Stroud Potato Day today!

Today is also Stroud Potato Day (see last post re National Libraries Day) - Transition Stroud and Down to Earth will be selling half a tonne of seed potatoes in Merrywalks from 10 to 3 - see more on our blog: http://stroudpotatoday.blogspot.com/

The pic left is of last years Potato Day from the new book 'The Transition Companion' by Rob Hopkins - I've just started reading and it has many inspiring stories about Transition projects around the country - well worth a look.

National Libraries Day today!

Yesterday I highlighted the consultation survey - not a great start as it is too complex. Anyway today is for celebrations....Children's author Alan Gibbons, who is the brains behind the idea of a National Libraries Day, has said that our efforts in Gloucestershire to ensure a decent library service was "a beacon to the whole country". See about Glos campaign here and more about the day at: http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/

Here are two links to great articles that featured in the press yesterday. The Guardian Books Blog to which Demelza submitted a "Save our Libraries : A Readers Report" entry: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/feb/03/save-library-campaigns   and an article in the Guardian which reflects on a year of library campaigning. Glos are mentioned several times and although the battle is far from over it is great to see the impact made not just locally, but nationally.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/03/national-library-day-year-protests 

In a mo I will do a post on this blog about Stroud Potato Day which is also today in Merrywalks.

Survey not a great start to library consultation

Well we all can remember the disaster GCC made of the libraries and the judge's comments about bad government well now comes the new consultation. As part of consultation on their re-drawn library strategy GCC have worked with a private consultation company to design a survey, which is available online and in libraries.  I understand they are spending £60,000 on this private company to conduct the  - this wouldn't be so bad perhaps if the consultation survey wasn't so poor.


The Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries campaign sent a link to the survey out to the FoGL email list, and almost immediately began to receive messages from service users deeply concerned at the survey’s content/design. I criticised the recent GCC budget survey for being too simple well this is too complex. FOGL have written this week to GCC with their concerns. Click read more to see their letter. The letter raises a number of useful points - it is certainly not very user friendly. The survey can be downloaded here: GCC_0018 QUESTIONNAIRE_PRINT

Industry needs to know UK government can be trusted

Caroline Lucas asks in her blog in The Guardian :"If policy can be changed retrospectively, why should business believe that the UK is a safe place to invest?"

Last month the government lost its appeal against a judge's ruling that its move to change the rates for solar feed-in tariffs before the official consultation has ended was "legally flawed". You can see my blog on this back in November when the Government started on this route. Interestingly Green County Councillor Sarah Lunnon raised the issue of tariffs at the County Council seeking support to challenge the government over this - it was dismissed despite it's direct impact on schemes within the County - the Cabinet member even saying 'no one has written to me on this issue.' Perhaps GCC Tories would consider their position a mistake now?

Well this High Court ruling is a victory for the solar industry and for renewable energy campaigners in holding the Government to account over its illegal attempt to make retrospective changes to the solar tariff. Indeed the courts have now twice ruled that these actions were unacceptable. As Caroline Lucas has said: "Investors need to know whether a government commitment to support them can be trusted, or if retrospective changes can be made at any point after investments start. A lack of trust is a huge disincentive to invest. The CBI describes the government's decision to slash subsidies for solar panels as an "own goal", stating that "moving the goalposts doesn't just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors.""

Extraordinarily Decc indicated that it intends to stubbornly forge ahead with its ill thought through plans - wasting time and money in the process. How much money wasted is still unknown - see here. So the solar industry remains uncertain - this is not a good message to give those seeking to invest here - if the rug can be pulled out from under an industry with no warning........ yes the tariff rates were probably too high initially but this is not the way to change them.

Stop the privatisation of our NHS

View over Stoud

Last month I covered the press release from the Stroud Against the Cuts regarding the legal case - see here - well below is the info in the latest leaflet which has been going out in towns across Gloucerstershire. The leaflet is in preparation for the upcoming legal case regarding the future of many of Gloucestershire's health services. For background info you can see my editing of a film of the talk by Prof Wendy Savage here and the bit with solicitor Kate Kaye here saying why we need to act.


