Two events: Rachel Carson play and Vandana Shiva talk

A play about Rachel Carson will be at The Space on Friday 8th February - 'Breaking the Silence' - a one woman one hour play on the life of Rachel Carson at 7pm

Photo: Rachel Carson with kind permission of Stanley Freeman Junior

See www.rachelcarson.co.uk for show details. 2007 was the centenary of her birth and as the play advertising says: "it is time to listen as if for the first time to what she has to say." Rachel Carson wrote "Silent Spring" in 1962 overcoming the opposition of government, industry and her own failing personal health in order to alert the world to the careless use of chemicals in our environment. "This show is not a history lesson. It is not about fear and despair. It is a love story and we are all part of the story." Door open at 7 pm for 7.30 pm Tickets £8 and £5 concessions from Jo Bousfield 01453 762361

Vandana Shiva and Satish Kumar

The other event I am helping to publicise is that Vandana and Satish are returning to Abbey Home Farm near Cirencester to raise money for Vandana's projects in India - come and hear them talk - 7pm on 14th March - cost - all to her work: £15 each which includes a thali - see www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk/news for details and booking.

Tricorn trees chopped but not Vicarage trees yet

I was disappointed to see the loss of trees at Tricorn House just before Christmas and followed up with the Parish as to why...

Photo: Above - Tricorn House with the trees in front of it cut down and below with trees helping to conceal the monster

...the Parish presume the owners cut them down and that the trees were not protected - very sad as they hid and softened part of the building - but perhaps it is a good sign that things are moving on that site - scroll down to blog entry on 21st December re the hopes of Ecotricity to purshase the site?

For all too long local residents have seen this empty building as a blight - most I met when I was interviewing residents for their Parish Plan wanted it torn down and removed - others were happy to see it occupied and the facade to be changed. Recently however I met someone who was a 'fan' of the building and its architecture - in mentioning this to someone else I found they too were a fan - are there others out there? Does this building really have any merit?

Vicarage trees

Anyhow while on trees I also followed up on a resident who reports trees cut down at Vicarage - however it seems from my look and words with the Parish that they have not been chopped - scroll down to my blog on 17th December 2007 for background info on this.

There has apparently been a second application regarding the Vicarage trees, which include replanting with silver birches - the Parish have opposed - It's on the SDC website S.07/2516 - see it here.

Plans to delay inspections at Oldbury nuke condemned

What with Christmas, work and other bits I've had a wee break from blogging - 8 days - the longest since I started this nearly 20 months ago - anyhow I'm back - and back with a letter I sent off yesterday to local press regarding inspections of our local nuclear power station - 16 miles from Stroud...

Photo: Christmas tree

Regular blog readers will know that this 39 year old nuke is, well, to say the least struggling...here's some of what I wrote and more....In May Reactor 2 was restarted after two years of inspections and closed almost immediately after a large explosion in the generator/ transformer that was heard in Oldbury village - indeed they could also see a plume of smoke.

A second attempt to restart failed in July when a turbine began vibrating. The reactor was eventually started in August and was due for an inspection shut-down in November but this was then delayed until January. Now the industry wants to delay that until after the reactor's permanent closure at the end of 2008.

These are very serious and worrying incidents but of greater concern is the state of the oldest and most corroded reactor core in the country. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate writing to the Shut Oldbury Campaign state that "a key aspect of the NII decision regarding deferment of the outage is the graphite core safety case." Yet without shutting down the reactor it's impossible to gauge whether cracks have developed in the core - video cameras need to be inserted down the hundreds of fuel channels.

The only other method for guaging the strength or weakness of the graphite material is to drill out samples and test them. But this is a much more generalised technique from which information is extrapolated. It is not specific enough to pin-point crucial areas of damage.

The regulators said in June they couldn't licence the reactor till the end of 2008. For Oldbury to now make this request is outrageous and could have unthinkable consequences especially as they still haven't fitted a key extra safety system.

Meanwhile Reactor 1, that is even more damaged, has been out of service since August 2006 awaiting similar test results. Shutting Oldbury finally now is the only safe option.

Photos: talk earlier this year to hear John Large - pictured here with a fuel rod

You can see the letter sent here with extra notes - indeed the Glos Green party website has lots more re the graphite problem...

....also see my blog (10th Oct 2007) and Green party site re the recent talk in Stroud from Independent nuclear engineer John Large - he showed why he and others considered there were serious risks and gave a detailed description as to why an accident at Oldbury could be comparable to Chernobyl.

Christmas: skating, woods, shopping and madness

I do like Christmas and this year it has been less stress-free than many - I did get a glimpse of the hectic madness that some face - when at the recent Climate Change march (see blog & photos on 10th Dec) I caught the tube from Oxford Circus and saw folk shopping - it was madness - do people enjoy that?

Photo: Shopping in Oxford Circus

On Saturday I went to Gloucester and came across the same madness - the Mall so solid with people and shopping bags that you could hardly move - the same with the High Street - a frenzy of consumption - I thankfully wasn't there for the shops but the ice skating - my partner is Norwegian and I was taking her grand daughter to experience the ice for the first time. Now I don't know about the carbon footprint of the temporary outdoor ice rink there but it was cold enough I'm sure not to need to do much freezing of the ice.

Photo: Skating in Gloucester

As a child my Mum took me to Queens Skating rink in London each Christmas holidays - it was such a treat and I have v fond memories - sadly my skating abilities have gone a little rusty in the intervening 30 years - or perhaps they were never as good as I remembered??

I only fell over twice yesterday - both times caught on camera by people filming from the edge - not sure what for....anyhow we both enjoyed the skating very much indeed - and the coffee and choc milkshake afterwards on the terrace.

Photos; 'Enchanted Christmas'

The other recent delight as a special Christmas treat was the 'Enchanted Christmas' at Westonbirt Arboretum - this is when the trees are lit up with coloured lights - photos don't do justice - much of the lighting enhanced the trees and allowed us to see them in different ways - some was much to 'Disney' for my taste - I was also not expecting such a huge area to be lit - I thought there might be a few different groups of trees but there was one and a half miles of lit woodland and one and a half miles of people walking the route! It apparently finished today - I was unable to find out if the lights were powered by renewable energy...

