BUS CUTS WILL STRAND WORKERS, STUDENTS

Residents and councillors have warned thousands of workers and students could be stranded if their evening bus services are axed.

Services in the Newmarket area are among those affected by Cambridgeshire County Council’s proposal to save £300,000 by reducing its support for uneconomic services.

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JOB LOSSES FEARED ACROSS CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Nearly one in 10 workers in the East of England are not confident they will hold onto their jobs over the next year, according to a new poll.

A YouGov survey for the TUC found 7% of the region’s labour force – equivalent to 181,000 employees – feared they might face redundancy within the next 12 months.

And while that’s the lowest figure in the UK, compared to 13% nationwide, Cambridgeshire and the surrounding counties came out bottom for workers saying they were “very confident” of hanging onto their jobs.

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In related news, the Daily Mail reported recently:

Around two million people will be unemployed by Christmas as the credit crunch bites, a key Bank of England policymaker warned yesterday.

Professor David Blanchflower said he predicts 2,000 people will lose their jobs every day over the next four months.

This would take unemployment levels to their highest since Labour came to power in 1997.

For families up and down the country, redundancy would be devastating at a time of soaring household bills.

Millions of people are barely coping with rising food, fuel and gas bills, and will be crippled if they lose their job  -  particularly if they are the sole breadwinner.

Young people will also be affected, with ‘no jobs’ for hundreds of thousands of children when they leave school, he warned.

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‘NO MORE CHEAP MIGRANT LABOUR’ WHINE BOSSES

Food and drink manufacturers in the east of England have warned that a fall in numbers of migrant workers is threatening the stability of the region’s £8.8 billion industry.

A new study published by Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, reports that a quarter of food and drink companies in the eastern region now employ workers from abroad, with an average of four employed per company.

But the report also shows that, after a period of rapid increase sparked by the admission of several eastern European countries to the EU in 2004, numbers of migrant workers are now falling, causing a headache for companies which rely on them as a labour source.

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SQUATTERS + OLD BILL = TROUBLE

After the eviction of the Mill Road Social Centre on the 1st of August, the squatters moved to the Rose and Crown on Occupation Road, near the Grafton in Cambridge.

After two night-time break-ins at the recently squatted Rose and Crown the residents have left the building in order to ensure their own safety, while criticising the state for failing to protect them. So no more going round hoping for a free pint and a disco. The police and representatives of the owner were also showing a high level interest in the place, and there’s a court hearing coming up seeking a possession order. Allegedly the building is to have new tenants and isn’t to be knocked down as was first thought. All in all, more hassle than it’s worth.

SAVE OUR BUS SERVICE!

Villagers say they will be cut off from Cambridge because their bus services face the axe.

Horningsea has a minimum of two buses a day in each direction on the 196 service, which is run by Whippet Coaches and subsidised by Cambridgeshire County Council.

In May, Stagecoach agreed to run more buses through the village from Waterbeach for six months.

But villagers are dismayed that Stagecoach is to withdraw its number 8 services because it is not commercially viable – the county council could withdraw its subsidy for the 196 service, which would also cease to run through the village.

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LOCAL RECORD LABEL RELEASES ANTI-FASCIST CD

Repeat Records, based right here in Cambridge, has released a CD to raise awareness about the growing strength of the racist far-right — specifically, the British National Party (BNP).The 23-track compilation CD “Keep Britain Tidy” features a range of independent and punk bands, available for a very decent £3!

You can buy the CD here.

LABOUR COY ABOUT POST OFFICE CLOSURES

City Labour representatives have responded to news that three small Cambridge Sub-Post Offices are proposed for closure, subject to consultation over the summer

33 Regent Street – opposite Downing College

2a Trumpington Street – near the Judge Management Institute, and

St John’s Post Office – beside Hills Road 6th Form College,

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.

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BUS ROUTES THREATENED BY NEW CUTS

A £300,000 cut will be made to subsidised bus services, threatening the future of nine routes across the county.

Cambridgeshire County Council has announced a six week public consultation on plans to reduce or withdraw services including the X14 Huntingdon – Cambridge Science Park; 196 Waterbeach – Fen Ditton – Cambridge; and 2 Cambridge – Hardwick – Caldecote buses.

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DISTRICT COUNCIL: STAFF ‘WILL WORK AT CHRISTMAS’

Staff will have to work over Christmas to keep council offices open.

South Cambridgeshire District Council will ask workers to volunteer to provide a skeleton service, despite a backlash from staff who claim morale is at an all-time low.

Councillors were asked to look again at the decision after union Unison complained the ruling was unfair.

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NURSE LOOKS BACK AT NIHS, 60 YEARS ON

Roberta Cannon from Cambridge was one of the NHS’s first nurses.

She began her training as a State Registered Nurse in 1945, earning £3, two shillings and sixpence a month – £3.25 in today (Monday, 11 August)’s money.

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