Randwick playground project opening

What a great evening - loads of people, a silver band, the choir singing songs from Grease, children country dancing, wine and hot dogs - brilliant! And a great way to celebrate the successful outcome of such a huge number of hours put in by many people.

Since January there have been over 11 working party days and over 623 hours of mostly back breaking work to clear that bank - when we first started I have to confess I almost doubted it would be possible - after hours we had only cleared such a small area - and boy did my back ache - removing small saplings, trees and monster bramble roots - but little by little over the weeks the area was slowly transformed - steps came in then the paths and now it is ready for more planting.

It has a great classroom area under the trees and there is no doubt this is a wonderful addition for the school. Huge thanks must go especially to those who did more than the lions share of organising like Sharon Martin, Rebecca Charley and Mrs Milston.

Campaign to prevent water fluoridation

Some years ago I was fortunate to hear talk in Stroud, the late Jane Jones - a passionate and tireless woman who chaired that National Pure Water Association for many years - Jane spoke virtually non-stop for 3 hours holding everyones attention as she recounted stories and facts about the realities of water fluoridation - only 10% of our country is currently fluoridated - thankfully not Gloucestershire - indeed most countries are stopping it as it doesn't work and there are concerns about health - however our Labour Government is pushing to have the whole country fluoridated in order to reduce dental carries despite their own committee saying more research was needed.

Three years ago in response to this threat I helped set up the Safe Water Campaign for Gloucestershire (now extended to include Avon and Wiltshire) - we have over a 1500 signatures supporting us locally, many members and have been involved in lots of campaigning across the County - I'll save the details for a blog another day or do give me a call. Infact if you want a quick look at some of the issues read our leaflet - copy on Glos Green party website under 'Reports'. For me the quote below by Dr Peter Mansfield sums it up.

Anyhow we've been meeting monthly to organise the various campaigns - today we had a member from Bristol update us on his actions plus a member shared their experiment with fluoridated water - see photo - this is unscientific but just for fun the member was attempting to replicate an experiment done years ago showing plants were less happy with fluoridated water. The results so far show that Hawkwood Spring water is far superior to either tap water or fluoridated water (collected from Kidderminister!) - more tests are planned. We are also in correspondence with the Strategic Health Authority and raising concerns about transporting this stuff - one of the most dangerous substances known!

"No physician in his right senses would prescribe for a person he has never met, whose medical history he does not know, a substance which is intended to create bodily change, with the advice: 'Take as much as you like, to but you will take it for the rest of your life because some children suffer from tooth decay. ' It is a preposterous notion." Dr Peter Mansfield, a physician and an advisory board member of the recent government review of fluoridation.

Diversity training

Diversity is a major issue for the public sector and for Stroud with a population that is 99% white and Christian, the particular challenge for the Council has been to inform staff about those areas of diversity with which they may not have been naturally familiar.

The 'Respect for People' programme, which won awards for Stroud, was rolled out to all the Council's 400 staff and every councillor. Everyone went through the workbook before taking the twelve question interactive test over the phone - as a new councillor I've just spent the morning reading the work book and taking the test - pleased to get the 12 questions right but they were pretty basic. Inequalities, unfair treatment and exclusion thrive in situations where we lack knowledge about cultural differences and the confidence to relate to people from other backgrounds. It is great that the Council is making moves to tackle some of these problems.

The workbook covered many aspects including gender, sexual orientation, disability and race.

Clearly there are few of us who would not wish to be considerate and would not wish our humour or language to offend or embarass others - or for that matter reinforce negative stereotypes. Being sensitive to the needs of others means that we need to be careful that we use language in ways that help people feel included in the communication process and not excluded.

One aspect of this is 'Political correctness' - only touched on in the training. The term PC clearly does have problems - read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness

However I've occasionally heard people too readily dismiss something as being just PC when there is really much more to it - we cannot ignore the fact that giving something the label of PC does not make it invalid. If we decide that we should not change our language/behaviour to show respect for others then we are finding excuses for not facing up to the consequences of our actions. Just because something was commonly used and accepted in the past does not necessarily mean that they were appreciated by those on the receiving end.

Sunday July 23rd: Walk the Footpaths and Picnic for Ruscombe Valley!

It will be two years since Gladwish Land Management bought the three fields in Ruscombe Valley and divided them up into 184 individual house-size plots, 71 of which have been sold on. The Ruscombe Valley Action Group formed to maintain the fields as agricultural land: the group has been active and meeting ever since to ensure all possible measures are in place to prevent development on this wholly unsuitable site.

For many plot owners their two-year agreement from Gladwish to manage the land will be coming to an end. The fields will be cut this year, and although this will help to maintain them, the land has not been grazed for over two years and there are signs of deterioration. We are concerned about future deterioration and to raise awareness of this and keep this issue alive we have planned a walk of the footpaths followed by a picnic.

Your support would be greatly appreciated and we urge as many of you to come along with families and friends - please start walking any of the footpaths in the valley at 11.30 am on Sunday July 23rd - more details will be posted and the press will be there. Do also bring food for yourselves to enjoy at a picnic afterwards on the playing fields.

Philip Booth, on behalf of the Ruscombe Valley Action Group,
Lark Rise, Bread Street, Ruscombe, Stroud, Glos. GL6 6EL Tel: 01453 755451

New Mosaic at Randwick School

Just a quick note to say how great the new mosaic looks at Randwick School - all the children put in a piece for the one that has the words: "Aim as high as a Skylark" (the surrounding area does have larks - infact my house down in Bread Street was named 'Lark Rise' by the previous owner after these noisy birds).

Heidi Cohen deserves huge congratulations for the design and putting it all together - it is a wonderful addition to the playground and turns an ugly drain into something beautiful. Art like this really improves our environment - let's have more!

And talking of art and schools I was able to call in at St Laurence Church to see the "Pyramid Display" exhibition of art by other schools including Archway and Cashes Green. Founded 12 years ago Pyramid is a consortium of local schools and involves Stroud college - some really great stuff - catch it if you can.

Paganhill Post Office reopens - sign national petition

The post office in the old One Stop store has now moved to new premises tucked away around the back.

The whole process about how Tesco threw the post office out of the store is just not right in my view. See my 20th May Blog for details and more on this.

I have very grave concerns that if more action is not taken we could well lose this new post office. I am not alone: locally various organisations have expressed concerns and this concern about our local post offices is matched nationally. In recent weeks I have been collecting signatures for the petition organised by the National Federation of SubPostmasters - this petition calls upon the Government to reverse its decision to end support for the Post Office Card Account.

All 14,500 Post Offices in the UK have received copies of the petition, which is available for customers to sign to add their voice to the Federation’s campaign against the Government’s decision to axe POCA. Sign there, catch me or download your own petition to collect signatures at:
http://www.nfsp.org.uk/Petition.asp.asp

Used by 4.3 million people, the POCA is the only Post Office based option for the receipt of state pension and benefits. The Federation believes that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is already phasing out the card account ahead of its planned withdrawal in 2010, denying customers a choice in how they access their benefit payments and forcing them to receive them through a bank account, which for many is unsuitable.

It seems clear if the card account is withdrawn it will force the closure of thousands of Post Offices across the country, which in turn will undermine communities across Britain and adversely affect the wellbeing of many individuals, particularly those in vulnerable or finanically excluded groups.