So it seems I am not having a totally 'green Christmas' whatever that might be - indeed I've seen some dodgy claims about how to have a green Christmas that still seems to be about consuming...

Bill McKibben said: "The problem with Christmas is not the batteries." He writes about Christmas and whether folk are "brave enough to say no to a high-stress holiday?" Read him here - he makes some basic but important points like "replacing regular stuff with green stuff isn't getting very close to the root of the problem....that our environmental problem, at root, isn't that the stuff we're buying uses too much energy or too much plastic, or that its paint has lead in it, or that it's been shipped too far. Our environmental problem is that we consume way too much because we've agreed to try and meet basic human needs - status, respect, affection - with material ends."

The tradition of giving presents in winter dates back at least to Roman times, when officials presented the emperor with evergreen branches and, later, honey, cakes and gold. Christmas presents, by one account, date back to the medieval legend that Jesus gave presents, though they started modestly with cakes, fruit, nuts and clothes. Later the tradition was linked to the Bible story of the kings who visited Jesus shortly after his birth.

A survey last year for the auction website Ebay estimated that £4bn of gifts are unwanted - £92 per person - and with the country throwing away 100m tonnes of waste a year, it is great that we have websites like freecycle (see my blog 20th June for more info) as an environmentally friendly way to cut down on often toxic rubbish and the energy needed to recycle or manufacture more goods.

I've not used Freecycle for presents - infact at moment frustratingly can't get on the site - however finding free Christmas presents is as old as the tradition itself - there are few who will not confess to stealthily passing on last year's unwanted socks or bath salts as presents this year. Certainly I welcome anything that moves away from the mad consumerism that Christmas has become - simple presents are great- if they are made then even more special.

Photo: Randwick woods today

In fact my walk this afternoon in Randwick woods could not have been better - beautiful - not sure I'll need to see all those lights at Westonbirt again!

See a great poem on my blog on 14th July 2007 that sums up much about shopping - Danny Chivers, the author has kindly given me permission to reproduce it... see it here.

Anyhow I've run out of steam now - and this ramble has probably gone on too long already - however you spend Christmas, alone or with family, I hope you have a good one - seasonal greetings to all and all the best for 2008.

Ruscombe Brook mini-projects - the way forward

We had a good Ruscombe Brook Action Group meeting on Saturday morning - all very positive indeed and a good plan to move forward - below are the notes I have just written for the minutes - would love to explain more but Christmas is creeping up rapidly...

Photos: Helen with her flipchart presentation, the meeting and after the meeting clearing out a householders flowforms!

Minutes of mini RBAG meeting at 10.00am on Sat 22nd December 2007 at Stefans house.

Present: Stefan, Zarin, Philip (minutes). Keith, Simon. Helen
Apols: Julia C

These notes are very brief and will be discussed at more length at the next RBAG meeting on Tues 22nd Dec at Zarins house. The purpose of the meeting was to present a possible way forward for the group. Helen Patrick kindly kicked us off with a very useful presentation of what we had achieved and a summary of some of the issues. Philip also noted some very issues raised by Julia Currie in a memo to the meeting.

The group suggested the following as a way forward. The wider RBAG group at the next meeting can consider the plan; those present at this mini-meeting may also have some further thoughts.

We first discussed the role of RBAG in getting improvements. Agreed to lead others on the project but that we were not in a position at present to take on a more significant role as suggested by Water 21s recent report. The group agreed to keep an open mind on this and would also look at others if such proposals were put.

After discussion we agreed to identify smaller projects that sub-groups or individuals could take forward. Some suggestions to lead those projects have been made but need further discussion - indeed the group would welcome other RBAG members or even those outside the immediate group to help. Another key issue was the level of priority - what work will have most effect?

1. Draft plans for brook (hopefully by mid-Feb)
- particularly the upper reaches in Ruscombe where we will need to start first

2. Householders engagement project
- this would include at least two elements:
(a) Consultation
(b) An info pack for householders to include: how to get rebate from Severn Trent Water (poss draft letter), what householders can do (eg water butts at a reduced price from Stroud District Council? Green Shop info on more extensive measures? Info to homes re permeable drives?). Funding from who?

3. Further work on SUDs
- Highways run-off
- Yellow Fish
- 'Puckshole project' - is culvert too small? What else?

4. On-going work to improve existing sewage system
- liaison with Severn Trent

5. Grit bins
- make more vandalism proof

6. Landowners engagement project
- consult with local landowners about how they want to move forward eg manure, cattle etc
- what support can we provide?

7. Wider political issues
- correspondence re SUDs
- Ruscombe water quality Standard
- Rainfall measures

8. Getting to know our stream
- walk length - involve others
- District Council's initiative re Watercourse wardens

Other issues discussed included poss Water 21 conference later in year and our next AGM

Global Challenges Think Tank and more

On Thursday the Transition Stroud Business and Government group met in Nailsworth.

Photo: Coffee break at meeting - plus mince pie

I nearly didn't make the meeting as I lost one page of my diary - anyone who has seen my 2007 diary will have little sympathy with me and understand totally how this could have happened (see update below) - it is a poor excuse for a diary but it is at least small enough to fit in the back pocket of a pair of jeans....anyhow I did send around an emergency email message re those dates of the missing page - but was confident that I had remembered all important events - it was only the day before when a reminder email came around about this meeting that I realised my mistake - fortunately I managed to change another meeting around to get to this one....

The meeting on Thursday was a chance to look at how the 'Global Challenges Think Tank' on Peak oil and climate change had progressed - this is one of the first in the country to look at both those issues and feed into the policy making Local Strategic Partnership - good stuff indeed - we also talked about various other aspects including the local Sustainable Community Strategy and more...see my report ramble of the meeting here. It is very nice to be part of a group where talk will turn into meaningful policy - plus lots of good ideas for more action - coming soon!

Update 31st December 2007: following an email query re my diary I have included here a photo of the state of my 2007 diary - it really doesn't show the glory of it's loose pages, my illegible scribbles that sometimes defy even my interpretation and the wonders of it managed to get me to meetings this last year....

