Summary

  • Updates on Thursday, 19 May 2016

  • BBC hosts East Anglia devolution debate for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  • Police continue their investigation after a severed head was found in a Cambridgeshire quarry

  • Suffolk County Council says a pair of twins can go to the same school, after originally being told they'd be separated

  • A north Norfolk housing tenant says a mix-up means she's receiving energy bills for all her 10 neighbours

  • Updates resume at 08:00 on Friday

  1. Mum 'ecstatic' now her twins will go to the same schoolpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Philippa Taylor
    BBC Local Live

    Hayley Duffety, who'd been told her twins would have to attend different schools four miles apart, says she's ecstatic Suffolk County Council has had a rethink and they'll now be together.

    Holly and Elliot DuffetyImage source, Hayley Duffety

    She said: "I'm so, so pleased. I told the twins straight away and there was lots of laughing and smiling and 'yes, we're going to wear the same uniform'."

  2. Men charged after man stabbed in Peterboroughpublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Alex Pope
    BBC Local Live

    Three men have been charged after a man was seriously hurt in a stabbing on Lincoln Road in Peterborough yesterday morning. 

    Two Peterborough men in their 20s have been charged with wounding with intent and violent disorder.

    A 21-year-old man from Corby, Northamptonshire, has also been charged with possession of a weapon in a public place. 

    Two other men have been bailed until 15th June, while a 45-year-old man from Wisbech has been released with no further action. 

  3. Trespassers on track causing train delayspublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    There are delays on Abellio Greater Anglia trains between Ipswich and Cambridge due to trespassers on the track.

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  4. Police cordon remains in place in severed head investigationpublished at 12:56 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Sam Edwards
    BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

    A police cordon remains in place at a quarry in Mepal in Cambridgeshire, three days after the discovery of a human head.

    Investigations are also continuing at a construction site in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, where it is believed the head came from.

    Mepal siteImage source, PA

    A post-mortem examination yesterday threw up no further evidence.

    Police say nothing further has been found and no more updates on the investigation are expected today.

  5. Devolution debate: Your tweetspublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Thanks to those who have been airing their views about devolution on Twitter, using #BBCDevoDebate, external.

    Here are some of the comments that have come in.

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  6. Information struggle over devolutionpublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    This was the first chance for the public to debate devolution and one thing was very clear - they feel they're being kept in the dark. 

    From the audience in the room, to those listening on radio or following the debate on social media, there was a common complaint - why are these changes being proposed, and why aren't we being consulted?

    That's because up until now the talks about transferring powers from Whitehall to East Anglia have been complicated and theoretical. 

    Exactly what powers will be transferred, will they go to one big authority or two smaller authorities, how will the money be divided up, what will it mean for people in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire? It's all still largely unknown.

  7. Weather: Bright and sunny spellspublished at 12:13 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Elizabeth Rizzini
    BBC Look East weather

    Today is likely to be a warmer day than yesterday with bright spells.

    The bulk of the day is staying dry. A few spots of rain in the west later in the day, but the east will be staying dry until after dark.

    Highs of 19C (66F). 

  8. Post debate reaction: NFUpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Woodger
    BBC News

    Stephen Rash, a representative from the Suffolk branch of farmers' union NFU, said: "Cambridge has a lot of biotech industries, but their attitude seems conceited and they're not interested in Norfolk or Suffolk.

    "The key issues are transport, housing and education, and I don't think we need a new mayor or combined authority to look at them."

    Stephen Rash
  9. Post debate reaction: Railfuturepublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Woodger
    BBC News

    Peter Wakefield of Railfuture, which campaigns for better railways, said: "Three counties is too small as rail and roads are part of a wider network.

    "We need a separate statutory body with its own budget and powers, similar to Transport to London, which would also cover Herts, Essex, Beds, Bucks and Oxfordshire."

    Peter Wakefield
  10. Post debate reaction: Cambridge estate agentpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Woodger
    BBC News

    David Henry, of Savills estate agents in Cambridge, said a lack of housing and space for businesses was an issue.

    "If a new combined authority has executive powers to work across existing council borders, that would be a good thing for housing and planning, because the existing set-up of county and district councils is too slow," he said.