The campaign which will run until the end of the year, is backed by the Mail on Sunday, by Parliament’s All Party Group for Sub Post Offices, and by organisations including the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Help The Aged and the National Pensioners Convention.


In Parliament there is an Early Day Motion (EDM 1531) on the abolition of the Post Office Card Account that has attracted cross-party support and has now risen to 363 MPs including David Drew. It is time the Government recognised how much communities value and need local services.

Randwick rave reveller hurt

A party-goer became a hit-and-run victim as police blocked plans for a late-night outdoor rave in Randwick on Saturday in woodland owned by the National Trust. Some locals will know particularly what a nightmare some of those evening raves were and welcome the prompt action by police. On this occasion police managed to confiscate equipment while it was being unloaded at 10.30pm and turned away 200 people.

Indeed police are clamping down on all illegal open-air events in the area - a quarry near Edge and the old Redler building have also both been sites for raves. If raves do go ahead the organisers now face £20,000 fines.

This is all good news, but we should not forget that one of the challenges for the District is surely to look at the possiblity of events like these taking place - BUT in safer surroundings that don't cause such terrible problems to residents or indeed the ravers themselves? Ideas welcomed!

Illegal raves are on nothing like the scale they used to be - indeed many ravers now go abroad to party and the big festivals now cater for ravers in a way they never used to. Certainly such festivals can be an amazing experience - I remember for example the wonders of the huge open air Ashton Court Festival in Bristol - free with the most wonderful collection of music and all...am sounding a little old here....

In the meantime residents should not hesitate to call the police if they suspect similar incidents: 0845 0901234 or 999.

See Citizen report

Details of next Ashton Court Festival this July

Hamwell Leaze clear-up

I joined the team of other volunteers this morning hacking away at brambles, nettles and bindweed to clear some of the land at Hamwell Leaze. The rather scary photo is of me just about to get started on new clumb of brambles.

This is a stretch of land along the Ruscombe brook just before the fire station tucked away behind the houses there - access either from the end of Hyett Road or along the brook itself.

This site is being improved by Stroud Valleys Project for the use by the community and the brook group are working with them to look at the best way to ensure the water quality and wildlife are improved - but also to improve the use of this hidden piece of public land.

Amazingly Cainscross Parish is the highest density housing in the whole of Stroud District and has the least number of Green spaces. This is an opportunity to improve the access - but it has to be done with care - the current site is sometimes home to undesirable activities - certainly in the brambles I was clearing I counted over 25 vodka bottles and various other drinks - there has also been some vandalism.

The good news is that if more people use the site and local groups get involved in repairing it and making it better then all the evidence shows is that that will usually reduce such problems. Stroud Valleys are already talking to different groups and consulting about how they all feel the site can be improved and made safer for all.

See the 8th June Blog for some of the plans and 21st June Blog for the recent conference.

Ruscombe Woods - can the community purshase?

Ruscombe wood has been up for sale as noted before - the wood covers all the land bounded by Lightwood Lane, the foot path from the top of Zion Hill to the Radio Mast, the road from the Bird in Hand to Randwick and the derelict poultry farm in Randwick. The total area is 22.5 Acres which is mostly mature woodland with some pasture.

As Chair of Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council John Rogers noted: "It is an important part of our village landscape."

The land is being sold by sealed tender with a guide price of £50,000. John Rogers has tried to organise a community purshase but the time is very much against us all. So far ten people have expressing interest in joining the proposed company and have a offered capital of £10k - this is excellent in a week but it seems unlikely we will reach sufficient funds to mount a credible bid by 30th June. There is still hope...

This to me is another argument to support a community newsletter - the Parish have plans for one but not in time to make people aware of this - especially as we have just leafletted the two parishes and more with the Ruscombe Valley Action Group leaflet and health leaflet - perhaps with a newsletter to all residents we might have been able to raise the money?

The land is designated as a "Key Wildlife Site" in the local plan and is inside the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I've had a fair few phone calls expressing concerns about development or how it is going to be used - reassuringly the land is being sold subject to a restrictive covenant preventing any development on the land. So the land will not be built on or clear felled.

However as many have noted it would be better if the land was in benevolent hands rather than people who consider it as just an investment. Anyone interested please contact me and I will pass details onto John who is coordinating this.

Another busy week - meetings, emails and more

I am still getting to grips with this Council stuff - not quite so many meetings - the health consultation, a couple of meetings with officers and a whole morning visiting sites where there are planning applications - a very interesting process that allows councillors to really understand much more clearly the impact of a proposed development.

Other meetings include the Ruscombe Brook conference (see 21st June Blog for details) and a planning meeting by the Ruscombe Brook Action Group committee for the picnic on 23rd July (see 9th June Blog for details).

The challenge as I've noted before is to concentrate time on the meetings where change is really possible and not just a talking shop - I am still open to seeing where it is most useful to put my time - but it is clear that some groups like for example the Ruscombe Brook are really making a difference.

Similarly I know I am not the first to question our email culture - I get an average of 80 to 90 emails a day - are they really all necessary? Certainly it is great to be kept informed about many aspects and I certainly have interest in many areas but when you get that number you start to question whether it is the most effective way to work....

The mail has also increased since being a councillor - several inches thick of post each week - can we really read all that? I am trying - but again it is about seeing where to be most effective and to know how to read key documents to pick out the crucial bits - I'm learning - for example what seemed like complicated planning applications are now starting to make sense.

As you will see from the Blog this last week several other issues are being pursued and I've had several calls from residents about particular issues.

The week has also seen me involved with many wider issues - a glance at this weeks' local Green party news releases and letters give a flavour - they include French cheese at risk from GM pharmaceuticals, the dreadful Stonehouse 'teen repellant', an ex-Labour party agent joining the Green party, a report we sent to all County councillors with concerns re the Severn Barrage, the Mayor of Hiroshima meeting the Mayor of Stroud, the huge waste of money on Trident and more.

Coffee House Discussion on Stroud

Stroud's future was discussed in the Green party sponsored evening in Stroud's Star Anise Cafe - this evening's talk was part of the national Coffeehouse Challenge organised by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) to promote discussion and debate.

Over 40 people turned out to hear three short speakers then go into discussions at tables about what could be done to take issues like Climate Change and Peak Oil more seriously. Ideas on the table included Mike Jones talking about making more of Stroud's brooks and rivers - after all the mills were powered by them years ago - plus developing a more sophisticated form of LETS or local economic exchange system that could get over the problems of previous systems by people being able to purshase local hydro energy.

Martin Whiteside talked about a vision for Stroud in 2020 plus developing a 'Hub' on the internet for better sharing of the wonderful creative activities and inspiring projects that are already going on - plus better local communication - an estimated £2 to £3 million in advertising money was said to be taken out of the local community by the SNJ American owners.

Graham Stanley, a Director of Vision 21 talked more about local projects like car share schemes and the importance of holding onto local services like post offices. His key suggestion that petrol should be increased to £1.50 a litre was not as unpopular as he expected - he explained that prices were set to rise to this anyway in coming years so why not phase it in quicker now and ring-fence the extra tax to build proper local services so that poor and rural people will not be hit so hard - free school bus services, reduced tax for rural people, investment in public transport etc.