Compulsory reading and writing for 3 year olds!

Three and four year-olds HAVING to learn to read and write - this is utter nonsense from the Government yet outrageously this becomes law in the UK in nine months time for ALL nurseries – not just state-funded nurseries.

Photos: Den-making this last summer

I would urge you please to sign the Downing Street petition - and read more below:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/OpenEYE/

The Government just haven’t got it. They think the sooner a child starts something, the better it will be; the notion of age appropriateness doesn’t seemed to have crossed their mind. There is masses of evidence (e.g. formal schooling in Scandinavia and Germany starting age 6/7, etc) demonstrating that delaying formal learning and letting children learn through just playing is no hindrance to later literacy. In fact it helps.

Here is the full petition to read: We, the undersigned, petition the Prime Minister to commission an urgent independent review of the compulsory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) policy framework, and to reduce the status of its learning and development requirements to `professional guidelines'. We recognise the government's good intentions in its early-years policy-making, but are concerned about the EYFS legislation, which comes into force in England next September.

Our concerns focus on the learning and development requirements, as follows:

1. They may harm children's development

2. They will restrict parents' freedom of choice in childcare and education

3. Their assessment profile requirements may place an unnecessary bureaucratic burden on those who care for young children

4. Recent evidence suggests that government interventions in education generally may not be driving standards up and may be putting too much pressure on children

1. There is significant evidence to suggest that introducing formal education too early is damaging to some children in both the short and the long term, especially to boys. Consequences may include the development of unpredictable emotional and behavioural problems, unwarranted levels of stress, damage to children's self-esteem and erosion of their enthusiasm for learning. Research has shown that 5 year olds drilled in reading and writing were outstripped four years later by children whose first year at school was more socially interactive and stimulating. Such evidence suggests that in practice (notwithstanding the reassurances offered in the legislation) the approaches to teaching that will be encouraged by broad-brush EYFS targets - such as that by the age of 5 children should "begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation" - are likely to be those which may be harmful to young children.

2. The EYFS will be mandatory across all settings – childminders, nurseries, playgroups, schools (including independent schools). We appreciate that the Government's intention is to ensure the same high standards everywhere, but we believe that this could be better achieved by investing the necessary resources in comprehensive staff training across the field. We do not accept that the EYFS encapsulation of child development reflects the views of professionals worldwide, nor do we accept that it is acceptable to mix developmental milestones with aspirational outcomes.

We note that the law allows for the Government to make regulations regarding exemptions to EYFS. However such exceptions are to be made only at the request of individual parents, and it will therefore be impossible for parents to find a childcare or educational setting which takes a different approach to the EYFS and therefore does not teach to its learning and development requirements. This is an unprecedented restriction of parents' freedom to choose how their children are cared for and educated. It may actually increase the use of informal care, with accompanying lower standards in some cases.

3. The EYFS profile demands that carers assess children against 117 different assessment points. With less than a year to go until implementation, arrangements for carers to receive training and ongoing support are seriously inadequate. Without such training and support there is unlikely to be any consistency of assessments and random "box-ticking" is a real probability. Even once trained to do it, assessment and recording will add significantly to the workload of those who care for and work with young children. It may skew the way staff observe and interact with those children, and the paperwork required will certainly take up valuable time that could otherwise be spent with them.

4. Recent evidence – including the reports of the Cambridge Primary Review, and the latest OECD PISA report (the "international league tables") - suggests that government-driven changes in education have been largely ineffective in driving up standards and may at worst be adversely affecting both educational standards and the quality of children's educational experiences. We see no reason to believe that the EYFS learning and development requirements would break this pattern.

In conclusion we believe that this unprecedented legislation could lead to harmful long-term consequences and therefore contradicts the responsible "precautionary principle" which should surely be exercised in all early-year state policy-making.

See more: http://openeyecampaign.wordpress.com/

Nativity Play and Parish dos

A great evening yesterday started with a service in the church with Randwick Primary school....

Photo: Carol singing in Randwick Church

A modern version of the nativity play - and no nonsense about not taking photos - indeed at one point the Head Teacher, Mrs Montecute got the children lined up in their costumes and invited parents to take a photo.


Photo: Martin Rendall, Vice Chair of Parish and Richard Huxford, Chair.

After the Nativity it was on to the village hall for the shortest Randwick Parish meeting ever - with a presentation of cheques to local groups like Scouts - some photos then lots of nibbles and a glass of wine - very nice to chat and talk to folk - infact the first time I had properly talked to Martin, the Parish Handyman.

Photo: Randwick Parish meeting with the line up of representatives getting cheques for local groups from the Parish


The Parish has also appointed a new Clerk - Arthur Westward who has been in the post 25 years or so is retiring in March - he holds a wonderful knowledge of the Parish which hopefully we can draw on still as he has kindly written in his resignation letter his hopes to stay in touch - anyhow the interviews took place last week and the appointment has been made - Barry Parsons who lives in the village - looking forward to working with him!

Photo: New Clerk, Barry Parsons

I left the Parish meeting early to be at the Star in Whiteshill for an excellent buffet and celebration for the Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council - for councillors and partners - sorry no photos - strictly by order of Parish Chair!! Well not that strict but to be honest I was enjoying self too much to remember - very nice indeed to be able to chat - heard lots of great stories about Whiteshill many years ago - one about how the volunteers from the village to the Boer War were to parade down through the village - apparently only one chap went.

Photo: a cow that escaped into Bread Street earlier in the day - by the time I was about to report the farmer came to the rescue.

Anyhow it was late to bed.

Tricorn House news

In the last post I talked of the Rodborough Fort sale - sadly Tricorn House is still not happening - Dale Vince from Ecotricity wants to tear down the eyesore and replace it with an iconic headquarters for the world's first green electricity company. He is prepared to plough around £10 million into creating new offices for his growing company on the site at Cainscross.