Gloucestershire’s health services - nine community hospitals, ten health clinics, and other county-wide services - have been scheduled for transfer out of the NHS. Social Enterprise Trust (SET) or Community Interest Companies like Gloucestershire Care Services CIC (GCS-CIC), which has been proposed to take over the services, are not an alternative to the break up and privatisation of the NHS - they are part of that process. A legal case in Gloucestershire, supported by local anti-cuts groups challenges the claim of management that there was no alternative to social enterprise. It puts the option of keeping staff and services in the NHS back on the table, if management want to consider it. Elsewhere campaigns have successfully defended NHS services. The legal case can buy time for us to campaign together against social enterprise, but even if successful our NHS will be under sustained attack. The proposed Health & Social Care Bill removes all barriers to privatisation of the NHS. Say no to an American-style market-based health system.

We must fight to Keep Our NHS Public

Cheltenham Against Cuts & Gloucester Against Cuts:
cheltenhamagainstcuts@gmail.com • Tel: 07771162308
cheltenhamagainstcuts.wordpress.com
Forest Against The Cuts:
Tel: Diana Gash 01594 839441 or Pete Stanway 01452 760235
Stroud Against the Cuts: www.stroudagainstcuts.co.uk
contact@stroudagainstcuts.co.uk • Tel: Chris Moore 07810732379

NHS PRIVATISATION SCANDAL
Social Enterprise Myth & Reality
 
Myth: GCS-CIC is not about privatisation, it is a non-profit organisation.

Reality: GCS-CIC will be a private limited company, run as a business and will have to make a surplus. After 3 years (possibly 5 years) or sooner the private sector can compete for contracts. In Hull private companies stepped in months after the SET contract was signed. Award-winning SET Central Surrey Health lost out on a £500 million contract to a Virgin owned company, in it’s first bid against the private sector.

Myth: GCS-CIC will continue the NHS ethos and be free at the point of delivery. 

Reality: Staff and services will leave the NHS, services will be more fragmented and a national service undermined. GCS-CIC will have to survive in an increasingly competitive environment. Services will not be judged on the basis of need and quality but whether they will be successful in the market, before being opened to the private sector. A two-tier private/public system will grow.

Myth: NHS terms and conditions will be preserved for staff.

Reality: Protection under the TUPE (transfer of pay and conditions) system is much weaker than staying in the NHS. Unison has obtained a Department of Health letter confirming SET staff will be given new contracts that will be hard to protect. Cornwall Council broke promises to transferred NHS staff on pay and pensions.

Myth: GCS-CIC will be democratic and accountable to staff and the local community.

Reality: Decisions about the awarding of multi-million pound contracts will probably be made behind closed doors. Staff and public have never been asked if they want to transfer to GCS-CIC. The board of GCS-CIC will have 5 members from a list proposed by GCS-CIC. Staff will each have one 1p share, but there are questions about who will hold the majority and what right will staff have
to vote on a takeover.

Myth: If successful it will lead to the immediate privatisation of services.

Reality: If successful, NHS Gloucestershire management would have a choice between two options: either to tender services or keep them in the NHS. They can legally keep the services in the NHS and do not have to open services up to private sector competition. Integration with an NHS trust locally or nationally is one route, and as has happened elsewhere, it could be possible to set up a new NHS trust; there is no legal barrier to this (it would be a matter of Department of Health approval).

What You Can Do: Get in touch with your local anti-cuts group  and tell us what you think. Make your views heard: send letters to local newspapers and elected representatives, contact your GP, consultant or health support group (a template ‘open letter’ is available on the websites overleaf), and tell your friends, neighbours and colleagues. If you are a member of NHS staff email: helpthenhs@hotmail.co.uk (a supporter of the campaign who is a member of staff and union member) and if not already a member, join a trade union and get active in your branch.

Occupy Stroud 18th Feb

Are you fed up with rising inequality?  Sick of living in an undemocratic, unsustainable system that seems hell-bent on its own destruction? Keen to start creating something new, something different, but not sure where to start?

Well on Saturday 18th February, 1pm at the top of the High Street a group of people look set to meet in solidarity with the global Occupy movement. The idea is to discover what we can do here in Stroud to start creating a new society one that gives priority to life over economic interests. They are not claiming to have all the answers, but are certain that ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option. I have visited the St Pauls Occupy - see here photos  - and was impressed by the conversations and passion to really make this world a better place. I welcome Occupy Stroud becoming a place for similar discussions....

There is already a Facebook page for those interested in learning more - so come along on 18th  - and as they invite says:"Bring your sense of humour, your umbrella, and your willingness to take part in consensus-based decision-making."

“You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.”  The Occupy Movement

Sign up to our Facebook page and join in the discussion: http://www.facebook.com/groups/282682138434448/

Video of Saturday's protest against the reopening of road at Wallbridge

This is a short video capturing some of the voices of the 80 or so people who attended to protest on Saturday 28th January against the reopening of the road at Wallbridge (see my blog here).


