UK Low Carbon Transition Plan

An excellent analysis of the Government's 'UK Low Carbon Transition Plan' comes from Rob Hopkins on his blog - see it here - Rob gives the Government a score on each key issue - sadly Ed Miliband has still completely and utterly failed to understand Peak Oil - it doesn't even get a mention - so on that they score one out of ten. However there is some good stuff too - definitely worth a read.

Photo: Homemade cider - my first ever attempt last year - tried it a couple of weeks ago - v drinkable - the neighbours apple tree that the cider was made from is in background of pic.

See Porritt writing in The Independent last Saturday here about the failure of Brown to understand Climate Change - plus a new report by Ernst & Young report says that the current economic downturn - which has sapped power and gas demand - offers a unique opportunity to sustain lower levels of energy consumption - see here. They say Britain's power industry could save 35 billion pounds in investments needed to secure future energy supply if consumers adopt aggressive efficiency measures in coming years - no surprise to Greens but at least this is now getting into the mainstream - but will Government listen?

All this is all the more needed after reading a depressing article here - it shows that Climate change is already responsible for 300,000 deaths a year and is affecting 300m people. It projects that increasingly severe heatwaves, floods, storms and forest fires will be responsible for as many as 500,000 deaths a year by 2030, making it the greatest humanitarian challenge the world faces. Economic losses due to climate change today amount to more than $125bn a year — more than all the present world aid.

20 is Plenty comes to Whiteshill and Ruscombe

This week the '20 is Plenty' signs have gone up around the village and the stickers for recycling boxes are being delivered with the latest edition of The Warbler.

Photos: taken earlier this week

Many will know I have long advocated 20 mph limits - see the article below printed in this blog for the first time but originally in The Citizen/Echo's community blog back in March this year - clearly this '20 is Plenty' is not mandatory and already I can see it is being ignored by some - have some even noticed??? A waste of time? More signs to litter our countryside?

No. Sadly the way it works is that if we want to go for a mandatory 20 mph then we need to get speeds lower - this voluntary scheme has been shown to lower speeds in other areas by a small amount - our hope is that this is a step towards getting a mandatory 20 mph.

Anyhow big thanks to the Parish for helping get this done - and for the idea re stickers for the recycling boxes - hopefully every recycling day there will be a reminder to everyone to go 20 mph. It is also worth mentioning that Randwick Parish are in hot pursuit and are planning their own '20 is Plenty' scheme....Feedback welcomed on what folk think about it all......anyway here is that old article...

Communities want streets not transport corridors

A warm welcome to this Community Blog. I am sure it will grow into a useful and interesting place for comment, debate, information and indeed a celebration of our Five Valleys. I applaud Stroud Life for making this space available to the community.

Cartoon: courtesy of local artist Russ

One issue I'd like to kick off with is the need for 20 mph zones in all urban areas. Too many of our communities have been blighted by traffic - to such an extent that many now see it is normal to have roads that are little more than what some have described as 'traffic sewers'.

On Saturday I joined six Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish councillors to consider sites for '20 is Plenty' signs in the Parish. These signs are advisory rather than mandatory and some see them as a waste of time as so many drivers ignore them. However they are one of the first steps communities can take towards shifting opinion about traffic speeds and getting mandatory 20 mph zones.

In Whiteshill Village, the Main Road is so busy, that many parents don't allow their children to cross the road to the playground. At no point is a crossing suitable. We have also seen an increase in traffic using the village as a short cut after many used it when the A46 was closed last year. Speed gun tests by the Parish Council show many people are travelling at the speed limit but 30 mph is too fast on those roads.

Sadly current policy is that unless the vast majority of cars are already travelling at 20 mph or less on the road then you can't have a 20 mph zone. It is considered too costly to enforce/police. This leads to absurdities like in Springhill (see photo left) where a 20 mph zone was put in with road paint and ugly signs on a road that I doubt anyone can drive along at over 15 mph. A waste of money which could have been better spent on traffic calming measures on roads that really need it.


20 mph: the arguments are overwhelming

When a pedestrian is hit by a car at 40 mph they only have a 15% chance of surviving, at 30mph, 55%, but at 20mph the chance of survival increases to 95%. This is more than sufficient justification for a default 20 mph in urban areas. Amazingly even a 1 mph drop in average speed is estimated to reduce accidents by 6% in urban areas.

Research shows that 20mph limits are a critical success factor in promoting walking, cycling and public transport as alternatives to the private car. This means less CO2 emissions and healthier residents.

20 mph limits help create 'living streets' as this is the speed at which drivers can have eye contact with other users of the street. It is the speed at which pedestrians feel more confident about crossing the road, children play outside their homes and it is quiet enough to hold a conversation. Research has also found that residents of busy streets have less than one quarter the number of local friends than those on streets with little traffic. Increasing motor traffic has impacted on people's sleep and health and forced people to make adjustments to their lives to shield against in some cases nearly constant noise, pollution, dust and danger outside their front doors. Shockingly four times as many poor children as rich children are killed on Britain's roads.


20 mph is just the start: we need a new approach to traffic

In going around the Parish on Saturday it was obvious that we did not need to put signs up at some points in Ruscombe or side roads in Whiteshill, as vehicles would be hard pressed to go more than 20 mph. Indeed any additional road paint and signage would be unnecessary urbanification of the village.

In 2005 I co-authored a report, 'Better Streets for Stroud District' that looked at how to reduce dangers on our roads. It focused on a radical new approach, now known as 'Shared Spaces', that has been shown to reduce accidents rates, reduce congestion and is good for communities. It is based on 20 mph speed limits but also is about removing traffic lights, guard rails, signs, humps and road markings.

The approach is based on the view that it is only when the road is made less predictable and less certain that drivers will stop looking at signs and start looking at other people. In other words, instead of relying on the street system for security, drivers are forced to use their reactions. This helps explain why research in the County found that accidents with children did not occur more outside schools - when schools are busy cars tend to drive more carefully. See my article, 'Green Streets are Naked Streets', that I wrote for Resurgence magazine with more info here.