This argument makes sense but clearly needs very careful planning - Sweden are already on a programme to be free of oil dependence by 2020 - we can to - the congestion charge in London was unpopular by many but there are few who can criticies the enormous benefits - public transport is improving every year and people are choosing it because it is actually easier than taking the car - those that do use the car also find things better.

Lunatic driver in the Parish

There have been several reports of one particular car driving dangerously on our local roads. I have spoken with the Police who take this very seriously and are more than happy to take the matter up with the driver concerned. They need details before they can proceed so please phone 0845 0901234 to report the incidents and registration number on each occasion.

Partnership for brook?

Last night Ebley Mill saw members of the Ruscombe Brook Action Group and experts come together to hear two guest speakers from Bournemouth talk about one of the country's most exciting projects to improve stream quality and biodiversity.

It was great to get all the different groups together to share expertise: the Environment Agency, Severn Trent, British Waterways, Stroud Valleys Project and more came together to walk the brook (see photo of one group above) then hear about the experiences in Bournemouth.

I gave a brief overview about RBAG and some of what we have been doing then Sarah Austin, Project Officer, Bourne Stream Partnership and Stuart Terry, Coastal & Capital Works Manager, Borough of Poole gave us a great overview of their exciting project.

We learnt lots about how they created a partnership of different groups that is working to improve water quality and wildlife.

Our brook quality has already improved over the last months following work by Severn Trent, but as noted before we consider there is much more work needed. This talk has been very useful getting the views of so many experienced people about the best ways forward. The challenge now is to develop these ideas together with the community and land owners so that we can all benefit. Reed beds for example are one way forward as they are cost-effective, sustainable, have wildlife benefits and improve water quality very significantly.

I would love to see a partnership develop similar to Bournemouth where all agencies pull together not just to improve Ruscombe brook but also the other waterways in the District.

RBAG wish to especially thank the speakers for coming to Stroud - although they have talked to many groups around the country this was the first time they had walked another stream to share their knowledge and ideas. We would also like to thank all those that came to the site visits and meeting, in particular Bob Nightingale, Stroud District Councils' Drainage expert for his help and Cllr. Nigel Cooper for chairing the meeting. A last thank you must go to RBAG members who did most of the organising for the event: Helen Patrick and Chris and Heidi Cohen.

See more at: www.rbag.org.uk

Randwick bus fails to turn up again

The 9.30 am bus failed to turn up yesterday, effecting I am told, 5 people from Randwick and 4 from Ruscombe. This is wholly unsatisfactory and is happening too often. Norma Rodman has already reported this failure.

I have also phoned and would encourage others to make a call. Gloucestershire County Council say they are considering a fine for the company depending on their reason for the failure to turn up.

I have already reported in a previous blog (17th May 2006) that a number of people are concerned about how the bus service has deteriorated over the last year since the new contracts were issued.

It is vital that people call the County to let them know of poor service - this will all be important when contracts are up for renewal. Call the County on: 01452 425985.

Updated bus timetable

I have finally had reassurances that the new timetable will be updated on the website. The updated version is pictured left with info below. The new timetables should be on all the bus stops. I have to confess to finding it very odd that it has taken so long to make these changes; surely we should be making it easier for people to travel by bus!

STROUD - RANDWICK - RUSCOMBE - STROUD 230
Ebley Bus plus Stagecoach in The Cotswolds (SV)

230 Stroud (Cornhill, Russell St, Rowcroft, Merrywalks, Beeches Green, Stratford Rd), Paganhill (Stratford Rd, Paganhill Ln), Cainscross (Westward Rd), Foxmoor Ln, Redhouse Ln, Townsend, Church Rd, Randwick (Church, Wood Turn), Bird in Hand (Randwick Rd), Whiteshill (Main Rd, Ruscombe Rd), Ruscombe (The Throat, Spring Bank, Ludlow Green), Bread St, Humphreys End, More Hall, Cashes Green Rd, Westrip Ln, Foxmoor Ln, Cainscross (Westward Rd), Paganhill (Paganhill Ln, Stratford Rd), Stroud (Stratford Rd, Beeches Green, Merrywalks, Dr Newton's Way, London Rd, Cornhill).

Sunday: No service.
Bank Holidays etc: No service on Bank Holiday Mondays, Christmas, Boxing and New Year's Days. Normal Friday service on Good Friday. Contact operator for rest of Christmas/New Year period.

Key: M-F Monday to Friday only.
d Runs direct via Park End.

Health Trust's depressing presentation

This afternoon the cross-party group of councillors, of which I am part, heard a presentation by Jeff James of the NHS Partnership Trust. This was part of their consultation process and an opportunity for us to question not just the proposals but the way the consultation was being conducted.

Many of us have been aware what a dire situation we are in but I have to say it was a deeply depressing experience to be confronted by the seriousness of the Trust to make these cuts - unless alternatives can be found then cuts will go ahead - and alternatives haven't been found....it really is a very bleak situation and not getting any better.

Over 3000 marched, over 7000 letters so far, numerous letters to the press and many people at public meetings across the county - it seems extraordinary that such strong feelings can be dismissed - especially when they are so rooted in commonsense and indeed in many cases economics as well.

It cannot be right to lose our local centres of excellence and expect people to travel such long distances to centralised services. There seems to have been no proper assessment of the cost this will have to patients, carers, relatives and indeed the environment. Councillor after councillor expressed concerns, yet no hope was given.

I have written elsewhere in this blog about how we got to this state of affairs - and it is still my view that a large part of the reason for the problems within the NHS relate to private companies that are bleeding the NHS dry - £3.3 billion profits on PFI schemes alone yet here we are with 'only' a £38 million deficit.

So what now? I think our hope lies in making so much noise that nationally the Government cannot fail to act - the Maternity Hospital has been excellent at doing this - an Observer article yesterday, a Guardian one week ago plus local press while Cheltenham and other County cuts were featured in The Telegraph. I think this, and the noises being made by the public, MPs and all, are having an effect.

We must keep up the pressure: more letters - if you haven't written please do - see 23rd May Blogs for details - Weavers Croft consultation has been extended until 14th July - despite the gloom we still have a chance to save these services.

Bus service ends in The Lane, Randwick

As most will know, the bus service has ceased going along The Lane in Randwick due to the problems with poorly parked cars. The loss of this part of the service, as I've noted previously, is of concern especially as it is these small cuts that can lead to an already struggling service being cut completely. However the County have assured me that there is no plan to axe the service completely - bus users who have been informed by a bus driver that this was the case, have been misinformed.

I understand the current bus companies will not be restoring the service to The Lane. In contrast the previous company, Cotswold Experience, have informed me they would be happy to return to running buses along the old route. Unfortunately the way contracts work this is not an option at present - nor it seems is there a possibility of using a smaller bus on this route as suggested by some.

The District Council does not have responsibilities for these bus services but I have raised the issue with County officers. I have also expressed concerns that the occasional parking problems in The Lane still need attention if we want to ensure proper access by the Emergency services. However this was not seen as a significant problem by the Highways Department.

