Why go into politics?

John Bird, founder and editor-in-chief of The Big Issue writes in this week's edition about why he got into politics. He said people responded: "Why would you want to enter a sewer?"

His reply was: "Why would you leave a sewer to turn into a bubonic plague? Wouldn't you want to clean the bloody thing up?"

As he goes onto say: "If politics needs change, it needs it now. It needs a different kind of politics - the politics of being engaged at every level of society."

Great stuff - and while I don't believe we are a sewer or at the bubonic plague stage - I've met a fair few committed and dedicated local councillors - yet even amongst them there is still a remarkable denial and complacency about how climate change and Peak Oil will effect our society. Witness the extraordinary advert I came across recently in a national paper encouraging people to take 5 holidays a year "for vitality" (4 of them flying)!! Something is deeply wrong with our society when we are trying to encourage this as good healthy behaviour - now don't get me on flights and how we all subsidies aviation......

As I've noted before the changes ahead mean that nothing short of a new human era is in the making. The choices we make now will determine whether the birthing is successful. We do indeed need more people to get into the 'sewer' to help sort it out!!

PCS, more consultations, WaRbler, Painswick Library and more

The local elections are getting closer and already some candidates are getting out newsletters and more. The lobbying of candidates has also begun - yesterday I sent off a response re the PCS union - see answers to their three questions about public services and link to online petition here.

Photo: Me on Selsey Common with Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill in background and Ebley, Cainscross and part of Stroud in foreground

Consultations

But usual Council stuff continues - not so many meetings but, as always, consultation documents to look at - this week spent many hours on the Sustainability Appraisal that the Council is producing - have to say I am disappointed with what the external consultants have produced - hopefully have Green party comments on the Glos Green party website by the weekend. This is important to engage with as it will be used with planning applications and at the moment it is v poor on sustainability grounds indeed.

Indeed despite the recent local Environment paper I can see there is much to be done with Officers and councillors - one exaample I followed up was that the Council's submission to the recent Post Office consultation about local post office closures failed to even mention climate change.

Next week need to make time for the consultation on Climate Change Bill - I've written to Officers to see how we can also engage in the Council's submission - they are listed by Defra specifically amongst some 100 plus others. Have to say all this is very, very time consuming - it is no wonder most councillors don't engage with these consultations - but then if we don't engage how can we ever change things??????

WaRbler Newsletter - submission / distribution dates

This is the new newsletter of the Whiteshilkl and Ruscombe Parish Council - the first issue was out a while ago and is available on the Parish website - it was agreed at the latest newsletter meeting that we will be using the following dates for future newsletters:

Issue- Copy Deadline- Printing Date
Easter 2007 - 23rd March - 30th March
Summer 2007 - 15th July - 22nd July
Autumn 2007- 13th October - 20th October
Christmas 2007 - 8th December - 15th December

If you have anything you would like included in the newsletter, please contact our editor - Dilys Warren on editor@whiteshillandruscombe.org.uk

Save Painswick library campaign

Click on 'library' label below for background to my involvement in trying to save this library from closure. It seems from reports in SNJ this week that all is not well - when members of the working party set up to secure the town's Grade II listed building presented their ideas at the parish council meeting they were challenged by some as being unrealistic. However the Parish have agreed to write to the county council, setting out the financial situation and its support for the working party.

Comment on Lyons and budget

eGov Monitor asked councillors for comments on Lyons Review and the recent budget - locally we've already looked at the recent budget and made comments plus rather unsuccessfully tried to show what Brown could have done in his budget - see Green party budget here. Anyhow here is my quick note sent off:

You asked for a comment on the Budget and Lyons report. Firstly proposals on the environment are seriously complacent. Browns failure to heed the warnings that we must tackle climate change now is staggering.

Budget measures promise to save just 16 million tonnes of carbon through a package. One single measure - restoration of the fuel duty escalator - would save more. In contrast the Green Party's own Carbon Costed budget, which includes bringing back the fuel duty escalator, doubling the climate change levy and giving a £500 million boost for renewable energy grants, would save 55 million tonnes in 2007/8 alone.

Lyons proposals for further devolution and local authorities having more influence over housing issues are to be welcomed. The report also confirms what we know about that Council Tax being seen as unfair but the changes suggested fail to address the fundamental unfairness . Similarly the report fails to re-localisie Business Rates and fails to tackle the issue of affordable housing.

We are urgently in need of real reforms that will build strong local economies and communities and give them the tools to tackle the challenges of dwindling fossil fuels and climate change. Sadly both Lyons and Brown have gone nowhere near far enough.

Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green Party.

The Enuffometer: Stroud team into climate change competition final

This blog takes great pleasure in being the first to break news locally that a stroud team of youngsters have got to the final of the national IceEdge (see www.iceedge.co.uk) climate change competition.

STOP PRESS: 10th May: Stroud Team wins competition

The 4 young people from Stroud Woodcraft Folk have won thru from a field of 1700 plus entrants to the finals in London on May 4-5. They're up against just 2 other teams from the South West for the first prize of a 10 day research trip to Svalbard.

Photo: the team's Enuffometer is planned to look something like this

All great stuff - See the innovative Stroud entry at www.enuff.org.uk

Meanwhile today I'll be going along with my partners' granddaughter to a younger local Woodcraft Folk group - 'elfins' - who will be egg rolling today. We painted the hard-boiled eggs last week - the winner is based on which egg gets furthest before breaking up.

I understand this is more of an American tradition dating back to 1870s - and still done on the White House lawn - last year facing controversy after a number of gay parents attended with their children in order to show that their families are like any other family. Anyhow I digress good luck to the Stroud entry to this climate change competition.

Slow Stroud: how to drive green

OK what can we all do now that means less emissions, money saved and saves casualties. Plus it's easy to save more than the 5% emissions that biofuels (if they really were carbon neutral) would save by 2010. I'll save that biofuel argument for another day here I want to look at what it means to drive green......

Photo: Poster from Government's new campaign

The Government launched this month a new campaign to reduce CO2 emissions by encouraging motorists to check their air pressures, not to rev the engine and not exceed the speed limit. This ‘Drive Smarter’ campaign, promoted by the Department for Transport, states that CO2 emissions could be reduced by 8 per cent if all drivers in the UK followed the campaign’s smarter driving tips – this equals 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 a year, or more than £2billion in fuel costs.

This campaign is the first to be launched under the cross Government brand ‘Act on CO2’, and aims to provide the public with information on how to reduce individual carbon emissions (see their suggestions below). Sadly it is a hugely missed opportunity. The former Environment Minister, Michael Meacher has said:

"We are at war against climate change. Business as usual, while relying on improved technology as a get-out card, is a fool's game."

This Government has still not grasped it and shies away from even suggesting we drive slower than the speed limit. The Green party in contrast has a much more radical policy that includes:

TR114 In rural areas, apart from trunk roads, the maximum speed limit would be 40m.p.h. Local communities would be encouraged to set lower limits on country lanes where pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders would be particularly vulnerable. They would also be encouraged to designate green lanes where these modes would have priority, and where feasible, to close lanes that act as through routes to allow only for these modes plus local access.

TR115 On major roads outside of built up areas, the maximum speed limit allowed would be 55m.p.h., to maximise the efficiency of fuel use as well as improving safety.

As the Government admits at 70mph you could be using up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more fuel than at 50mph. There is also evidence to show that the slower speeds would lead to better flows of traffic during peak periods of traffic. A mandatory max speed limit of 55 mph would significantly cut emissions and make a very positive move towards our targets.

Sadly we are not going to see that at the moment - and hey the motoring lobby would no doubt get plenty of signatures like they did on their anti-road pricing petition - some the 1.7 million. The greatest pity of it all is that if argued properly many of these schemes like lower speeds could be accepted but political will is lacking. Shockingly those who oppose all these measures fail to provide any alternatives that could cut our emissions - two local councillors I had email correspondence with both rejected road pricing but when asked to put forward an alternative suggestion to cut our traffic emissions came up with nothing...

So what can we do?

Well this week I had an email from a member of the Minnesota Green party in Pine County, U.S.A. He wrote: "...we have been promoting a very simple concept which has been gaining momentum. I thought that your group may be interested and have included our web page for your inspection. Very simply, we have come up with a method of encouraging people to slow down their vehicles when driving and come together as global citizens to reduce fossil fuel consumption. We have over 10,000 emblems on cars around our area and if you would like to share with the people of Britain, please do so."

Photo above: Logo from Minnesota

This is similar to an idea I came across last year from Australia while researching more on the Shared Spaces approach to traffic - the idea of Pace Cars. As author of the excellent book 'Mental Speed bumps', David Engwicht says:

"Pace Car drivers pledge to drive within the speed limit, stop to let pedestrians cross, walk when they can, and do something to their car to make others smile."

In some areas cars have stickers saying they stick to the limits. Apparently very interesting discussions can take place between locals about whether they would put the sticker on their car - it seems it is OK to speed in others' neighbourhoods but outrageous that vehicles go fast in their home areas...

It seems to me we could do something similar locally...give a whole new meaning to the concept of a 'Slow Stroud'.... perhaps our own designed emblem or perhaps the Minnesota logo?

Smarter driving tips from the Government

Pump up to cut down
Under inflated tyres create more resistance when your car is moving, which means your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used and more CO2 emissions are produced. Simply check and adjust your tyre pressures regularly and also before long journeys. This will also help to increase the life of your tyres. Under inflated tyres increase CO2 but over inflated tyres can be unsafe so check your car manual for the correct tyre pressure. Remember, a car with a heavier load may need different air pressure in the tyres.

Less clutter in your car means less CO2
Clutter in your boot is extra weight your engine has to lug around. By removing it, you could reduce your engine's workload. This will burn less fuel and cut your CO2 emissions so unload any items you won't need for your journey before you set out.
Driving at an appropriate speed reduces CO2
Speed limits are the maximum lawful speeds which may be driven in ideal circumstances. Drivers should never exceed the speed limit. Staying at or within the speed limit increases driver safety. It also reduces CO2 emissions and saves money on your petrol costs. At 70mph you could be using up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more fuel than at 50mph.

Less stopping and starting means less CO2
Every time you stop then start again in a traffic queue, the engine uses more fuel and therefore produces more CO2. Keep an eye on the traffic ahead and slow down early by gently lifting your foot off the accelerator while keeping the car in gear. In this way, the traffic may have started moving again by the time you approach the vehicle in front, so you can then change gear and be on your way.

Over revving accelerates emissions
Modern car engines are designed to be efficient from the moment they are switched on, so revving up like a Formula 1 car in pole position only wastes fuel and increases engine wear. Using your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier can also reduce revs. If you drive a diesel car try changing up a gear when the rev counter reaches 2000rpm. For a petrol car change up at 2500rpm.

Idling is wasting fuel
When the engine is idling you're wasting fuel and adding to CO2 emissions. If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than 3 minutes, simply switch off the engine.

See more re their campaign here.

GM nonsense from Channel 4

After the nonsense on Channel 4 re climate change - see my blog on 14th March - they have done another programme that leaves much to be desired!! This time on GM - I've already had 2 people ask what I thought - well I didn't see it but apparently the programme 'Animal Farm' accused anti-GM lobbyists of wanting to hold back scientific progress.

