Chatteris to celebrate completion of £1m project
Celebrations are planned to mark the completion of a £1m project in a market town.Chatteris Town Council has opened a new museum for the town, refurbished its council chambers and provided five community rooms. The project has been funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and its completion will be celebrated in an event on Friday. Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: "This project is a shining example of how targeted investment can breathe new life into our communities."
The town council has converted the former Barclays Bank on Park Street into a museum and community room with commercial offices above. The former museum building shut in 2021 and it started moving its collections in 2023 after outgrowing the premises. The council was then able to move into the building and expand its chambers and offices while extending part of the first floor into residential flats. It said rental income from the flats would go towards community events including the Christmas Lights, In Bloom, youth services, the Pocket Park and Citizens Advice Bureau. Johnson said: "By transforming a disused building into a vibrant hub for culture, services, and community engagement, we're not only preserving the heritage of Chatteris but also ensuring its future as a thriving town centre."The new museum, expanded council facilities, and accessible community rooms will serve as invaluable assets for residents and visitors alike."
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Economic truths show how independent Scotland and Wales can succeed
Slowly but steadily, the size of our movements is coalescing. A recent poll reported a figure as high as 40% in support of Welsh independence (from 17% in 2014). Polls in Scotland still regularly suggest a figure around 50%. READ MORE: 'What is our vision?': Inside the quiet anger brewing within the SNP With the shared vision for a new society, there are many areas which individual supporters would highlight. Some would see a society that has more respect for our environment, that better understands its place in the world, or a greater role for the native language. Within the myriad differences that motivate independence supporters, we suggest that three areas stand out: independence is a cultural, democratic, and economic project. Independent nations tend to better value and invest greater resources in their unique culture and heritage. It would be hard to imagine that a cultural outpouring would not follow independence for Scotland and Wales. The very act of independence boosts democracy. With the end of devolved settlements, power would be returned closer to the people. But the case for the economy is quite different. Can we actually define our economy? Firstly, what do we mean by a better economy? How do we measure prosperity? Does fairness and justice define or simply influence the way we structure production, consumption and the disposal of resources? And the most important question for those both inside and outside of the independence movement: will we be better off as an independent nation or as part of the UK? One way to approach this question is to examine our current standard of living within the Union. In 2022, Welsh GDP per person was around 25% lower than the UK average, while Scotland's GDP per capita was closer to the UK average. This shows the starting positions of our economies as we consider independence. However, it says little about our daily lives or wellbeing. Reflecting on the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, the case for a wealthier society through independence rested largely on hope. At the time, the UK economy was in a phase of fiscal austerity, later linked to as many as 300,000 premature deaths. Yet, despite the obvious pain, the broader UK economy still appeared relatively stable. How wrong we were. The economic story of the UK in the last forty years is one of decline. There are now close to five times as many working families below the poverty line as in the 1970s. Young people need to raise nine times their average earnings to afford a home when, in the mid-1990s, it was only four times. There is also a growing class divide. During a 'cost of living crisis', energy companies and banks have seen historic profits – Barclays Bank has made £2.7 billion profit so far this year. Homeowners pay only 18% of their income on their homes, while private renters pay 32%. We see boarded-up shops in even the wealthiest parts of our nations. From vast tracts of rural land to small urban community spaces, our land is used to hold products and services that are only consumed by the wealthiest in society. READ MORE: What will work – and what won't – if the SNP want to stop Reform Over the last decade, the UK economy and society have begun to buckle under the strain of increasing inequality. Both are structurally unsound due to the resources drained into London and the south east, primarily to support an extractive financial services sector. We lack economic resilience, relying as we do on a limited number of service sectors. We have an economy that relies on poverty wages (at best) and a precarious workforce. 