Three of the most senior Labour figures in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire have written to the BBC about plans to cut radio and TV coverage in the area.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor, Dr Nik Johnson, has joined Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner and Peterborough Parliamentary Candidate Andrew Pakes in urging the BBC to think again about cuts to jobs and coverage in the county.

The BBC has already announced that is axing the Cambridge based Look East bulletin from next month. Further changes announced to radio this week will see BBC Radio Cambridge shows reduced to 6am to 2pm, with later shows and weekend services merged into regional or national shows. This will see afternoon coverage of Cambridge and Peterborough merged with Norfolk, Suffolk and 3 Counties Radio.

Writing to the BBC’s head of radio and audio, Chris Burns, they say:

“We face a double hit from the loss of locally-based TV coverage as well as now facing the loss of a large proportion of local programming.

“Regional TV and local coverage are at the heart of high-quality public service broadcasting. The communities we represent trust, enjoy and are informed by local coverage relevant to them and our area.

“We understand the pressure that the BBC is under, but the essence of local news is that it is local. The end of regional news broadcasting from Cambridge and its merger with output from Norwich and now the reduction of local radio content, are a step back for viewers and our communities.

“Cambridgeshire is one of the fastest growing areas in the country with real interest in local stories. The loss of Look East (West) production and cuts to local radio content are damaging for Cambridge, Peterborough and our county.”

They go on to add:

“Whilst we understand these decisions are being diver by the funding and political environment forced on you by the government, we ask you to review the impact on localvproduction in Cambridgeshire.”

The BBC press release is available here.