Photo: GM Tomato paste launched a while back by Sainsburys

Well this really is a load of tosh - The Ecologist magazine online have interviewed Jonathan Matthews, founder and editor of the GM-Watch website. He writes: "GMOs are no more "science" than washing machines, cars, DDT or nuclear weapons. They're technological products. They may draw on scientific knowledge but they need to be evaluated on their own merits. If we judge nuclear weapons to be a dangerous misappliance of science, that doesn't involve us in rejecting the laws of physics!"

He goes onto write that: "much hyped GM "solutions" that attract tons of media attention are actually expensive hi-tech distractions from simpler and far less risky ways of tackling the problem."

Read the full article which tackles the programme in much more detail here.

Private sewer adoption good for local brook

Water bills in Gloucestershire are set to increase by up to £13 for every household following the Government decision to transfer responsibility for nearly 35,000 miles of private sewers and drains to Severn Trent and Thames Water. This means both water companies will be responsible for the maintenance and repairs for the sewer network - and therefore facing extra costs which will be added to customers bills.

The exact costs are unclear as the condition of the network to be adopted is uncertain - average bills last year already increased by 7.5% in Gloucestershire.

Clearly adopting the sewers is essential and should have happenned long ago - locally hours have been wasted working out responsibilities re sewers and then trying to trace owners - indeed Stroud District Council's Drainage Officer managed to get one private sewer in the Ruscombe Valley adopted last year by Severn Trent after hours and hours of work. This has led to considerable improvements on that section but other private sewers exist along the brook so this latest news is good as it should make it easier to clean up our brook.

All this only confirms what I've said before - we need water companies back in public ownership -see my letter to press last November re Thames Water .

Save William Morris Gallery

Photo: William Morris Gallery (not far from a friend of mine!)

I just got this from Derek Wall who will be in Stroud on 11th April:

As Principal Male Speaker of the Green Party I recognise the enormous debt that Greens have to William Morris, a great thinker and artist campaigned who for environmental and social justice, it is vitally important to save this resource. The William Morris gallery in Walthamstow is under closure threat from Waltham Forest council, he was a great artist and green thinker, a founder of the socialist movement in Britain, his legacy should be celebrated not put in the bin!"

I had signed this a wee while ago as I have been fortunate enough to visit the gallery when staying with a friend in Walthamstow. Infact the stained glass in the local Selsey church is one of Morris' first commissions. I would urge all to sign the petition - the Council have set an Official Consultation period to review the cuts, reduced opening hours and redundancies. This will end on April 13th - sign here.

Ruscombe Brook: why we need to take water seriously

Talk: The Nature of Water

The Ruscombe Brook Action Group are inviting people to join them to hear local water expert Simon Charter talk on 'The Nature of Water' and Julian Jones from Water 21 talk about plans for improving the local brook.

Details: 7.30 pm Wednesday 25th April 2007 at Randwick Village Hall by the playing fields in Randwick. Further details from Philip Booth on 01453 755451.

This should be an interesting talk - I am also hoping that we might get a Transition Town Stroud water group together? Anyone interested?

Some figures below might be of interest - it seems to me that even among many environmental groups and organisations water is not being given enough attention - the Ruscombe Brook Action Group is trying to implement the solutions we need so that we do not add to the problems of climate change and peak oil...

- power station cooling accounting for 39% of national water consumption
- £313 m spent each year dealing with pesticides, nitrates and other contaminants ie 10% of costs of drinking water
- clean-up of water supplies uses chemicals and energy intensive ultra-violet treatment: the water industry emits 2.6% of UK carbon emissions
- most of us flush 50 litres of water down the loo everyday

See background and progress re Ruscombe Brook in my article on this blog on 5th January 2007 - the article also appears in the latest edition of The Edge.

Bring your questions to me at the Coffee Morning

I’ll be at the Church Coffee Morning for most of the time on Easter Saturday, 7th April, 10am – 12 midday in the John Wesley Room - and will be joined by Pam Thorne, Village Agent. Do bring questions for either of us and enjoy the cheerful ambience of this regular event.

Or phone my on 755451 or Pam Thorne, Village Agent for Randwick and Whiteshill on 07776 245791.

Road closures, Village Green, local events and more

Here's some of the local events planned and an update on a few local issues:

Village Green

Photo: Whiteshill Village Green

The Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council Chair and Clerk met Highways today to see how best to improve the Village Green - that area of concrete outside the Woodcutters Arms. The land is apparently owned by Highways so any work need checking with them - the Parish are seeking to make more of this area - local school children have been involved with plans which they presented to some of us last year. I missed the first bit of the meeting as I was talking too long with several neighbours but we are slowly moving forward - I have another meeting possibly next week with Highways re their plans for outside the school.

Ruscombe Road closed

It is still due to reopen on 31st March - some have said how much quieter the road is while others have complained of more traffic.

20 mph is Plenty

Having had a 20 mph zone ruled out for the moment plans are afoot to consider '20 is Plenty' zones. Both Whiteshill and Ruscombe and Randwick Parish are looking at this route. Here is basically what they will need to do:

1. Survey the current traffic speeds (they will loan/hire us the necessary equipment) 2. Consult with residents about our plans and gain their support (public meeting) 3. Inform Police, Highways, Press. 4. Introduce the features of the campaign - posters, signage, flyers, etc. 5. Re-survey the traffic speeds to confirm effectiveness of campaign. 6. Feedback to residents (via newsletter?)

My suggestion is that we need a local Residents for Slower traffic group - any offers to help - please call me on 755451.

Randwick Campsite

This will be at last up for discussion at the next Randwick Parish meeting on 19th April (see my blog for 22nd December).

Abolition of slavery match

Photo: Citizen's pic of march

200 people gathered at the Paganhill Arch on Sunday - see Citizen report here. See my blog on 6th March for more info.

Carbon Rationing Action Group

This is a sub-group of the new and exciting Transition Towns Stroud project (TTS) - there will be a meeting for those interested in learning more about a CRAG (carbon rationing action group) on Thursday 29th March at 7.30 at the Town Council offices in London Road, Stroud. Vey Straker from the Hereford CRAG group is coming to talk about how they set up their group, and to answer any questions we may have.

Coffee morning

Randwick Church on 7th April - Easter Saturday - I hope to be there if anyone wants to catch me in person rather than phoning or arranging a meeting.

Next local Stroud Valleys events

Pond survey in Cainscross – come and get your free A3 pond poster from SVP
Garden ponds are very important places for aquatic wildlife to thrive – it’s estimated that 1 in 10 gardens in Britain have ponds, which adds up to a staggering 2 million ponds. Over 1,200 species of animals and a third of the UK’s plantlife depend on ponds for their survival. Ponds play a vital role in the water cycle but in the past century the numbers have declined by 75%. The aim of the survey is to get a better picture of the network of ponds in the parish where wetland wildlife can flourish. If you’d like a copy of the pond survey and a free A3 pond poster, please contact SVP on 01453 753358 or pop into the SVP office (8 Threadneedle Street, Stroud).

Circular Walk from Humphreys Close - Saturday 12th May, 10am – 12noon. Stroud Valleys Project would like to help the local communities appreciate our beautiful landscapes, and get healthier by organising regular walks. The Government guidelines say we should be exercising 5 times a week for 30 minutes, but a lot of people are put off the idea of going to the gym. Regular walking could be the answer – it’s a very good form of exercise, it’s free and anybody can do it. This is another 2-hour circular walk from Humphrey’s Close to the nearby woods. Bring walking boots/trainers and waterproofs. The walk will involve going over some stiles.

Wildlife Planting at Hamwell Leaze - Saturday 19th May, 10am – 1pm. The spring bulbs we planted last autumn are flourishing, so this time we will plant wildlfower plugs to increase the diversity of the site. Please bring your own trowel if you have one.

Greens conference in Swansea: call for localisation

I joined over 10 Green party members from Gloucestershire for the Green party's national conference in Swansea - I only made it yesterday as feeling too tired to manage more - a great pity as it was a wonderfully positive atmosphere and I would loved to have stayed longer.

I got to several different workshops like the key one on localisation mentioned below and one with Dr Chris Busby who has been studying the uranium found in the Lebanon - he showed a shocking film - how on earth could anyone use this stuff in battle?? And why on earth aren't our authorities taking these issues more seriously - Green MEP Caroline Lucas has been trying to get to the bottom of this at the EU but much appears to be covered up.

Photo: Delegates voting

There was also the usual voting on various motions and much coffee drinking and catching up with others.

Photo: Derek Wall delivering his speech

Derek Wall, one of the Green party's Principal Speaker opened the conference on Friday with a great speech (some of it on BBC website here and in full on Green party website here). In my view worth a read - he will be coming to Stroud on 11th April - did manage to talk at some length with him about how to organise his visit - he was also kind enough to say this blog is one of the best Green blogs - mixing local politics and the wider issues. Mind he gets 80 hits a day on his blog - I still haven't got around to adding a counter but know I get at least a couple a day as I get daily at least 2 emails from people about items posted!!

I missed London Mayoral Candidate and Principal Speaker Siân Berry's key note speach where she urged people to rise to the challenge of being the only party with the right ideas and necessary courage to tackle climate change. She said: "Like a political fashion show, party leaders are strutting down the catwalk showing off their latest clothes. And we know whose designs they are copying. Whose clothes they are trying to steal? But the reality is they haven’t changed. They don’t understand that Green isn’t a sharp new suit you can wear for a few days." See Sian's speech here.

Other parties are starting to talk green but they still don't understand. If they did, how could they still support more road building, doubling our airports, Trident, nuclear power, lower taxes for polluting industries, waste incineration and more? As we go into this May's elections we need to get across that there really is only one authentic Green voice: The Green Party.

According to a survey carried out for the Guardian on Saturday, March 17th, 13% believed the Green Party had the best policy onclimate change. The party of government, Labour came out with 16%, David Cameron's "green" Conservatives managed 14% and the Lib Dems were bottom at only 8%. No one can dispute that the political scene is changing rapidly. The Green Party is setting the agenda and others are following.

Locally also things are looking good - already this year we got our first seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly. We now have a new West Gloucestershire Green party that plans to have candidates for the first time - and they are very serious about winning. I think they have more than a chance of a few seats there. In Stroud we'll be standing in a good proportion of the 17 District seats and have candidates for the Town Council - across in Gloucester Greens will also be standing in seats there but not Cheltenham as they don't have local e;lections this year.

Anyhow Swansea had great talks, great discussions and great music but most important of all great politics - as Principal Speaker Derek Wall said at conference: 'Green politics cannot fail - we have a world to save.'

Call for localisation

In a key workshop on the politics of localisation Stroud Green, Molly Scott Cato, the Green Party economics spokesperson, was a speaker with David Boyle of the New Economics Foundation and Carl Schlyter, an MEP for the Swedish Greens Party.

Molly started the debate by dismissing the current economic status quo and went on to criticise the perceived benefits of material wealth. She said: "Personal wealth accumulation means that money has a claim in the present against a stake in the future, generating generational in-balance. The average child born now would have needed psychological therapy if they were born in the 1950's. Levels of mental problems and stress have never been higher."

Molly also used examples from Stroud like the exciting Transition Town project which includes the Stroud Community Agriculture project and a new textile group looking at everything from weaving, spinning to growing hemp locally.