Shared Spaces has produced some astounding results where it has been implemented, but I'll save my enthusiasm for another time.The good news is that the original report led to a seminar at Stroud District Council and a growing understanding of how the approach could revolutionise traffic engineering approaches. The County is already trialing some of the ideas, but it is early days and we still have not created the political will to introduce blanket 20 mph zones.


Time for a change

The World Health Organisation rightly regards the 1.2 million annual road traffic deaths not as 'accidents' but as a 'predictable and preventable' result of fundamental structural problems. Quite rightly there is outrage whenever terrorist bombings kill even one person, let alone a hundred. Yet we are turning a blind eye to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and 248,000 casualties on Britain's roads every year.

Photo: Looking for suitable locations for '20 is Plenty' signs in Ruscombe then approval will be sought from Highways

Britain's record for child safety is amongst the worst in Europe and we have discouraged cyclists and walkers from our roads. We are long overdue the time when all our all our urban areas are automatically 20 mph. The equivalent 30kph limit is almost universal in urban areas in Germany and the Netherlands.

Communities across the Five Valleys like Whiteshill, Randwick, Chalford, Nailsworth and more are trying to cut speeds. Every councillor from all parties I have ever spoken to about traffic has been concerned, especially in the context of schools and children, and yet progress towards a safe road transport system is painfully slow.

In my correspondence with the County Council there seems little appetite for change in Gloucestershire, but other Councils are starting to make the necessary changes. Hull City Council has reduced child pedestrian injuries by 75% in its 20mph zones while Portsmouth is implementing a 20mph limit Traffic Management Order for the whole town. Norwich and York hope to follow. But we also need the Government to end the bureaucracy associated with the creation of such zones.

The government must also end it's huge road building programme, which their own research shows only leads to more traffic. We should reward responsible motorists by abolishing the Road Tax, which provides no incentive for less polluting travel choices. Instead shift the responsibility onto fuel duty. Money can then be invested in good alternatives to driving.

Gloucestershire has seen a 17% rise in traffic between 1997 and 2006 - five percent higher than the national average. The forecast is 5.7m more cars on British roads by 2031. We know we can't go on like this. Traffic is destroying our communities, our health and our environment. I welcome the moves by Parish Councils and others to shift thinking so that 20mph should be the default in urban areas. We urgently need better road designs and enforcement, but most of all we need leadership to make it a reality.

Add your name to a letter to PM on voting system

As The Observer reported on Sunday, speculation is building that the government is seriously considering our demand for a referendum that will hopefully consign to history the unreconstructed, unrepresentative and unaccountable nature of parliament. Is this really possible?? Let us hope so - indeed the more of us who sign the petition and call for change the better the chance. The Vote for a Change campaign is launching a new hub of materials: http://www.makemyvotecount.org.uk/activismhub

Plus on Monday I joined the Vote for a Change campaign in adding my name to a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to call a referendum - do consider adding your name: http://voteforachange.co.uk/page/s/deargordon

The Star Inn looking good

Ken Dickens and his partner Jeannie took over The Star Inn in Whiteshill this April and they cut beer prices 10% and became a Freehouse - Uley Brewery's Laurie Lee (already had that in the pub) and Gem from Bath Ales - they have hopes for a third ale and a real ale bar and eating area plus improvements planned for the toilets. The cellar will become a kitchen and longer term they want to have some B&B rooms.

Visit them to find out more - my visit was all too short but I shall be back. It is totally wonderful that we are getting this investment locally especially after fears we might loose the pub altogether.

Big Green Gathering's closure an opportunity to support Vestas?

I've already noted the actions to help Vestas - see here - Vestas Blades UK, which manufactures wind turbine blades on the Isle of Wight, is due to close on 31st July. 600 jobs will be lost immediately and many more that depend on Vestas will follow. It is madness and rightly there is much much noise - how can a Government bail out the banks and the car industry but let our future in renewables collapse in the Isle of Wight? See Molly's great comment here.

This week there was also news that t he police, following orders from on high have forced the cancellation of the Big Green Gathering. More on that outrage below but there are various calls for folk instead to make their way to support Vestas - as one Green said: "Let's show Ed, the nimbys and the police that the answer is indeed blowing in the wind. We need radical change, we need renewable energy, we need to work in solidarity with the workers. There's a pot of tea and revolution brewing. Be the change, be the camp, bring a tent. Get down to the Isle of Wight pronto. Invite all your mates."

London’s Green MEP, Jean Lambert, who has joined protestors to demand action from the Government to support the wind energy industry and protect green jobs, said: “In its Energy White Paper, the government announced a major expansion of renewable energy capacity, including wind power, and yet this factory is set to close due to the slow growth of the onshore wind market and delays in our planning system. This planned closure really flies in the face of the promised green jobs bonanza. If these jobs are lost, knowledge and skills in green manufacturing will be lost too. In the midst of this recession, and given the global threats from climate change, we need radical action now to protect jobs and expand our green industries. The Vestas factory provides a model for the way in which Britain's manufacturing industry could be positively and sustainably rebuilt to provide green jobs and proven, environmentally-sound energy sources for the future. I fully support the actions of the workers and urge people to lend their voices to this vital campaign. Now is the time for the Government to step in to save these jobs and invest in sustainable green manufacturing for the future."

While we are on the subject of supporting direct action I hope folk can send messages of support to the Vestas workers - http://savevestas.wordpress.com/ email: savevestas@googlemailcom

Big Green Gathering Shut Down

“It’s political” Chief Superintendent tells BGG Director

I have to say I was shocked to hear about this - and also to read that apparently Chief Superintendent Paul Richards admitted to a Big Green Gathering Director that the decision to shut down the Big Green Gathering was political and confirmed to the Chair of the Big Green Gathering that orders had come from the highest level. This is Britain's biggest green festival - a five day event which was expecting 15,000-20,000 people to turn up for the event in the Mendip hills, Somerset. Here is more from the press release:

During a meeting between the police and directors of the Big Green Gathering, the superintendent said the decision to shut down the BGG was taken over a week ago, confirming the statement from the BGG lawyer that the ‘injunction was a red herring.’

