We review Portsmouth City Council’s meeting of the Full Council July 15th 2025 - what were the big items on the agenda? Which were controversial ? Where was there harmony? Where was there heated debate? In this meeting the council discussed:- 🗳️ an update on the government's Local Government Reorganisation and what that means for Portsmouth. 🏢 The planning squeeze on Portsmouth as it's forced to allow the building of more and more homes 💨Improving air quality in the city 🌊 Is the council rea...
Jul 20, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 231
Founder of ‘The Executive Menopause Coach’ - Claire Hattrick joins us to share her menopause journey. After years of being severely debilitated by undiagnosed menopause joint pain Claire turned her experience into an inspiring drive to help women 1-2-1 and advise businesses how to support and retain their staff as they experience menopause. Menopause Coach website Instagram & Threads @theexecutivemenopausecoach X @menopausecoach_ Signup for our newsletter...
Jul 13, 2025•54 min•Ep. 230
With air pollution in our congested city contributing to respiratory illness and shortening the life expectancies of residents - we ask local air quality campaigners what improvements have been made, and what more could be done? We're joined by Viola Langley, Rod Bailey & Tim Sheerman Chase from ' Let Pompey Breathe '. We also have an interview from Cllr Peter Candlish - the cabinet member for Traffic & Transportation on Portsmouth City Council. Signup for our newsletter Recorded Livestr...
Jul 06, 2025•59 min•Ep. 229
We ask former Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr Jason Fazackarley about his & Lady Mayoress, Helen Mitchell's highs & lows for their year representing the city of Portsmouth & its residents. Just how do you make a Mayor - there’s a Mayor Making ceremony, but how do you become one? What were the highs and lows for Jason and his Lady Mayoress, Helen Mitchell? If he could change anything about the Lord Mayor’s role, what would it be? What advice would Jason give to an incoming Mayor or May...
Jun 29, 2025•48 min•Ep. 228
What are we talking about this week? We asked our audience to tell of which of the pressing recent political events would they want to see us talk about. A poll is a poll - so we talk over three issues: - Israel (and now America's) bombing of Iran, The government u-turn on a national inquiry into grooming gangs, & The Welfare Reform bill. Landscape edit . Portrait (recorded livestream) Signup to our newsletter Subscribe on YouTube Support the show...
Jun 22, 2025•58 min•Ep. 227
Portsmouth this year hosts UK Pride , and with Pride itself rapidly approaching, we hear from Tally Aslam, Co-Chair of the Portsmouth Pride Trust. All this & more.. What’s on the itinerary for June 7th? How are Pride navigating the politics? Protest, great day out or both? Biggest challenges faced by the community? How to be a good ally? YouTube Portrait recorded livestream YouTube Landscape edit Facebook - Portsmouth Pride Queer all year - Instagram Signup for our newsletter...
Jun 01, 2025•52 min•Ep. 226
With several countries around the world enacting bans on smartphones in schools, and on social media access for children, we ask - Is their pervasive use having an detrimental impact on learning, concentration, mental health? Should the UK also instigate a ban? What’s happening in today’s classrooms, and what might the solutions be? We’re joined by Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education on Portsmouth City Council, 🟧Cllr Nick Dorrington, 🟥Cllr Mark Coates who happens to be a teache...
May 25, 2025•57 min•Ep. 225
This week saw Portsmouth City Council’s Mayor Making ceremony and Annual General Meeting. We interviewed CLLRS Graham Heaney (Deputy Leader Labour group on PCC) & George Madgwick (Leader of Portsmouth Independents Party on PCC) to hear what happens when two parties can both lay claim to the number two spot on the council. How do you decide when the next largest groups on the council are two parties both with 9 Councillors? How do you make a Mayor? Why did the PIP Councillors chose not to sit...
May 18, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 224
Solent WASPI talk to us about their campaign for fair treatment and justice. -What do they want the campaign to achieve? -What next after the government’s rejection that compensation is owed to women born in the 1950s? WASPI web address: www.waspi.co.uk WASPI Crowdjustice page, which includes the most recent legal updates: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/waspijustice/ Their Facebook pages are: https://www.facebook.com/WaspiCampaign https://www.facebook.com/SolentWASPI on X: @WASPI_Campaign @so...