Photo: Localisation panel with Mollys talk and Stroud Community Agriculture getting a plug

In the presentation David Boyle started by celebrating that nef had been founded out of the Green party some 10 years ago then dismissed outright the notion that industrial centralisation contains any benefit and also decimates social cohesion: "A recent study showed that towns in the US containing a Wal-Mart have fewer amenity groups, fewer local activities, less scout groups and a lower voting turn-out than places that don't. Why? Because these giant, rational, centralised systems suck the life out of places and the people that live there."

Swedish Green MEP Carl Schlyter despells the argument of globalisation still further. "When people think that companies are outsourcing all the jobs overseas, they're wrong to think that countries like China are benefiting from this globalisation. In the last 10 years, China have lost 15 million jobs in manufacturing, compared to a further 10 million jobs lost globally."

A localised economy was called for, with the benefits of zero food miles, a genuine ownership of production, and a greater emphasis on seasonality and community co-operation. The Green Party's Lord Beaumont's wise words from 2006 were repeated: 'Such a vision offers greater community and personal satisfaction: a world where conviviality replaces consumption, where local identity replaces global trade, and where community spirit replaces brand loyalty.'

Much more I want to say but think I'll leave it at that for now.

Should Councils run E-petitions?

Some Councils like Bristol City have set up E-petition sites to inform debate - signatures collected online are used to support or encourage the Council in particular directions. Should Stroud District Council follow this path? I'm not convinced that it is necessarily the role of the Council, but can see some benefits....

Photo: Stroud District Council HQ at Ebley Mill

Some petitions can have positive outcomes that lead to change or show the extent of feeling on a particular issue. Petitions may also involve people in politics who don't normally get involved - they are also signed by many campaigners who sign petitions regularly - indeed I sign many online petitions each week.

Other petitions like the recent Road Pricing petition where the issue has not been properly discussed have possibly done more damage than good (see my blog for 13th Feb 2006) - where for example was a discussion about if not road pricing then what must we do to tackle climate change? Simplifying the debate in such a way sometimes doesn't help. Indeed too often the consequences of our actions on other species, other areas and future generations are not considered.

Let us not forget that generally online petitions seem to be signed by a small, non-random sample of people!

Perhaps a better way than the Council developing a petition site would be to use some of the existing sites like the Downing street E-petition site. I would welcome any other thoughts on this?

Airport expansions latest

Well at last The Citizen has covered Green party criticisms of the airport expansion - and gave a nice (??) pic from the demo last summer. They used an older letter in todays' edition - click here for my latest version. The Echo have also been in touch re a story on the environmental impact.

Photo: newspaper clipping in todays paper of Cathy Green (Cheltenham Green party) and myself

Since starting this blog I've had many emails and comments left on many of the items - one recent correspondence has been with a campaigner up in Carlisle where they are also fighting airport expansions - it has been good to share and hear about others challenges - I also get regular emails re the situation with Bristol and of course down in Cornwall - infact Greens had quote in yesterdays Independent on their campaign there - and a good write up in their local paper - Greenpeace cleverly offered free rail tickets instead of the flights.

The Citizen also quoted me re the budget - see earlier blog for full statement and link to the Green party's budget - two quotes in one day is OK especially as I had thought they were boycotting Green letters and news releases - very few have been published in recent weeks.

Save Gloucester's bandstand

The bandstand in Gloucester is due to be replaced with a mock Victorian one.

Photo: Gloucester bandstand

This really isn't good enough - many have been campaigning for the retention of this bandstand for several years and English Heritage was asked to list it in 2005. There are apparently no other George V bandstands on their file anywhere in this country. This is a very rare building - the battle is not lost and there have already been 1,600 signatures on a paper petition to save it - now an online petition has also been launched on the Downing Street site - please consider signing:

http://petitions.pm..gov.uk/glosterbandstand/

50 reasons to love Europe?

As the EU celebrates its anniversary, The Independent looked at 50 benefits it has brought - see below. The list is a timely reminder of the importance of the union as a forum for international co-operation, but it hides the reality - its goals often conflict with one another and recent polls show a growing number of EU citizens believe that it is an irrelevance which, if anything, has made their lives worse, not better.

As the EU celebrates its 50th anniversary this week, it’s clear that it must resolve the tension between its economic and environmental policies by placing a new Big Idea at its heart if it is to reconnect with the half a billion Europeans it exists to serve.

Greens see that idea must be sustainability, and delivering climate security – in line with the global crisis we face and the wishes of voters across the EU. Green MEP Caroline Lucas has issued an ‘Alternative Berlin Declaration’ which aims to replace EU aims of ever-more free trade and competition with the objective of sustainability, and making its work more democratic and accountable to voters. She said:

“The EU is remote from Europe’s citizens, who are rightly mistrustful of its lack of democracy, links with big business and obsession with enhancing free trade and competitiveness. The EU has enormous potential to spread peace, freedom and security in and around Europe, and to promote and protect democracy and human rights at home and throughout the world. It has the potential to be a pioneer in the transition to low carbon economies, and in living more lightly on the planet. But to fully achieve this potential, it has to change direction, and to put democracy and sustainability - rather than trade liberalisation and the single market - at the heart of its objectives. We need a strong EU – but one that is democratically accountable and focused on tackling the challenges that Europe’s citizens care about most: climate change, social injustice, conflict, resource depletion and fractured local communities.”

The Independent's 50 reasons:

1 The end of war between European nations
2 Democracy is now flourishing in 27 countries
3 Once-poor countries, such as Ireland, Greece and Portugal, are prospering
4 The creation of the world's largest internal trading market
5 Unparalleled rights for European consumers
6 Co-operation on continent-wide immigration policy
7 Co-operation on crime, through Europol
8 Laws that make it easier for British people to buy property in Europe
9 Cleaner beaches and rivers throughout Europe
10 Four weeks statutory paid holiday a year for workers in Europe
11 No death penalty (it is incompatible with EU membership)
12 Competition from privatised companies means cheaper phone calls
13 Small EU bureaucracy (24,000 employees, fewer than the BBC)
14 Making the French eat British beef again
15 Minority languages, such as Irish, Welsh and Catalan recognised and protected
16 Europe is helping to save the planet with regulatory cuts in CO2
17 One currency from Bantry to Berlin (but not Britain)
18 Europe-wide travel bans on tyrants such as Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe
19 The EU gives twice as much aid to developing countries as the United States
20 Strict safety standards for cars, buses and aircraft
21 Free medical help for tourists
22 EU peacekeepers operate in trouble spots throughout the world
23 Europe's single market has brought cheap flights to the masses, and new prosperity for forgotten cities
24 Introduction of pet passports
25 It now takes only 2 hrs 35 mins from London to Paris by Eurostar
26 Prospect of EU membership has forced modernisation on Turkey
27 Shopping without frontiers gives consumers more power to shape markets
28 Cheap travel and study programmes means greater mobility for Europe's youth
29 Food labelling is much clearer
30 No tiresome border checks (apart from in the UK)
31 Compensation for passengers suffering air delays
32 Strict ban on animal testing for the cosmetic industry
33 Greater protection for Europe's wildlife
34 Regional development fund has aided the deprived parts of Britain
35 European driving licences recognised across the EU
36 Britons now feel a lot less insular
37 Europe's bananas remain bent, despite sceptics' fears
38 Strong economic growth - greater than the United States last year
39 Single market has brought the best continental footballers to Britain
40 Human rights legislation has protected the rights of the individual
41 European Parliament provides democratic checks on all EU laws
42 EU gives more, not less, sovereignty to nation states
43 Maturing EU is a proper counterweight to the power of US and China
44 European immigration has boosted the British economy
45 Europeans are increasingly multilingual - except Britons, who are less so
46 Europe has set Britain an example how properly to fund a national health service
47 British restaurants now much more cosmopolitan
48 Total mobility for career professionals in Europe
49 Europe has revolutionised British attitudes to food and cooking
50 Lists like this drive the Eurosceptics mad

Ed Courtney: loss of a great anti-nuclear campaigner

I have only just heard yesterday the sad news that Edward Courtney, a stalwart campaigner trying to shut Oldbury power station, died last month. Ed, who lived in Charfield, was a great source of information and kept me regularly up-to-date with news items and information. I never met him but spoke many times on the phone: his loss is a great shock.

As another campaigner wrote: "Ed was the bane of the local nuclear industry and regulators. He wrote long detailed letters using his former civil service skills to unpick spin and cover-ups on issues such as nuclear incineration, local cancers and plant safety. His local MP picked up on Ed's concerns and followed through his suggestions."

Indeed Ed wrote many papers and letters - he never used a computer so I have a collection of his letters and papers - some of his papers are also scanned into websites like his submission to the Nuclear Policy Framework. His work led to many of our Green party news releases like the lack of filters at Oldbury nuclear power station - amazingly he discovered that the operators there say the reason they are releasing radioactivity into the air is because they do not want the problem of radioactive filters - the filters would apparently become radioactive waste and would then have to be disposed of in a safe manner - far better just to release it into the air!

Ed was also behind the local campaigns re potassium iodate tablets and Emergency safety procedures at Oldbury. Many news releases on these stories like here and here. Infact today I read that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are overseeing the distribution of information booklets to 4,300 people in Portland, advising homeowners what they should do in the event of a radiation emergency in Portland Port. The homes concerned are those that lie within a 2km radius of berths to be visited by Royal Navy nuclear submarines. While this improvement to safety would have pleased Ed it would have also highlighted the complete nonsense and craziness of the situation - as he said repeatedly, nuclear makes no sense and the only sane and safe way to deal with nuclear is to shut it down and not build any more.

I get a regular bulletin of nuclear news and just in the last week or so here are some of the items that are typical - and daily confirm Ed's views:

- 30 safety incidents were investigated at Torness nuclear power station in 2005, sparking fears about the reliability of the plant.
- the Russian submarine - 800ft down on the bed of the Barents Sea and carrying almost three-quarters of a ton of nuclear fuel has been an environmental menace since it sank 14 years ago with the loss of nine crew members.
- The head of the Democratic Republic of Congo's dilapidated and poorly guarded nuclear reactor plant has been arrested on suspicion of illegally selling enriched uranium, following the disappearance of large quantities of the material.
- Two South Korean nuclear power plant workers were burnt by heated, radioactive liquid waste while helping repair a device that transforms liquid waste into a material for storage at a nuclear reactor.
- Global nuclear watchdog IAEA is cooperating with South Africa to develop a security plan ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup to avert any "dirty bomb" attack.
- Safety alarms have been routinely ignored, operating instructions flouted, and safety equipment left broken at the controversial Sellafield nuclear plant, a devastating official inquiry has found. The inquiry report - one of the most damning ever on a British nuclear installation - condemns "an alarm-tolerant culture", "long-standing failings in some key safety arrangements" and a "failure to learn from previous events" at the Cumbrian complex. Dr Mike Weightman, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, says that the investigation found "a significant prolonged reduction in attention to the high standards demanded for the unique nature of nuclear operations, something we are not prepared to tolerate."

I am sure Ed would be disappointed that I cannot make the Glos County planning meeting tomorrow to discuss the nuclear store at Berkeley - I was invited to make a statement after I had made a submission to the planning application to both the District Council and the County Council - unfortunately I wont be there but he will be pleased that the three key points made earlier will be available to the meeting (see also my previous post of 16th Feb) - in brief these were:
- An intermediate level nuclear waste store is the least worst option.
- Planning Committee should seekassurancesthat the store will not take waste from elsewhere.
- Planning Committee should seek assurancesthat the store will beprotected from sea-level rises: the area around the power station is known to be prone to flooding. The Environment Agency estimates risks from flooding by the sea will at least double by the 2080s and could increase by up to 20 times.