Photos: Grafitti says 'Knock Me Down Please' - and bottom photo showing Tricorn at the end of the road almost makes it look OK

The Citizen reports: "Mr Vince, who was awarded the OBE for his services to the environment, said his dream was to develop an architect-designed landmark with the impact of the "Gherkin" in London but at the same time as zero-carbon as possible. But the snag is that Mr Vince said he had been trying unsuccessfully to buy Tricorn House for the past two years."

They quote him saying: "Our frustrations have reached such a level now we've decided to bring this into the public domain. We need space to grow into. Staff numbers now stand at 130 and will more than double in the next few years. We are looking for a chance to do something really 'out there' in terms of technology and design - something stunning. We are talking probably £10 million."

The four-storey Tricorn House was built in the 1970s and for years served as offices for the Department of Health and Social Security and as locals will know is on a gateway to Stroud - but has been empty for many years - and been vandalised and fallen into disrepair.

I've known of Ecotricity's interest in the site for a long time and find it hard to understand why developers wont sell the site. Is it greed? Can they really get a better offer by holding on? House prices are starting to fall....certainly when I helped with the Cainscross Parish Plan Tricorn House was the issue that was raised most by locals - they want it down or radically improved - it is an horrendous blot on the landscape. Good luck to Dale - and if those developers are reading this please act to help us improve our community.

Ruscombe musician hoping for Christmas hit with Save the Ice Bears

Musician Terry Mechan, who lives in Ruscombe, has written the lyrics to a song about polar bears - and is hoping for a hit this Christmas.

Photo: Terry in the SNJ

The Stroud News and Journal covered the story this week - apparently Terry downloaded the song which has German lyrics about an ice hockey team and then rewrote his own words - Save the Ice Bears with words about conservation and the environment. He then sent those to the German group, Sound Convoy, who sang the original - they liked the idea and recorded the version which is available below.

Photo: Sound Convoy

Terry is quoted saying: "It does get stuck in your head and I think it is as catchy as Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody". I have to say I enjoyed it lots - and confess to a little air guitar...

See words, more about the band and download thesong from:
www.morgle.com/savetheicebears.htm

Rodborough Fort bought

From various points in Ruscombe, Whiteshill and Randwick Rodborough Fort can be seen. The Citizen reports today that self-made millionaires Ian and Mave Richens are delighted to have bought the unique, grade II listed folly on the top of Rodborough Common for just under £2 million.

Photos: View across to Whiteshill from the Fort and me outside the Fort

Here is the rest of the info from their article:

The insurance brokers, who sold their company last year, said they planned to create a comfortable family home while at the same time remaining sympathetic to the character of the building. Mr Richens, 59, said: "It looks like a fairytale castle. It's a schoolboy dream for me to own a place like this and I am just an old schoolboy now."

The couple plans to restore the fort and to move their two adoptees from Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary and six alpacas into the grounds. Rodborough Fort has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a chapel, outbuildings, a tower from which you can see the Black Mountains in Wales and nearly nine acres of land as well as outbuildings.

Mr Richens said: "I am seriously considering registering it as a location available for film shoots. "However it is very windy and we are told you lose at least one flag a month to the wind," he said. Both Mr Richens and his wife, who come Stow-on-the-Wold, said they had been touched by their welcome to the area. "Everybody who we have met have been so lovely," said Mrs Richens, 55.

The stunning fort was sold by the Lamplough family trust, which owned it for the past 12 years. Originally built as a folly for Captain Hawker in 1761, the crenellated property has been described by English Heritage as a "very important" landscape feature "in lofty eminence above Stroud town." It was home to former racing driver Peter Lamplough until his business interests took him to Botswana a few years ago. The Lamploughs bought the fort from the National Trust, which owns the surrounding common land, in 1995. Rodborough Fort was a thriving caravan and camping centre in the 1960s.

The paper could have also added that around 1994 I remember well that the local press was alive with stories about the then Fort's owner being charged with cruelty to 9 monkeys kept in small cages, another 6 that ran loose in the fort and dogs that were kept there in poor conditions - plus a peregrine falcon and a red- tailed buzzard that were allegedly kept without proper authority.

Update Friday 21st December: walked around Fort today and met Ian, the new owner - it was great to hear of his plans to improve the Fort - indeed he was there looking at all the Cotswold Stone walls and seeing how best to repair them.

SUDS Policy panel

This evening we had a Policy Panel at Stroud District Council with Colin Knight talking about Shared Spaces and the plans for Stonehouse - very inspiring - I hope that the Town Council and partnership there can carry it forward as I am sure it will greatly enhance the town - see label below for more info on Shared Spaces.

Photo: SUDs scheme

The other topic of discussion was on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems with Bob Bray - put on at my request as I felt things were not moving forward on this and I had heard some statements from councillors who sat on planning who clearly had little idea about what SUDs really are.

In fact we have an excellent SUDs scheme at Springhill Co-housing (see previous blogs for photos and details) - nationally recognised - but nothing has come forward since then - having said that the bigger schemes planned like Hunts Grove do have SUDs and awareness is growing but we are doing nothing like enough.

I was pleased to see David Drew MP raise the issue in a comment piece in The Citizen this week or was it last week and I wrote to him this evening - see below.

Dear David, I was very pleased to read your comment piece in The Citizen on Sustainable Urban Drainage systems. I hear the Lyons SUDs scheme is good but, we have, as I am sure you are aware, a nationally recognised scheme at the Springhill Co-housing in Stroud - in a high density housing scheme and on a steep slope that developers had claimed was impossible for SUDs. I have been frustrated that more SUDs schemes have not been forthcoming in the District - things have improved recently and more will come through with the larger developments. Last year, when I was on Development Control Committee I must have raised SUDs as an additional condition on planning applications in at least 40 cases even though it is a stated condition in the Local Plan. Stroud District have kindly put on a Policy Panel for councillors this evening at my request with Bob Bray talking more re SUDs. I hope this will lead to greater awareness but consider we need more action also from the Government - an issue I raised in my submission re the recent floods (i). Another issue is the shared responsibilities - and our County Council are, apparently, not helpful when it comes to SUDs - all sorts of myths abound like permeable hard surfaces need more maintenance or are more expense etc. There clearly are also issues around adoption of schemes. However some Councils seem to be getting around these very successfully. I have corresponded with OFWAT and Defra re SUDs and found there lack of urgency frustrating (ii) - I understand SUDs are mandatory in Scotland for example yet the SUDs Working Group here seems to move at a snails pace. I would love to see a better lead on this from Government. Your thoughts on how best to take the ideas forward would be very welcomed. All the best - Philip (i) See my flood report on 10th September 2007 blog.
(ii) See previous blogs for copies of correspondence - use search facility.

