Gemma Gardner

I worked on an exclusive article that broke the news that new homes at a Cambridge development would have to be demolished after problems with their foundations were discovered.

The story came about after I was tipped off by a contact, who I had built a trusted relationship with over a period of time, who felt the issues needed to be in the public domain. Once I had confirmed that the issue was genuine, I went about gathering further information and reaction. I was able to secure further information from local councillors including that the developer had taken the unusual step to not appoint the council as the building control provider.

My contacts were also able to supply me with emails and correspondence sent to them by the developer. The story achieved almost 20,000 page views on our website. This figure only counts those who accept cookies so is likely to be higher. The story was picked up by national and local publications, as well as trade magazines. I continue to follow this story, with several follows-up already published and more in the pipeline.

I revealed that a government-appointed firm to study the progress of the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) had also been handed the contract to prepare its evidence for review. The GCP is the local delivery body for a City Deal with central government, bringing powers and investment, worth up to £1billion over 15 years. I have closely followed the goings-on at the GCP throughout my time at the Cambridge Independent.

This meant that a local MP tipped me off about this story - and because of my reporting over a number of years - people, many of whom I had previously written about, were prepared to provide comments on the matter. It also meant that I had the supplementary knowledge to build a comprehensive article. The MP held off from publishing correspondence he had on the matter to allow us to break the story.

I worked on an exclusive interview with a detective following the murder of a teenager in Cambridge. My interview revealed an appeal from detectives to the city’s youth. I have written on multiple occasions - including previous exclusives - about the problems facing the city’s youth, particular as a result of county lines. These issues are often overlooked in Cambridge because of the city’s international reputation, but it is one of the most divided cities in the UK. This interview required both sensitivity towards those caught up in these crimes as well as the family of the murder victim.

Editor Paul Brackley says: “Gemma delivers consistently brilliant stories week-on-week and I know they will be impeccably researched and well-sourced. Her work on the Darwin Green housing story started thanks to the good relationships she has with her sources, but was developed through perseverance, patience and diligence. Her coverage of Cambridge’s transport challenges and other key topics often help to set the agenda for community discussion.”