After around Ł10 billion is saved in benefit payments and increased tax revenues, the net cost of such a scheme would be Ł7 billion - most of which could be recouped via a new tax band at Ł40,000 and from the release of money from council house sales.

The Cambridge Evening News quotes the editor as saying, 'Fresh ideas and analysis are needed in the light of persisting unemployment and threat of inflation, increasing inequality and uncertainty of incomes, the changing nature of employment and the widening divide between nations'.

- based on information published in 'The Cambridge Evening News' of 3/2/97.

[index] Award for Soham firm - (4/2/97)

A.A. Griggs of Soham was nominated as 'Distribution Company of the Year' by the Institute of Transport Management.

[index] Government not organic friendly - (4/2/97)

The director of the Soil Association has described how government subsidies are discouraging farmers from producing organic crops. In a Commons Select Committee he gave the example of a 2,000 acre (809 hectare) farm in the eastern counties. A farm could receive Ł190,000 a year in arable area aid payments using conventional farming methods. Since organic farming requires the planting of non-aid-eligible fertilility-building crops like clover between harvests, the aid payments would drop to as low as Ł95,000 a year. Hence the Ł31,000 the farmer might recieve under the Organic Aid Scheme and the premium price for the crop would not make up the difference to the amount made by non-organic farmers. He said he reckoned that organic farming was a commercial option for perhaps 20% of East Anglian farms.

He told the committee that only 0.3 per cent of UK agricultural land was was farmed organically, the lowest percentage of any EU member state. The average European figure was more than 1 per cent.

The UK was also bottom of the league in its support for farmers converting to organic methods. UK farmers get Ł82 per hectare for the 1st two years compared with an average of Ł200 per hectare across the EU.

The lack of home grown organic produce means that supermarkets are importing it.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 27/1/97.

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