Only a handful of people used the bus service from The Lane, but I would welcome more examples of how cutting this service has affected people locally. We want to ensure these views are made to the County Council when they review contracts. Have people managed to walk to other bus stops or found satisfactory alternatives?


Ring and Ride alternative for some?

One option maybe the Ring and Ride and Volunteer Car Service that can be used for essential journeys like doctor's appointments. In the past this has only been open to people with mobility problems, however it has been extended for use by people without access to cars in rural areas without bus services. I have spoken with them and Randwick village centre now qualifies.

Fares start from £2.50 and you need to register first - for details telephone 759005 between 9.30 and 1.00. They are also very much in need of more volunteer drivers who get paid a mileage rate. This option clearly does not replace a regular bus service but maybe helpful for some in the village.

Folly Farm path rerouted and proposed path in Ruscombe

At Development Control meeting last week the change to the footpath at Park End, Paganhill up through Folly Farm was discussed.

I had not been aware of this proposed change until getting the paperwork for this meeting - it apparently was discussed before my election and I have not walked that route recently to see any notices. No objections were received for this change from the Town Council, Ramblers or neighbours. The County approved the change and when it came to the vote last week I was a lone voice against the change.

In my view the new route means more walking up and down to meet the existing path along the brook and it is not a necessary change. I would have preferred to see it retained.

See details and map


Ruscombe field path

In contrast an additional footpath is being proposed in the same valley at Paganhill across the Ruscombe fields - this is further up than the Folly Farm route. This route has been walked for as long as people can remember so is really only confirming a route that already exists.

See map

What are your rights:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=353

Footpath maintenance in Randwick

Gloucestershire has about 3,430 miles of footpaths, bridleways, byways and restricted byways that make up its public rights of way network - I learnt yesterday at Randwick Parish Council meeting that 9 and a half miles are in Randwick Parish alone.

These paths are the responsibility of the County who are also responsible for maintaining the official 'definitive' map of public rights of way. In practice, few field paths receive routine maintenance by the County so in many areas Parish Councils step in - this is the case in Randwick where many key paths are cut several times a year by funds from the Parish Council.

At the Parish Council Cllr Tracey Waite raised concerns that a number of parishioners were noting that paths had recently become too difficult to negotiate. Two people had also raised this issue with me (see photo of a path that is better than some) - part of the problem is that cutting times have been loosely fixed and a late spring with recent rain has led to rapid growth.

The Parish following discussion have, rightly in my view, agreed to look at changing the contract so cutting could be done when needed and possibly more often. Indeed the Parish are taking very positive steps to ensure that footpaths are accessible and Cllr. Martin Rendell produced an excellent huge map with all the paths marked and numbered so that problems could be reported more easily. Cllr. Mark Rees was elected as the new Footpaths Officer and the Council agreed to invite the County Rights of Way Officer to a future meeting to continue to build on a good working relationship.

In the meantime most of the key paths have now been cut in Randwick.

See more about County responsibilities at:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7997

How landowners can help:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7996

Read more at:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=72

Peak Oil: warning and opportunity

Earlier this week I had an opportunity to view an excellent film - the documentary, "The Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" - Peak Oil is a topic that is still not getting the press it deserves. Click here and here for more about Peak Oil.

Basically scientists, geologists and oil companies are predicting that we are close to having used up half of the world's oil resources - some consider we may have already passed that point. The implications of this are huge as oil prices will rise massively. What will this mean to our world economic system that wants more oil each year? More oil wars? Recession, collapse...commentators paint a variety of pictures but few are very pretty.

It is astonishing the lack of urgency on this issue amongst our government and indeed other political parties. We cannot continue our current course. It is as simple as that.

We need to start making choices now to move away from oil - Sweden is dramatically leading the way by aiming to be carbon neutral by 2020. We can also do it but it needs the political will. Changes made now will make it much easier later on.

This film was about Cuba - and how they have already had some indications of what might be ahead - after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990 they underwent the loss of over half their oil imports and survived. This film shows how Cuba survived. I was there some years ago and while I have some criticisms that this film paints an overly optimistic picture of the reality in Cuba it is nevertheless inspiring. It reconfirms my view that we must do all we can now to move away from oil and cut our energy needs drastically.

At Council we have a Policy Panel coming up on climate change - another huge issue that has major implications and an issue the Green party locally has been pushing to get on the agenda for sometime - Peak Oil will be one of the issues I will be raising then. These panels are the start of creating Council policy - let's hope we can put Stroud ahead not just in terms of our economy but also as a leader to inspire other areas.

Today I hope to grab sometime to start looking at the issues we want to bring to that panel - on Saturday I have a meeting with other Greens to discuss which policies should be our priorities.

More about the film:
http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html

Another good film I saw last year on this was "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream" - more at:
http://www.endofsuburbia.com/

Affordable Housing Summit - now we must go for 50%

Last Friday I was able to go the the hugely informative Affordable Housing Summit at Ebley Mill. It was chaired by Ian Mean, editor of The Citizen and had as it's key speaker Elinor Goodman, former Political editor on Channel Four News (1983 - 2005), who has just chaired the Government's Affordable Rural Housing Commission. There were also various other speakers.

It really is great news that the Council is prioritising this issue and they must be applauded for putting on this excellent conference.

One key fact that Elinor Goodman noted at the Summit was that developments should be 50% affordable - this is good news and inline with what Greens have been pushing for locally. Hopefully this will add weight to the call for Stroud to increase it's proportion, although sadly this will probably be too late for developments like the Lister Petter site in Dursley.

Stroud already has a figure for 30% affordable housing in new developments with over 15 houses. This is good compared to many but some other Gloucestershire areas have higher, 40% and 50%. I also have concerns that too many developments are planned at 14 houses to avoid the affordable element.

The Affordable Rural Housing Commission said in their report that a minimum of 11,000 cheap homes per year should be built in the rural settlements (under 10,000 people), the equivalent of six houses every year in each rural English ward. In other words a huge increase in the amount of affordable housing in rural areas with the aim of stopping villages becoming dormitories for the rich. It is certainly true that the lack of affordable homes is killing off the vitality of villages. One extreme example is the 150-home island settlement of Lindisfarne off the Northumberland coast, where no house has been purchased by a local resident since 1995.

Affordable housing has always been a strange term to me - affordable to who? Any housing is affordable to someone. To see what we are talking about go to the report at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/housing/commission/

"Freezing all development may preserved the status quo in terms of bricks and mortar but, paradoxically, it can accelerate social change by making it increasingly difficult for those on lower incomes to live there. Without housing which people on lower incomes can afford, rural communities will increasingly become dormitories for the better-off who work elsewhere, or places where people go to retire or visit for the weekend, rather than places where people live and work." Elinor Goodman

The challenge of course with this is to ensure the extra homes can be provided without ruining the character of the English countryside. Many villages can absorb some more houses, as long as they are in scale and character and maintain the identity of individual communities. This can be done but we need local authorities to be tougher and more consistent with developers. This is where Parish Design Statements and Parish Plans can play a part.

There is also a huge question about some of the figures of homes needed that the government are using - do we really need so many? Many commentators disagree. Another critical issue is the completely unbalance economy - we rip down thousands of houses up north because they are empty yet build in the SE more and more because that is where the demand is being created. The Commission doesn't satisfactorily address these issues as Greens would like to see a far greater emphasis on development being encouraged in a more balanced way - plus a return to much more Social/Council housing.