One of Ed's latest concerns was regarding 'Wifi' - see my blog for 22nd December 2006 for a discussion on that.

Ed always preferred a low-profile style of campaigning and veered away from opportunities to do TV, radio and newspaper interviews. He also He did however turn out for local demos holding up placards outside Oldbury power station and attended meetings at Oldbury and Berkeley power stations to argue his point with local pro-nukes.

I enjoyed our phone calls and discussions - I think if we had met we would have got on wonderfully - I will miss him lots.

Green budget comment

Oh dear....I'd seen a headline suggesting it might be a Green budget - it is deeply disappointing - Brown's failure to act on tackling climate change means we will pay later - as the Stern review has shown. After 6 months of rhetoric on climate change, there is a shocking absence of substance in this budget.

Photo: Ruscombe field

The additional 50 per cent for green grants for homes equates to just £6 million - peanuts. A 30% increase for top band vehicles to £300 this year and £400 next year flies in the face of the govenement's own research about the price difference requried to change behaviour. We need to see a rise to at least £1800 tax for the worst gas guzzlers to ensure people but greener cars.

Exempting zero carbon homes from stamp duty sounds good but means little - it will not incentivise installation of micro generation and insulation measures. Brown was right to reject VAT on domestic flights as having limited impact. But he has copped out - Greens would have slapped an additional £100 on Air Passenger Duty on all flights to reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes. Cutting corporation tax is another step towards reducing the tax burden on big business - a step in the wrong direction.

See what we were proposing here.

More meetings, news releases and Cotswold Life

Have to mention Cotswold Life this month as local Green John Marjoram makes the cover and an article inside - the longest serving Green councillor in the country. Some shops have already sold out but I managed to get hold of a copy today.

Photos: Cotswold Life cover and page inside

Well I was going to spend some time reporting on the Cabinet meeting on Thursday night - but suggest people go to the SDC website and see the webcast. There was a fiesty debate over the Woolaway homes which I have previously commented on in this blog plus various other discussions.

After that I managed to catch the last 45 mins of the Parish meeting in Whiteshill - moves are now going ahead with the non-mandatory 20 mph site seeing as the 20 mph zone has been turned down - the Parish will also be writing to protest at the refusal.

Meanwhile today several mini meetings including one re Transition Town Stroud - discussed how best to get message across to others re Peak Oil and Climate Change.

Other stuff over last couple of days include nappies and justice for British soldiers.

Trident protest in Stroud

MPs at Westminster are to vote this evening on whether or not to replace Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system, at an estimated cost of £76bn over the lifetime of the weapons. In Stroud on Merrywalks bridge some 40 campaigners and protesters gathered to protest - some of us waved at the many hooting cars.

Photos: demonstration on Merrywalks bridge

The expected decision to replace the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system is illegal, immoral, obscenely expensive – and utterly irrelevant to the real security threats we face today.

Voting in favour of replacing Trident is a shameful waste of billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash and it sends out a deadly signal to the rest of the world:‘we don’t care about nuclear proliferation, so neither should you’. It is completely hypocritical. How can we lecture countries like Iran on international law designed to halt the spread of nuclear weapons when we are prepared to so blithely ignore it ourselves?

Amazingly the Government’s support for new nuclear weapons looks set to be approved only thanks to the support of pro-nuclear Tory MPs. New Labour faces its largest Commons rebellion since the decision to go to war in Iraq, and the issue has already claimed more than one ministerial scalp.

Green MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, a co-founder and Co-President of the European Parliament’s cross-party peace group, said:

“The Government’s support for Trident is yet another example of its failure to grasp the urgency of climate change. Imagine if its anticipated £76bn costs were invested in energy conservation and renewable energy generation – we might actually have a chance of cutting CO2 levels sufficiently to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. Instead, we are left with an obscenely expensive white elephant that is likely to the world a more dangerous place – at best it is utterly irrelevant to the real security threats we face, chief among them climate change, and a missed opportunity to spend the cash on tackling them.”

And please vote in the BBC poll here. See SNJ video of demonstration and interview with Cllr Marjoram here. See Green party news release here.

The real great global warming swindle

Conspiracies abound. Now comes the latest: Channel 4 screened last week 'The Great Global Warming Swindle', a documentary which claims that it is 'a lie' that carbon emissions are causing global warming and that attempts to debate the subject are being suppressed.

I hadn't wanted to spend time on this issue again (see comment re 'deniers' on my blog on 18th 2006) - but as several people have asked for comment I've cobbled together this answer from my own thoughts and others. There are indeed many reasons to dismiss this Channel 4 programme, but some important points do emerge and we should not make the mistake of ignoring them.

Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - which brings together almost all the world's leading scientists in the field and all its governments - published its latest huge "assessment report", concluding that it was 90 per cent certain that human activities are heating up the planet. The conclusion was all the more authoritative as the IPCC is a cautious body that acts by consensus; all governments, including the US, have to agree its conclusions.

It is true some scientists still disagree - that is the nature of science - but their numbers are diminishing, and few are leaders in their fields. A recent survey of 928 published scientific papers found not one that dissented over the reality of global warming. All the main political parties accept climate change and the need for action. Even Bush admitted in January's State of the Union speech that the climate change presented "a major challenge".

Many who thought that there was now full agreement about climate change and that they could now get on with making the changes we need, will have to think again. This film and attacks on Gores' own CO2 emissions (see my blog 7th March 2007) are indications that the battle is still not won.

The programme...

Martin Durkin first achieved notoriety when his previous series on the environment for the channel, called 'Against Nature', was condemned by the Independent Television Commission for misleading contributors on the purpose of the programmes, and for editing four interviewees in a way that "distorted or mispresented their known views". Channel 4 was forced to issue an apology, but despite this they have not sought checks of this current programme.

Indeed already Carl Wunsch, from the programme states: "the context was not at all what we had agreed on....As I began to see ads for the program, I realized I'd been duped." See here.

On the programme Martin Durkin interviewed various well known climate-change deniers including Phillip Stott, Piers Corbyn, Nigel Lawson and Nigel Calder. Each of these sceptics have a point, but fail to give the whole picture and so draw the wrong conclusions.

Lord Lawson, for example agrees much with environmentalists saying there is "little doubt that the 20th century ended warmer than it began" and that "there is no doubt that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide increased greatly" during it. He even agrees that it is "highly likely that carbon dioxide emissions" have played a significant part" in heating up the Earth.

Indeed he could not do otherwise: the basic science on this has been established and unchallenged for 180 years. Where dispute lies is in the contribution to warming that pollution has made, whether it will continue and what to do about it. Here I'll look briefly at the key arguments and show how they have been discredited.

Is the Sun to blame?

Michael Crichtons' novel 'State of Fear' started the ball rolling although it was some years before that I was given Nigel Calder’s “Manic Sun” - this controversial book claimed an alternative theory to global warming. The book was based on work by three Danish scientists who discovered correlations between quite complicated solar cycles and past weather patterns. The scientists claim this is a more accurate reflection than anything to do with carbon dioxide. Work with data from satellites showed the Sun to be in an energetic state, the most invisible radiations from it intercept cosmic rays that are always impinging on the Earth. The cosmic rays are important in initiating cloud formation, and clouds make a lot of difference to the weather, and cumulatively to climate.

However while the book and subsequent articles and further books make some useful contributions it is clear they are a long way from demonstrating an influence of cosmic rays on the real world climate. Variations in solar activity may have been responsible for past warm periods, though it's hard to be sure because we have been taking good measurements of it only since 1978. Certainly recent solar increases are too small to have produced the present warming, and have been much less important than greenhouse gases since about 1850. See here.

Questions about temperature?

The programme shows how studies of gases in bubbles of air in polar ice sheets reveal that in prehistoric hot periods temperatures began rising before C02 levels. So it is argued that increasing concentrations of the gas are the result, not the cause of global warming.

Temperature and C02 are indeed bound together: as one goes up, the other follows. Historically temperatures often started rising 800 years before levels of the gas, but this is irrelevant to what is happening now, because for the first time ever enormous amounts of extra C02 are being released.

The programme emphasises that temperatures in Britain and other parts of Europe were warmer in the Middle Ages than they are now. That may or may not be true - since no accurate measurements were taken it is hard to be certain. But, if so, it was only a regional effect: measurements of ice from the poles on which the sceptics place great reliance for other arguments show it did not happen worldwide.

Arctic ice shrink is exaggerated?

Skeptics claim that ice caps ebb and flow in size and their current shrinking is exaggerated. In contrast Al Gore suggests the Arctic is a "canary in the coal mine". He shows how since the 1970s the extent of the Arctics' ice cap has "diminished precipitously". If we continue as we are, it will disappear for part of the year and profoundly change the climate. Certainly part of the Arctics' shrinking is probably due to natural ebb and flows, but this has been increased by global warming caused by rising levels of greenhouse gases - and these continue to go up. The Arctic is likely to be free of ice by 2050, for the first time in millions of years.

Solutions to climate change will hurt the world's poorest?

This is the claim but infact renewable sources of energy should be the poor's salvation. They are abundant in the Third World and don't need costly distribution networks to get them to village.

Climate change hijacked?

Heres a view..."Petrol-guzzling 4x4s must be taxed, foreign holidays discouraged, TVs unplugged and lavatories left unflushed. After decades of waiting, the green movement has found the cause of its dreams: a crisis that gives them carte blanche to rule our lives?"

Myles Allen, of Oxford's climate dynamics group says: "That is the striking thing about global warming. It is a Christmas tree on which each of us can hang virtually everything we want."

Everyone of us can now use global warming as an excuse to tell us how to live. Some of this advice is sound - indeed much of it is good but some is clearly not. Mixed and confusing messages abound. Does carbon off-setting work? (see my blog on this for 23rd February 2007) What about road-pricing? (see my blog for 13th February 2007)

Critically in all this the lead must come from government. So far it hasn't.

One of the key ways forward that gets away from all the negative arguments about banning this or that is Personal Tradeable Carbon Allowances - my blog on 17th February goes into this in some detail.

But what if the sceptics are right?

Even if the sceptics are right and the bulk of the world's scientists wrong there is still a compelling reason for cutting carbon dioxide emissions. For rising levels of the gas - in an entirely separate process - are killing the world's oceans by turning them acid.

Plus oil and gas are running out - world discovery of oil peaked in 1964 and has been declining ever since, despite considerable improvements in technology, and there is no prospect of any significant large discoveries. We are currently consuming more than six barrels of oil for every one we discover. There is growing consensus that we are now approaching, or are even at, the world oil peak. We have longer for gas but which ever way we look at it we must move away from them.

The truth is that the real swindle is that such a one-sided programme can be presented as fact when the vast majority of scientists disagree with the conclusions. Such a move is dangerous when we are only just developing the momentum to find the solutions to this massive problem.

More info:

There are various responses to this Channel 4 show like science blog, 'Stoat' here, The Royal Society put out a news release here and The Independent also published a fair response which I have used to put this case above: 'Global warming: An inconvenient truth or hot air?'

Also see George Monbiot writing in The Guardian: "The science might be bunkum, the research discredited. But all that counts for Channel 4 is generating controversy." See here. And for more general stuff see Realclimate that covers many of the issues raised in the programme.