Chief Scientist's misleading GM claims

GM Freeze has rightly called for a public apology to retiring Government Chief Scientist Professor David King calling upon him to make a public apology after recently making a “grossly misleading” comment about GM crops on the BBC’s Today Programme.

Photo: Morning view from Bread Street

The GM Freeze press release note that Professor King finished the interview with the following; “I wonder if I could give you one example and this is the use of intercrop planting in Africa which has increased grain yields already around Lake Victoria very substantially. And this is done by discovering what the pheromone in the root of the grain plant that attracts root borers and destroys them. And if you snip that gene into the grass so that the grass attracts root borers , the root borers does not feed well on the grass and dies. You interplant the grass with the grain and it turns out the crop yield goes up 40-50%. Very big advantage.”

Infact the “push pull” project he described does not involve GM crops at all.....it is an excellent example of how scientists have found solutions to a major weed and a significant pest of maize in Kenya without the use of pesticides or GM crops.

In an article in the Independent on Sunday (16th December), Professor King is quoted as saying his comments were “an honest mistake”. Commenting Pete Riley of GM Freeze said: “We find it quite staggering that Professor King made such misleading comments on prime time radio. The “push pull” project in fact illustrates how the problem pest and weeds, which plague farmers in the Global South can be tackled by well researched crop management techniques. These have the advantage of being cheap to apply and being free of the potential environmental and health impacts of GM crops or pesticide usage. If Africa is to become more self reliant in food supply without locking farmer into very expensive GM seeds and their associated herbicides then the Government need to be funding more projects like “push pull”. In view of the grossly misleading nature of what he said we call upon Professor King to make a public apology”.

Stroud Valleys slide show

As someone who helped Stroud Valleys Project a couple of times this year at Hamwell Leaze - clearing the ground there and making a 'snake hotel' - I got an invite today to their Christmas buffet and slide show of their activities - it was inspiring to see so much going on in this organisation - and a good bit of chocolate cake (well two but they were small). If you are looking to volunteer in conservation work give them a look - they also have various events planned like coming up a Winter Solstice walk. See events and more here: www.stroudvalleysproject.org/

21 County groups condemn Staverton Airport plans

It is difficult to agree on the wording of a letter in a committee and then organise getting signatures - but it is now done and has gone out today to press and councilors - see below the news release and letter - and interestingly many more groups are now interested in signing....

In an unprecedented move, groups from across the County have come together to condemn plans to expand Staverton Airport. Their letter is enclosed below.

Philip Booth, who helped organise the letter and has campaigned for over five years against the airport expansion said: "The failures of the climate talks in Bali to come up with any real action is deeply worrying. Locally twenty-one groups have readily stepped forward to sign this letter: we could have found many more groups. A lot of us find it very hard to understand how we can allow an airport to increase emissions when we know that to avoid catastrophic climate change we all need to cut emissions by 90% or more. What other sectors will need to cut their emissions if we allow the airport to expand?"

Richard Conibere, Coordinator of Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth who lives in Cheltenham said: "Britains' emissions have risen by 19% since 1990. To reduce carbon consumption demands much more radical policies. Airport expansions are incompatible with tackling climate change."

Neil Marshall, of the campaigning group Concerned Residents against Staverton Expansion, said: "As residents we are very concerned about many aspects of the airport expansion like extra traffic, pollution and noise. We welcome the support shown in this letter from groups across the County raising the issue of climate change."

The letter:


Dear Sir/Madam

The undersigned organisations write this open letter to councilors of Gloucester City, Tewkesbury Borough and Cheltenham Borough in response to the disturbing Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on the 17th November and the enormous implications it must have on policy making.

The new report evidences an extraordinary position: CO2 levels in the atmosphere are now higher than at any time over the available 650,000 years of ice core records. The report confirms the worst fears of irreversible changes to the environment, such as massive species loss, collapse of the ice sheets and tropical rainforests and rising sea levels. Such horrors and their impact on communities in all countries are hard to contemplate, but must spur us to action.

We need cuts of 90% or more in CO2 emissions to avoid runaway global warming. Councils have taken a lead by signing the Nottingham Declaration to cut emissions, but a significant step change is needed in policies and actions. This year's floods should be wake up call to all of us.

Staverton Airports' plan to intensify operations and increase CO2 emissions is one example which is completely counter to what is needed. If councils support this they will be ignoring one of the most critical and clear warnings that have ever been given on the perils that the planet faces. Furthermore, this will be done in the face of a deteriorating situation where our country will be struggling to handle the combined economic shocks of climate change and significant oil price increases.

We call on councillors to take a lead to significantly cut our emissions and help build the necessary economic and community resilience to cope with the challenges ahead. We urge you not to support the expansion of Staverton airport.

Yours sincerely.

Neil Marshall, Concerned Residents against Staverton Expansion
Richard Conibere, Cheltenham Friends of the Earth,
Robert Irving, Cirencester Friends of the Earth
Martin Rudland, Forest of Dean Friends of the Earth
Sophie Franklin, Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth Network
Steve Goodchild, Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth
Rene Meek, Gloucestershire Greenpeace
Kevin Lister, Camp Hope Organising Committee
Philip Booth, Gloucestershire Airport Action Group
Ian Lander, Cheltenham Environment Forum
Jimmy Garlick, Plane Stupid, Gloucestershire
Roger Creagh-Osborne, South West Air Action
Carol Mathews, Transition Stroud Transport Group
Sue Clarke, Transition Forest of Dean
Sheila Booth - Stroud Valleys Cycle Campaign
John Mallows, Cheltenham Cycling Campaign
James Beecher, Bicycology
Angela Paine, Shut Oldbury Campaign
Julian Jones, Water 21
Cathy Green, One Tonners
Kate Perkins, People and Planet

Bank at Ash Lane

Thursday last week action and drama came to the streets of Randwick. I only picked up a load of messages after getting back from work that evening and then ended up in many phone calls myself. I understand that due to the quick thinking of one local resident in particular the bank beside the road was not dug out - I am told that some 15 residents turned out at various times to help try and stop the action - certainly Parish Chair Richard Huxford was very active all day in seeking to clarify the situation and prevent actions that seem not to have had permission.