We welcome the Commissions restrictions on the right to buy council homes in rural areas to protect dwindling supplies of cheap rural homes - but this doesn't go far enough. The "acute shortage" of rural affordable housing has been made much worse by the right to buy. In rural districts only 13% of the homes are available at affordable rents, compared to 22% of urban districts, it pointed out.

The Commission also concluded that across England as whole the effect of second homes was modest, but it was a severe problem in holiday areas. It supported second home taxes but again didn't go far enough - George Monbiot wrote a passionate piece in The Guardian recently about this issue:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1780879,00.html

Monbiot notes for example villages where 60% of housing is now second-homes and that in England and Wales there are 250,000 second homes. In England there are 221,000 people classed as single homeless or living in hostels or temporary accommodation.

The Commission also recommended the money from second-homes should be ploughed into housing: currently Stroud who charge second homes only 90% of Council Tax doesn't appear to use all the money for that - I am trying to find out the reasoning behind that.

It will now be interesting to see how much of this the government takes forward. The government currently only has plans to build 3,000 affordable homes in rural areas rather than the 11,000 recommended. The commission has called for extra public money to increase this total, but also should be met by extra affordable housing on new private developments. In the meantime there is growing support amongst councillors of all political persuasions that a 50% target for affordable housing is not at all an unreasonable requirement.

Lower Street, Ruscombe road collapse

This street has been closed for many weeks: part of the delay has been caused by a major reorganisation in the Highways department. However the latest news is that contractors are due to repair the road at the end of this month or early next month. For most people this news is very good although I have heard one or two residents tell me that they much prefer the less traffic using the road.

Gloucestershire Green news out now

For those interested in the key issues that the Green party locally is getting involved with we provide a monthly email summary of news releases with links to the originals.

This email, the Green News Network (GNN) usually comes out on the second Thursday of the month. The latest issue covers many items including Gloucestershire's acclaimed submission to the government's nuclear waste inquiry, local health cuts, the new Sainsbury in Dursley, school drug-testing, immigration, the Severn Barrage, Gloucester's ex-Mayor singing the Green party's praises and more.

To get your copy of the next edition or to see previous editions go to the top right-hand corner of the Gloucestershire Green party website and look at the Mailing list section:
http://www.glosgreenparty.org.uk

Open Studios triumph

250 local, national and international artists at over 88 sites in Stroud! Next weekend will be the last chance to go around the artists homes and studios, although some of the exhibitions will continue for a bit longer.

Today I spent several hours enjoying various galleries: loved the work of Sue Drennen of the Gloucestershire Printmaking Cooperative, always like Rebecca Macpherson's work and Maggie Shaws' studio pictured above. Plus don't miss Whiteshill artist Alison Cockcroft. See also my entry on 1st June in this Blog for details of the two artists who open in Ruscombe and Whiteshill - both very worth the visit. Now just want to get out my paints and have a go myself!

Brook Group talk on 20th June - book now!

The Ruscombe Brook Action Group will be having a talk on Tuesday 20th June with two speakers from one of the country's most exciting projects involved with cleaning up a stream. The speakers are part of a partnership of local councils, water companies, the Environment Agency and wildlife groups that are working together to improve a stream in Bournemouth. All are welcomed.

Date: Tuesday 20th June 2006 Time: 6.30pm to 8.00pm Venue: Ebley Mill Speakers: Sarah Austin, Project Officer, Bourne Stream Partnership and Stuart Terry, Coastal & Capital Works Manager, Borough of Poole Please book your free place from Philip Booth 01453 755451 Further information: Phone Helen Patrick on 07773 111630

Philip Booth, Secretary of the Ruscombe Brook Action Group said: "We are very much looking forward to hearing more about their exciting and successful project to improve their stream for wildlife, the environment and people. It would be great to develop a similar partnership here and use some of their ideas to improve the Ruscombe Brook and other waterways in the District."

Site visit

The speakers along with representatives from the Environment Agency, Council, Ruscombe Brook Action Group and others will visit the brook before the open public meeting. There are a limited number of places for this site visit, but if you are interested please contact Philip Booth on 01453 755451

More about the talk

The speakers will introduce the Partnership, explain it's formation, funding, issues, objectives & methods, and describe progress made to date. Stuart will talk about the design and creation of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) installed to date, and describe another that is in progress. Sarah will then describe the benefits of SUDS and initiatives by individual partner organisations which have contributed to new local knowledge and environmental improvements. There will be an opportunity to discuss community initiatives and their thoughts about what they've seen at Ruscombe Brook and ideas about how best to develop the site.

Contacts:
Sarah Austin, Project Officer Bourne Stream Partnership Tel: 07798 862205 and 01202 261325
www.bournestreampartnership.org.uk
Philip Booth, Secretary, Ruscombe Brook Action Group Tel: 01453 755451 E-mail: safe.water@virgin.net www.rbag.org.uk

Biggest march ever in Stroud: 3000 fight the health cuts

It was great to see so many people taking to the streets to help get our views heard. There should be no doubts in the minds of those officials that people care passionately about our local health services. We must save them. Click here to see more photos, details of the march and how to take more action.

This week every household in the District should get a leaflet put together by the League of Friends for the community to deliver. In our area we are fortunate in that the Ruscombe Valley Action Group are also delivering a newsletter - we've combined the two leaflets so that they will arrive together in the next week. Infact I think the weather is so nice now I might do a few now....

Ruscombe Valley Action Group newsletter out now!

The newsletter will be arriving over the next week in Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill. There will also be a leaflet prepared and organised by the Hospitals League of Friends and the cross-party coordinating group of Stroud District councilors fighting the cuts. I am on that committee and we are supporting the League in their fight - more of that and the actions we all can take are in other Blogs on this website.

That leaflet will hopefully be going to every house in the District - I've got 130 or so houses in Randwick area, other members of the Action group will be delivering across the rest of the area. Anyway the Action Group's newsletter is an update on the situation and what we've been up to recently. From the newsletter:

It is now almost two years since the land in the Ruscombe Valley was advertised for sale. Gladwish Land Management bought the Land and put it up for sale as 184 individual plots. The Ruscombe Valley Action Group was formed, with the objective of maintaining the fields as agricultural land. This newsletter gives a brief overview of the work the group have carried out in the last twelve months.

Plot Owners: Who are they?

David Drew supplied the group with a list of plot owners. Seventy-one plots had been sold to 59 individuals. The Action Group has written to all the plot owners explaining that the land is for agricultural use and is in an AONB. The letter also asked the plot owners:“What is planned for your land after the two-year agreement from Gladwish to manage the land following the initial sale? This occurs for many plot owners in the early part of 2006”.

Only three replies have been received and not one answered the question. However, it has now been confirmed that the fields will be cut this year, and although this will help to maintain them, the land has not been grazed for over two years there are definite signs of deterioration.

Contact With Other Groups

In the past year the group has made contact with all the Councils, Countryside groups and associations, and MP’s with similar problems in their constituencies, who they felt might support the Action Group. As a result of this exercise the group notes that it has initiated most of the actions that can be taken, but the Action Group feel that it needs to remain vigilant and monitor any changes, so that they are in a position to act should the situation alter. If you have any ideas for other actions or you see any unusual activity in the fields, please let one of the group know immediately.