16/03/07: Just found this on MediaLens: a good look at the whole programme - look for 13th March 2007 entry here. See Ecologist here with Met Office comment here. Lots more info and letters to Channel 4 here. See also Royal Society rebuttal here.

DCC: Aston Down plans rejected and Cashes Green Vicarage threatened

Today at Development Control Committee I had to note an interest on the planning application re Aston Down airfield near Minchinhampton. I was commissioned by Cllr. Sarah Lunnon to look at the site in 2004. This led to much research and a 20-page report: "Aston Down: Sustainable Development Or Traffic Chaos?" (August 2004). Since then I have continued to take a strong interest in the site.

Photo: Aston entrance

It seems a pity that I could not participate in the discussions or vote as I have looked at the site in much detail - however as I have expressed views, like that enforcement should take place on the businesses on the site, this could be viewed that I do not have an open mind.....even though all those comments were made prior to being a councillor and on the basis of research that has been backed up by what the Officers are recommending in their report.

Their are many serious issues that, in my view, make this site unsuitable for the development proposed. Furthermore I am convinced that enforcement action on the unauthorised uses on the base is long overdue: the site remains a breach in planning control. I am pleased to report the committee voted for refusal of development and for enforcement - but only on the casting vote of the Chair......this seems extraodinary to me as there were so many clear planning reasons why this development should not go-ahead - in my view there was no alternative but to accept the officers recommendations.

Having said all that I am not opposed to all development on the site - there is no reason why some would not be suitable, but we must consider what is sutainable.....

Photo left: Vicarage in days gone by and photo below is of the carved concrete ship above the door.

Other planning issues today included the Vicarage in Cashes Green - planning permission had already been given to pull this building down and build houses on the site - Listed building status was considered in the past but the building didn't meet the criteria - apparently the Diocese who own the site are still looking at possibly saving the building although they didn't withdraw their plans for houses on the site today which included demolition of the Vicarage - if they don't act to save it they may need some more community action and letters to save the site - have even heard some talk of a sit in - similar to the tree sits that saved those trees outside Tesco.

Campaigners to save the building say this is one of the only old and slightly more interesting buildings in the area - they want to see it saved. Their view was supported by the Parish Council and some 30 people who turned up to a recent meeting.

The SDC website should have the webcast on soon so you'll be able to catch the other items - as usual I managed to raise Sustainable Urban Drainage as an issue on 3 or 4 applications.

The extraordinary Whiteshill Weekend Revue

Tonight there is the last chance to see the Whiteshill and Ruscombe Players present "The Weekend Revue": 7.45 at the Village Hall.

I went last night and words fail me - it is a quite extraodinary experience that only if you see it can you fully appreciate and understand - well maybe not understand - but words here certainly cannot do justice to the evening....but to give you a flavour I'll try...

The first photo above is of the team of women who did a couple of numbers from West Side Story - they included the extraodinary young girl, Ros Bremmerkamp who soloed "Tonight" - beautiful indeed.

The next inset photo is of a sketch.....you've heard of "Grumpy Old Women" and "Grumpy Old Men" well here is "Grumpy Old Pets" which included the Chair of the Parish Council dressed as a grumpy dog complaining that the people he lived with kept getting lost and that he often needed to put them on the lead...

The next photo in the first lot is from Peter and the Wolf with another Parish Councillor dressed as Peter - as the programme says "this innovative and ground-breaking production is heavily influenced by the Japanese representational theatre of 'No'. As in, 'No', we don't have much in the way of props nor did we have a cast until the last minute".

The photos left are from a couple of other sketches - the first being "The Archers" - as the programme says "the only episode of this BBC masterpiece ever recorded in Whiteshill" - Ruth in the show seemed to be carrying on with the herdsman...and Joleen....ummh there is no way I can explain - you have to be there!! The sound effects were slightly too loud but added a certain something....the beer hand-pull noises were recorded at the Star in Whiteshill.

The second sketch is a version of Bill and Ben and little Weeeeeeee-eed - one of my favorite childrens programmes - apparently when they were axed from the schedules they were saved by Charlie at a house called Highgrove, not far from here - well we visit them here and Charlie is there but Bill is actually Billinda - I don't remember that bit...

Anyhow the programme also had lots of music - a couple of sessions from "Edge of Blue" - pictured left - brilliant music - we also heard from Sam Jones (guitar) and Milly Griffin (bass) performing Pachelbel's Rock Canon and Gigue' in D minor (second photo) - great stuff....there was more like a sketch entitled "The Committee" and join-in singing plus a running commentary from two members of the audience who quite literally joined in at every possible and impossible moment....a huge thank you to all the hard work that went into the show......an evening I wont forget!!!

Stroud Valleys events this weekend

Two events organised by Stroud Valleys Project:

SPRING WALK - THIS SATURDAY 10TH MARCH, 10am- 12noon

Come and join us for another circular walk from Humphrey’s Close. We will be exploring the surrounding countryside (the route: walking out towards Stonehouse, round the hill you can see in the distance when driving down Bisley Old Road + lovely views of the Malverns) and spotting the first signs of spring. Very muddy in places, wellies or decent walking boots advisable (and waterproofs if the weather looks a bit iffy in the morning). The walk will involve going over some stiles. Meet:at Humphrey’s Close, on the green. The site is off Cashes Green Road, next door to the Scout hut.

HEDGE PLANTING - THIS SUNDAY, 11TH MARCH, 10am - 1pm

Last week's workshop had to be cancelled due to that lovely horizontal rain but the trees are desperate to be planted before they dry out. This is another chance to flex your muscles at Hamwell Leaze, gapping up an existing hedge by the bungalows to provide a good habitat for songbirds, insects and small mammals. You could learn which species could be suitable for your garden and why. We will be planting native species such as wayfaring tree, hawthorn, dogwood and privet. Please bring a spade if you have one. Free workshop, donations welcome.

Meet: at Hamwell Leaze by the oak tree. Directions: from Cashes Green Road turn right into Hyett Road. At the end of Hyett Road turn right into Walter Preston Court. Hamwell Leaze is at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Our precious little earth

This was sent by a friend and I couldn't not put it on the blog - their is no credit about where it came from so I hope the originators wont mind. Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky - it is 1000 light years away!!! Arcturus meanwhile is the third brigtest but much nearer - that is the tiny orange circle in the first picture and the much larger in the second. This really is something to ponder on.....

Lords reform success

I've just been to the local Green party monthly business meeting - 32 people turned up - it is very exciting to feel the passion and interest from so many people. Already we are gearing up to elections in May. Anyhow I got back to hear the great news that the House of Commons vote on Lords reform this evening passed two options.

The option for an 80% elected / 20% appointed second chamber passed by a simple majority (ayes: 305; nos: 267). The option for a fully elected second chamber passed by an absolute majority (ayes: 337; nos: 224). Given a straight choice between a hybrid house and a fully elected one, MPs backed the latter. I imagine that David Drew MP also did as he replied to my email on this saying that while he had reservations he would be voting for a fully elected chamber.

A fully elected second chamber has always been the preferred option of the Green party and many campaigners. However it isn't over yet. The House of Lords will be debating its own future next week, and there the reform is likely to meet stiff resistance. The crucial matter of what electoral system to use remains unresolved. Will the Government hold firm in pushing through reform and, if necessary, use the Parliament Act to stop the House of Lords from blocking it? Unless we keep up the pressure over the next few crucial months, the promise of tonight's vote could remain unfulfilled for years, even decades.

Meanwhile real patronage looks like it is on its way out, but the campaigning virtual peerages continue to be available! If you haven't yet bought one, please do and help fund the next stage in the campaign. Go here for more details and click on Labels below to see details of my purshase.

Being green: to be a hypocrite or seen as out of touch?

Al Gore is the latest green campaigner to be accused of being a hypocrite, but hey how many of us live by every one of the principles we profess to uphold? Life is full of grey areas and being pure and virtuous is never as easy, nor perhaps even as desirable, as it might appear.

Photos: Al Gore in the excellent film An Inconviennient Truth

I will be among the first to stand up and say that I could be living a greener lifestyle, but this misses a key point. For me, individual actions to tackle climate change are great but will never go far enough. We must have government action to help us change behaviours and ensure those on lower incomes don't loose out. There is also more to it...

Gore hit the news as the anti-environmental lobby group Tennessee Center for Policy Research, highlighted that Gore's mansion in Nashville uses 20 times as much energy as the average American household. It is hard to trust someone who says one thing and does another? Similarly Gore's movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' is full of Gore taking flights to promote a message that would require people to reduce their flights.

The motives of the lobby group's campaign against Gore are obvious: if they can smear the man, then they can also undermine his message. Similar campaigns have been run against London's mayor, Ken Livingstone - arguing that he uses too many taxis, for example - in order to undermine his effectiveness as one of the only political leaders in the world to show real vision and leadership on climate change (with Green party Assembly members help!).

This debate got me thinking about just before Christmas when I was asked to comment on Mr Wakeford, a top adviser to Tony Blair on sustainable development. He was accused of undermining government policy on curbing aviation pollution after it was revealed that he makes a 500-mile round trip by jet from Birmingham to Edinburgh each week. At the time I called that debate a distraction but wish I thought more about the issues at stake and perhaps made a stronger statement. Read the news release here.

On a deeper level, the effects of such accusations can be even more damaging: prominent people who might support green causes keep their mouths shut for fear of having their supermarket bills fished out of their bin by a tabloid hack. Indeed every time a "green hero" is shot down in flames, we all feel that little bit more cynical about politicians, leaders and society in general.

Mark Lynas whose article in the Guardian provided the basis of some of this blog entry writes:

"Cynicism breeds selfishness and a de facto acceptance of the status quo - no cynic ever led a movement for positive change. In this sense, charging someone with hypocrisy serves to reinforce denial: "You're a hypocrite, so why should I do what you tell me?" Or the more disempowering: "If even you can't do it, how can I?" The practical outcome is that lightbulbs go unchanged, lofts uninsulated and bicycles unridden. And greenhouse gas emissions continue to soar. "This denial response is also why, on the other hand, no one likes a greenie who is not a hypocrite. Climate activists I know who do walk the walk (eschewing all flights, for example) look prim and obsessive, as if they are out of touch with the concerns and pressures faced by ordinary people."

Gore was right to travel thousands of air miles in his campaign to raise awareness of climate change: the political shift he has helped engineer has been truly profound, and is one of the few real causes for optimism on climate change today. As Mark Lynas says: "Being a purist may be comforting, but it is unlikely to change the world."

Having said that as blog readers will know the new Transition Town Stroud group, of which I am a member, is looking to see how groups of individuals can together reduce their emissions - see my blog for 22nd Jan. This is a very positive way forward - more info coming to this blog in coming weeks on this.

Mark Lynas' latest book, 'Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet,' is published on March 19.

Coffee Morning, organic carp, meetings and comments to press

A slightly quieter week which is very nice as lots to catch up on - but thought I might as well do a round-up of some of the meetings over the last few days below. I've also included some links to this weeks news releases - and have to mention a freelance journalist phoned yesterday re an article he was considering for The Independent - looking at how green is Stroud - ended up talking for over half an hour - we'll see if it translates into an article (see my blog on 7th November 2007 for a previous discussion on this).

