Wessex Water meeting: private sewers, private water and more

Wednesday saw me in Bath for the Wessex Water panel - I sit on this on behalf of Stroud District Council and we meet three or four times a year.

Photo: Wessex HQ at Claverton Down

It has been a fascinating and interesting group and I have learnt lots about many aspects of water over the last couple of years. As this blog shows I have asked many and varied questions but I have wondered about the level of scrutiny by councillors from around the Wessex Water area. Are we really engaging? What are we taking back to our own councils? Anyway I was pleased to hear that Wessex are looking at ways to improve and change these panels. Having said all that Wessex are ahead of competitors in engaging in this way....if only we could talk to Severn Trent rather than the crazy system where I have to send at least 3 emails and make 2 phone calls before I get a response....

Anyway topics discussed this time include how the company (like all water companies - see old blog post on STW) will have to take on responsibilities for the private sewers in a year's time - this will be no mean feet - it will double the water companies sewer assets and could lead to an estimated 7 or 8 times increase in sewer problems. This is because private sewers are often less well maintained and smaller - so more fat blockages. This could lead to an eyewatering 20% increase in water bills in future years. I do welcome the transfer as it will lead to alot less disputes like we have had in the Ruscombe valley - and hopefully clear responsibilities about who should maintain - but the legislation leaves a few unanswered questions....plus it is clear insurance companies and some others are dragging feet in the hope they can leave responsibilities for problems to the water companies...

Well that was private sewers well private water supply was another issue - Environmental Health will have new powers and responsibilities to ensure water quality - in Wessex this means about 8,000 supplies. This will also impact on Councils and increase their responsibilities just at a time when they are being squeezed. I understand some charges will go to householders - and risk assessments will be needed - for example would pesticide testing be necessary in some cases?

Reports from Wessex include an update on their customer services - many organisations could learn from them - I did ask specifically about their bill improvements and easy read versions of literature - in particular whether they could do versions for people with learning disabilities - they noted they would be happy to talk and already produce easy reads.

Another issue discussed was the new Surface Water Management Plans - I do note concerns with the Governments cut of £170m from flood defences. As to water supplies - reservoirs are looking good, we also heard about their innovations team which looks at stuff like hydro power, algae control, analytical equipment improvements and lots more. Hey so much more but I'll stop there - need coffee!

Randwick tributary gets clear up

Last weekend several of us had a clear-up of the Randwick tributary in torrential rain. Some people had already done some work (see here) when installing the water for the allotments so it was much quicker than expected. We came away with several bags as the photos show - the rubbish included a tent, cushions, a homemade sledge, many cans and more!

Photos: Clear-up of Randwick tributary and cartoon by local artist Russ

I have highlighted concerns recently regarding Himalayan Balsam - see here - well I was delighted we didn't see any in Randwick when we walked along thebrook. The plant is certainly in parts of the Ruscombe Brook and lots in other local waterways like at Stratford park, and is doing lots of damage.

Scrutiny meeting terminated

Scrutiny this evening (or rather yesterday) was interesting - at 9pm a councillor called for a postponement of the meeting as it was running an hour late according to schedule and it was already 9pm. Some of us had been there since 6.15pm - and indeed after a days work the brain is not always at it's best....

Photo: Ebley Mill - the District Council's HQ

I fully understand the reasons behind the move to postpone - indeed I have strongly criticised the agendas for being too long and being discussed by too many committees - the same info picked over by different groups of councillors - and officers being there each time - an expense that could be reduced....

Anyhow I voted against the postponement as the rest of the agenda may have been only a further 45 mins and I am also not sure I can make another evening - most nights in the next two weeks are already booked with meetings. However the motion got passed and we all left just after 9pm.

There was also a big discussion afterwards amongst councillors who remained about scrutiny and how to improve it.....work is indeed needed on this! Perhaps this move will lead to the changes we need?

Anyhow you will be able to watch the webcast soon of the meeting but some of the bits that did get covered include...

- Stratford Park Leisure centres report - various issues raised - a couple of points I made - one re clarifying what extra cleaning was being done and the other over environmental targets which I think are basically a bit of waffle and nothing very meaningful. I have emailed some further questions as didn't want to take up time in the meeting.

- the plans for Nailsworth and Wotton Pool joint use sites

- the Housing Improvement Plan which has led to deep and important changes to our Council housing management and more - as the officers said they still have a long way to go but this is a significant step in the right direction - congrats to staff involved - the changes are very much needed - indeed it is quite shocking to see how far Stroud had slipped.

- a report back briefly from my meeting earlier this week with heads of planning and env health plus strategic director to look at progress re the corporate delivery plan and it's climate change targets plus those services targets. We could hit our 10% reduction in CO2 emissions by the end of the year - there measures to get us to the target are introducing Thin Client (something to do with computers using other computers - don't ask me details), a cooling system for the server room and replacing current lighting in the Council Chamber - the latter alone will save an astonishing £2074 per year!!!

There was lots more but that'll do for now - getting back earlier from the meeting has meant I have had the chance to catch up on some of the emails and even make a couple of calls to local residents re planning applications. Time for bed!!

Oldbury update

Oldbury Power Station has at last taken its last ever delivery of nuclear fuel.

Reactor One first produced electricity in November 1967 whilst Reactor Two started generating in April 1968. At the time it was expected that it would run for 25 years but against the advice of independent nuke experts and continuing and growing problems like the depleted graphite, it has struggled on - many of us believing that money and profit has overidden the safety concerns.

Photo: From Stop Oldbury blog of the demo this month outside Hinkley nuke

Both Reactor One and Two are due to stop in June 2011, however, bosses at the site think that enough fuel will be left to fuel one reactor past the deadline well into 2012. Again safety seems to be ignored.