Next Event

At first there was a great deal of publicity about the land in the local media, but there has been nothing recently, and it could give the impression that the problem has disappeared. To correct this the group has decided to:

Walk the Footpaths on Sunday July 23rd 11.30am and to follow it with a picnic on the playing fields. Your support would be greatly appreciated and we urge as many of you to come along with families and friends to join in the walk. The more the merrier and this will demonstrate that the footpaths through the land are used. For maximum impact the starting points and time will need to be co-ordinated, so please contact one of the group members for further information. The local press have agreed to be there.

Property Scam Website: www.propertyscam.org.uk

This website gives a great deal of information about property scams in other areas of the country and makes interesting reading. The group have contacted them and they have agreed to include information about the Ruscombe Valley. Watch this space.

Meetings

The group will continue to meet every three months, on the first Monday of the month at 8.30pm in Whiteshill Village Hall. The next meeting will be 4th September 2006. All are welcome.

Another Ruscombe field for sale

A 3.18 acre field on the west side of the valley is up for sale at £15,000. The only access is a public footpath - pictured in foreground of photo.

There is of course concern that a company will take the opportunity to subdivide the land - then sell on house-sized plots as Gladwish have done already on the otherside of the valley (see next item above for details - the three fields pictured on the other side of the valley are the ones that have been sold). The price for this new piece of land also seems very high for such a small plot of agricultural land. However there is little action that can be taken until the land is sold.

Plans for Hamwell Leaze

This week I've had many phone calls re Hamwell Leaze and British Waterway plans for The Lawns - to clarify the situation I have written this open letter below describing what we have been doing and where we are going - it is by no means comprehensive but will hopefully update people .

I understand that some urgent tree surgery has just been done at Hamwell Leaze site and that the Parish as the main land owners are liaising with Stroud Valleys Project over any work that may take place at the site. As many will know SVP are trying to improve the walks in that area and biodiversity. We understand that this is at a very early stage and this initial project only has limited funding.

RBAG are supportive of SVP work to improve the Hamwell Leaze site and would be keen to work with all parties to find what will be best for all. I have already met with Ivi, their Project Worker and shared some of our thoughts and concerns.

I understand that some local residents are particularly concerned that improving access could lead to even greater problems with vandalism and anti-social behaviour plus concerns that any new work may not be properly maintained. It is clear those residents need to be involved in the discussions. SVP have noted on the phone to me that they recognise that at the moment there are problems with vandalism and clearly they do not want to add to them - indeed they hope any work will lessen the problems.

It is my personal view that Cainscross Parish, being the highest density housing in the whole of Stroud District and having the fewest Green spaces is right to be exploring how this public space can be used better for the benefit of all. It has considerable potential. The site has also previously been identified in a report as being the most suitable for putting in some form of reed bed system.

The meeting that RBAG held at Ebley Mill in March which was attended by all parties including the Parish (but not Severn Trent), looked at Hamwell Leaze and The Lawns in relation to the canal regeneration programme. British Waterways gave a presentation about their plans to de-silt the lake and put in reed beds there - however with the exception of British Waterways, all the people around the table including water experts Bob Bray, the EA and others recognised that it would be better for water quality to put the reed beds in at Hamwell Leaze instead. British Waterways appeared adamant that they were sticking with their plan but we extracted a promise that they would consider Hamwell Leaze.

I understand British Waterways are losing Jonathan Briggs, one of their key people - and also clearly have considerable work on their hands. As an aside I have considerable concerns that the Conservation Management section of their plans will now be delayed still further as Jonathan was going to write that. Can work really take place without those plans?

Anyway we have not had a response from BW until now re Hamwell Leaze. The good news is that Ed Moss, another of their staff, has come back to us and offered a date for a meeting with all parties to consider Hamwell Leaze on 5th or 6th July. This is an extremely positive move and we are delighted that they are still prepared to consider work there.

It is clearly one of the best sites to improve the water quality, reduce the dangers to health of raw sewage and improve biodiversity - and will we hope enhance the whole area. The de-silting of the Lawns and improvements there will still take place. However time is ticking on and we understood that all work was to be completed by the end of year!!

Other issues

One suggestion re Hamwell Leaze that has come from a number of quarters that I personally like is to develop a right of way from the fire station, under the viaduct and along the side of the brook until it intersects the existing foot path. As one person on the Parish Council noted: "This would open up the area a bit, allow better access, make it more accessible for foot traffic, helping prevent some of the tucked away / nobody can see / less attractive activities that occur."

They also went on to suggest, what I consider is an excellent idea: "That the willow copse should be partially cleared to allow the creation of a children’s (9 – 13 yr olds) adventure play space. " I am deeply concerned that too many children no longer have any experience of nature - traffic, stranger danger and other factors all play there part - here is an opportunity to rectify this a little - I also enclose a the bit of research that I came across yesterday below.

However I again want to make the point that we need to work with residents in that area on this - am sure no one disagrees!! Residents will clearly have ideas and thoughts about any suggestions and plans. The Police Architectural Liaison team are specialists in looking at how best to reduce crime when looking at designs of areas - it would be good to involve them at an early stage so that we can have a win-win situation where all parties are heard and have a say in the plans!

Having said all that, SVP do not have specific plans yet and are, I understand at the stage of consulting on a project that will probably take a couple of years.

RBAG is similarly looking at possibilities for the whole brook - we are at the stage of forming some draft ideas about ways forward in terms of the brook and what might be possible - this is in addition to the other projects we are already involved in like joint leaflets with Severn Trent, a University of Gloucester research proposal, a survey of the brook, supporting Severn Trent in getting their sewers up to scratch and more.

One very exciting development is a seminar that we hope to hold at Ebley Mill on 20th June possibly at 6.00pm where we have two representatives from the Bourne project coming. This is not confirmed yet and the notice is very short as the Project Officer is moving jobs and will not be able to come later. We are hoping the seminar will give us ideas about the best ways forward.

For those unfamiliar Bourne is one of the most exciting projects in the country to improve a stream. Read more at:
http://www.bournestreampartnership.org.uk

Meanwhile RBAG's next meeting is on 26th June at Chris and Heidi's at 7.00 for a walk down to Hamwell Leaze to look at site then 8.00 at their house for the usual monthly meeting.

Apols as I hadn't meant this to be so long! Please don't hesitate to contact if you want any clarification or information - looking forward to working with all the parties - all the best - Philip

Philip Booth, Secretary of the Ruscombe Brook Action Group,
Tel: 01453 755451
www.rbag.org.uk



'WILD' NATURE PLAY BEFORE AGE 11 FOSTERS ADULT ENVIRONMENTALISM

If you want your children to grow up to actively care about the environment, give them plenty of time to play in the *wild* before they're 11 years old, suggests a new Cornell University study.

*Although domesticated nature activities -- caring for plants and gardens -- also have a positive relationship to adult environment attitudes, their effects aren't as strong as participating in such wild nature activities as camping, playing in the woods, hiking, walking, fishing and hunting,* said environmental psychologist Nancy Wells, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell.