Photo: Coffee morning, Whiteshill Village Hall

- Coffee Morning this morning in Whiteshill Village Hall. This was to promote the work of the Village Agent, Pam Thorne (see my blog for 25th October for more info). Sadly only a couple of people turned up but it was nevertheless useful to hear their views on how the Parish could be improved. Traffic as always featured highly.

- a Transition Town Stroud meeting - the core-group of over 15 people fed back on what had been happening with the sub-groups. We've also just launched a new blog site - but virtually nothing on it yet - we hope to build it as a history of the project that maybe useful for others.

- Gloucestershire Green party meeting - this was in Gloucester - a thrice annual meeting of Greens from across the County. A great opportunity to share where we are at and plan ahead. Much discussed like the planning applications at Staverton (see my blog on 2nd March) and letter to press on this subject sent today.

- Ruscombe Brook Action Group AGM last night - much discussed like the next leaflet, our public talk planned for 25th April in Randwick Village Hall, the details of the partnership agreement with other parties plus election of Officers - I'm again Secretary for the group. We then had what can only be described as a very very wonderful meal by Julian Jones and Ali from Water 21 - Julian has been particularly supportive of our project and this meal was a fitting tribute to the first two years of RBAG - we have learnt lots and much has happened - I'm hoping the next years will be just as exciting!!

- Organic carp farm - well this wasn't really a meeting so much as a social - Jimmie Hepburn who is starting the country's first organic carp farm is a good friend. He is now based in Somerset but was passing through so it was great to hear about his project. Fish farming is highly controversial as is any food production system that puts profit before principles and good practice. However carp is different from many of the other vastly more polluting fish like salmon - plus we are talking organic standards and with carp unlike many other varieties of farmed fish you don't need to import vastly energy-intensive fish food - carp is very popular in Austria and Germany but over here you never hear of people eating it - let's hope that will change when the first fish come out of Jimmies ponds in Somerset and that people choose this rather than from other less sustainable farms.

And news releases include...

Nurses pay award is effectively a cut and Blair's latest proposals for health make no sense at all. I also commented on the Council Tax settlements by SDC and GCC, noting what we really need urgently is a reform of the whole system. Plus a comment on the absurd situation where grants for renewables run out in minutes - this month in 75 mins and also had a journalist contact re the threat to Painswick Library (see previous blogs for background). So far these comments haven't translated into print yet, but I'm not going to do my usual moan about how the press fail to cover stories properly.....

Worldwide bell ringing on 200th anniversary of slavery abolition?

I have just heard that in Bristol Bells Unbound is planned as a ringing commemoration of the exact moment the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act became law in 1807. Bells Unbound aims to get as many people as possible ringing as many bells as possible all round the world. It's a Call to Action for a world-wide ring of Freedom!! I like this idea lots.

Bells Unbound takes place at the precise moment (midday) that George III signed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 200 years ago. Bells Unbound is a commemoration of slaves, a celebration of this resonant act - and a wake-up call for the world today. It is based in Bristol, which was so much a part of the transatlantic slave trade, and where the Cathedral, along with other Bristol City Churches, is already committed to a peal of bells at noon.

Slavery is in our sights this year as an historical barbarity, but the practice has not stopped simply because an Act was passed 200 years ago. Slavery has changed its shape and become part of our modern world.

People trafficking is one example of modern-day slavery. Greens organised a discussion on this trade locally and on our website you can see various letters and news releases on this subject - most recently here. On Sunday 25 February 2007 some of you may have seen The Independent on Sunday ran an article by Sophie Goodchild & Jonathan Thompson; and just the headline makes somber reading: "5,000 child sex slaves in UK" - IoS special investiagtion: Young children sold into prostitution by criminal gangs in Britain." Indeed some 700,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year and even at a conservative estimate there are 27 million slaves today.

We still have so far to go to realise the dream that Martin Luther King had 44 years ago :

"From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last!Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

June Burrough, Centre Director of The Pierian Centre writes: "We also have a dream - to have freedom ring round the world at noon (local time)on Sunday 25thMarch 2007. At noon we will ring bells - church bells, handbells, gongs, bells on morris dancers, bells in pubs and on bicycles. Join us to ring them loud for 5 minutes in a ring of Freedom round the world. Tell everyone and anyone you know to join in!! Please help to publicise the idea with us. Imagine the whole world resonating for 5 minutes at noon! The kind of bell does not matter - the amount of ringing is what we are after."

I've passed this onto various local email lists, a bell ringer I know and a couple of the churches - we'll have to see how it goes. Already Stroud has some events planned for that day - some of which will centre on the Anti-Slavery Arch in Paganhill. It is right to commemorate the Abolition Act, but we mustn't foregt that fight is far from over.

Please sign petition

It was in Hull that William Wilberforce was born in 1807 - it ws he that led the campaign for the abolition all those years ago - it is fitting then that Hull have just launched another petition urging for action today - please sign it at:
www.wilberforce2007.co.uk/

Diary date: Safe Water AGM: 28th April

The A.G.M. of the Safe Water Campaign will be held at 10.45 a.m. on Saturday 28th April at the British School, Painswick Inn , Gloucester Street, Stroud.

Photo: I took this photo at a recent meeting for our new website - we are still in the process of getting the site sorted. Pictured with our giant toothbrush: James Christian, Lynne Edmunds, Rob Mehta and Bernard Seward.

As a founder member of this group it has been great to see it grow and remain active in building the case against fluoridation of our water supplies. There will be a chance to hear about what we have been doing at the AGM plus the main feature - a short talk and presentation by Rissa Mohabir entitled “A homeopathic perspective on the pathological effects of fluoride”

Rissa Mohabir R.S. Hons, Cert. Ed. and founder of “Living Energy Workshops” has worked as a homeopath, trainer and supervisor for medical doctors and non-medical practitioners for the past eighteen years. She lives locally but has taught extensively in the U.K. and world wide.

Bernard Seward will also give a short talk entitled “How I discovered fluoridation”. Bernard Seward has been campaigning against the fluorodation of our water supplies for the last fifty years or so and apart from being a very active member of our committee he is Hon. Sec. to Bristol and South West S.E.R.A. (Socialist Environment & Resources Association).

This will be followed by questions and finally the business part of the A.G.M. i.e. election/re-election of officers. More info from me or R.Mehta 47, Bisley Old Road, Stroud, GL5 1LY.

Blood Moon over Stroud

I've added these photos of yesterdays moon taken from my window - it was great to watch the moon slowly being 'eaten' - a total eclipse -the first time this has been visible from the UK since Jan 2001 - the phenomenon occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Moon and the Sun.

Light scattering through the Earth's atmosphere is reduced to predominantly red wavelengths which reflect off the lunar surface. See more here. The weather was great for viewing and it lasted over an hour - yes the photos aren't great but they show it progressively getting more red.

In ancient times a "Blood Moon" was viewed with dread and seen as an omen of great change or disaster. Columbus allegedly used such an eclipse to threaten natives in Jamaica saying the Almighty is displeased with the natives treatment of the sailors: when the moon disappeared the natives pleaded with Columbus who duly spoke with the Almighty and the moon was restored. See more here.

20 mph: more info sent to the County

This Wednesday the County Council Environment Scrutiny Committee discuss 20 mph zones for outside schools - I've followed up my letters on 20 mph to the County Council with this from the Living Streets organisation (click 20mph Label for more info on the current discussions at the County and my previous letters):

One of the key changes that Living Streets has consistently called for over the years is a default 20mph zone in all residential areas. It's a simple enough concept, backed by compelling evidence: the transition from minor to non-minor injuries in road collisions happens at around 20mph. Reducing speed from 30mph to 20mph reduces pedestrian deaths by 95%, and is a massive step towards creating streets that people feel confident using and enjoying. As a national policy seems a way off, it's a great area for our local groups and supporters to campaign on. Here are just three examples of work going on around the country.

Portsmouth is saving costs and creating a big impact by implementing a Traffic Management Order for the whole town rather than a series of smaller zones. This will mean that the 20mph limit will be city wide, with some main roads marked out as being exempt.

Southwark, London is set to follow the example of Hull, currently the UK's leading 20mph city. It will create 'zones', with markings at the entrance and speed reducing features, to ensure the lower limit is self-enforcing. In Hull, these measures have led to a 90% reduction in serious and fatal injury collisions, and they enjoy strong public support.

Newcastle is carrying out a pilot scheme to put up voluntary 20mph speed limits in a trial area. Although this idea means the council could not prosecute drivers breaching the 20mph limit, it hopes to appeal to the 'hearts and minds' of motorists. If it's successful, Newcastle Council will roll out the scheme city wide.

Object to Staverton now!

Curious developments....Staverton airport have applied for planning permission for developments that will allow them to expand their services. You can see below my objection that I have sent to all councillors on the planning committee - I've also written to David Drew - see previous posts by clicking on Label.

Photo: Cape Farewell project looking at raising awareness about climate change. This piece is "Ice Burning Ice" by David Buckland.

I was going to urge everyone to object but rumour today has it that the application may have been withdrawn as the 5 year Business Plan contains 'sensitive' information (3rd March:Just confirmed news that only Business Plan withdrawn not application). I wonder what this might be and whether I am quoting any of that in this email below? I await to see.

I think it is still worth objecting from the website as they may just have withdrwan the Business Plan - certainly this is an important issue.....do please read on....

Re Planning Applications: Entrance 06/01669/FUL, Hill View 06/01670/FUL and Cattery 06/01671/FUL Please consider this objection for the above applications:

I object on grounds that I understand this site is on land designated as greenbelt and this application will lead to an increase in road traffic. I also do not consider enough has been done with regards to meet best practice in terms of Sustainable Urban Drainage. However I also object strongly that it will impact negatively on the economy and the environment. I cannot underestimate the importance of this point.

Gloucestershire Airports' 5-year Business Plan makes explicit the intention to significantly increase the number of aircraft using the site. The changes being made are not essential for the safe running of the airport but rather are about changing the use of the airport from light aircraft, to more, and larger aircraft, including what they describe as 'regional passenger aircraft' (up to 80 seater). The Plan also talks about the future "strong demand for a local airport", "developing commercial traffic" and the likely development of "regular, scheduled flights' to places like Dublin, Glasgow and London.

Please bear in mind the following points:

1. Unjust impact on others Why should Staverton Airport be allowed to expand its business and therefore increase its CO2 emissions, when every other business in Gloucestershire is being told to cut their CO2 emissions? Indeed if Staverton's expansion does go-ahead it will mean the rest of the economy will have to make even more significant cuts. This is a clear negative effect on our economy which I hope the Committee will consider. The Airport will also be contributing to the growing and increasingly worrying negative effects of climate change.

The draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy’s Sustainability Assessment (SSA) notes airport expansions will increase climate-changing CO2 emissions in the region. The SSA concludes, if expansions do go ahead, “all other gains in CO2 emissions will be cancelled out by growth in air traffic alone.” While this is clearly a reference to the larger expansions it nevertheless makes an important point about airport development.

The Environmental Audit Committee has written recently: “DfT’s plan for a large expansion of aviation was incompatible with the Government’s very demanding target for 60% carbon reductions by 2050—especially when taking into account the wider global warming contribution of aviation.” It goes onto say (bold in the report): “sadly, little has changed for the better since EAC’s last report on aviation. Progress on introducing financial mechanisms to reduce the growth in emissions from flying is slow, and both the Government and the industry are as intransigent as ever” and “even under the Government’s own and most optimistic projections, every other sector of the economy would have to cut its share of UK emissions, while that of aviation would be assisted to almost quintuple (to 24% of total UK emissions given a best case scenario).”