Meanwhile plans for new nukes seem to be going ahead despite the numerous set backs. Geoffrey Lean writing in The Telegraph summed up one of the key issues: "The iron lady originally wanted to build ten new nuclear power stations, two more than are now envisaged by ministers. By the time her government got to publishing a White Paper, in 1981, the number had shrunk to five. Only one of these was ever built, at Sizewell, on the East Anglian coast. It produced its first watt a full 15 years later, and its cost more than doubled during construction. Indeed, it transpired much later, it had only been possible to build it at all through a massive, if underhand, subsidy; money provided to the nuclear industry by Government ‘to deal with the decommissioning of old and unsafe plants’ was diverted to bring into being the shiny new one instead."

He continues: "Now the landscape is infinitely harsher. Britain has a liberalised, highly competitive energy market, and ministers are swearing blue that no nuclear subsidies will be provided. No nuclear power station has yet successfully been built, anywhere in the world, in such circumstances. And the industry has not lost its talent for falling well behind schedule and seeing costs escalate: that is happening to both the reactors being built in Finland and France that are designed as prototypes for ones to be constructed here."

Indeed already Britain’s “big six” energy companies are warning Chris Huhne that the government’s proposed “floor price” for carbon emission permits is not enough of an incentive for them to invest in new nuclear power stations. - see here.

I've also just had feedback from a local Green party member who attended the 'Stop Nuclear Power Network Gathering' in Bristol with folk from around the country looking at how the absurd plans for nuclear can be stopped - plus from the Shepperdine group seeking to stop new build at Oldbury. The latter are starting a new leaflet campaign and I am hoping we can also distribute some of the leaflets locally. More on that soon.

Lastly here is the Sunday Times on the Coalition: "It was only last November that George Osborne first floated the idea of a green investment bank. When the coalition took power it became a flagship project wheeled out by the chancellor as proof he was serious about Britain’s £200 billion low-carbon energy revolution. Last week reality struck. Osborne said the government would put just £1 billion into the bank; a paltry sum compared to the mountain of cash needed to replace fossil-fuel power plants with more expensive alternatives such as wind farms and nuclear reactors. The cash won’t be available until 2013. Energy executives, who are hectored relentlessly about the need to invest billions in low-carbon power, are appalled. Any credibility the government had with the industry is ebbing. The neutering of the bank, they say, is indicative of its general half-heartedness toward the industry."

It is also said that the bank will be used to fund early high-risk investment in nuclear, large offshore wind, carbon capture and other green technologies with the aim of leveraging in the large amounts of private sector investment needed. Ministers and power companies once predicted the first new nuclear power station would be in operation by 2017. That has now slipped to 2018. Further delays seem inevitable. This is just not the way to tackle climate change which needs serious investment now in energy efficiency.

Apple picking in Humphreys End

Once again the Humphreys End orchard was opened to a group of apple-pickers - we picked apples in groups - sheets, a shaker and bicycle helmets!! Most of us took away a sack for £6. Sadly it wasn't possible to advertise the event more widely as in previous years as the apple crop is not so good this year at that site.

Photos: apple picking last weekend

We didn't get down to juicing like previous years - partly because of the lack of apples - See my video of apple juicing in 2008 here. However there are still some apples to go so another session might be planned?

The weather was pretty rough just before we started but then only a bit of a shower and even some sun! Arh but now have been cutting, cooking, freezing and more....meanwhile I missed Apple Day celebrations at the Farmers Market - apparently like previous years a huge range of apples were there...

We want your garden!

I've just been putting together some initial publicity for a new project with Transition Stroud. We have a team of active members who are helping plan this event. Here's what I sent to local press:

Photo: mural in Nailsworth Church

Transition Stroud are planning an Edible Open Gardens weekend 9th and 10th July

Following the huge success of the third Eco-Renovation Open Homes weekend in September where people opened their homes to learn more about energy efficiency and renewables, there are plans for an event that seeks to encourage people to grow and learn more about food.

Philip Booth, a Transition Stroud member said: "We are after veg and fruit gardens, allotments, herb and kitchen gardens, chicken keepers and more for people to come and see. We want to celebrate some of the wonderfully productive gardens and local food growing projects in the Stroud Valleys. Local food accounts for only 1.5% of national food consumption. Our food system is staggeringly inefficient and heavily dependent upon oil, at a time when the production of energy from fossil fuels is on the decline. Our dependence on imports is damaging for national food security, harmful to the environment and is simply unsustainable (i). With this Edible Open Gardens project we hope to all learn but also inspire more local food production at a lower environmental cost than the supermarkets."

Transition Stroud is a group working on the transition to a locally based low carbon. 20 gardens are already signed up. If anyone is interested in offering their garden for part of the weekend in July please contact Helen Pitel on 762957 or Philip Booth on email at: philip.booth2(at)virgin.net

Notes:

(i) Food Availability in the Stroud District, December 2008, written by Fi Macmillan and Dave Cockcroft of Transition Stroud. Download here.

Woodfuel project creeps forward

Well myself and another local resident last week, finally got to meet Tim Jenkins, the new National Trust warden - or rather, Ranger, as they are now called. This was primarily to discuss the proposed Woodfuel project - see full background details here.

Photos: Randwick Woods and some of the sites that might be thinned

Tim is clearly very experienced and has worked this area before - and better still he seems enthusiastic about engaging with the community. It is unfortunate that the National Trust is not better resourced - we would like to have got this project started earlier but with no Ranger initially and then waiting for Tim to start - and Tim has a number of sites and a huge area to cover.