Gloucestershire Highways are running a public consultation about Wallbridge (6th-17th February 2012). The basic choice is between:
Option 1 - opening Wallbridge to one-way traffic
Option 2 - leaving Wallbridge closed to traffic - with the chance of further improving the area in the future

We think that Option 2 is the way to go:

• It works! And traffic leaving town via Rowcroft isn't a problem
• Easier and safer access for pedestrians and cyclists going to/from town
• Larger area of public space
• Better environment for Canal Trust Visitor Centre and Lockkeepers Café
• More welcoming gateway to Stroud

Please vote for option 2 at the Canal Visitor Centre 6th-17th Feb 2012.

Two Stroud campaigners 'picked' to face prosecution re census

John Marjoram

Of the 24.5 million census forms expected to be filled in, 1.6 million were not returned. The Guardian reports, which includes quotes from Stroud Mayor John Marjoram, says that at least 120 people have been convicted for failing to complete their 2011 census forms. Some may have forgotten to complete forms but others are conscientious objectors - for a long time there has been opposition to this census - see blog here - well many were brave enough locally to refuse to fill out the forms because of the involvement of the defence contractor Lockheed Martin UK, which won the £150m contract to run the census.

The extraordinary thing is that out of the hundreds of thousands who either refused or were not contacted only 369 have been summoned to appear in Court. From Stroud only two were chosen - despite a number of local Quakers who wrote saying why they would refuse. John Marjoram and Roger Franklin have clocked up over a hundred years opposing Weapons of mass destruction and Wars. You do wonder by what criteria the Crown Prosecution Service has chosen the people to face the legal process?

Roger and John will be in the Magistrates Court on the 8th Feb in Bristol. Another question is why not Stroud? Others being summoned also face long distances to court. So far there have been 157 prosecutions with 120 resulting in convictions; those found guilty face a maximum fine of £1,000 and a criminal record. The remaining 37 cases are classified as "conversions", where the defendant completed the census form at court.

John Marjoram, speaking to The Guardian said; "When I was 18 I refused to fire a rifle on military service. I couldn't live with myself if I collaborated with a military company. Just after Christmas two people knocked on the door. I was busy cooking lunch. They were very nice and pleasant and  understanding of where I was coming from, and the next thing was I got a summons."

Anti-census campaign group Count Me Out has said the number of prosecutions showed it had been a mistake to give the contract to Lockheed Martin UK, adding that this had made the census less accurate.

Update: see letters in Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/30/pacifists-and-the-census-form

Over 80 people join the Stroud Against Gyratory protest

From Cllr Andy Reeds blog here

This morning saw over 80 people come to protest at the possible reopening of the slip road past the hotel and timber yard. I will hopefully have time to produce a video of some of the voices at the protest by next week. It was great to see such huge and passionate support for improving this gateway to Stroud - indeed cross-party support was very evident.


It was back in October 2010 that  residents, schools, businesses and interest groups launched Stroud Against Gyratory (SAG) in protest at County Council plans for the new Merrywalks road system. Well in correspondence with the County I, like others, have urged a proper consultation after the bridge opens - well it seems this is set to be launched on 6th Feb but is only a short one so we need to act quick. Andy Reed's blog spells out the options here.


SAG believes the option to reopen the road spells difficulty for anyone wishing to enter Stroud’s historic town centre on foot or by bike, and would lead to a dangerous gyratory system dominated by cars. What we want is fewer roads and better access! Indeed it is great to see how strong teh feelings were

“With the new Merrywalks Bridge and canal there is a once in a generation opportunity to create a beautiful entrance into Stroud whether on foot, by bike or by car. However, local decision makers are once again going for the simple option of more roads – under the misguided assumption that this will lead to more footfall in Stroud – rather than thinking creatively about how the thousands of people who live locally in Rodborough, Cainscross, Bath Road and Merrywalks can access the centre safely and in style.”  comments Rachel Lyons, SAG founder.

See earlier blog here about the protest in the summer that led to the commitment by the County to consult and here the petition that was never properly launched but can still be signed. See more about Stroud Against Gyratory at: http://stroudagainstgyratory.wordpress.com/about/

Stroud District Budget - could have been better!