*When children become truly engaged with the natural world at a young age, the experience is likely to stay with them in a powerful way -- shaping their subsequent environmental path,* she added. Interestingly, participating in scouts or other forms of environmental education programs had no effect on adult attitudes toward the environment.

*Participating in nature-related activities that are mandatory evidently do not have the same effects as free play in nature, which don't have demands or distractions posed by others and may be particularly critical in influencing long-term environmentalism,* Wells said.

Unlike previous studies that have looked at the effect of childhood experiences of adult environmentalists, this study looked at a broad representative sample of urban adults. By examining individuals* pathways to environmentalism, the study also took a *life course* perspective, that is, a view that looks at individual lives as sets of interwoven pathways or trajectories that together tell a story.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060313183552.htm

Meetings, meetings, meetings....

This week I suppose will be a typical week... then again is there such thing as a typical week in being a District councillor?

So what's planned for this week... A morning on affordable housing, Council training sessions on Scrutiny and a whole day on Planning, nearly a whole morning at the Annual Safety Panel meeting plus meeting up with Linda Durrans the previous District councillor for this ward who has kindly agreed to meet with me and talk more about the ward. Evening meetings include a Ruscombe Parish meeting, a meeting with residents at Nouncell's Cross to talk about traffic calming, a Ruscombe Valley Action Group meeting and a Gloucestershire Green party meeting in Gloucester.

“Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.” John Kenneth Galbraith

"A meeting is an event where minutes are taken and hours are wasted." James T. Kirk

Meetings can indeed be a divertion, but they are often also indispensible in getting things done in a democratic way. Indeed I have often been astonished by how much has been achieved by a few individuals coming together and working for a clear aim - the challenge in my new role is to work out which meetings are effective and will bring about the changes we want and need.

Don't forget Saturday's march against the health cuts that has cross-party support in Stroud. It starts at 11.00 am at Park Rd and looks set to be the largest march ever in Stroud and will pass all the Hospital complexes down Middle St, High Street onto Glos street to finish with a rally in Stratford Park. Cllr John Marjoram on 01453 750962 is coordinating the march on behalf of the Town Council.

The Real Costa Coffee: Stroud's economy and character will be hit

This week Costa Coffee opened in Stroud High Street in an area noted for it's unique character. Greens and other local businesses on the High Street had protested loudly - there was even a Citizen front page story with a picture of me and other protesters - but the development was approved by Stroud District Council.

It is clearly good news for shoppers and retailers that Stroud Town Centre is booming - but not every development should be welcomed with open arms. Costa Coffee falls into this category. There are several reasons why I and others believe this development is not good.

In economic terms developments like Costa threaten the long-term vitality of the Town. Costa is positioned right in the middle of four independently owned cafés that derive a significant portion of their business from the sale of coffee and snacks. Exactly the same market that Costa Coffee addresses. It is quite implausible that Stroud can support so many coffee shops in such a small area. As one letter writer said in the Stroud News and Journal: "The question is, once the froth has gone what will we be left with?"

A vibrant retail sector for a market town like Stroud will be a mix of locally owned businesses and national chains. However within this mix there must be both diversity and choice. Overloading a single sector, in this case, coffee shops, does nobody any favours and leads to some of the businesses failing. Indeed many would argue that Stroud's attraction is this area particularly is that it is different from other places and doesn't have a High Street the same as everywhere else.

Those in favour of deregulated commerce and free trade may see Costa opening as a good thing because the least efficient businesses are the ones that go bust. However the competition is far from fair.

Green party member, Dave Cockcroft writes:

"In the case of Costa Coffee the current phase of company growth is the creation of shareholder value by opening more branches. At present they are pushing into busy market towns. The profitability of individual outlets is, for the time being, less of a concern. In renting a large retail site in a prime location Costa Coffee is burdened with a very high rent. There is a limit to the amount of coffee Stroud shoppers can drink and with such high overheads it’s hard to see how this establishment can make a profit. No matter for the moment as they’ll be supported from company funds. Longer term however, depending on economic factors beyond any of our control, Costa Coffee is likely to trim the least profitable branches. National chains have no loyalty to Stroud only duty to their shareholders, they exist only to make money.

"So it’s hooray for now, we’ll be able to try unusually flavoured coffees and eat overpriced muffins. But imagine in a couple of years from now… two of the local cafés have gone out of business and a national retail downturn causes Costa Coffee to contract to its more profitable core business. Stroud is left with just two coffee shops where previously we had four. In the mean time most of the money spent at Costa has been sucked out of the local community into corporate coffers. Had that money been spent with independent local businesses it would have circulated within the local economy creating more value at every turn."

Much research supports this: local businesses are good for local jobs and local economies. Studies show that 50% of turnover from local retailers is returned to the local economy whereas large retail chains return as little as 5% to the local economy (i). Research also shows that if every person, tourist and business switched just 1 per cent of their current spending to local goods and services, local economies would net, on average an extra £52 million annually (ii).

Some on Stroud District Council seemed to half understand this - and have recently launched a 'Shop Local' campaign. This is excellent and there is also money to support independent retailers (iii) and a pioneering scheme for local painters and decorators to work in partnership to paint council homes. More good news.

Yet they still give planning permission to the Costa Coffee in Stroud and have pursued a supermarket for Dursley for over 15 years which has blighted other opportunities for regeneration there. Ironically it was the same week they launched the 'Shop Local' that they finally signed a deal with Sainsburys for the Dursley site. We know only too well that supermarkets lead to closures of local shops and take money out of communities. Waitrose in Stroud even goes to the length of forbidding customers to use their car park and shop in the town. Far from encouraging these dinosaurs, Stroud District Council should be more consistent in using its power to support our excellent independent retailers.

Today Costa was busy, but what alerted me to the fact that it was open was three separate Costa Coffee take-away cups lying in the car park, outside Sunshine and on the side of the road near the police station. It was refreshing to over hear several people in the street complaining loudly about this "red monster" that has landed in our midst - one woman even trying to explain to her children why they wouldn't be going there.

I also heard last week that they were already trying to put chairs and tables out in the Shambles market area. Cllr. John Marjoram was quick to make them remove them - reminding them of their planning permission which I understand specifically prevented them from using this area for their tables. We will need to keep an eye on them!

Enough writing for now - it is such a beautiful sunny day that I should really be outside.

Notes:

(i) All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group report February 2006 (ii) New Economics Foundation
(iii) Independent retailers in Stroud can sign up for a 12-month business support package worth more than £1,000 - for only £100. It includes one-to-one mentoring and advice covering a host of essentials for running a successful enterprise. Many of the 15 local retailers who have already joined have praised the scheme for giving them the confidence and skills they needed to make their businesses more successful and for the practical and professional support offered. Contact: Rob Thomas 01242 863863 The Council also offers independent town centre retailers grants to improve the appearance of their premises, or to restore the building’s original historic features. Contact: Tina Emsley 754301

Latest on health cuts

Support against the cuts is building

For background to cuts and for action you can take see Blogs dated 23rd May 2006

Some 300 people gathered on Wednesday outside Shire Hall to protest with by far the largest group coming from Stroud. Yesterday at the two Gloucestershire Partnership Trust consultation meetings opposition was again strong, but equally the more we learn about these cuts the more worrying it is becoming.