Anyway, we have seen a number of possible sites near the top of Ash Lane where wood needs to be removed. This would be some conservation work in return for the wood removed. Most of the sites have smaller trees and it is either thinning or removing from sites in a paddock - often fairly inaccessible places. We would also need to carry wood some distance. Tim would do all chainsaw work and be present at all the work sessions.

The first opportunity Tim has to work that area will be January/February and we would try an initial group - then if that works have regular sessions next year. Are there others interested in joining the group? This does seem to be a great opportunity to participate in helping maintain our local woods and get some wood in return. More news on this project in the future!

Shaming of UK and US

The British military has been training interrogators in techniques that include threats, sensory deprivation and enforced nakedness in an apparent breach of the Geneva conventions, the Guardian has discovered. See Guardian here. And see Robert Fisk on the wikileaks here - the shameful lies told by US military about Iraqi military torture, civilians shot at checkpoints and more. These two stories are a painful read. How can we make amends?

Photo: Kneeling cushion in Randwick Church

Stop the forests sell-off

The letter below was sent to local press today - I wonder also if conservation groups will be expected or wish to bid for sites to stop them being ruined by developers and commercial use. This would be in effect a government grab of charity resources, as there is little or no net gain for conservation if they are moved from public to third sector ownership. We urgently need assurances about what these plans will mean - it is wholly irresponsible to make such an announcement in this way.

Photo: Randwick woods - not part of Forestry Commission

But then it seems Spellman is making a number of misjudgements if the press is to be believed: "she was one of the first ministers dutifully to settle with the Treasury, agreeing to deep cuts of 29 per cent in resource spending and 34 per cent in capital expenditure – only to find on Wednesday that the average reduction across Whitehall was much less than expected, at 19 per cent."

Anyway here's my letter:

Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, plans to dispose of huge tracts of our national forests to raise £250m This could mean ancient woodlands are destroyed. Walkers and endangered animals could have to make way for Center Parcs-style holiday villages, golf, paintball, landowners with no interest in conservation and logging companies.

Ancient forests like our Forest of Dean, the New Forest and Sherwood Forest are national treasures. Once gone, they are lost forever. The current system means people can enjoy forests and feel ownership of them. Private companies in contrast restrict access.

Selling forests threatens the Forestry Commission's work to restore ancient woodlands. In England the commission is subsidised by £30m a year, but generates an additional £63m a year in income. A government study this year calculated that it provides £2,100 in value per hectare per year if benefits such as erosion protection, pollution absorption, carbon sequestration and health provision are included.

As Green MP Caroline Lucas said: "If this means vast swathes of valuable forest being sold to private developers, it will be an unforgiveable act of environmental vandalism. Rather than asset-stripping our natural heritage, government should be preserving public access to it, and fostering its role in combatting climate change and enhancing biodiversity. So much for the greenest government ever."

When Thatcher and Major tried to sell our forests, public opinion led to a climb down. Please add your name to the “save our forests” petition: www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests

Cllr Philip Booth, Stroud District councillor for Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward (Green party)

Helping Hands needed for Autumn Juveniles

It is a really bad year for late second litters. OK if you have lost me I'm talking hedgehogs. They are coming into the Hedgehog Hospital in Brimscombe now as small as 100g- 300g - they don't stand a chance and will certainly die in hibernation. They already have 35 in at the hospital!! As one of the local Hedgehog Wardens I want to say please can everyone look out for little hedgehogs day and night from now on...can't get rid of this underlining - fonts seem to be going crazy in this post....anyway this is from the Hospital...

Autumn juvenile hedgehogs are ones that are old enough to be away from their mothers but too small to hibernate. The autumn juvenile season can start as early as September and is busiest through until the end of November. Young hedgehogs can and will try and hibernate at 450gms (1lb) or less but are unlikely to survive. It is preferable for them to weigh 600gms (22oz) in order to hibernate successfully and be in sufficiently good condition to survive post hibernation.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal so those out in the day need rescuing. Even though in some cases they appear lively and are rushing around these hedgehogs need your help. Once out in the day they can be days away from death. So if out in the day whether rushing about or curled up asleep they need rescuing. Hedgehogs do NOT hibernate in the open. They make a nest of leaves etc and disappear into the depths of the nest and are completely hidden. Hedgehogs under 450gms (1lb) that appear to be hibernating (cold and in a tight ball) are suffering from hypothermia and are in fact dying. These must be rescued if they are to stand any chance of survival. Towards the end of October or if bad weather is expected those under 350gms (12oz) are best be rescued whether they are out day or night.

Please can you be hedgehog aware and help me to put hedgehogs back on the map in Gloucestershire. If you find any hedgehogs out in the day or small hedgehogs out at the end of October day or night use gardening gloves place hedgehog wrapped in a towel into a secure cardboard box and contact Help a Hedgehog Hospital. I will look after them and over winter them to ensure they get through their hibernation successfully and release back into the Wild in the Spring or when they have gained enough weight for a successful hibernation. Thank you all for your help.

Annie Parfitt - a volunteer carer working for the Hedgehog Preservation Society. Founder of Help a Hedgehog Hospital please phone:886424 annieparfitt(at)sky.com www.helpahedgehog.org/

The Database state is back

The National Identity Register is dead - at least that is what I thought listening to the Coalition politicians. But it seems "ID Cards for foreigners", using the systems designed for national identity cards, are continuing their steady expansion - and from 14th december enrolment will require a digital photograph of the applicant's face and fingers being scanned.

Pic by local artist Russ

The campaign group No2ID who thought maybe they could put their feet up a bit are clearly going to be as busy as ever - they comment that it "would be straightforward to extend this to the whole population should a future government accept the idea. The ID scheme is both cancelled and still alive."