May 11, 2025•57 min•Ep. 223
We welcome the Isle of Wight’s Councillor Andrew Garratt 🟧 & Meon Valley’s Councillor Malcolm Wallace 🟩 to talk to us about their hopes and fears for devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR). What could this mean for the voters they represent and the services they depend on? For links to our social media accounts and to sign up for our newsletter please visit our website YouTube Recorded Livestream (in Portrait) Landscape edit Please leave a comment or give us a review wherever...
Apr 13, 2025•59 min•Ep. 222
Fratton is an urban area of Portsmouth and one of its 14 City Council Wards. Jacob Short has stood for election in Fratton twice as a Candidate for Portsmouth Independents Party. We ask Jacob to tell us, What is it about Fratton?, What are the problems faced by its residents? What are Jacob’s views on student housing, parking, HMOs, fly tipping, empty shops & crime? Join us as Jacob Short tells us the truth of life in Fratton for its residents and shares how he hopes to make a difference. If...
Apr 06, 2025•53 min•Ep. 221
We take a look at the Spring Statement made by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves this week in Parliament - -What were the key policies? -What difference will this make and to whom? -How did the other parties respond? Tell us what you think. Give us a review. If you'd like more on local and national politics from us, don't forget to subscribe of follow wherever you're getting our show. We stream live to Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram as well as upload to all the podcasty plac...
Mar 29, 2025•59 min•Ep. 220
From this side of the Atlantic it’s hard to understand some of the policies and statements of Trump’s 2nd administration. We’re delighted to welcome Jamie Miller to the show. Jamie’s political pedigree as a former exec director of Republican Party Florida, campaign manager, director of field operations & author of “American Speeches That Changed The World” makes him supremely qualified to help us Brits make sense of it all. Jamie runs the Reasonable Arguments podcast with his wife Jennifer. ...
Mar 23, 2025•59 min•Ep. 219
We welcome Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt onto the show to talk us through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) & Devolution. -Glorious future or shut-gun wedding? -What’s new since the government’s white paper just before Christmas? -Who’s deciding what? -What is changing & when? -What price could Portsmouth residents be left to pay?
Mar 09, 2025•58 min•Ep. 218
Portsmouth City Council Meeting 25/02/25 - Budget for 2025/26 & beyond -What is the ·Lib Dem administration saying about the city·s finances for 25/26 and beyond? -What amendments were put forward by the other parties (PIP, Labour, Conservative)? -Which were struck down or accepted by the council? Original meeting details: https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=5375&x=1 Original Stream - PCC's Democratic Services Dept https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ayb-bRExw Sign...
Mar 02, 2025•50 min•Ep. 217
February 14th was valentines day. February 11th while not being valentines day was an expression of emotions other than love - to call it hate would be strong, but we'll let you decide.. The Cabinet Meeting of Portsmouth City Council met to review certain proposals ahead of the Council's Full Budget Meeting February 25th. Full meeting details available here Full meeting was streamed by PCC's Democratic Services Signup to our weekly newsletter help shape episodes to come.....
Feb 16, 2025•59 min•Ep. 216
As we mark the fifth anniversary of the UK leaving the EU, we celebrate that day and what’s happened since. Tell us what you're celebrating from that night or since. ADVISORY: There is some conversational swearing in this episode.
Feb 02, 2025•53 min•Ep. 215
What if the future of the UK wasn't just decided in Westminster? In this week's episode, we dive into the government's green paper on devolution — a proposal that could decentralise power, reshape how we govern, and even change the UK's political map. What does this mean for you, and where could it lead? We’re joined by Cllr Graham Heaney, lecturer at University of Portsmouth to talk us through what the proposals are, what they could mean for Portsmouth and the surrounding area. Sign up for our ...
Jan 26, 2025•53 min•Ep. 214
We welcome back Dr Lee Sartain, senior lecturer in American History at Portsmouth University to talk us through it and help us & our audience form a Brit’s view of proceedings. Inauguration 2025 - The Brits' view How does it all work? What does it mean for the US & the rest of the world? What are the opening hours of Trump’s second administration like? Make sure to hear about future episodes, follow the show, give us a review, follow on Facebook, subscribe on Youtube or sign up to our ne...