2. Aviation: particularly damaging The proposed developments at Staverton are aimed at more business jets and short services such as links to London. These types of services are the most CO2 intensive method of travel. In addition, the government’s aviation White Paper states that the high altitude that these gases are emitted at increases the global warming contribution by up to a factor of four. Indeed with the new super-fast trains many are arguing that all flights under 500 km should be banned unless there are exceptional circumstances. There is no moral justification for such damaging travel.

3. Business Plan: not sustainable and flawed The current forecasts by Staverton and the government are based on assumptions that the price of flying will continue to fall by 1% or more per year until 2030. Yet oil prices have already more than doubled per barrel since that forecast was made. The forecasts of increased aviation in the Business Plan fail to take account of the following points that will impact severely on their hopes to increase air traffic:

(i) The expected large price rises in fuel resulting from 'Peak Oil' which some consider we are reaching now (Peak Oil is the moment in history when our global oil supply can no longer keep pace with demand. In other words all the easy-to-get at oil is extracted first, then the slightly harder-to-get-at oil, then a variety of methods are used to get the harder-still-to-get-at-oil and then, finally, when you are spending as much energy getting the remaining oil out as the energy embedded in that oil itself, you just give up and leave it there. There is simply no point in trying to remove the remainder. The best estimates of this point by oil companies and scientists are sometime between 2002 and 2012). James May, CEO of the Air Transport Association writing in the New York Times, said: "No business model of any airline can survive with sustained jet-fuel prices of $90 to $100 a barrel." Yet those are exactly the prices predicted by many experts in the relatively near future; a major natural or manmade disruption could bring them about in a day. There is no relief in sight. This situation cannot be sustained. Within some years or less affordable passenger flight will be history.

(ii) The likely cuts to current tax subsidies to aviation and the introduction of international legislation and taxes to curb aviation in the light of climate change.

(iii) The impact of growing concern about aviation. This is likely to be expressed in terms of people seeking alternatives to aviation. It should be noted that travelling by train means 17 times fewer CO2 emissions than aviation and on many journeys can be almost as fast. Many commentators note that approaches like video conferencing are under-utilised by companies but will become increasingly important.

4. Contravenes the spirit of the Nottingham Declaration Tewkesbury Borough Council has pledged, along with Stroud District, Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City councils, to sign the Nottingham Declaration on climate change. The declaration commits councils to work with the Government to implement the UK Climate Change Programme locally. Staverton Airport should not be excluded from the cuts we all need to take in emissions.

5. Some final points Airports like Staverton are being expanded to serve wealthy businesses but the people who are being hit first and will be hit hardest by climate change are among the poorest on earth. People are already dying as a result of climate change. Indeed some have suggested that such plans will be considered criminal by future generations. The word 'criminal' is not used lightly: the average Somali is about 100 times more likely to die from events caused by climate change than the average American, despite emitting roughly 16,000 times less carbon.

The conclusions of the recent IPCC report on climate change make grim reading and even since then, more reports show they have likely underestimated the speed of climate change. As a society we face fundamental decisions about development and we need to recognise that the old assumptions about continued growth can no long apply.

Staverton is by no means unique: across the country there are plans for airport expansions, more roads and more coal-fired power stations. Our Government seems unwilling to make a stand, we have therefore, in my view a duty as local politicians to act to encourage a move towards carbon reductions - the opposite of what will occur with this airport expansion. We know that climate change is here, we know that we must cut emissions now: to expand Staverton would lead to an unacceptable rise in CO2 emissions and have a negative impact on our economy.

Last week, following a campaign that saw over 4,000 people write to oppose the plans, North Somerset District Council ordered an inquiry into the expansion of Bristol airport because of climate change and potential damage to the local environment. More people are waking up to the damage aviation is doing and will do if it is allowed to expand as proposed.

I urge you to reject proposals for infrastructure developments and runway enhancement at Staverton Airport. At the very least a proper independent assessment of the long-term impact this project will have on the environment and economy is needed. Thank you for taking the time to read this far. I am aware as members of the Committee you are unable to comment on these applications but I hope very much you will be able to bear the points in mind when they come before you.

Emails of committee members: councillor.brazil@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.browning@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.cromwell@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.davies@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.day@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.east@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.evetts@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.finch@tewkesbury.gov.uk, allen@allenkeyte.fsworld.co.uk, councillor.levett@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.ogden@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.smith@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.stephens@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.stokes@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.surman@tewkesbury.gov.uk, councillor.sztymiak@tewkesbury.gov.uk, robert.vines@gloucestershire.gov.uk

National blog on Post Office consultations

The Post Office consultation - see yesterdays blog - is open until 8th March - there is also now a simple way to get your point across quickly and easily. A blog set up especailly to cover this issue. Anyone with an interest can visit the blog and leave their comment on the consultation questions, and read what others are saying.

Visit www.ruralaction.org.uk, click any of the ‘Comment’ links and have your say. Here's my comment:

I am deeply disturbed by these proposals. There is a complete lack of joined up thinking.

The local Post Office and shop is a cornerstone of a sustainable society, based on strong, highly self-reliant communities. Closing post offices leads to less community, longer distances travelled and more carbon emissions. The impacts will once again be felt most by the more vulnerable and poorer sections of our communities.

The problems of Climate Change and Peak Oil (the point at which world oil production rises to its highest point before declining ie massive increases in oil prices over coming years ahead) mean that we need to be returning to local provision of services not moving away from them.

If the Government was serious about these issues then they would be looking at restoring our local shops and Post Offices. We have to start tackling emissions in every way possible. As Michael Meacher, former Environment Minister, said: "What we, and the government, need to get our minds around is that we are at war: at war against climate catastrophe, presenting us a far greater threat towards our survival than 1939."

There are signs of hope that people are starting to act - see my Ruscombe Green blog posts like on 17th Feb - but this planned reduction in the number of Post Offices is very wrong.

I would strongly urge people to object to these proposals in the strongest terms: they will likely be consider criminal by future generations. The word 'criminal' is not used lightly: the average Somali is about 100 times more likely to die from events caused by climate change than the average American, despite emitting roughly 16,000 times less carbon.

We must cut emissions not create more.

Standish Hospital latest

The hospital at Standish in it's 31-acre site near Stonehouse remains closed - it is almost a year after a healthcare provider was chosen to bid to buy it.

The chosen bidder is thought to be Northampton-based St Andrew's Healthcare, which specialises in hospitals for patients with psychiatric illnesses. However there has still been no official announcement about who may have purchased Standish Hospital. The choice of St Andrews would also appear to be strange as a large concentration of mental health services is against national policy of integrating people into the community.

It is a great great shame that Whitehall rejected the community-led proposal by Standish Mutual Trust for the future use of the hospital. It is a pity on many levels as the hospital is now deteriorating. If the mutual had taken over the site two years ago we would have already seen services being provided.

20 mph debate continues: councillors responses

I recently wrote to all County Councillors seeking their support for more 20 mph zones. It has been interesting to enter into debate with some of them: I enclose a couple of their comments below along with my reply to Highways sent this evening.

By clicking on the 'Label' below you'll pick up my past correspondence and discussions around 20 mph zones including my original letter outlining the case (see 9th Feb). Here first below is the response from Highways with a copy of the motion currently being considered:

Dear Councillor Booth

I have been asked to respond to your recent email to the Leader of the Council and a number of other Cabinet Members, supporting introduction of more widespread 20 mph residential speed limits in Gloucestershire.

As you are aware, the County Council is making strides in increasing the number of 20 mph zones around schools and as recently as last month, a Motion aimed at accelerating this process was put to the full County Council. It will be discussed early next month by our Environment Scrutiny Committee.

We are also interested in exploring ideas about the future design of residential areas and Duncan Jordan, the Group Director: Environment is looking into the possibility of a local conference on "Shared Space" issues, given the degree of local interest in this. Having said that, I think we all recognise that it is much easier to bring in lower speeds by addressing the issue at the design stage, rather than trying to retro-fit them and for this reason, at present ,we prefer to take every case for 20 mph limits on its own merit rather than adopt a blanket policy for all residential roads.

Tony Roberts
Executive Support : Environment Directorate

Note - the Motion which was proposed:

• welcomed DfT initiative in asking Local Authorities to review speed limits and the issuing of new guidance in setting local limits
• suggested that " inconsistent" use of 20 mph zones within the County was not sending "the correct message to drivers in Gloucestershire"
• asked the Council to make all roads outside schools 20mph zones whenever practical
• asked the Council to campaign to reduce driver speed, including in areas with schools

It is normal practice for Motions which include this level of detail to go to the appropriate Service Scrutiny Committee rather than be debated at length by full Council

Here is my response:

Thank you very much for your reply.

I am delighted that you are considering the Shared Spaces approach. You maybe aware that I was involved in researching this approach some years ago and helped organise the seminar at Stroud District Council. See article:
http://www.resurgence.org/selection/booth0306.htm

I am convinced that this approach offers the best way to tackle congestion, reduce casualties, improve roads for all users and encourage more pedestrians and cycling. It has been good to see this approach adopted more in this country like in the London Borough of Kensington - very inspiring.

However, as I am sure you are aware, the concept can be difficult to grasp at first. This is especially so as we have been taught that segregation is the safest way. At some meetings, I have spoken at, there has been initial strong opposition, but experience shows that given time people readily accept the idea. Last night, for example, Cllr Sarah Lunnon, spoke to a residents group in Stroud who are now very keen to explore the idea. Introduction of such schemes needs to be carefully planned. Having said that any traffic measures can produce strong reactions - and many people are now strongly opposed to humps and bumps!

Clearly one important aspect of the Shared Spaces approach is the 20 mph zone. I understand that the long-awaited 'Manual for Streets' is due out in March and will at least give a mention to Shared Spaces. The draft 'Manual for Streets' as I am sure you are aware, makes a very welcomed statement on 20mph zones: "7.9.2 All streets whose main function is to provide a residential environment should have vehicle speeds of no more than 20mph. All measures that slow traffic help pedestrians feel safer. The most effective ways to discourage speeds above 20 mph are often to either generate sufficient ‘side friction’ on streets e.g. by the provision of on street parking, ......."

I personally still would like to see all residential streets have a 20 mph including all town and village centres - this is common in much of Europe. Indeed I can see no argument in favour of 30mph. An A&E Consultant has written to me expressing a similar view.

I hope very much that you will still consider working towards making 20mph the standard - certainly for all new residential roads.

All the best - Philip

It is vital we keep up the pressure. Here are some of the other views:

Dr John Cordwell, Shadow Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder, Gloucestershire County Council kindly agreed I could print his response here: “The previous Lib/Lab County administration's programme included the introduction of 20 mph speed limits around schools and considerable progress was made on that. The current county administration has a freeze on the introduction of further 20 mph limits and zones whilst it considers criteria on which it can prioritise need. I am trying to get two 20 mph zones locally, one in a rural area and the other in a village housing estate.”

Lesley Williams, County councillor for Stonehouse has also been very positive: indeed one of the leading lights locally pushing the Shared Space approach and 20 mph. She is off to Holland next week to explore more of the Dutch and Danish experience of Shared Spaces - Green councillor Sarah Lunnon who got me involved in this will be joining the study tour. See Lesley's comments re 20 mph and Shared Space on her blog.