Meanwhile, they note other doublespeak.... 'The Coalition: our programme for government' said: "We will end the storage of internet and email records without good reason." But the strategic defence review published this week contains the line: "We will introduce a programme to preserve the ability of the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to obtain communication data and to intercept communications within the appropriate legal framework." This is exactly what the Home Office said under the last government in promoting the *expansion* of surveillance capacity to cover all email, web-use, Skype and instant messaging.

I have already highlighted we seem to be getting the same picture with health records - see my blog in August here - here is what NO2ID say: "We have a suggestion that in future you may control your own records online (potentially good), the NHS spine continues without a clear function -- the headlines say it has been 'cut back', but the core principle is still the poisonous one that you have to keep on saying "no", or you will be deemed to have said "yes" irreversibly, to information about you and yours being shared."

The way DNA records are routinely collected and kept by the police, the monitoring of all our movements by numberplate recognition and the e-Borders programmes seem to be continuing largely undisturbed.

As NO2ID say: "They won't be admitting it, but the database state is back."

Big Cat sited at Callowell

As the comment today below says - I did mean sighted! Ah I shouldn't write these blogs so late at night....anyway this is what I wrote...

The local newspapers have carried the story about nursing assistant Emily Shiers who came face-to-face with a 'big cat' as she walked with her 2 year old nephew near Callowell School. Emily said the cat was five or six times as large as her own cat . She says the cat was calm and non-threatening but she kept a close hold of her nephew, Nathaniel.

Photos taken not in this country!

Gloucestershire big cat researchers and recorders Frank Tunbridge and Rick Minter, who are investigating the siting, say there have been other sitings in Gloucestershire in the last two weeks. In our area a woman driving in Whiteshill a couple of years ago saw two cats cross the road together. Other sigthings are recorded in Standish Woods - and I just had an email from Rick re a siting on Friday to the east of Stroud.

Rick writing to me says Emily's report is plausible and it chimes with other reports in this area over the years. Rick and Frank have also had some tangible evidence recently, verified by other experts. Rick is offering to do a talk locally if folk are interested. Do call him on 07768 748301 if you want to arrange a talk?

New cafe in Cainscross and 20 mph on Ebley Road?

The new cafe near the roundabout with Tricorn House is an exciting new development.

A while back I blogged about this development and some of the background to it - see here. Well this last week I manage to visit it for the first time - and it is worth a visit - hope to go back for a breakfast.

Photos: inside the cafe with Daniel serving plus an old shot of the inn as it used to be

They have their own website here - and 'ethical' coffee and chocolate cake was good!! It is also a wonderfully spacious area - and much lighter inside than I had imagined. There are plans for conference facilities and more. If only Tricorn House could be sorted then this area would really be taking off - certainly when that gets going either as a nursing home or Ecotricity's HQ then that will bring in a sustainable customer base.

While I was there I also had the chance to talk about the book Tamathiel which is a sort of Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter?? Well that is me guessing a little - five school children who, after a series of strange events at school, are swept away into a fantasy world of elves, dwarves, eagles and dark forces. It is written by Daniel who works at the cafe - now 18 but he wrote it when he was 14 and has nearly completed two more in the series. There are parts of the book on some of the tables and I did read a couple of pages - great fun.

But hey I'm getting off topic here I wanted to mention that I had had a meeting and correspondence with a couple of residents in Ebley Road who would like to see traffic calming. I do agree traffic moves too fast along that road - a 20 mph would be great and possible on-street parking to slow traffic - and encourage it onto the bypass? This road looks set to get worse with Foxes Field and the 100 houses there plus Tricorn House whatever happens there....

The residents have already discussed with Cainscross Parish Council and have support for tackling speeds - while they have had lots of positive feedback about their thoughts they are now considering a petition to see what level of support the measures will have amongst other residents - and to use with Highways to tackle the issue. Although with cuts, cuts, cuts we will have to be creative - hence having the whole area with a 20 mph would cut the need for many Traffic Orders......hopefully we will hear more on this soon...

Ruscombe sewage update

Severn Trent recently leafleted to say they are will be carrying out a biodiversity study before they look at relining sewer network. Unfortunately the telephone number on the letter didn't work - the guy had left - it took me a couple of weeks to track down the person who had taken over - why do folk just not answer emails or phone queries?

Photo: no otters in Ruscombe brook but have been sited not far away

Anyhow I have spoken with them as I have some concerns about the impact of their work and want to see if we can get some improvements in the process of any work. Recently for example FWAG gave advice on what we could do locally - see here. I await with interest their report.

In some ways the relining is a great disappointment as we had hoped for some replacement sewers as suggested by Severn Trent themselves earlier this year - see here our meeting with Severn Trent - they had said modeling showed not enough capacity for the sewage - however as there have been no incidents in the last 2 years they are now going for relining.

In fact, as we know, there have been sewage incidents but they were due to specific blockages. However on the plus side it would mean that any new housing in the valley would be more difficult as the sewer network will be at it's limits.

The new Severn Trent project lead says he has spent a period gathering relevant information that will assist in how they make their investment choice to resolve the problems experienced.

At present it seems their intention is to reline up to approximately 1km of sewer at various points along the Ruscombe Brook combined sewer. This will effectively seal the sewer and prevent future ingress of roots thereby maintaining a free flowing sewer. They have been undertaking further CCTV surveys of the sewers to provide a more up to date picture of the level of sewer dereliction/root ingress to ensure the project scope covers the problem sewer lengths.