Jan 20, 2025•57 min•Ep. 213
We take a little peek at the Full Council Agenda for Tuesday December 17th. Key things on the list (and we’re checking it twice):- 📮Post Office Closures - can we stop them? 🥣Breakfast clubs - can we promote them? 🏘️🏠HMOs - are we under counting them? 📈National Insurance increases - who can afford them? Links to PCC Agenda on our website www.pppodcast.uk
Dec 14, 2024•58 min•Ep. 212
We invite back some Havant Borough Councillors to share the news from their rainbow coalition (Green, Lib Dem & Labour) since they took over running the council in May. We're joined by:- Cllr Philippa Gray, (Lib Dem. Bedhampton) Deputy Leader of Havant Borough Council & Cabinet Lead for Finance Cllr Grainne Rason Bradley, (Green. Emsworth) Cabinet Lead for Environment & Water Quality & Climate Change Champion Cllr Mark Coates (Labour. Hayling East) Chairman of Human Resources Com...
Dec 07, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 211
Ahead of world world AIDS day we interview CP from Portsmouth Pride to talk to us about what it signifies and why it’s so important as well as what’s changed in since those Iceberg & monolithic tombstone informercials from the UK government in 1987. all year Portsmouth https://queerallyear.co.uk/ Terrance Higgins Trust https://www.tht.org.uk Terrance Higgins Quilt on display at RN Dockyard Portsmouth https://historicdockyard.co.uk/event/navy-threads/ Elton John AIDS foundation https://www.el...
Nov 29, 2024•32 min•Ep. 210
We welcome two of Portsmouth’s producers of goods & services onto the show to hear about their businesses and the challenges they face. Gary Fyles of Think Bigger Ltd, publisher & Growth Mindset coach & David Mugridge from Yarty Cordials Ltd, producing cordials inspired by family recipes. We’re also joined by Cllr Ben Swann to help us understand a ward Councillor’s view of the challenges faced. Do you run a business in the city? What do you have to say about the challenges facing you...
Nov 23, 2024•57 min•Ep. 209
In a meeting where who wrote what, to whom, and when became much more contentious than you’d normally think, we take a look at Tuesday's Full Council meeting. Where was there consensus, where was there robust debate, and where was there political point scoring? Items on the agenda were:- • Definitions of sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia • Tackling the crisis in temporary accommodation • Social Media Policy for Councillors • Increase in the single capped Bus fare from £2 to £3 • Nomin...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 208
How easy is Portsmouth as a city for disabled people to get around for work, study or leisure? What barriers to their freedom are disabled people encountering in Portsmouth? What can be done to remove or reduce the barriers? We welcome Georgina Fry from Portsmouth’s Disability Advisory Group to hear what the challenges are, and what is being done to help. Portsmouth Disability Advisory Group https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563355431337 Portsmouth Wheelchair Access Group https://www.fac...
Nov 09, 2024•53 min•Ep. 207
Ahead of the US Presidential elections November 5th we take a look at a most pivotal of elections in a year of key ballots across the globe. Why is the 2024 Presidential election so important? How does it all work? How are US elections different to those in the UK? We·re joined by Lee Sartain, Senior Lecturer in American History to help us Brits try and make sense of it all. If you'd like more information about the Electoral College, or the American voting system in general here's some links wor...
Nov 02, 2024•55 min•Ep. 206
With Labour's first budget for 14 years freshly released & out in the open we take a look at the key policies. Now we've finally heard what was, and wasn't in it. What sticks out? Who are the winners & losers? How will it affect you? Where there any surprised? Photo credit: Lauren Hurley
Oct 29, 2024•45 min•Ep. 205
We take a look at Tuesday's (15th October 2024) Full Council meeting of Portsmouth City Council. Should the council call on the government to think again about the Winter Fuel Allowance cuts? Should the council call on the government to prevent NHS dentists just shutting up shop leaving their patients without dental health care? Should the council ask Hants & IOW Police & Crime Commissioner to speed up DBS checks getting in the way of appointing PCC staff to support residents in need? Sh...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 204
Returning from our extended summer break, we’ll take a look at political events of note since our last show. Has anything of note happened in local & national politics since the heady early morning hours of July 5th? Please leave a review, rating & follow wherever you get your podcasts.
Oct 12, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 203
39 days into the election campaign, 4 left before voters in the UK go to the polls. Ian & Simon take a trip back over the events of the last 39 days and discuss what the next 4 might be like.
Jun 30, 2024•55 min•Ep. 201