Directors from the BGG are horrified at this partisan interpretation of licencing law. Big Green Gathering Chair Brig Oubridge said, “At the multi-agency meeting on Thursday 23rd July, we were still negotiating with the police and the council under the genuine belief that things were progressing and we were continuing to spend money on infrastructure, wages and security. If they knew they were going to cancel the event, we can only conclude that this drive to increase expenditure appears to be a deliberate attempt to bankrupt the Big Green Gathering. The injunction served on the Big Green Gathering was primarily addressing the fact that the Big Green Gathering did not obtain the necessary road closure despite the fact that the Highways Agency had previously indicated that this would be done.

The Big Green Gathering has been running an event since 1994 and never before has public safety been an issue. The BGG has an exemplary record on health and safety and crime levels have always been low for the number of people on site. Despite the concerns over the behaviour of the Council and the Police, event organisers will work with them to ensure the safety of those at the premises and ensure that they leave the land in an orderly fashion.

Brig concluded, “We are very aware of our responsibilities to those already on the site and very sad for all those who were coming to enjoy one of the most peaceful festivals in the UK.”

This is deeply disappointing and indeed shocking that the decision is political - words fail me - this has always been a wonderfully positive event - the Big Green Gathering grew out of the original Green Gatherings of the 1980s and the Green Fields section of the Glastonbury music festival. The first event took place at Watchfield, south Oxfordshire, in July 1994, and was attended by about 1,600 people. In 1995 the event moved to Lower Pertwood farm on the Wiltshire downs, one of Britain's largest and most successful organic farms. By 1998 it was attracting more than 7,000 visitors and participants.

Vote for top 10 blogs by 31st July

Just to let you know that The Total Politics yearly blog poll has just opened. Last year only one Green blogger got into the top 100 - let's see if we can do a bit better this time! There was also a list of Top Green Bloggers - Ruscombe Green made a very respectable 16 - since then there are many many more bloggers out there and some great quality blogs...

Information on how to vote:
Top Ten Fave Blogs in the 2009 Total Politics Blog Poll
http://tinyurl.com/lrhdvs

Without wishing to influence here are my top 10 Green bloggers that I will be supporting - I have to note it was very difficult and I did it in too much of a hurry so already can think of ones I'd like to include:

Ruscombe Green : http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/
Natalie Bennett: Philobiblon: http://philobiblon.co.uk/
Barkingside21: http://barkingside21.blogspot.com/
Peter Cranie: Peter Cranie: http://petercranie.blogspot.com/
Jim Jepps: The Daily (Maybe): http://jimjay.blogspot.com
Green Ladywell: http://greenladywell.blogspot.com/
Richard Lawson: Mabinogogiblog: http://greenerblog.blogspot.com/
Rupert Read: Rupert's Read: http://rupertsread.blogspot.com/
Derek Wall: Another Green World: www.another-green-world.blogspot.com
Molly Scott Cato: http://gaianeconomics.blogspot.com/
Weggis: http://weggis66.blogspot.com/

Hey can you vote for yourself? Blast that is 11 - need to loose one....Happy voting.

Eco-Renovation Open Homes returns in September

These last months we have been putting together the next Open Homes weekend - loads of work - Helen Royall has taken over coordinating the event abnd we managed top get some funds to pay her but the project has grown with 22 homes opening and it has taken a while to get the Energy Monitors project off the ground...anyhow today we had a press photo shoot and meeting as the leaflet is due to be launched this weekend...below is the press release we put together and some pics from this morning....

Photo: Chris from Ecotricity, Debbie from Stroud District Council, Nick, the homeowner showing us his solar stuff, Helen the Coordinator this year, me, Emma from Ecotricty's Affinity scheme and Clare from Stroud Valley's Project. Below other pics from the morning.

Launch of new leaflet and affinity Scheme with Ecotricity - Energy Monitors coming to libraries

The Stroud Eco Renovation Open Homes weekend is set to return on September 12th and 13th 2009 after last year's huge success that saw over 1,100 visits to homes and the exhibition. Transition Stroud will be launching their new leaflet next week which has details of the amazing 22 homes that will be opening their homes to share their eco-renovations.

This year Transition Stroud have negotiated a deal with local green energy company Ecotricity so that anyone switching to Ecotricity's green tariff will lead to a donation to Transition Stroud getting £25 to help fund other low carbon projects like Open Homes (i). Transition Stroud are also setting up a project with the libraries service so that from September Energy Monitors will be available to borrow like books.

Helen Royall, Coordinator of this years Open Homes said: "We have a whole range of homes on show this year from new build to listed including internal and external insulation, wood pellet boilers, air source heat pumps, gas condensing boilers, PV, rainwater harvesting and more. We have Pizzas and cream teas plus Nightingale's Cafe at the eco-installers fair at The Exchange which has just had a major eco-renovation - plus we have a walk around some of the homes and a mini bus safari to get you to a selection of the homes on both Saturday and Sunday. Details of booking the walk and safaris are in our leaflet which will be out in cafes, libraries, Tourist Information and more. We also have our website: www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk "

Philip Booth, who is helping this years event said: "We are delighted to have the support of many people and groups including wonderful support from Stroud District Council, the Town Council, Heritage Open Days and Ecotricity who have sponsored this year's leaflet. Of course special thanks must go to all the homeowners who are so very kindly opening their homes to the public. Plus we are delighted to be launching the Energy Monitors project which will allow people to borrow them from several District libraries in the same way that people borrow books and DVDs."

Affinity scheme launched

Philip Booth, who has just swapped to Ecotricity, said: "We are delighted to announce that Ecotricity are supporting Transition Stroud - every customer who swaps to them means £25 for Transition Stroud to develop more projects to cut the carbon locally. All you need is to phone them and quote ‘Transition Stroud’. Ecotricity are the only company to spend 100% on building new sources of green energy - literally turning our electricity bills into windmills. I have been on a green tariff with a big company and have meant to change to a proper green tariff like Ecotricity for a long time - this affinity offer we've set up is the final push I needed to make the change! I am hoping this affinity scheme will also lead to others swapping to green energy."