Poster spotted in shop

A late night last night at Stroud District Council....got there before 6pm and didn't get away until after midnight so do excuse me if this doesn't make total sense in places. It was budget night and we set the 4 year spending plan - the way it all happens is not really democracy at it's best - a Green alternative budget was voted after being presented to not even be discussed on the evening as by that time it was already after 11pm!! More of Green amendments in a mo but want to note that on the whole this Tory budget was not such a bad thing. After all many of the changes we face here in Stroud are the result of a dire Tory government - so much for localism it seems we are being dictated too as much as ever. Anyhow as I'll note in this post the budget could certainly be better and I fear some mistakes have been made.....

Mortgage scheme nonsense

Unlike last year's packed chamber there was only a handful of the public present and no one was dragged from the chamber. Chief among the mistakes was the plan to invest £1 million in the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme to help first time buyers get on the housing ladder. This was supported by Tories and Lib Dems - they hope to help up to 50 house-hunters - the banks lend the mortgage but don't do the deposit - this is where the Council steps in - if all goes well the Council gets their money back plus 4% plus interest - the catch is if it all goes well....several councillors expressed concern that the cash would be recklessly speculated by banks with no assurances it would solely benefit new residents in the district.

As a Council we've been making cuts to services and it will no doubt seem strange to some that there’s £1m available to support these mortgages. It is also clear that this scheme only helps a certain amount of people - and unlikely to reach 50 - more like 30 people.  If you’re poorer or disabled, you’re unlikely to get any help out of this.....It is said that local authority mortgage schemes could alleviate some demand pressure on social housing and assist in the recovery of the housing market but where is the evidence to support this. This is a small scheme and we should not forget it was the housing bubble that played a big part in the economic crisis. As I said during the evening: "Many forecasters have suggested house prices will continue to fall - indeed the Council's report also notes they are likely to continue to slide. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 2012 forecast is for a 3 per cent fall in house prices - while the economist and investment manager David Kauders, often quoted in the Daily Mail, has suggested that this is actually the start of 'a slow-motion crash - so slow that many commentators will not even see it.' He is predicting a 50% crash in house prices"

Interestingly The Guardian looked recently to a collection of 'experts' and found the majority predicting more than 5% drops for 2012 including one with a 10% drop. Their poll of readers showed nearly 70% predicting price drops of 5% with 27% predicting falls of more than 10%.

As I said during the evening: "Well maybe they are all a gloomy lot. This scheme may offer advantages to a few but by acting as a guarantor for First Time Buyers, the Council is encouraging young people to take on increasing amounts of debt. The president of the Law Society John Wotton sent out a strong warning to first-time buyers last September: "A significant number of repossessions take place against first-time buyers who often do not fully anticipate the nature and significance of the responsibilities they are taking on. As a group they are at the greatest risk of negative equity." It seems to me that the Council is taking on risk that the Bank deems unsafe. The Bank does not lose with this scheme. It is the Council or rather the Council Taxpayer who could lose. If this is such a good idea why aren't the banks taking the risk themselves, instead of pushing it onto councils?"

As I noted during the evening there is no question we are facing a growing housing crisis. Despite the best efforts of this Council to support those who have a difficulty, central government are leading us into a housing timebomb. We see the Government weakening council tenancies, cutting housing and other benefits and raising social rents. In Stroud, homelessness applications and acceptances are up 45% on the last 4 years. Over 3,000 households are now on the District's housing waiting list. However this route is not part of the answer.

I was unable to support this scheme. I really think the risks are far too great. Interestingly the Council's own advisors, I am told, note that this is a money neutral scheme in that they don't expect any of the interest - I still think that is too optimistic - I hope I am wrong.

Empty Homes and energy projects

Consent to freeze SDC’s portion of council tax at £186.93 for Band D properties was voted through.

Greens proposed that the reduction on empty homes be removed - this could have brought in a few thousands each year - and why are we letting people off when we should be 'encouraging' them to get the properties rented - yes there are often good reasons for being empty but I don't think most warrant a reduction in charges in these times. The good news is that the move will be considered further and wasn't ruled out completely.

The plan has £100,000 for energy efficiency projects - but this doesn't go far enough - in the Greens budget which was fully costed and made no increase to the Council Tax - we wanted to see the hydro scheme go forward - this would generate an income of around £30,000 - surely a better way to invest money than on risky mortgages? We must not forget that climate change is already hitting the poorest hardest - see The Guardian's article here.

The Tory plans also had £30,000 more for next three years for homelessness prevention - I am told that this is adequate to deal with the increases in homelessness I note above. I welcome that this Tory budget recognises this issue.