    David Henry
  11. Devolution: What could happen next?published at 11:42 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    We've heard the story so far, but what is due to happen in the next few months?

    Here's a timetable of what the future could hold:

    • 27 May: Councils have to reach provisional agreement on devolution among themselves, after which there'll be public consultation. Councils will vote on it before it's passed to the government
    • End of June: Deadline for proposals to be delivered to the government
    • July: If councils reach an agreement to have a devolved authority (or authorities), the government will start legislation to enable a mayor (or mayors) to be created
    • November: Government will give the final go-ahead to the plans
    • May 2017: Election to be held for a regional mayor (or mayors)
  12. Defining the borders of East Angliapublished at 11:31 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Laurence Cawley
    BBC News

    We've just hosted a big East Anglia devolution debate on BBC Radio Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, discussing the government's plans to give extra powers to the region.

    But where exactly is East Anglia? Big Brother's Jane Goody infamously didn't know where "East Angular" was, but she's not alone in being unable to define where it is.

    East AngliaImage source, BBC/VizMaps

    The Anglo-Saxon kingdom covered Norfolk, Suffolk and part of what is now Cambridgeshire, while the BBC's Eastern region includes Essex and extends as far west as Northampton and Milton Keynes.

    Many other organisations, such as the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service, have differing interpretations. 

  13. Prospective candidate for East Anglian mayor gives us his thoughtspublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Andrew Woodger
    BBC News

    One audience member at the devolution debate was Ely businessman Peter Dawes, who has put himself forward to become an East Anglian mayor - if one comes to fruition.

    He's a UKIP member, but said he would stand as an independent.

    Peter Dawes

    He said: "Quite often the failure to deliver housing, such as at Longstanton near Cambridge, is down to council boundaries.

    "The key thing about a merger is they can make a decision for the whole area."

  14. Rural issues raised during debatepublished at 11:05 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Robert Sheasby, who represents farmers' union NFU in the East, told the debate agriculture was a billion pound industry in the region.

    "We have to find places for food to be produced and for people to live." 

    "There are a lot of questions that need answering in this deal, to make sure we get the balance right." 

  15. Devolution debate wrapped-uppublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    The live devolution debate on BBC Local Radio has now finished, but stay with us while we bring you more comments and reaction, plus the rest of the day's news for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. 

    You can listen again to the debate on the BBC iPlayer from about 1pm.

  16. Summing-up from panel memberspublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    As the devolution debate draws to a close, the panel is asked for their closing thoughts:

    • Andy Wood: "We haven't communicated well enough. I want us to start communicating about this, it's a vital issue, it’s a massive decision for us all"
    • Patrick O'Flynn: "I don't think there's any chance a provisional agreement will be reached by Friday week"
    • Colin Noble: "People need information, there'll be public consultation. It's a journey about how we come together and solve some of the very difficult problems in the region"
    • David Cleevely: "It comes back to the point of connectivity, if we have enough. Do I agree about the three county thing? I'm in favour of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, not all three"
    • Lucy Nethsingha: "There's a real need for councils to work together. I would be happy to see Cambridgeshire County Council abolished and power to be devolved to local people"
    Devolution debate panel
  17. Communication about devolution 'poor', says Adnams CEOpublished at 10:37 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

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  18. Homes must be at the 'right price' for local peoplepublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Claire Astbury from the East of England Housing Federation says the devolution deal could meant better collaboration and an overall vision when it comes to house building. 

    "Getting the right mixture right is important as you need to build homes for people on medium and low incomes," she said.

    "It's all about getting the right homes in the right place at the right price." 

  19. Fast-rising house prices discussedpublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

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  20. Devolution debate discusses housingpublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 19 May 2016

    Devolution could mean 69,000 new homes are built in the three counties by 2021 - and there will be a fund of £175m to make it happen. 

    House building

    Kevin Price, from Cambridge City Council, says he doesn't think devolution is the answer. 

    He says the main problem in Cambridge is "affordability".

    With a lack of housing at low rents in the area he feels it could form a kind of "social cleansing", with people who can't afford to live in Cambridge moving out to cheaper areas.