'Bullshit jobs', as economic anthropologist David Greaber terms them, deplete our natural resources while adding little to our economic or personal wellbeing. Over-financialisation has created a society that knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing. To quote Greaber, we live in a society where 'the more one's work is seen as socially useful … the less one is likely to be paid for it." As with every society, the economic direction of the nation has been constructed by an establishment through its large and powerful institutions. In the United Kingdom, the City of London, much of the foreign-owned media, the Bank of England, 'elite' public schools and universities, the Treasury, UK-based multinationals and the UK Government have created these dire economic conditions. The UK is an anachronism, institutionally designed to suck wealth from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the periphery of England. It is designed to reward the already wealthy by capturing our common wealth. It survives by using austerity – fiscal, industrial and monetary – to keep the majority in check. It undermines our social cohesion by othering minorities. There is now ample evidence that independence for Scotland and Wales would result in a stronger economy than remaining in the UK. The economics of independence Central to the economic success of both Scotland and Wales, underpinned by each country's sovereign currency, will be an increase in public expenditure. In his book Shattered Nation, economic geographer professor Danny Dorling highlights the state we are in: 'Overall, UK public spending as a percentage of GDP fell below that of Spain in the 1980s, and below that of Greece in the 1990s. By 2005, it was already lower than almost every other Western European nation.' READ MORE: Scottish independence 'already begun as UK political culture diverges', Danny Dorling says Scotland and Wales must redress this decline. Both nations are in desperate need of significant public expenditure, especially in transportation, telecommunications, housing stock and infrastructure to support electrification. Both governments will embark on their independent journey, looking out over a stock of public resources that need reshaping and reengineering. The call on the public purse will be significant without question, stretching beyond any similar deficit rules currently curtailing expenditure in the UK. Where does the money come from? For many who oppose independence, their argument stops right there. They claim that Scotland and Wales would lack the tax base to generate enough revenue to fund such large-scale spending. They would add that no financial institutions will lend them the money they require. However, an understanding of money, debt, the role of taxes, and borrowing that delves beneath the surface of most commentators' economic understanding paints a very different picture for small and medium-sized wealthy European nations, such as Scotland and Wales. Insights from Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) can empower two progressive governments in Cardiff and Edinburgh. The Bank of England headquarters in central LondonThese new monetary sovereign governments, issuing their own currency on the day of independence, can utilise the power of the public purse to create an infrastructure for prosperity by engaging in deficit spending to offset decades of low public expenditure. Spending can be mission-led, focusing on eliminating poverty, achieving low emissions and material consumption, creating a care economy, or building local, regional and national resilience. Meaningful targets that challenge and define our society, instead of the artificial fiscal targets that stymie much-needed spending by the UK Government. After independence, both governments will regulate their own financial services sectors, which can be designed for public purpose rather than profit. Bonds do not fund government spending in a monetary sovereign state, and both nations will likely release their own debt to ensure that the private sector has safe investments in both Welsh and Scottish currencies. Their central banks can decide what rate of interest to reward their few commercial banks that hold central bank reserves or government bonds. READ MORE: Jonathon Shafi: The referendum didn't just spook the British establishment Taxes can fulfil their true purpose by reducing inequality, controlling production and consumption habits, creating space for public expenditure, and underpinning the value of the currency. For a monetary sovereign government, taxes do not fund government spending. Paradigm-shifting insights from MMT open up a progressive route for our two new states. The current 'austerity paradigm' that controls the UK will never support the progressive agenda that drives both independence movements. If our movements are to achieve a progressive destination, they must embrace a new economic framework. Armed with real-world knowledge, the answer to that all-important question: will we be better off than we are as part of the UK? It is simple to answer. Yes, we will. However, our economic journey is by no means a simple or painless one. The decades in which we grow up as independent nations will be among the most challenging for every single nation. The GDP of many nations will likely decline over those decades as the impact of centuries of economic and ecological mismanagement takes hold. It will take time to build nations that are self-sufficient and can withstand wide price swings in international commodity markets. It will take years to build our own energy, food and technological sovereignty. Both new nations will be bound to a moribund larger nation to Scotland's south and Wales's east, a nation that will likely find a progressive path harder to follow. The amount of debt held by the Scottish and Welsh private sectors in Sterling may slow our progress towards prosperity. With a desire to avoid fiscal austerity, our currencies may have to be devalued. Tough decisions lie ahead. However, with independence, it is sovereign Welsh and Scottish citizens who make those decisions. William Thomson is the founder of Scotonomics, Mark Hooper is a Plaid Cymru councillor, and Kairin van Sweeden is an SNP councillor. Supported by Yes Cymru, Scotonomics is running two events that will explain how monetary sovereignty must be at the centre of our economic visions for independence: Glasgow on July 11 and Cardiff on July 18.