Another Green amendment was to have some more money spent on developing the Core Strategy - where the houses and employment will go - this is vital and it is our view that this is not resourced well enough to get the quality we need in the plan and policies for future development.

More for job creation and creative industries

I could write lots more on various issues but am not sure how coherent all this is after a very busy week at work and late nights....I want to mention the £50,000 for 2012 Olympics and Diamond Jubilee legacy projects....I confess that the Olympics is something about which that I have very mixed feelings. I did however welcome that some of this money was spend on 'Cultural Olympiad' - this is an idea that came from the Youth Council - and of course was part of the Olympics I think until World War II.

I did quote in the evening the Telegraph who once said that 'Stroud is to art what Hay-on-Wye is to books' and Damien Hirst: "The arts sector is huge around here and makes a major contribution to the local economy. That heritage is one of the reasons I set up my workshop in Chalford."


My point was about using the Olympics as an opportunity to showcase our creative industries - see more here about their importance to the county. Anyhow in another Green amendment with support from Independent Cllr Andy Reed we called on money from a reserve account to be used to bring in jobs for the area - in particular support to the Market Towns - some money was in the pot but more is needed to give jobs a boost. Again the Tory administration said they would look at this next month possibly for next year....

Rents and more

There was also disagreement on increasing council homes and garage rents as part of the government’s objective to align local authority and housing association rates by 2015/16. I can fully understand the Tory position but equally understand Labour - the latter put forward an amendment that would mean cutting the expected increase from 6.87 per cent to 6.1 per cent ie 58p a week saving. I supported this as the increase is significant and will affect many people on low income. This was defeated by 24 votes to 22. The arguments in favour of the rise are that we have to converge under Gov rules so we are only delaying the rise - Labour would bank on the formula being more favorable next year - this maybe so but maybe not....

Stop supermarket bullying

Sun across Whiteshill

It's four years since the Competition Commission said the UK needed a supermarket watchdog. This blog has covered this issue and the campaign over those years - well we are getting closer to some success....at the moment supermarkets are currently still able to:

• Transfer ‘excessive risks and unexpected costs’ to UK and overseas farmers and suppliers
• Contribute to farm employees working long hours for poverty wages in unsafe conditions
• Undermine farmers’ ability to invest in sustainable farming practices.
• It's time for the Government to stop supermarket bullying.

We can change that. Please go here to support War on Want's campaign which involves asking your MP to write to the Minister responsible, the Rt Hon Vince Cable MP, calling for a Bill introducing a supermarket watchdog to be included in the next Queen’s Speech, or parliamentary time found for it before then - plus powers for the watchdog to fine supermarkets and launch investigations based on credible information from third parties (e.g. trade associations, unions and charities).

Wonderful bread....

A while back I mentioned the bread at the Lavender Bakehouse - well Sally is continuing to make some very wonderful loves - also sold through the Food Emporium in Stroud....as she says in an email: "We make an exciting range of tasty breads the old fashioned way using long fermented yeasted doughs, and a variety of sourdoughs. Our delicious handmade breads are a result of using the best ingredients, a little sea salt, water, experience and a lot of time. We use Stoates organic flours in the bakery. The flour is stone ground at Cann Mills in Dorset, our nearest working watermill. We are interested in working with UK-grown grain where possible, subject to availability – the wheat and rye is grown very locally to the mill this year. Other ingredients are either supplied by local producers or bought through Essential Trading, a workers co-op in Bristol specialising in organic, non-gm and fair-trade goods."


I have to say I love the bread - click on read more to see what is possible - then email Stroud Bakery Breads to make an order - well to be honest I am not sure she wants more work but you can try by contacting her at: sally(at)stroudbakery.co.uk  or phone 07724 451 257. Meanwhile I am looking forward to Claire doing something similar even more locally - she is still after info from people who might want a loaf locally - see more here.

Ecotricity invest in 'lowest cost renewable energy technology'

On Monday it was announced that local green energy company Ecotricity had acquired an aquatic bicycle pump. The Searaser device pumps saltwater to an onshore generator by using the rise and fall of a large float to pressurise water - but the great thing is that it doesn't need to be in the hostile environment of the ocean which adds all sorts of costs.

Ecotricity's Dale Vince, said: "We believe Searaser has the potential to produce electricity at a lower cost than any other type energy, not just other forms of renewable energy but all "conventional" forms of energy too." He says "it is not over-ambitious" to expect 200 of the 18 metre-deep Searaser devices to be installed around the UK within five years, generating enough renewable electricity to power 236,000 homes. See Guardian article with 20 second film on how it works here - and here an article some 18 months ago in The Engineer.