And lastly here is another County Councillors response which is perhaps not so helpful (and perhaps best left anonymous!): "Out of consideration for your fellow man would you please restrict sending your sermons to something more akin to normal business hours. Outbreaks of hilarity at the end of dinner parties prolong them unnecessarily!"

Moon Bear Rescue

I have been sent a load of papers re Moon Bear Rescue organisation in Somerset - the person hasn't left a contact number or address - so I hope this blog will reassure if they do come across it! Indeed they may well be aware it was Green party MEPs who worked hard to get the Written Declaration adopted in the EU last year. This led to the European Parliament requesting that the Chinese Government initiate a countrywide ban over the farming of bear bile by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Photo: rescued bear

The Asiatic Black Bear, also known as Moon Bears for the beautiful golden crescent across their chests, are one of the eight bear species in the world listed under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, but almost one third of their population, more than 7,000 bears are locked up in cages on 212 farms across China.

The bears are 'milked' for their bile up to twice a day often through catheters implanted in their gall bladders. The extradition causes severe physical and mental pain. Those that are rescued through the Animals Asia Foundation are taken to the Moon Bear Rescue Sanctuary at Chengdu. They are released from their cages and treated by a veterinary team through surgery to remove their damaged gall bladders.

London's Green MEP, Jean Lambert, who helped launch the initial campaign in the European Parliament, has welcomed the step-forward and also urged London to address it's own ethical standards before the 2012 Olympics. The 'Moon Bears' campaign with Animals Asia Foundation has already seen over 40 bear farms closed down by the Chinese Government since October 2000.

This EU Written Declaration was only the 5th to be adopted. Jean commented at the time:"Bear bile farming is a vile practice and is clear cruelty when there are over 50 herbal and synthetic, cheaper and equally efficacious alternatives available. China's Department of Wildlife Conservation may have rejected the resolution on the grounds that it is used for medical benefits but this cannot be argued when bear bile is used in shampoo. Although the Chinese Government has recently made positive efforts to work with the Animals Asia Foundation and free the bears, many more remain in captivity. The Written Declaration will formally acknowledge and request that further action is taken with the aim to ban the barbaric practice completely. The 2008 Beijing Olympics provides a clear opportunity for this. It is not acceptable that a major city, hosting the Olympic games, takes part in unethical customs and I urge London to address our own ethical standards before we are Olympic hosts in 2012."

'Speakout' campaign draws wrong conclusions

Green councillors have been asked to join the new nationwide campaign, Speakout. Speakout are claiming widespread support and are clearly very well funded. They have written to all local council leaders and are saying if we don't sign up then we "can be assured of one thing" we will not get the votes of their supporters.

Photo: view across Ruscombe fields

They do indeed raise some very important points and in a way reminiscent of Thatcher selling us her policies: simple messages that seem to make sense. And indeed new research suggests there are now over 120 miles of red tape - 170,000 pages - more than double the number of pages that is normally claimed by the EU Commission and other commentators. The Common Agriculture and Fishing policies are a disaster, there is much misuse of money, many of it's practices are undemocratic and it's economic policies of globalisation are going in the wrong direction.

However Speakout come to the wrong conclusions. The European Union is urgently in need of radical reform, but to leave does not make sense. The EU has pioneered some impressive social and environmental legislation and European co-operation has worked well on many issues.

Greens oppose the introduction of the European Single Currency on both political and economic grounds. Its primary aim is to facilitate the European Single Market, largely for the benefit of transnational corporations. This will increase unsustainable trade patterns and thus further undermine small businesses and local economies. It is a threat to Britain remaining a self-governing nation. Greens have also clearly opposed moves towards an EU superstate, opposed a business-dominated federal Europe, and opposed the moves to less economic powers for national governments, but, whether we like it or not in today's world, certain issues are best considered transnationally. These include safeguarding basic standards of human, civil and animal rights, regulating multinational companies and resolving disputes between member states.

It is also important to counter the right wing isolationism of the US. Bush and co have ridden roughshod over international legislation and opposed international treaties to limit climate change, criminality, tax avoidance and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Despite recent noises by Bush on climate change it is clear that Washington is still singlemindedly pursuing its own interests - Iran is just the latest example where disarmament is the excuse for regime change.

We urgently need to work for an EU that is more accountable and more democratic with issues like trade and economic policy left for member states. It is a pity the Speakout campaign has not highlighted those MEPs who are trying to work for change. At the last Euro elections you would think all parties would sign a pledge to tackle EU wastefulness and inefficiency, but not so. More Greens signed the pledge than members of all the other UK parties put together.

We cannot turn our backs on Europe: the EU has the potential to be an amazingly tool for progress. We need to change it from within.

Post Office consultation closes 8th March

There are currently around 14,300 post offices (down from around 25,000 in the 1960s). Since 2002 around 3000 urban post offices have closed (ie about 4000 since Labour first took power). In Gloucestershire not long ag there were more than 200 Post Offices - in the last 10 years we have lost more than 50. There were just 139 left last year: some of these were also planned for closure so I'm unsure now how many we have.

Photo: newspaper clipping of Whiteshill Post Office closure March 2005. See me in back row of photo! A recent survey found 8 out of 10 local residents are inconvienienced when their village Post Office closes. One third are affected a great deal.

The current proposal is to close another 2500 post offices over the next two years - this is the basis for the current consultation which closes on 8th March. Gloucestershire looks set to be hit particularly hard by the cuts.

We are told that only 4000 post offices (at most) are commercially viable in the UK. The Government recognises that it needs more than that to fulfil a social role, but it doesn’t say how many, talking instead vaguely about the need for the network to be “sustainable”, without saying what that means. The prospects for our post office network under the present Government look at best uncertain, and at worst bleak. No post office can be considered safe.

Photo: Paganhill Post Office nearly lost but community still mugged by Tesco?

Stroud District Green party seeks a healthy post office network that meets our social, environmental and economic needs. We seek to prevent closures, and to re-open post offices that have closed. Rural post offices and stores are often the focal point of a community. Not only do they offer access to basic needs but are also in many cases a lifeline to older residents. The loss of these facilities can only serve to further increase social isolation within this age group.

Photo: post office relocated behind Tesco in Paganhill

Below is a brief draft of some of the key points raised in my submission to the consultation process. I would welcome comments as I plan to tidy this up a bit but would urge others to make their thoughts known by clicking here for the Dti website and details of how to take part.

The Post Office Network - Consultation Response

Return completed forms (preferably by e-mail) to: Postal Office Network Consultation, Department of Trade and Industry, Response Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET
E-mail: dti.enquiries@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Question 1. Do you think the Government's forward strategy for the post office network addresses all the key issues and challenges the network faces?

No

Comments: The government needs to be much more explicit about the social role of post offices, and their role in providing sustainable communities: the impact of Climate Change and Peak Oil need to be recognised properly.

Post offices are the heart of a community. They are often a lifeline to vulnerable, disabled or older people, plus many young families, people on low income and local businesses. The All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group report (February 2006) said that around 30% of people over 65 do not see any friends at least once a week. Small shops and post offices are often the only form of regular social contact: after these disappear the MPs note "there are serious concerns about accessibility to life's necessities." Age Concern (Oct 2006) found that 98.6% of older people said their local post office was a 'lifeline' and played an important part in their local community. The same survey found that for more vulnerable older people and those living alone the post office was even more important.

Post Offices help the local economy, often keeping neighbouring businesses afloat (particularly any shop attached to the post office). Their local presence often avoids the need for a car journey, or an arduous and expensive journey on public transport.

The Government's failure to recognise the social role of post offices is reflected in how they describe the Social Network Payment (SNP) as a “subsidy”. When the Government spends billions on the NHS, it is called “investment”. However, when the Government want to get away with reducing their support, even though it fulfils an important social purpose, they call it “reducing subsidy”. By using the word “subsidy” the Government creates an image of propping up a failing business in our minds, so that we don’t mind so much when that support is taken away.

According to the President of the South West Region of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, Stuart Manning, the SNP does not actually reach sub-postmasters. He claims that a third of it is “created” by playing around with existing budget figures, another third is spent on maintaining the rural network from Head Office, and the rest is spent on consultants to come up with business ideas, such as new financial products, and advise management on how to do its job. There would seem to be considerable room to look at how the SNP is used more effectively and all the evidence points to the need to significantly increase the amount available rather than ending this investment in communities.

The local post office and shop is a cornerstone of a sustainable society, based on strong, highly self-reliant communities. Closing post offices leads to longer distances travelled and more carbon emissions. The problems of Climate Change and Peak Oil (the point at which world oil production rises to its highest point before declining) mean that we need to be returning to local provision of services not moving away from them.

In rural areas with a Post Office, half of all customers walk to the Post Office. Following a local closure 81% drive to the farther Post Office by car (Postwatch, 2002). In urban areas 70% of customers walk to their local Post Office: after closure only 42% do so, whilst 44% go by car (Postwatch 2001).

Question 2. Are there other significant factors affecting the future of the post office network which appear to have been overlooked in the Government's proposed approach?

Yes

Comments: The sustainability of communities relies upon their access to services, both commercial and government agencies. The lose of post offices and the subsequent effect on the sustainability of communities, the intangible social network needs to be considered. The impact of Climate Change and Peak Oil, as mentioned above, are not considered properly. Also the government has not properly expanded the services available to customers and citizens from post offices: it is estimated that the Government taking business away from post offices by paying pensions and benefits directly into bank accounts has cost the Post Office around £400m p.a. in lost income. This latter move may mean efficiencies for the service provider but has meant increased hardship for a significant number of people.

Many other factors also impact on sustainability: second homes that often lie empty for many months have for example led in some villages to tipping the balance so that a Post Office becomes no longer viable.

Question 3. Do you have comments on the national access criteria proposed?

Yes

Comments: The access criteria are rather a blunt tool, because they take no account of transport links or population demographics. One mile can be a very long way with young children or if customers have mobility problems.

Question 4. Do you have comments on the access criteria proposed for deprived urban and rural areas?

Yes

Comments: See above.

Question 5. Do you have any suggestions as to how services might be better delivered through the post office network?

Yes

Comments: Government agencies should make much more of their services available through post offices. For example parking fines could be paid, planning applications viewed and full banking services provided.

Question 6. Do you have any comments on Outreach arrangements as a means of maintaining service to small and remote communities?

Yes

Comments: The proposal for mobile post office services for remote communities, or running post offices from non-traditional premises could be a way forward for some communities.

Question 7. Do you have comments on the practicality of community ownership of parts of the post office network, which might involve the transfer of assets to community organisations and/or the establishment of local mutual or co-operative organisations to own and run local services?

Yes

Comments: This is an interesting way forward, but will need support from central or local government: financial support as well as advice. Advantages of a community-owned shop and post office include the fact that providing the public service does not fall on one individual and that it can be run democratically. However there are huge concerns that poorer communities may not be able to afford such a venture or supply the volunteer help that is needed in some of the current schemes. The Post Office is a public service and should remain so: the level of public funding of such community projects will be critical.

As a final point all this adds weight to the need for the Sustainable Communities Bill to be passed. David Drew is one of the sponsors for this exciting and potentially very important piece of legislation.

The Bill has already got through the first hurdle - it needs all the support it can get. I've pinched the stats alongside this from the Local Works website which has lots more info.