For more information on Open Homes call Helen Royall on 01453 755509 or email admin@transitionstroud.org

See more about the project at:
http://www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk/
And more about Transition Stroud:
http://www.transitionstroud.org/

Notes

(i) Ecotricity is an electricity company with a difference. As green energy pioneers, Ecotricity is dedicated to building new wind turbines to fight climate change. Switching is easy and it's the biggest single step you can take to reduce your emissions and protect the environment. Act now and sign up to Ecotricity at www.ecotricity.co.uk/transtroud or by ringing free on 08000 302302 and quote ‘Transition Stroud’. Transition Stroud receives a kind donation from Ecotricity every time someone makes the switch.

Beer and other matters

When writing a blog all sorts of connections are made - I've had contact with many many folk - and many have led to all sorts of links like the Seattle photographer who let me use his photos on this site or the bee researcher who ended up visiting here from Australia. Well here's a totally random collection of items from the last week or so....

Photos: Green Knight from independent journalist John Hatton then two from my photos of McCluskiegunj in 1984.

Green Knight Beer - remember the stuff to launch Ricky Knight's campaign to be an MEP in the SW - well as we know we sadly just missed that - and the beer has now been renamed - now known as 'Old Rocky' and still at the Village Inn in Nailsworth - and the news is that it has just been awarded Supreme Champion Beer of Gloucestershire by Gloucestershire CAMRA - see more re Green Knight here - and talking of beer, the old news that Guiness in Dublin uses fluoridated water is doing the rounds again - see here.

McCluskiegunj blog - I am not even sure how I came across this McCluskiegunj blog but I visited that village in India in 1984 and stayed there for over a week - it was in connection with a guy I'd met when working in the Probation Service in Dorset as part of my Social Work training - he wanted to set up an alternative tourism project - anyhow the town used to have a significant Anglo-Indian community - even by the time I got there there were barely a 100 left - The town was founded by the Colonization Society of India in 1933 as an independent homeland for Anglo-Indians and was home to 400 Anglo-Indian families within ten years.

It was in 1932 Ernest Timothy McCluskie the founder of the town sent circulars to nearly 200,000 Anglo-Indians in India inviting them to settle there. Wikipedia say that now of the nearly 300 original settlers, only 20 families remain. Indeed an interesting place and have now had correspondence with the guy who set up the blog.

People-Consultants.com - here's a plug for a local Ruscombe company that I've heard good things about - for coaching, counselling, leadership, stress and more see their website here.

Tatworth Growing Together - I recently met one of the key figures behind this - an interesting project by a Parish Council getting involved in crop production project - worked by volunteers but with produce sold and proceeds reinvested: www.tatworthgrowingtogether.org.uk

More on food growing - a friend came across a link in a newspaper supplement about a family growing amazing amounts on a very small area. See http://pathtofreedom.com/ and particularly the videos on youtube.com by putting in "pathtofreedom" or "dervaes" as search terms.

Food Security - then there's a woman I correspond with re farming - here is a piece she sent recently showing the changes since Labour came to power in 1997 in the UK - shocking - but only a continuation of what was going on before:
Dairy Herds have shrunk 22%
The area of fresh vegetables has fallen 24%
The number of pigs has plummeted 40%
The area of orchard fruits has fallen by a third
The sheep and lamb flock is down a quarter
The food gap has widened by more 50%.
Source: Pig World News.

GMWatch is back!

GMWatch has just launched its new website: www.gmwatch.org, which replaces the one forced off the web by 14 months of cyber attacks. A network engineer brought in to advise on the damage apparently described these as the worst attacks he'd seen in his 20 years in the industry.

George Monbiot has called the site "the world's most comprehensive database on the impacts and the politics of genetically engineered crops."

It has easy to read sections on how the media is manipulated by wildly misleading claims, about the people hyping and promoting GM crops world-wide and the GM corporations. A good resource.

Take action on Vestas

The protest at Vestas continues today - Vestas Blades was making enormous profits but has decided to move to the USA. This demonstrates how our government – despite big legally binding commitments to carbon reductions, and Miliband’s recent promise of 40,000 green jobs – is failing to push through sustainable energy in practice.

Photo: Turbines in Denmark

It is ludicrous that Vestas should be leaving at this time: we must resist this move or we will have no credibility internationally as part of the urgent de-carbonisation of the global economy. Green energy benefits the poorest people worldwide first, because they are the first to feel the effects of climate change. Below there is more info and actions you could take...

The national news are reporting the protestors inside and outside the Vestas plant. Climate change activists, workers and others are all protesting at this closure. See Indymedia here. The Green party have understandably supported the campaign from the start and joined the demonstrations (see one of Caroline Lucas statements here). It is complete madness that this plant is threatened with closure.

Even The Times are laying into the cops on this - one protester was even arrested for being 'armed' with a sausage roll. Here is some of what was said....a senior criminal lawyer has accused police of acting unlawfully by blocking food deliveries. Robert Brown, a member of the Law Society’s criminal law committee, said: “Since when has it been the function of police officers to starve out protesters? And since when has it been a crime to carry sandwiches to protesters? It never has been. It is scandalous that the police refused to allow the food through. Giving the protesters food would help keep them calm and be more likely to prevent a breach of the peace. There is no law in this country that says that protest is unlawful. There does not appear to be any evidence that a breach of the peace is taking place at the factory.” His custody sheet, seen by The Times, accused him of being “armed with supplies of food”. Greens object to police tactics at Vestas occupation: see here.

Take action

1. Don't forget petition just launched:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveVestas/
2. Take a photo or video and send a message proclaiming “SAVE VESTAS”:
The images will give the workers much-needed encouragement at a highly distressing time for the friends and families of the people inside. They will also be collected on Facebook (Save Vestas) and at www.savevestas.wordpress.com.
4 steps:
1. Download a sample poster here.
2. Get inspiration from an example photo here: http://bit.ly/n2x4I
3. Take some photos at a public stall, at your workplace, at a party meeting or just of yourself!
4. Send your photos in ASAP to savevestas@googlemail.com and copy if you wish to
press@greenparty.org.uk
3. Write to or Email Milliband (ps.ed.miliband@decc.gsi.gov.uk):
I sent a quick note calling for their intervention.