Photos; the bank in question marked out for removal by contractors

So what is this all about? I understand the contractor and resident wanting the bank removed said that they had paperwork that allowed them to remove the bank near the entrance to Ash Lane. However when the paperwork was requested they were unable to produce it but still considered they had been given permission. The contractor was there much of day with a digger and Stroud District Compliance Officers were excellent in that they turned up immediately and were back and forth on the scene trying to clarify the situation.

Why this bank? It is suggested that Highways have said that removing the bank would improve safety at the Ash Lane junction. This safety measure has been much discussed relating to a planning application for an additional house at Ash Lane. There has been very strong opposition from locals to the plan - not so much for the house but for measures like the digging out the bank. Indeed I have to agree and wrote my own letter of objection to the bank removal earlier in the year.

Bank removal would increase speed A number of local residents note, and I agree with them, that the cutting away the bank will lead to a perception that the road is wider and will also give longer views: this will lead to increased speeds and consequently more dangers. The junction is not good at present but cars slow considerably at that point (maybe not enough but increasing views will only make it worse). I am told there have been no accidents there and, if they were to occur, then cars are generally traveling at lower speeds so would cause less damage.

Bank removal not attractive? Residents are also concerned that any replacement of the bank would look ugly: stone gabions have been discussed in the past although I understand these were discounted as they needed planning applications. This work on Thursday day was only meant to be a 'shaving' of the bank although looking at the white lines it looked very severe. It will certainly change the look of the entrance road to the village in a way that in my view reduces the attractiveness of that part of the village. The banks removal could also lead to more likely landslips from the field above: indeed the removal of trees recently from the bank was meant to be due to it being 'unstable' - something many local residents have disputed saying that the trees held the bank in place.

Concerns contractor would return? Some residents were concerned that the contractor would return the following day and start removing the bank. However it seems the Compliance Officers were able to make the position clear and several people including myself left urgent messages at Highways. I also contacted the Cabinet member, Stan Waddington who was helpful in ensuring a message from him was also left - plus I let our local County Councillor Len Tomlins know as this is a County Council matter more so than a District.

Where are we now? It is clear that Stroud District Council knew nothing of the proposed works - however it was Highways land and the nature of works meant apparently that no planning permission would be needed. I am not yet clear how the confusion has arisen so that the resident and contractor believed they had permission to remove part of the bank. It does seems to be the case that Highways have not objected to some shaving back of a section of the bank as long as the is gradient maintained, and the grass bank is reinstated. But Highways do not appear to have given permission for the work to happen: indeed I understand that normally Highways would do it themselves and bill the customer rather than letting them proceed doing the works.

Consultation? It is noted that Highways would not normally expect to carry out any public consultation on minor changes. To me this is wrong in most cases but particularly in the light of the number of key letters and objections to the previous proposed work on the bank. Some 40% of public space is roads and it seems they can get away with almost anything - witness in my view the ugly and unneccessary road paint applied recently in the area - like for example the centre of Randwick village and outside Whiteshill School. Anyhow in the light of the strong feelings around this case in Ash Lane I have written to Highways and Stroud District Council urging that consultation needs to take place and requested that myself, the Parish Council, residents and others are able to make representations. I have not heard back yet but understand a site meeting is planned.

I have not seen the plans for the work but as noted I have seen the white lines marked out on the bank - still there today and just visible in the photos - it maybe that some attractive plan can be found but I would like to reiterate my concerns that any improvements of visibility on that stretch will lead to traffic traveling faster. Indeed if anything I would be arguing for the road to be made to look more narrow - this would in my view be far more useful as a traffic calming measure.

Do leave comments on this site or email me if you have any queries. I hope this is a useful summary as I've had three further people contact me over the weekend asking for an update.

Gordon Brown in the dock?

Three cheers for Mark Thomas and his ingenuity - see his comment and the full story in the Guardian yesterday - he is attempting to get Gordon Brown into the dock. He alleges that the prime minister broke the law by demonstrating unlawfully in Parliament Square when he participated in the unveiling of the statue of Nelson Mandela. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 means that anyone wishing to demonstrate within an area around parliament must get police approval. This is the law that Maya Evans was arrested and convicted under, for reading out the names of the British and Iraqi war dead. Mark Thomas put forward plans to the police re the same speeches made by Gordon Brown and gathering around the statue: he was assured he needed permission yet it seems Gordon Brown did not get permission. This absurd law needs overhauling - see earlier Green party comment here.

Puckshole reopens

Nearly five months after the lane through Puckshole closed due to a landslip it is now open again - many are delighted although some residents of the lane are very sorry to be loosing their peace.

I have to say I am a little surprised by how it looks - as you will see from the photos, a bowling green has been installed on the side of the mud slope - the slope makes it a little difficult for the game but I am sure we will manage....I am also unclear as to how such grass will be maintained? Indeed already it is falling off and coming loose - I replaced a small bit but more has now come off - see photo.

I would have thought small native shrubs might have made the bank more stable? I am also unclear about how the drainage has been improved - it looks like the mud has just been put back yet there was a spring in the bank - where is this now??

Update 17th Dec: I hear from Highways that the gabion baskets they used are free draining and are 'the ideal solution to this type of problem'.

Waste decision deferred

I have just spoken with the author of the letter below - Mary Newton from Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth - I've only recently been in contact with her over waste matters and she has kindly given me permission to copy the letter here - it was sent to Stroud District Councillors ahead of the Cabinet meeting last night that was looking at waste.