Badger culls are mistake

Me in badger outfit!

So now we know two badger culls will take place this August - one in Tewkesbury and the other near Taunton. The government claim these will be followed by another ten new 'cull zones' every year. This is a complete nonsense - as this blog has pointed out there is no scientific case for the cull - even Professor John Krebs says that he "can't understand how anybody who's looked at the science would say this is a good idea." In the trials conducted under Kreb in 1997 they found that badger culling often made the situation worse by disrupting badger colonies and causing further spread of TB.


Local to Stroud there is currently a vaccination trial of badgers and there is also, as pointed out, evidence to suggest it is cattle that give badgers the TB, not the other way around (see also here).....indeed in the UK cattle outnumber badgers by about 40 to 1. Even if all badgers were killed in these culls it is unlikely to effect rates of TB. The Isle of Man has no badgers yet it does have bTB, while Scotland - which has badgers and hasn't culled any - has no bTB. An astonishing 30,000 cattle are prematurely killed each year after testing positive for TB, a further 75,000 are slaughtered for not being 'in calf', 7,000 because they are low yield, 120,000 because they are infertile and 3 million slaughtered for meat.

The vaccine might help with Tb but most of all we need to bring back the strict regulations regarding movement of cattle - or go vegan as a friend said.

Lib Dem Cheltenham Councillor Klara Sudbury has also been making the case for not culling badgers - see here blog here. Locally there is also a campaign, Stroud 100, to get local landowners and county councillors signed up to refusing to cull badgers - see here.

Update: Stroud 100 blogspot is at:
http://stroud100.blogspot.com/2012/01/join-stroud-100-and-help-stop-proposed.html

Stratford Park Leisure: great, great improvements

I was delighted to be invited to the "VIP opening" yesterday of the newly redeveloped Stratford Park. It has been a long haul to get the improvements but they are very, very worth it - District Council officers, the new company Sports and Leisure Management Ltd (SLM) and indeed the lead Councillor, Keith Pearson, should all be delighted by the results - and thanked. Well done to all!

It was also touching and right that the centre's improvements were in memory of Karen O'Toole who recently died - she was the amazing officer at Stroud District Councillor who headed up the improvements. Of course no one is expecting all to be rosy always but many positive comments are rolling in...a guy saying it was better than his Chelsea Gym, another loving the more open gym area with views out and some great new kit, the sauna and steam room improvements, the new sealed floor in gym, two dance studios...hey I could go on but go experience it....although for me I never fully understand why folk don't just get on a real bike or go for some real running...but back to the opening....not sure why it was billed VIP as mostly councillors!

Anyhow the morning tour and opening was an opportunity to also push with SLM and District some of my pet hopes like for more inclusion of people with a learning disability and others....last year I helped through work to organise a leisure taster day for around 200 adults with learning disabilities at Oxstalls. I'd love to see if it was poss here in Stroud....

I did also mention the Free Running sessions I tried unsuccessfully to get established with the previous owners...is there still interest? I will contact a few people but do let me know if you have thoughts. See also my comments re Free Running here.

I also tackled SLM's Catering boss re why not more Fairtrade and local food....of course buying stuff in across the country makes it cheaper but hey what about our local producers....not sure I got very far at all except perhaps local beer but that is on decline in leisure centres anyway....

Lastly I challenged them on reducing meat - we've seen many increase veggie options and some councils adopt Meat Free Mondays what about SLM here in Stroud? Well we'll see - certainly Ecotricity is leading the way with vegetarianism and their moves at Forest Green Rovers.

Anyhow the Leicestershire-based SLM took over the running of the facility from November 1 - one minute past midnight. Parkwood Leisure, which first started running the centre in 1998, lost the bid - and as regular blog readers or regular centre users will know there has been a history of issues there - on Scrutiny I repeatedly raised issues like cleanliness and also energy efficiency - see for example here - well the new contract tightens up on both those and allows for some real opportunities for improvements like solar power.

Among the new responsibilities tied in is ground maintenance of the all-weather pitch, netball courts and outdoor pool, the setting of rates for the whole centre and to achieve a nationally recognised pool safety award by the end of March 2013. A tall order but they have been working hard and I am hopefully they will make it!

Today will be the second day of their opening celebrations - already over 5,000 people have signed up!!!! See the new website and how to join at:
http://www.everyoneactive.com/