Australia's Randwick City Mayor visits Randwick, Gloucestershire

A busy week - all day Tuesday at the Council spending time with the Planning Department to learn more for the Scrutiny inquiry, a meeting of Greens with the Cabinet Member for the Environment, plus a good evening - a bit too short - in The Star putting together the new Allotments Association - more of that soon and then last night in The Vine Tree to meet the Randwick City Mayor - Bruce Notley-Smith.

Photos: John Hudson with Bruce Notley-Smith in The Vine Tree - first photo - the Randwick City tie, second presenting a photo of one of their beaches and lastly Bruce getting a photo taken earlier in the day after a tour around the District and Ebley Mill.

It was a meal with the Chief Exec David Hagg, his wife, the Chair of the Council Cllr John Hudson, Mayor Bruce, his partner Paul and two others from Australia. A good evening (and good food) with lots of talk about similarities and differences and the links between the two Randwicks....Randwick City in Oz even gave a donation to help set up our Village hall in 1949 - and indeed Bruce has been over a couple of times and the previous evening this week had met many local folk including the Randwick Wap Mayor Alan Tomlinson.

Randwick City Council is one of the largest councils in NSW. It has more than 120,000 residents - so larger than Stroud District - but only 15 councillors - three of which are Greens.

This year Randwick are celebrating 150 years of local government. Randwick was proclaimed a local government area on 22 February 1859. It was the first to be established in NSW after the City of Sydney and became a city in 1990. Before European settlement, there was an extensive Indigenous community living in this area. Visits to Botany Bay by Captain Cook, Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet, and French explorer La Perouse, link Randwick to the earliest days of European exploration and settlement - a book is due out in October of the history. Interestingly Randwick, Glos also has a new history being written at the moment.

The first openly gay Liberal mayor, Bruce Notley-Smith has been a long-time councillor for the East Ward in Randwick. Back in 1985/6, I worked in Sydney for Community Aid Abroad, the Australian Oxfam, and at that time remember giving a talk to the local Randwick CAA group - I remember an audience of about 15 people in an old hall somewhere - many happy memories of those days.

Anyway I understand Notley-Smith has continued to focus on environmental sustainability, which saw the council take out the Keep Australia Beautiful sustainable cities award for NSW and participate in the Cities for Climate Protection. Although he courted controversy when he got rid of the prius in favour of a V8 Holden Caprice (see here). It was great to meet him and hear his enthusiasm for Randwick City - I'm not sure about encouraging air travel between the two but there are some great plans for links with Randwick Village School and one of the 22 (I think 22) schools in Randwick City.

Anyway strangely this evening I am not out to a meeting and have had the chance to catch up on some emails but I'm still a little behind so please bear with me if you are waiting for a response.

Stroud Interchange hopes die

Thursday night last week saw the £70,000 set aside for the bus/rail interchange in Stroud by the District Council used to help pay for housing. This is a shame indeed.

Photos; Bus station - well a main road with some bays each side and lots of barriers, lights and more - see Better Streets for Stroud report that I wrote in 2005

Last month Stroud town councillors had lobbied Ebley Mill to make a final decision this summer over plans to build a bus-rail interchange in Stroud. Members had urged Stroud District Council to either go for it or scrap the project - which was first proposed about 12 years ago - and instead invest in the current facilities in Merrywalks. It was a disappointment then to see the project scrapped and no money put aside for improved facilities - the Cabinet member's response was that improvements were the County's role - pah! We need all to work together and this money was set aside for the interchange - those improvements are needed more than ever...indeed I made an amendment to a Scrutiny document last October that if money wasn't going on this site then it should be for other transport improvements - in particular cycling. That was clearly ignored.

Anyhow the recent town council survey found better bus facilities were the sixth highest priority for residents - and indeed I am not surprised - whenever I catch a bus from there it seems to be windy, cold and no where safe for children to wait with the busy road - plus no coffee! Indeed the interchange has been used as an excuse not to do anything with the current facilities.

12 years we have been waiting - yet no signs of movement - when I was first elected it was an issue I raised when the Chief Executive visited the ward - anyhow for some background - it was basically a partnership of local authorities, led by the district council, that drew up plans for an interchange behind the station when the cinema was built on the site of the old bus station in Merrywalks. The aims of the project were to bring bus facilities closer to the town centre and improve the link between road and rail. A temporary facility was built in Merrywalks with work scheduled to go ahead within two years.

Greens have raised it several times each year since then in various committees and Full Council - we were always told things were progressing - it is deeply disappointing that the interchange has not featured more prominently in the administrations list of priorities - we are told it is the rail and bus companies that don't want the improvements - if so then I think we should be hearing more about that - why?

It is now time to engage with all the stakeholders, including passengers and bus companies to ensure improvements can come swiftly. Let us hope that Merrywalks can at least be improved with extra bus shelters, more regular cleaning, proper signposting for the toilets and better access to the town centre.

Delight: my beehouse has leafcutter bees!

At a recent Coffee House discussion Carlo from the Global Bee Project talked about building bees houses - I was inspired and set to work - see here - and even wrote to the Coop here - since then I've been learning more and today had a meeting with Carlo Montesanti and Jessie Jowers from the Project - but wanted to mention first that a week ago I had leafcutters take up residence in my beehouse!!! Love it!

Photos: Willughby leafcutter bees making homes in my bee house, the damage to roses and a bit from the bee ID card available from the Global Bee Project - below campaign seed packets about stopping Terminator Seeds

I have to note the total delight that so soon after making the houses I have residents - the Willughby leafcutter bees (or Willoughby) - around 10 holes already being used each neatly capped with three circles cut from my roses - I strongly urge others to join in - do help publicise this by adding your house to the Global Bee Project - see Stroud projects here.

Anyhow the meeting with Carlo and Jessie was very productive - I love their passion and enthusiasm - it is no wonder that Gloucestershire University has a partnership with them and they have just gained funding for a 2 year project with schools from the Royal Society no less!!!!!! Great stuff indeed. In my meeting today we looked at how we can expand the project and they have a few exciting projects to launch over the next couple of months - more of that very soon indeed! Stay tuned!