In fact the decision to approve or not the County waste plans was rightly deferred - the issues raised below are serious - you will note that I have also raised some of these points earlier in this blog and also raised it with key Cabinet members - however I have also spoken with the County Council's Cabinet member re waste this evening and he assures me no decision has been taken re waste and they are seeking to maximise recycling and composting - there are also a few points I would like to raise re the letter below - hopefully in next few days.

It is vital we get this right or we could be landing tax payers with serious problems in the future - to say nothing of the impact on the environment......

Dear Councillor,

In approving the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) the Stroud District Council is also approving five other volumes they may not have viewed which are part of the JMWMS . As set out in the Headline Strategy Vol. 1, 3.3 the strategy consists of 6 volumes.

In Volume 2 “High Level Action Plan”

4.5 Residual Waste states that the Gloucestershire County Council is developing a residual waste management project for a preferred technology on a preferred location.

4.6 Risks states “The affordability of the selected waste treatment technology is a huge risk. These are large scale, specialist and capital intensive facilities” and “If waste growth is less than forecast we might have new facilities that are not operating to capacity”

Why should Stroud District Council be concerned?

1) There is a risk that in committing to the development of a large scale facility that is capital intensive and accompanied with a long term contract the Waste Disposal Authority is also committing itself to ensuring that the facility has priority in supplies of residual waste.

It could mean:-

• the transportation of waste over distances within the County to the one large facility conflicting with the proximity principle
• may lead to the importation of waste to the County to keep it supplied.

It could also deflect efforts from;-

• the reduction of waste at source
• increase in waste separation for recycling at kerbside
• and thereby the development of new businesses from dry and wet recyclables

because why invest in reduction and separation when investment at great risk is being undertaken by the development of this large long term project to take residual waste? These are all matters that the Stroud District Council has the right to consider as a Waste Collection Authority and a partner with the Waste Disposal Authority.

2) In St. Arvans, Monmouthshire a “0” Waste project which promotes waste separation kerbside collections of paper, glass, cans, foil, textiles, plastics, tetrapak cartons, green waste and food waste, has diverted from landfill 73% of household waste and achieved 95% participation rate of residents in just over one year. The Consultation on the JMWMS revealed an overwhelming support from residents and Parish Councils for greater separation of waste streams for kerbside collection. The Consultants recommended in their Report on the JMWMS Consultation that Objective 3 should be reworded “to reflect the intention of maximising the range and quantity of materials separately collected.” Objective 3 has not been reworded.

3) In Gloucestershire recent planning applications and planning permissions for in vessel composting (IVC) facilities will remove from the wet biodegradable residual waste stream about 100,000 tons per annum (tpa) :-

• 30,000tpa at Sharpness, Stroud District,
• 32000 tpa at Wingmore Farm, Tewkesbury District (S106 to be agreed)
• 20,000 tpa at Dymock, Forest of Dean
• 22,000 tpa at Sunhill Farm, Cotswolds (if granted planning permission).

these new businesses also need a guaranteed residual waste supply.

4) Before the Stroud District Council has even had the opportunity to consider all the volumes of the JMWMS the Gloucestershire Waste Programme Board registered an Expression of Interest on the 30th September 2007 to DEFRA for PFI funding for a facility at Javelin Park to process 130,000 – 200,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of residual waste requiring a long term contract likely to be for 25 years. The County Council is actively seeking to purchase 12 acres of Javelin Park.

Normally, an Expression of Interest should be based on a unanimous decision from all the District Councils on the JMWMS. As far as we can ascertain to date Gloucester City Council, Cotswold District Council, and Stroud District Council have not made a decision on the JMWMS.

5) The Minerals and Waste Development Framework is under review and the Waste Core Strategy for the Plan is likely to go out for public consultation in January 2008 leading to a Pubic Inquiry. It is premature to make the important decision of registering an Expression of Interest for a large, long term facility before the process of the Review of the Waste Core Strategy is completed at least to the stage of the Inspectors Report.

This Expression of Interest has been registered without the impartial testing through Public Inquiry all the material on which the expression of interest is based, particularly:-

· the methodology in examining alternative options
· the soundness of their choice of technologies
· the soundness of data used and projections of tonnages
· the choice of site, 12 acres at Javelin Park

The Expression of Interest is likely in practice to have a very significant effect on the policies to be brought forward by the Gloucestershire County Council in the Inquiry and plan-making consultations in 2008. These policies should be open to development through the testing of methodologies, technologies, data and choice of site in the Waste Core Strategy Public Inquiry.

For example, the Expression of Interest is formulated on the basis of several key waste policies:-

• it states that a strategic facility is required which implies a long term contract likely to be for at least 25 years for the handling of residual waste of 130,000tpa – 200,000 tpa
• it has selected a shortlist of technologies
• it has selected a site
• it is thereby proscribing the possibility of developing flexible, small scale facilities serving local communities whilst dealing with the residual waste arising from within those communities and thereby limiting the transport of waste
• it is thereby proscribing the development of possible new approaches such more reduction of waste at source, more separation of waste at the kerbside and the development of new recycling businesses

Climate change has become a central principle issue for the Government in the maintenance of sustainable communities underlined with the imminent publishing of Planning and Climate Change which will supplement Planning Policy Statement 1. In January 2008 the South West Regional Spatial Strategy Panel of Inspectors Report is likely to be released. These are two of many important documents which should provide the backdrop by which the future of waste in Gloucestershire is decided until 2020 in the Core Waste Public Inquiry.

6) For the reasons stated above the Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth Network request the Cabinet of Stroud District Council not to approve the JMWMS at their meeting of 13th December 2007 to enable:-

1. the Stroud District Council to discuss amendments to the JMWMS by adding a clause for greater separation of waste streams at kerbside collection to Objective 3
2. not to approve any procurement plan or outline business case for one large facility for residual waste accompanied by a long term contract
3. the Stroud District Council to request that the premature Expression of Interest be put on hold until at least the Inspectors Report on the Waste Core Strategy is publicly released, to enable the impartial testing through Public Inquiry all the material on which the Expression of Interest is based

Yours sincerely,

Mary Newton, Planning Officer, Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth Network

Bus shelter success for Stratford Road

Success at last - a bus shelter will happen - for some time I have been pushing for a bus shelter outside Tesco on the Stratford Park Road - see various blogs in past like 28th May, 11th January and last year 19th September.