At this morning's meeting of councillors representing Stroud District Council Against the Hospital Cuts, the latest on how the cuts are being fought was discussed. It includes hand delivering a leaflet to every home in the District.

I had raised earlier that Government guidelines suggest that the minimum for public consultation should be 12 weeks. It is outrageous that Weavers Croft has only 5 weeks and even more so in that there are no proper costings on how much the alternatives will cost. Even more so there has been no consultation with SDC, GCC and volunteer bodies who it has been suggested will pick up some of the costs - these bodies are already stretched to limits.

The question of when and if to go to a judicial review is still open, but such a move seems inevitable to me if we continue on the current course.

How can it be right that a 78 year old Paganhill woman with her husband who has severe senile dementia be made to travel on 3 buses for over 2 and a half hours to Cheltenham to see him? At the moment he is in Weavers Croft and she can visit him 3 times a day as he can only manage short visits. What sort of a society are we creating when we put such intolerable pressures on carers who are often already stretched? Words fail me.

Please act now on Weavers Croft: 35% of cuts are going on services for elderly people - this is a disproportionate amount and will hit some of our most vulnerable members of our community hardest.

Stroud march - 10th June

Please don't forget to join the march organised by Stroud Town Council - starts at 11.00 am on 10th June at Park Rd - it looks set to be the largest march ever in Stroud and will pass all the Hospital complexes down Middle St, High Street onto Glos street to finish with a rally in Stratford Park. Cllr John Marjoram on 01453 750962 is coordinating the march that has cross-party support.

Threat to Painswick library and the wider threat to services

I'm just back from staying with my parents for a long weekend in Colyton, Devon - several people from Randwick caught me drinking an espresso with a large slab of cake in Seaton. Anyway a big story amongst locals there was the library in Colyton facing the chop to save an estimated £20,000 a year.

I have wiled away many an hour with my partners granddaughter in that library and I have to say this decision makes no sense - this great little library closing would be a huge loss to the community. In conversations I shared with locals there in Devon I mentioned that in Gloucestershire we had managed to avoid losing our library services. How wrong I was.

I arrived home yesterday and opened the Stroud News and Journal to see that Painswick Library (pictured) faces the axe as the grade two listed building will cost £80,000 plus to repair - Gloucestershire County Council say they do not have the money to pay for this and plan to sell the building.

If the SNJ reporting is correct councillors have been given just five months to decide where to have their library. I find this hard to understand as for some time we have known this library building needed work - why now the rush? Why are the County not more visibly seeking a solution? I hope that local councillors there will be able to find an alternative venue but the time scales are very tight.

Painswick library was listed as one of six in the County to face the chop earlier this year - they were reprieved but it seems that now this is in doubt again. We cannot afford to keep seeing local services being cut without regard for the local community.

The wider threat to our libraries

Nationally changes to the library services are also worrying. Last year we saw the most radical change since public libraries were established in the 19th century - with the Government plans for a national agency to be set up to run libraries, largely replacing current control by 149 local authorities. At the time the Gloucestershire Green party protested and were also running a petition regarding Stroud library.

As John Marjoram noted at the time: "Labour seem infatuated with the idea of involving the private sector, despite evidence that it leads to profits for shareholders and poorer services...Our public services are based on a completely different set of principles to profit. I don't want to see those disappear."

Indeed - and sadly it is not just our government. Internationally the planned liberalisation and expansion of international trade in services is being negotiated behind closed doors in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - and libraries are included. Ruth Rikowski, the author of a new book, 'Globalisation, Information and Libraries', spoke with me last year when we discussed the threat to libraries and other services. In her book she has examined the implications for the world's state-funded libraries of the World Trade Organisation's most infamous treaties - GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services ) and TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights).

GATS is a set of trade rules whereby WTO member countries must open up their service sectors to the global market. Assurances made by the UK government, the European Commission and the WTO, that all public services such as health, education, water, housing, and libraries are exempt from GATS are now seen by many commentators as bogus. There has been a steady process of commercialisation and private sector involvement in all the above listed public services over the last decade.

If these trade rules go through then state-funded libraries in the UK and across the world will be forced, in time, to turn into profit-making enterprises that will open the door to long-term privatisation. Brighton already has its multi million pound PFI library. The UK (under the EU) has not so far committed its Library Service to the GATS, but this could easily change in future negotiations, succumbing to private companies searching for ripe opportunities.

TRIPS, meanwhile, is about the trading of intellectual rights, including copyright, trade marks, geographical indications, patents, industrial designs and trade secrets. Rikowski shows how TRIPS allows corporations to appropriate, patent and then profit from the traditional knowledge of indigenous populations in the poorest developing countries without giving due recompense.

There is already growing pressures on libraries to generate income and operate more like private companies rather than public good providers - as Ruth Rikowski said: "the 'commercialisation by stealth' of British libraries and information is an everyday reality." GATS would be extremely damaging to our communities and must be opposed.

In the meantime don't forget that we are very lucky in our area to have the mobile library service - times should be on Parish noticeboards - or see below for more info. Use it or lose it - and don't forget you can renew your library loans either in person at your local library, through the Library Catalogue or by telephoning the Renewal Hotline 0845 230 5422

Five Valleys Mobile Library
Based at Stroud Library Tel (01453) 751651 Fax (01453) 762060
Route C - alternate Wednesdays
Mobile stops at: Cashes Green, Kings Stanley, Paganhill, Randwick, Ruscombe, Selsley, Westrip, Whiteshill

Read more about Gloucestershire libraries

Read more about the World Development Movement's campaign to raise awareness about GATS

Open Studios in our valleys

The hugely successful and wonderfully inspiring Open Studios are back this month for the tenth year running. I've already been along to the Taster exhibition in The Museum in the Park - which only has room for a handful of work by the 250 local, national and international artists who will be exhibiting in over 88 sites in Stroud!

I would urge people to pick up their programmes now - there are two artists in our area and they, like many of the other artists, invite people to their homes to see their work and talk.

• Dorte Shelley with "paintings, drawings and ceramics and a beautiful garden" is at the Old School, The Plain Whiteshill opposite the Village Hall.
• Mel Rodicq with "contemporary and funky paintings and digital art based on tech-organic abstract forms" is at Grandma's Cottage, Ruscombe Road, Ruscombe.
  

Both will be opening their homes over the weekends 9th-11th and 16th-18th June - get the programme for full details.

“The creative energy that surges through Stroud and the surrounding valleys is extraordinary, stimulating and exhilarating at the same time.” Matthew Fort, journalist and Guardian Food Editor.

Read more at: http://www.sva.org.uk/

Randwick Village Hall redevelopment plans

Planning Application Reference: S.06/1136/FUL

A decision on the planning application for alterations and extensions to the Village Hall plus some landscaping to playing field is due 27/06/2006. This will be the first stage achieved following nearly 5 years of negotiations and planning meetings within the community.

As I understand it these plans meet with the approval of all involved and will be a huge boost to the community with excellent changing room facilities on the basement level with the hall and other rooms above. Between £250,000 and £300,000 will be needed for this project - already £30,000 has been raised but much work will be needed in the future.

Those wanting to see the plans check out the Stroud District Council website.