Sign petition and email MP

The Soil Association have launched a honeybee petition – so far there has been a very encouraging response to the petition. You can show your support for our work by signing the online petition to protect our honeybees and ban neonicotinoid pesticides.

The Global Bee folk are also asking for support to write to your MP say 'No To Terminator Seeds' here. See a previous blog of mine on this here.

Goodbye to 'Over Stroud' ward

Thursday night saw Full Council have an Extraordinary Council meeting before their ordinary one - purely because I had put forward to change the ward name from 'Over Stroud' to 'Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe" - many have said to me that 'Over Stroud' is meaningless - the Parish Council's agreed, District Council candidates from the other parties agreed - indeed we came across no one who disagreed - well at last it has gone - a unanimous vote in favour of the change...

Cartoon: in fact as I note below the name settled on is Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe.

...as I said at the meeting when I presented the move to Full Council it seems extraordinary that such an un-extraordinary change needs an extraordinary meeting but there we are...below is more about the change for those interested but I am now officially the ward member for Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe! John Marjoram's comment at Full Council was "No one is over Stroud"!

Anyhow the Council meeting was full of lots of budget stuff and more news re the £1.2m overspend in the Housing Revenue account - Greens did attempt to get the Council to come out against the large incinerator at Javelin Park officially - we got a vague answer saying I question was hypothetical - it is but it is also a very real possibility - we were after confirmation that if a large incinerator was chosen then SDC would not support that move. I'll come back to that again but for now must finish this blog quickly as hungry!

Anyhow after the Council meeting the 6 Green party District councillors all went off for a couple of nights to further develop our vision for Stroud - we had some fun and did lots of work - got back late yesterday...a very good boost to ensure we remain enthusiastic and positive in attempting to make the changes we so urgently need.

Background re Ward name change - roughly what I had to say at Council:

Thank you chair and thank you to Council for making time to discuss this issue. The purpose of this report is to enable the Council to consider the change of the District Council ward name 'Over Stroud' to 'Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe".

New regulations allow the Council to make this change without the necessity of referring the decision to the Boundary Commission - as long as we meet in special session - as we are now - and as long as the proposal is approved by a majority of at least two–thirds of the members voting on the resolution today.

It seems extraordinary that such an un-extraordinary change needs an extraordinary meeting but there we are...

I would like to give some brief background information. Firstly I've yet to come across anybody in favour of keeping the name 'Over Stroud': indeed I have struggled to find anyone who understands which area it relates to. A journalist once thought it meant Bisley or Painswick while even most of those living in the ward have very little idea. So a couple of years ago I spoke to local Parish councillors and some of the previous candidates in District Council elections in the ward and there was unanimous agreement that a change would be an improvement.

A year ago Randwick Parish and Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish passed formal resolutions to approve a change of the name to any combination of the three villages as they felt that would be a significant improvement. The order of villages was eventually chosen as Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe rather than an alphabetical order, as the Parish is Whiteshill and Ruscombe.

Cainscross Parish also discussed the change. The reason for them being consulted is that part of Lower Randwick - not the village of Randwick itself - was inside their ward. However they also unanimously passed a motion approving the change.

Last year there was unfortunately a delay in processing the ward name change so last month the three Parishes all voted again for the change. The Parishes have had the information regarding the changes on their notice boards and in their minutes following both votes and two Parish newsletters have had articles seeking comments from residents. The info has also been posted on a local blog so I believe the consultation has been sufficient.

Names are important and help communities gain a sense of identity. The name “Over Stoud” is meaningless to the local community – and indeed to anyone else come to that. The suggested name change has gained support from the three Parishes and there have been no objections from the community. I therefore propose that the Council agrees to change the name of “Over Stroud” Ward to “Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe” Ward.

Campaign for more openness re lobbyists

38 Degrees have launched a campaign for more openness about lobbyists - whether it's tobacco advertising, arms deals, GM food, or airport expansion, companies pay people to try to influence government. Currently we've no right to know what these lobbyists are up to. The secretive lobbying industry is worth almost £2billion a year!!! These sums are spent massaging MPs and officials to put private greed before public need.

Right now we have a great opportunity to change the rules for lobbyists. A powerful committee of MPs is calling on the government to introduce a compulsory, public register.

The government has promised a decision whether or not to act before the summer break. Together we can send a powerful message to the minister, Angela Smith, that she must end secrecy in lobbying. Sign here to add your voice and make it a demand she can't ignore.

Nuclear Power - no point

The Gazette has reported that investigation work is set to begin in July on land in Shepperdine at Oldbury that could become the home of a new nuclear power station. Energy giant E.ON, which owns the land, has said the work will include seismic studies to investigate the best location for the foundations of the new station. E.ON started to buy land in Shepperdine last year and has also bought land from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority next to the existing Oldbury power station to make room for a new nuclear plant.

All this is disturbing - in 2003, the nuclear industry was virtually killed off in Britain. How times have changed with the energy industry (incl the CBI) arguing it is renewables that should be killed off, or at least kept on a starvation diet.

Two foreign-owned energy giants, E.ON and EDF, have already told the government it must essentially choose between new nuclear and major renewables developments. There is only so much money available, and the nuclear advocates – scared by the growth rates of renewables – are scrabbling to ensure most of it goes to them. De Rivaz has yet to persuade his owners, the French government, that his plan to build four British reactors at well over £4bn each makes commercial sense. He has made it clear to Whitehall that he will need major subsidies.

“We are literally seeing nuclear reactor history repeat itself. The ‘Great Bandwagon Market’ that ended so badly for consumers in the 1970s and 1980s was driven by advocates who confused hope and hype with reality. It is telling that in the few short years since the so-called ‘Nuclear Renaissance’ began there has been a four-fold increase in projected costs.”
Dr. Mark Cooper, a senior fellow for economic analysis at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School. 18th June 2009

Meanwhile the Green party have just issued a report: "Nuclear power? No point", says new report - it makes a powerful case that nuclear power has no rationale in terms of either economics or helping the fight against dangerous climate change.