Finextra
a day ago
- Finextra
Barclays to roll out Microsoft Co-Pilot to 100,000 staff
Barclays Bank is to extend its delivery of Microsoft Co-Pilot AI agents to 100,000 staff worldwide. 0 Microsoft 365 Copilot will be integrated into the bank's own staff productivity tool, creating a single agent for employee self-service such as booking business travel, checking policy compliance, or finding answers to HR-related questions. An agentic dashboard accessed by Microsoft Viva will be deployed to help staff with 'moments that matter', like booking desks or annual leave, as well as serving personalised news and announcements. Craig Bright, Group CIO and deputy Group co-chief operating officer, Barclays, says: 'At Barclays, we've been leveraging the power of AI, and now GenAI, to drive deeper insights, improve efficiency and create more intuitive experience across the organisation. 'Our roll-out of Copilot, integrated with our colleague productivity tool, is a significant step forward in simplifying the way we work, making it easier to get things done." The agreement follows a successful initial deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot across 15,000 Barclays employees and builds on the bank's adoption of Microsoft Teams as its preferred collaboration platform, and the deployment of Microsoft Viva Engage as its employee community tool.
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Leader Live
Holywell's new Mayor on his plans to support the community
Cllr Matt Sprake was just recently elected Mayor of Holywell. He grew up in Bagillt and attended Holywell High School, before studying at Loughborough University. After living and working in London for ten years, he returned home and settled in Greenfield. Now, he is aiming to make the most of his role as Mayor, helping 'strengthen partnership working across the community' and take on challenges of his own for the benefit of the community too. Cllr Sprake said: "Greenfield is home, and I love living here. We're lucky to have some incredible local assets with huge potential. There's little better after a long day than walking my dog through Greenfield Valley or along the coastal path. Like any resident, I want the best for our community. "It's a real honour to be elected by my fellow councillors. Their trust is humbling, and it's a responsibility I take seriously. But ultimately, the role isn't about me — it's about the office, what it represents, and fundamentally our town. "I know the role of Mayor is largely civic and ceremonial, but a simple aim of any leadership role should be to build on the past, and leave things in a better place than where they found them. I pay tribute to my predecessor, Cllr Linda Corbett, who certainly achieved that, and I hope to do the same. "One of my priorities is to promote and grow our local events. I'd encourage everyone to save the dates, come along, and see what our town has to offer. "I also want to strengthen partnership working across the community. There's a real sense that Holywell and Greenfield are on the brink of something special." He added: "Greenfield Valley has a bold ten-year vision with concept designs now published. The Holywell Placemaking Plan lays out a framework for revitalising our town. "The campaign for a Greenfield Railway Station, which I've worked on for several years and helped to progress, has recently gained fresh support from the Welsh Transport Minister, and the Town Council has also received its Destination Management and Marketing Plan which we can now start to enact. "If we can bring these strands together into a joined-up strategy, we could create real momentum for growth, aspiration, and opportunity. It won't happen overnight, but I hope we can look back and say we helped spark that change." In recent times, anti-social behaviour has been a concern for the residents of Holywell. Persistent issues have been raised via social media, as well aswith the council and North Wales Police. Asked about how he plans to hep tackle this type of crime, the Mayor said: "I met with our local police recently, and at the moment, there are no significant ongoing problems, but things can change quickly as such issues are cyclical. READ MORE He added: "I'm reassured our local police are well placed to respond and de-escalate when necessary. I would encourage residents to report any antisocial behaviour via 101 or the online portal. Of course, in any emergency, always call 999. "I know people sometimes feel that reporting doesn't lead to action. But reports help police build a picture of what's happening. The more intelligence they receive, the better their ability to act effectively. "Recently, we saw a spike in burglaries in Greenfield. In response, I proposed the council support a SmartWater initiative. SmartWater is a forensic liquid that marks valuables and helps police identify stolen items — it carries a 100% conviction rate in contested cases where it's used and therefore a significant deterrent to criminals. "Normally retailing at £60, we're offering kits to Holywell and Greenfield residents for just £10. To apply, contact the Town Clerk at: As well as tackling crime, Cllr Sprake will also be tackling 10K races to help raise money for three local causes via his fundraiser which can be donated to here. Kim Inspire, Age & Dementia Friendly Holywell and Holywell and Greenfield Churches will all benefit from his running. He said: "Every pound raised will go directly to these charities, split equally at the end of my term." Among the big events coming up in Holywell, being promoted by the Mayor, are; Food and Drink Festival (June 21), Party in the Park (July 26) and Pirate Festival (August 16). Follow the Holywell Town Council Facebook page for all the latest updates.