Based on their current programme, they hope that work will be able to commence during spring 2011 but note "as you will appreciate there is further feasibility work to complete and various internal approvals that will be needed before we get to that stage".

Catch up on meetings

Well a busy week so I've not caught up on various meetings in this blog. I don't intend to do that now but here's a flavour of some that I've not mentioned so far in previous blogs...

Photos: Standish Church and below view from Standish across to Haresfield Beacon and Standish woods

I was away at the end of last week for three days with other local Green party District councillors in Standish. Not as exotic as last year when we crossed the border into Wales but like last year the venue and beds were offered free to us. It was good to get away and concentrate on plans for next year and we were able to concentrate on a number of issues in some depth. How can we take forward ideas like Stroud District investing seriously in renewables - an issue I have pushed and pushed - yes there has been some movement but we have a long way to go. There were lots of other ideas and I will be sharing many of them over the coming months.

Last night was Randwick Parish which didn't finish until close to 10 - a full programme - the mirror mystery I mentioned in an earlier blog is solved - the new mirror was put up by a generous resident on the corner near the convent - it replaced the one lost - however Highways removed the whole post with mirror as they had said they would (see my blog here). Crazy but there it is. Of course other issues discussed were to support the 20 mph inquiry at GCC and see if Whiteshill and Ruscombe 20 mph proposals could be extended to include Randwick - various planning applications - but hey the minutes will be out soon to read so I wont ramble here...

We also had a talk to the Parish from local energy company FiVE to see if there was support locally - see my previous blog on that here. I have also suggested that we borrow as a Parish to invest in PV for community buildings like the rest of the Randwick Village Hall roof - this would generate an income for us and indeed pay off the loan - could we make the Parish self-financing in the future?? It needs some seriously bold thinking if we are to go down that route.

I've also had two meetings about the Sheltered Accommodation Review - I have real concerns that Stroud District and the County are not working close enough together with tenants - they all seem to have different visions. Plus went to the event in the Sub-Rooms regarding services for older people where I had the opportunity to talk to various local people like the police, village agent and more - a v useful event. But hey today we've got apple picking and a clear-up of the brook so must dash.

Caroline Lucas most twittered yesterday!

You can still catch Question Time online here. Caroline Lucas gave an excellent Question Time highlighting how absurd the Government cuts are...“a reckless gamble with the future of this country.” The Chancellor’s strategy is to “close his eyes, cross his fingers, and hope that the private sector will manage to produce the jobs that have been destroyed in the public sector”.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP made a powerful contribution to last night’s BBC Question Time programme, in which she condemned the government spending cuts as unfair and unnecessary. The first question from the audience was put to Caroline first. Audience member Michael Teague asked: “Can the government really talk about fairness when it is talking about cuts that will devastate the unemployed, the sick and the poor?”

Caroline Lucas responded: “No, absolutely not. This reckless gamble with the future of this country and this economy is deeply unfair. And it doesn’t need us to say that, we’ve got people like the IFS – the Institute for Fiscal Studies – and many others, who are repeatedly saying that the poorest 10% are going to be paying at least more than the average when it comes to who actually pays the price for this. When you see what is being done, it is an absolutely wicked targeting of the most vulnerable.”

The Brighton Pavilion MP argued later in the programme: “I do not think that the best way of getting the deficit down is through cuts, and I appreciate that sounds counter-intuitive, so let me explain. We do need to get the deficit down, but there is every risk that if we try to do that through throwing more and more people out of work, we will simply lose their tax revenues, we will have to pay out their redundancies, we will have to pay out benefits, and actually that’s going to make matters worse, that is more likely to tip us into that double-dip recession. George Osborne’s strategy is basically to close his eyes, cross his fingers, and hope that the private sector will manage to produce the jobs that have been destroyed in the public sector.”

She concluded: “What this government should be doing is things like tackling tax evasion and tax avoidance in a serious way, not in the pitiful way they are doing at the moment, and use that money for investment, for example, in energy efficiency and renewable energies.

“This is the best way to get people back to work, it would also address the issue of climate change, getting our emissions down. There is an environmental crisis, there is an economic crisis: we can tackle them both at the same time.”

Caroline Lucas’s responses were greeted with applause and cheering from the studio audience.
At the end of the programme, “Caroline Lucas” was the most mentioned phrase in the UK on Twitter, and 7th most mentioned worldwide.

Caroline Lucas appeared on the panel alongside Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond; Shadow Business Secretary, John Denham; former head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt; former political editor of The Sun, George Pascoe-Watson and journalist Polly Toynbee of The Guardian.

Email Hilton Hotel re child sexual exploitation

The Hilton, one of the most renowned hotel chains in the world, could be complicit in child sexual exploitation, in their own facilities! Once upon a time many years ago in the early 80s I worked for the Sydney Hilton as a mini-bar stocker - have to say I was shocked by other antics there - but this is certainly very disturbing and I would urge all to sign the Avaaz petition.

Avaaz write: Hotels are one of the primary places where slave children are sold for sex by brutal pimps. And Hilton has not even signed up to a basic international Code of Conduct that forces hotels to train their staff to detect, report and assist girls and women forced into the sex industry. Hilton's action on this would be huge -- if they signed up to The Code, it would create a network of Hilton employees in 77 countries and 32,000 hotels working against the rape trade of women and children.

There is no time to lose in stopping this terrifying trade. Sign the petition for Hilton to implement The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children From Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. When we hit 250,000 signatures, we'll take out ads in major newspapers in McLean, Virginia - the city where Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta lives and works:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/hilton_sign_now/?vl

More on the cuts

My letter on the cuts is apparently in the Western Daily Press today - I have already received three emails thanking me for raising the issues - however if I'd waited the evidence of unfairness is mounting....