In Nuclear Power? No Point! the Green Party's spokesperson on trade and industry, Darren Johnson AM, reviews recent developments and argues that:

• Nuclear power provides less than 4% of UK energy - which is far less than could be saved by energy-efficiency measures that would cut people's fuel bills.
• New nuclear stations will not help the fight against climate change because major CO2 reductions are needed in the next ten years. New nuclear power stations could not be built fast enough.
• Massive investment in renewables could deliver the necessary short-term CO2 cuts - but "feeding cash to the nuclear delusion" could help starve the renewables industry of some of the investment and skilled personnel it needs to grow rapidly.
• The nuclear industry's current financial problems cast serious doubt on its ability to deliver new power stations anyway.

Darren Johnson, who is currently chair of the London Assembly and Green Party candidate for Lewisham Deptford, said this week: "The industry that was going to produce electricity 'too cheap to meter' has landed us with massive costs for handling its dangerous waste. Now the nuclear industry can't even give us a reliable quote for the cost of a power station. The current projects in Finland and France are experiencing safety concerns, long delays and big overspends. There's no point expecting nuclear to solve the climate crisis, because new stations couldn't be built fast enough to help achieve the big CO2 reductions we need to make in the next ten years - which mature renewables could deliver.

"There is no point even considering nuclear power, because demand-reduction measures could easily save far more power than nuclear could generate. And the latest studies argue convincingly that green energy sources with a European smart grid could provide all the power we need."

In Nuclear Power? No Point! Mr Johnson also draws attention to nuclear power's poor jobs-per-megawatt ratio. He said: "We urgently need a Green New Deal to get us out of the recession and start building the sustainable economy of the twenty-first century. We could create hundreds of thousands of jobs in green energy in the next decade. Nuclear power can play no part in that because it takes far too long to build nuclear power stations compared with windfarms and other green measures. Wind energy sustains something like twelve times as many jobs per unit of power as nuclear does."

I have just read the latest issue of the excellent NuClear News and the figures in there reinforce that report....here is what they say:

From the first fixed price reactors in the 1960s to more recent cost projections, the claim that nuclear power is or could be cost competitive with alternative technologies has been based on hope and hype, according to Dr Mark Cooper. If the Unites States were to build 100 new reactors, as has been suggested by some policymakers, the excess cost compared to least-cost efficiency and renewables would be $19 - $44 billion per plant or $1.9 - $4.4 trillion for all hundred.

At the start of the so-called nuclear renaissance around 2001 – 2004, vendors, academics and government officials in the US were coming up with some very low cost estimates. But now Wall Street and Independent Energy Analysts are producing much higher estimates – up to four times higher than the initial projections. Cooper has analysed three dozen recent cost projections, and concludes that the likely cost of electricity from new reactors would be 12-20 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh) (7-12p/kWh at June 2009 exchange rates) - considerably more expensive than the average cost of energy efficiency and renewable energies.
US utilities and Wall Street agree on one thing - nuclear reactors will not be built without massive subsidies. The attitude of the Baltimore-based utility – UniStar – a joint venture between EDF and Constellation Energy, is typical. UniStar is planning four new plants (8 reactors) at a cost of up to $48bn – roughly the same as the U.S. spent on the Iraq War in 2006. The U.S. Treasury is expected to guarantee 80% of the total costs through a loan guarantee program. To cover the remainder, UniStar plans to seek loans from the French import/export bank COFACE. Under no circumstances does Constellation or EDF intend to dip into their own coffers to fund the project. UniStar CEO, George Vanderheyden, says “without the federal loan guarantees, this whole thing will come to a stop.”

Former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission member, Peter Bradford, says it is clear new reactors can only be built if taxpayers or consumers assume the very large risks.

LGBT: sign petition on equality in Gibraltar

A few weeks ago now the Equalities bill (a private members sponsored bill) failed to make a successful passage through the Gibraltar parliament, The bill would have lowered the consensual age of same sex couples to that of other EU member areas and many other western societies which is 16 years of age. However the bill was voted against and therefore has breached a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. See more here.

I have still not had a reply from David Milliband but hear there is now petition - do please consider signing: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/gibraltar-equalities-bill

Stop Bristol Airport's expansion

This week I responded to the planning application by Bristol International Airport (BIA) to expand. Regular blog readers will know I've followed this issue on this blog - we are now getting to crunch time. This development aims to increase passengers by 60% by 2016, increase passenger flights by 40%, summer night flights by 50%, car journeys by over 2m per year, and carbon emissions by at least 40%.

Photo: Banksy cartoon - he also has an exhibition at Bristol Museum which I hope to go to

This will mean more traffic on country roads, more noise day and night, more countryside eaten up by car parking, and more climate changing impacts.

It is argued that expansion will be good for tourism, but between 6 and 10 times as many tourists are outbound rather than inbound, leading to £700m being drained from the UK economy each year. Expansion will make this worse. Recently, the weak pound has caused passenger numbers to drop by 15% or more, but local tourist destinations have seen more visitors than last year.

BIA claim that expansion will create 3500 jobs in the region, but only 900 of these are within the airport and the rest of the jobs appear to be wishful thinking. The outflow of tourism spending destroys far more jobs than this. Even 800 jobs looks high when the expansion is based on no-frills airlines.

Business passengers can already use BIA to reach anywhere in the world through Paris, Amsterdam and Newark. Expansion would not bring any significant change to this, it is targeted at outbound tourists.

We have until 7th August to tell North Somerset council why this expansion is not needed, and why it is bad for the economy as well as the environment.

You can object to the expansion in the following ways:
1) you can visit the campaign website and use the email form www.stopbia.com/objection.php
2) you can email the council yourself at dccomments@n-somerset.gov.uk, refering to planning application number 09/P/1020/OT2, please copy your email to email@stopbia.com
3) write a letter to
Neil Underhay, re: application 09/P/1020/OT2
Development Control, North Somerset Council, Somerset House, Oxford Road, Weston super Mare BS23 1TG

Purton Hulks latest

Some will know I've covered on this blog some of the ongoing developments of the Purton Hulks - The Largest ships graveyard in Mainland Britain - see for example here and here. It is good to see some movement on this - let us hope the new Marine Bill will afford protection. Anyway below is their latest press release on this...