Photos: people waiting in rain outside Tesco

I have been surprised that this little campaign has produced so much correspondence with various people including the County Highways folk, bus shelter people, Town Council, manager at Tesco and even several to the company planning the Tesco refurbishment plus of course local residents.

Yes I know the shelter is not in my ward and it is more a County Council matter but I started writing to Tesco as it seemed an obvious benefit to all, an anonymous comment was also left on this blog after I was elected and since then two residents from Whiteshill have lobbied me. Tesco have no responsibility to build a shelter - that should be the County but they claim no money - to my mind 90% of people using that stop are using it to go to the store and therefore it would be good for Tesco to help their customers.

As you will see I took photos to show the need - the manager at Tesco when I did get to speak to him was enormously helpful and I am sure has done lots to make this happen. My view is that it was a mistake not to have insisted on this as part of the agreement of building the store in the first place - it is ridiculous not to have made it a condition of building the store.

Anyhow Stroud Town Council have also written various letters to Tesco and on Monday night agreed to adopt the maintenance of the shelter if Tesco built it - so at last it can all go-ahead.

Creator of Cotswold Way steps down

The Cotswold Way runs along the edge of Randwick Parish - last month the Cotswold Way founder and renowned footpath pioneer, Tony Drake MBE, stepped down after 58 years service for walkers.

Photos: View from Cotswold Way

Tony in his various roles at the Ramblers' Association, has been instrumental in mapping the region's footpaths, pioneered a footpath waymarking scheme, helped develop the Cotswold Way, and campaigned tirelessly for better access to the countryside. Tony's motto was apparently: "Look about you when you walk". Great stuff - huge thanks to him for all his work.

The 102 miles of the Cotswold Way only became an official 'National Trail' in May although the plans date back to 1950 and for over 35 years walkers have used the route. The status gained this year means it now has a manager to ensure its upkeep. A couple of years ago I met Jo Roland, the Cotswold Way warden (although not sure what her official title was!) and learnt much about this route - one item that stuck in my mind particularly was the care being given to restore stiles appropriate to each locality - each local area had it's own style of stile! Anyhow read more re the walk here:
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Cotswold

See my blog on 10th November re the new info board showing the ancient monuments.

Tony Drake MBE was interviewed for the Citizen - here is some of it below:

How did the Cotswold Way start?
I took over as footpaths secretary for Gloucestershire Ramblers in 1949. In December that year the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act came in. There were no maps showing rights of way so the main provisions were for a survey of them. Scrutinising the maps was a big job and we claimed an additional 300 paths in Gloucestershire. We looked at long distance routes and came up with the idea of the Cotswold Way.

What happened next?
Having produced a rough plan in 1950 it sat in a pigeon hole at the Countryside Commission for a long time. Gloucestershire County Council decided to open a route which contained a lot of road walking. The walk became popular in the Seventies and the Government decided to make it into a National Trail in 1998.

What's your favourite part of the Cotswold Way?
I think it's all interesting. Painswick is probably the most attractive. I enjoy the scenery there. At many points you get a wonderful view across the vale and you can see Gloucester Cathedral, the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons.

Have you walked all 102 miles?
I have walked it all but not in sequence. Lots of people do, it makes a good week's holiday.

How did you get into walking?
I was always interested in walking so after the Second World War I joined the Cotswold Rambling Club. I got into mountaineering and spent a lot of time in Wales where I devised a route between Cardiff and Conwy called the Cambrian Way. I'm currently working on the sixth edition of the guide book.

What do you particularly enjoy about walking?
It's the scenery that attracts me and getting some exercise. I like to go places I haven't been before. I'm 84 now and my walks are shorter at the moment, I'm too slow for the organised parties now but I still potter about.

How do you feel about retiring from the Ramblers' Association?
I'm giving up as footpaths secretary for the Ramblers' Association but it's always interesting to see what's been done and if I find a problem I feel obliged to report it.

Were you surprised to get an MBE for your work in 2001?
I don't know anybody else that's had a citation for services to public rights of way, it's most unusual. It was a pleasant surprise but I'm not sure I deserve it.

GM email action

Have you ever received more than 80,000 emails from people all over Europe in just three weeks, all about just one issue?

Photo: View of Ruscombe valley

Not me - the 80 or so that arrive each day are more than plenty....however European Commissioners have: campaigners sent them emails showing massive support for Environment Commissioner Dimas, and warnings to the flip flopping Commissioners who
would just roll over for the agro-chemical industry. Dimas enraged genetic engineering (GE) companies last month when he refused to allow the cultivation of two varieties of genetically modified (GM) maize (Bt 11 and 1507) in the EU.

Apparently some Commissioners did not get your messages, because of "technical
problems". Commissioner Margot Wallstrom now apologies for the rejection of many thousand of messages by the EU server on her blog. She is also ensuring that the concerns you expressed through the cyber activity will be passed on to all EU Commissioners. Campaigners are now being invited to post a comment on her blog to remind her of this promise and to provide her again with the arguments to reject these two GM maizes.

TAKE ACTION

It is now expected that the key decision to approve or not to approve the genetically modified maizes will be taken in the second or third week of January by the 27 European Commissioners. In order to get Dimas' proposal through the Commissioners meeting, a majority of at least 14 Commissioners needs to support him.

We are well on track with approaching the key Commissioners. However, as you're reading this email Syngenta and friends are ferociously lobbying in Brussels to derail Dimas' proposal not to approve these GM crops. Which is why we need to keep up the pressure - urging the Commissioners to vote in favour of the proposal by the Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas to reject the authorization of two GM maizes.

Write a personalized comment on the blog of key Commissioners who will decide about the authorisation of the GM maizes and who's position is not clear yet - or send them an email from their blogsite:
Commissioner Margot Wallstrom:
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/wallstrom/
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel: http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/fischer-boel/
Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/potocnik/
Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Vladimír Špidla:
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/spidla/blog_en.cfm