In every income group, from the richest to the poorest, parents with school age children will lose more than single people, childless couples and pensioners, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The IFS calculated that the average family with children will be losing £1,964 of its £29,242 net income a year by 2014-15, when the spending cuts and tax rises announced by this Government and the last have taken effect. That loss will be equal to a 6.7 per cent drop in income, the IFS said. By contrast, the average pensioner will lose 2.9 per cent, and childless adults will lose 2.7 per cent.

Nick Clegg calls all this 'distorted nonsense' - well it is true that the you can get stats to tell almost any story but we have here one of the most respected thinktanks in Government circles making this analysis. Since then many more are looking into the details.

Various campaign groups have also condemned the cuts. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) for example has declared the government's spending review "worryingly short-sighted and profoundly unfair."

Dr Faiza Shaheen, Researcher on Economic Inequality at the new economics foundation said: "The Coalition Government has repeatedly said that we should not saddle future generations with today’s debts. But with these drastic spending cuts there is a serious danger of creating false economies. Spending cuts which will disproportionately affect women and poorer families will inevitably harm their children and young people. Despite the promises that have been made, some of these cuts will entrench patterns of poverty and inequality, reducing social mobility and worsening health and social outcomes.”

Johann Hari: "A colder, crueller country - for no gain" - "....spending cuts are ideologically motivated, and have been proven not to work in relieving economic crises... PriceWaterhouseCooper – nobody's idea of a Trotskyite cell – says that a million people will now lose their jobs as a direct result....." See here.

Taking the Government to Court

Meanwhile Yvette Cooper and The Fawcett Society are going to court over the unfairness of the cuts on women. Ceri Goddard, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, said: "The cuts are so deep and will hit women so hard that they risk more than women’s financial security – they threaten hard fought progress we’ve made on women’s equality. The Chancellor’s plans undermine the status of women as equal partners with men in the world of work, home and society as a whole."

Green MP Caroline Lucas – one of the three women in the House of Commons representing independent parties – asked chancellor George Osborne in July whether his department undertook an equalities impact assessment of the budget, he fudged: "I shall let the honourable member have a reply as soon as possible." "A simple yes or no would have done," commented Lucas.

When I asked the Treasury in July whether it had carried out an equality impact assessment, a spokesman insisted that it had. Where was it published? On the website, said the Treasury. No, it isn't. A month later the Treasury sent a Freedom of Information Act response admitting there had been no Equality Impact Assessment, and adding: "It would not be possible to conduct an Equality Impact Assessment over this broad range of measures."

Benefit fraud is an easy target

My last post was on the cuts yesterday but I also wanted to tackle this issue. Benefit fraud is theft from tax payers. This latest pledge from the Lib Dems and Tory Coalition to tackle the cheats is nothing new. For 40 years, governments have made that pledge to crack down on what Cameron claims is now £5.2bn a year thanks to cheats - and interestingly, “administrative errors”.

View across to Ruscombe fields and Whiteshill from Randwick

Credit-reference agencies will be paid by results. So are we now opening the doors for massive private sector snooping? Will all claimants be placed under spending pattern surveillance, or just certain claimants? Let us not forget that those under investigation will be innocent until proven guilty - a credit checking agency is not - or not yet - an arm of the law.

Some would argue that the welfare system is itself an incitement to fraud? How many of the millionaires in the Cabinet have tried to live on the Jobseekers’ allowance? But yes of course tackle fraud but what we need are promises that real need will be met with real money. How much would it cost to meet the needs of all the proud or poorly advised people who are entitled to benefits and fail to claim?

Benefit fraud is an easy target to focus our anger - yes of course we want to see an end to that but in reality my fear is that we will see an extension of the powers of private companies and further attacks on the more vulnerable members of our community - see here my letter earlier this year about how those on disability benefits look set to be squeezed.

And what about the failure to tackle those dodging tax? See here the recent campaign to try and get the coalition to get the £42bn in 'uncollected' taxes..add in tax avoidance and we hit £100bn per year!!!! See also here my blog on why cleaners are worth more than the city elite.

PFI funding pulled on waste plans

My last blog entry was a comment on the cuts - well I can't not also comment on the news that the Private Finance Initiative funding for the Gloucestershire waste treatment scheme has been withdrawn. Great stuff - PFIs are a complete waste of money that make corporations very rich and put the costs onto the next generation....

Photo: Ruscombe valley

Anyhow shortly after the Chancellor George Osborne's spending review announcement the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it was cancelling PFI to seven projects. The council bought Javelin Park for £7.4m which basically meant it was then eligible for £92m in PFI credits from the Government. In recent weeks concern has been growing amongst campaigners that GCC are planning to spend the PFI on a large incinerator.

One strong indication was that the County hired Professor Roy Harrison, an international expert on air pollution to scrutinise proposals for a new waste disposal plant. Yet this prof is well known to dismiss fears about dioxins and pollution from incinerators - now as I've said before the arguments against incinerators are well strong enough if you look at the economics and the lack of flexibility without even having to debate the health issues.

It will now be interesting to see how we move forward - MBT was the other option for the PFI but now surely there is a case for a smaller MBT plant and increased recycling? We need to relook but let us hope this will allow us to shelve completely the massive incinerator. But hey I must to bed it is well late!

Comment on todays savage cuts

Angered and frustrated - but with little time to write something here is what I sent to the press this evening:

Well most of us wont know yet if our jobs are safe, or how the cuts will impact on us. Half a million public sector jobs will go plus the knock-on effects of job losses in the private sector which are forecast to be at least another half million. These workers along with many disabled people will feel the £7bn welfare spending cuts and changes to housing benefit that come on top of the £11bn cuts in the June Budget. It's worth noting that £7bn is equivalent to £1,000 taken from seven million people. Welfare is set to take almost as much spending pain as all the other main public services put together. Osborne's axe has fallen hardest on workless, disabled and poor people.