Purton' forgotten Hulks lead way to a proud maritime nation

Following its national exposure on the BBC' flagship geographical programme Coast, to be shown Tuesday July 28th BBC2 8 pm, The Purton Hulks are destined to make a welcome return to our T.V screens later in the autumn.

Once again the peaceful and calm river setting in the heart of Gloucestershire's green belt is to be the location for continued debate and discussion regarding the nations rapidly dwindling maritime heritage. Set amongst the rolling back drop of the Forest of Dean, once famed for its rich supply of hearts of oak, the Purton foreshore and its now famous hulks are set to be catapulted into the public eye following the recent filming by the BBC for its popular investigative reporting series Inside Out to be screened in September 2009.

September’s program, hosted by the eminent Maritime Archaeologist and veteran presenter Professor Mark Horton, seeks to unravel this complex and long running legal battle to have this unique collection of remains protected for the nation. Filming which took place during a packed weekend schedule of archaeology and surveying led by the Friends of Purton proved to be ever popular and was attended by the Nautical Archaeology Society, Cotswold Archaeology and the MP for Stroud David Drew.

As an avid Friend of Purton and campaigner, Professor Horton has openly criticised lack of protection in a recently published article within the archaeology journal Rescue News for what he sees as a distinct lack of the Agencies legal powers. "It does seem extraordinary that this nationally important collection of over 80 ships and barges should simply be allowed to vandalised at will, and there is nothing that can be done at present to stop it. Our heritage is becoming firewood!'

Friends founder Paul Barnett remains steadfast that the site is worthy of national recognition despite the repeated and ongoing incidents of wanton destruction. Furthermore he stated, "That despite the continued efforts of both the Friends and several thousand like minded individuals who have pledged support via the ever growing petition, English Heritage continues to deny the nations largest ships graveyard purposeful protection in law" "This has been further complicated as agency claims that the sites status as a Special Site of Special Interest (SSSI) is adequate to protect the archaeology, despite the glaring fact that SSSI law is primarily concerned with the flora and fauna and in essence disregards archaeology".

"We remain indebted to the BBC and Professor Horton for highlighting the case and urge all to contact their MP in support"

This position has now been further strengthened in a statement made earlier today by David Drew MP for Stroud who stated “I am pleased that under the Marine Bill we now have some protection for marine shoreline artefacts – but we will have to see how this works in practice. I have been talking to both English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund on how we can use the legislation to fully protect the Purton Hulks and to find some funding to get this really exciting project the support it now needs.”

For further details on how to join the Friends of Purton or pledge your support visit www.friendsofpurton.org.uk

Stop commercialisation of NHS

I have just been invited to sign the NHS Support Federation's letter to the Prime Minister seeking to stop the commercialisation of our NHS. I am delighted to accept. To download the letter scroll down the front page of their website: www.nhscampaign.org

Interestingly a survey in May of healthcare workers in the East of England conducted by the Green Party, has found that Green Party health policies are in line with many of the views expressed - particularly on many key points of principle, such as the price of healthcare provision and privatisation.

The Tories, Labour and Lib Dems all support further privatisation in the NHS. This is far out of line with the opinions of the real people surveyed who are working in healthcare.

The Green Party found that 70% of respondents agreed (‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’) with the statement ‘further privatisation in the NHS should be avoided’. And 73% of respondents believed the use of private cleaning companies for NHS contracts may increase the risks of infections like MRSA on hospital wards and should be avoided. The Royal College of Nursing and the Green Party both agree, while the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems oppose any re-nationalisation of cleaning services in the NHS.

Here is a quote from Cllr. Rupert Read, and candidate for Westminister in Norwich's bye-election next week: “Greens have always recognised that the privatisation of the NHS is incompatible with democratic accountability and with well-run hospitals. The failure of New Labour’s Public Private Partnerships, which so often delivers poorer service and can run over budget, is a clear example of these problems....Healthcare is a basic human right. If patients are forced to pay for their healthcare, unless through progressive taxation, poorer and less healthy patients lose out at the expense of those lucky enough to be wealthier and healthier. And though the price may start small, there is a slippery slope issue here. Many basic services are now charged for unless there are exemptions - such as prescriptions, most dental check-ups and dental work, eye tests and glasses and so on. We should not go down the road towards a health system like the mess in the US, where many people just don’t have health insurance.”

Respondents to the Green party survey were unanimous in agreeing that complementary medicine should be provided on the NHS if there was evidence that it worked. The Greens Party agrees that complementary medicine should be provided when appropriate.

Campaign to stop closure of wind turbine plant

Earlier in the year there was dismal news that the Isle of Wight wind turbine manufacturing plant - Vestas - on the Isle of Wight is to close - local workers and campaigners have begun the Save Vestas campaign. The Campaign against Climate Change among others who are urging us to support the campaign among local people on the island and Vestas workers to save the Vestas plant.

As Caroline Lucas MEP said: " The decision to close the facility represents a spectacular failure by Government ministers to adequately promote green industries - and protect the future of manufacturing in this country. This isn’t just a huge blow for the 600 skilled British workers who are set to lose their jobs – it destroys any hope the UK may have had for establishing itself in the eyes of the world as being at the forefront of technological efforts to create a greener and more sustainable future. At a time when the number of people out of work is increasing, it is unforgivable that the Government has singularly failed to offer coherent policy on the future of the renewable energy industry. This is an industry which could provide hundreds of thousands of good quality, green collar jobs for skilled workers, taking full advantage of the UK’s proud manufacturing heritage, while simultaneously addressing the ever-present threat of climate change. We should be seizing the opportunity to create a renewable energy revolution through a favourable policy environment and massive investment in the new technologies that can see us through a transition towards a more environmentally and economically stable economy. The Government can make a genuine start along this road by pledging to help keep the Isle of Wight’s Vestas plant open for business.”

The campaign have asked for emails from individuals and organisations expressing support. The address is savevestas@gmail.com. PLEASE DO THIS as soon as you can. We will never halt climate change without wind power. We need dozens of wind turbine plants, not none.