Local government will lose 28% of its funding over the next four years, compared to 14% reductions to the royal household. Notions of fairness have gone out the window as vital public services go to the wall, hitting the poorest hardest. Meanwhile public bodies whose purpose is to hold corporations to account are being swept away by the so-called 'bonfire of the quangos'. Yet public bodies, like the ECGD and CDC, whose purpose is to help boost corporate profits, regardless of the consequences for people and the environment, have sailed through unharmed.

As economist David Blanchflower warned, there’s a strong possibility that the cuts programme will precipitate a bigger crisis: “it’s a terrible, terrible mistake. The sensible thing to do is to spread [the cuts] over a long time”. We need to stabilise the economy and prevent mass unemployment, but in the longer term we have to face climate change and the wider environmental crisis.

Where are the increased taxes on the rich? Why are banks not paying more for their mistakes? Where is the real investment in tax evasion and avoidance that costs £50bn plus a year? Where is the green investment we need to tackle energy security, climate change and increase jobs? These savage and deeply damaging Tory/Lib Dem cuts are not necessary. There are other ways.

Cllr Philip Booth, Stroud District councillor for Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward (Green party),

Severn Barrage ditched but nukes get go-ahead

The Government have issued a 300 page document as a re-run of the earlier Nuclear Policy Statement (NPS) but little has changed with Chris Huhne supporting a list of sites including Oldbury for new nuclear build. The paper had already been released due to a blunder so contained no surprises. As forecast on this blog here the barrage has been dropped.

Photos: River Severn

Local Green party Councillor Martin Whiteside has sent a quote to press saying: "I welcome the dropping of the Severn barrage proposals as it would have done untold damage to an important and unique ecosystem. However it is not good enough for the coalition Government just to drop the proposals and replace the barrage with nuclear power stations. As Greens we would like to see more energy generated from the tides, but there are more efficient and less environmentally intrusive emerging technologies than an old fashioned barrage. We would like to see these new technologies supported by the Government, making Britain a leader in the technology of the future – it would be good for business, good for jobs and good for the environment. In contrast, nuclear power stations will use imported fuel, be controlled by foreign companies and create less jobs than genuine renewables and energy saving. This is a short-term fix for political reasons that will cost us more in the long term - it is basically bad economics."

The Government's document highlighted the worrying prospect of transporting spent fuel while it is still very radioactive to a central storage site. This is madness. The viability of Government plans for the eventual disposal of nuclear waste was a closed subject as controversially the Government believes the 'Deep Geological Facility' will one day become a reality. The process is currently part of a 'volunteerist' scheme but only one area - Cumbria - has put itself forward and may pull out at any stage. A recent geological report appears to show that many parts of Cumbria are unsuited to a deep repository. So Oldbury and other sites may in fact be permanently left with the waste.

This week I've had conversations with local campaigners about how we might tackle this nonsense from the Coalition. Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy have already produced a leaflet that is being distributed - any folks want to help in Stroud area?

"This Government just doesn't have a coherent energy policy. Nuclear power can't deliver the necessary short-term emissions reductions. We need far more investment in both conservation and renewables, including supporting infrastructure like the port upgrades the Government is talking about scrapping." Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton

"The Coalition promised no public subsidy for nuclear power, but it appears to be going back on its word - not ruling out a cap on liability costs for nuclear operators in case of an accident is a subsidy by another name. The Government is also giving a green light to new gas power stations, locking us into a high-carbon economy....(the) new national policy statements are reckless in their disregard for tackling climate change - they seem to contain more guidance for energy developers on avoiding dust and insect infestation than on cutting carbon emissions. Nuclear power is not the solution to tackling climate change - it would leave us saddled with toxic waste for centuries to come and not another penny of public money should be spent on it. We don't need nuclear power - or new gas power stations beyond those already in the pipeline - the Government's own figures say so. The Coalition's top priority should be to develop renewable energy sources like wind, wave and solar that, together with tackling energy waste, will secure our energy supplies, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and set us firmly on the path to a safer, cleaner future." Simon Bullock, Friends of the Earth

Say no to Princes tuna

I don't really eat tuna but if you do you might want to think twice about Princes' tuna. Basically the way Princes gets its tuna out of the sea is also killing endangered turtles, sharks, rays and even undersized tuna from other threatened species.

All in all it is having a disastrous effect on our ocean life. Greenpeace have just launched a letter campaign which you can sign by going to:
www.greenpeace.org.uk/tags/tuna

Greenpeace have been talking to Princes about this problem for some time and waiting for their new 'sustainable seafood statement' for two whole years. Sadly the new statement goes no where near far enough, yet Princes still print on their cans: "Princes is fully committed to fishing methods which protect the marine environment and marine life".

Princes seem to think being 'dolphin friendly' is enough - other species of marine life are insignificant? As Greenpeace say this is not good enough from a global brand selling wild-caught animals from one of the world's largest fisheries. Indeed it is definiately not good enough in 2010 when we know the impact such practices have on our environment.

Cheap tuna but costly to the oceans. Greenpeace are keen to see us all write - well I've done that but I would also like to say that I think we need to boycott such a company.

Anti-Slavery Day today

Today, Monday 18th October is the first ever UK annual Anti-Slavery Day.

The day is supported by ECPAT UK, a children’s rights organisation campaigning against the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the UK. In particular, they focus on the protection of trafficked children in the UK and children exploited in tourism. This is an issue I have covered before on this blog - see here. See also here a new petition from 38 degrees.

Stroud has a history of being anti-slavery. Locally we have Britain's oldest anti-slavery memorial - the arch at Paganhill. It was built by Henry Wyatt in 1834, a prosperous businessman and banker and anti-slavery campaigner - see here the restoration in 2008. And in Stroud there was a march to commemorate the Abolition of Slavery Act (see here some background and photo above). See here discussion re apologising for slavery.

In March of this year, the Anti-Slavery Day Bill was introduced in Parliament as a Private Members’ Bill and became law just before the General Election. In July David Cameron, announced that Anti-Slavery Day would fall on 18 October every year. This date appropriately coincides with the European Union’s Anti-Trafficking Day.

The aim of Anti-Slavery Day is for people in the UK to acknowledge that despite the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade over 200 years ago men, women and children continue to be victims of the modern-day slave trade. The day will help to raise awareness of the dangers of modern-day slavery, including human trafficking and exploitation, and encourage people to be proactive in the fight against it. Hence this blog to raise awareness.

This years campaign, The Body Shop and ECPAT UK are calling on the Government to provide greater protection for child victims of trafficking. In July, a petition was launched asking the Government to introduce a system of guardianship for child victims of trafficking. More information and a specific briefing on guardianship can be found on our website at www.ecpat.org.uk. The petition can also be signed online or in any The Body Shop store around the UK.

Lastly see the Anti-Slavery International - I joined it back in the early 80s when it was struggling to keep going. I lost touch with it until a few years ago and have been delighted that it appears a stronger organisation - the issue is alive as much as ever - we need an organisation like this to keep us aware and campaign for the changes we need.

No crime at Townsend

I have had a number of emails from local residents about the clearing of the site at Townsend. There has been much anger that just before the planning application went before DCC the site was leveled and trees removed (see photo). I write this blog to clarify the current situation.

This is a matter that has been in the hands of the police and they have apologised for the delay in response. Indeed I have been chasing information for weeks. However I am assured improvements are in place and the misunderstanding was because there were two development sites being looked at at the time.

Basically the Developers made application on the site and this application was turned down. Following this the District Council attended the site and made observation in this visit that they felt there was potential for reptile (slow worm) habitation. Prior to a second planning application the developer cleared the site and then made the second application for planning permission.

The complaint is in reference to the clearing of the site and the destruction of habitat and any possible protected species. I understand now from the police that this would be very hard to prove, as you would need to show where actual protected species had been killed (evidence of remains). My understanding is that the Council only made observation that the site is good habitat - this is guidance and has no evidential weight. Therefore police could not identify any specific crimes at this site.

Women in Prison talk

I must publicise a meeting organised by Positive Justice Gloucestershire entitled "Women in Prison: Ruined Lives, Damaged Children.” The speaker is Baroness Jean Corston who has updated her national Report. It is on 11th November at St Laurence Church Hall, The Shambles Stroud at 7.30.

Photo: A friend who works in the prison service let me photograph her marmalade from one of her colleagues!

Unfortunately it is a Full Council night so I can't go but it will be very good - this is an issue that just does not get enough attention. We sadly lost Pauline Campbell who was a great campaigner on this issue: it is great that Positive Justice are highlighting it.

Coalition's dangerous green failings: sign petition

In a recent blog I have expressed very real concerns about the Coalition's failure on green issues - see here. Well before I get to an update on that the campaign group 38 degrees is trying to get as many folk as possible to email their MP. I have already done so and would urge others to do likewise. Neil has said he is behind renewables well here is his chance to show it.

Photo: view of Ruscombe

Here's what 38 degrees say: "In a few days, the government will announce its plans for cuts. Every day we’re hearing about new threats to cut funding to tackle climate change. That could mean thousands of job losses for people who insulate homes, put up solar panels, and build wind turbines. It would mean thousands more new green jobs in the UK would never happen. Wrangling over cuts will go right down to the wire. If enough of us email our MPs now, we might be able to save funding for tackling climate change. The government claimed it would be the “greenest government ever”. If they hear from MPs that thousands of voters are worried about green jobs, they’ll realise cuts to climate funding could ruin their image."

Please take two minutes to e-mail your MP and tell them you don’t want climate change funds to be cut: www.38degrees.org.uk/protect-green-jobs/

In Kirklees this coming week the Lib Dems submitted a motion to Council congratulating the Coalition Government for their positive commitment to tackling climate change!! It is an extraordinary move and no wonder that Greens there are submitting an amendment that ‘questions the Coalition Government’s commitment to tackling climate change'. They then go onto list why:-

* the breaking of a promise by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats prior to the election to include early adopters of solar panels such as Kirklees in the Feed In Tariff
* the abolition of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial Strategy which would have provided strong policies to encourage microgeneration in new buildings.
* the breaking of a commitment by the Liberal Democrats not to support new nuclear power stations the cost of which will now be borne by the public.
* the end of a commitment to insulate all lofts and cavity walls and lofts where technically possible to 2020.
* the abolition of the Sustainable Development Commission which actually saved the Government money.
* Cuts of £12.6m from The Carbon Trust's grant for low carbon technology and business support funding from DECC
* Cuts of £4.7m by cancelling final rounds of Bio-Energy Capital Grants Scheme and Bio-Energy Infrastructure Scheme
* Cuts of £3m by reducing the scope of the Offshore Wind Capital Grants Scheme
* Cuts of £3m from closing the Low Carbon Buildings Programme early
* £2.9m cuts by reducing the scope of the government's Low Carbon Technology Programme
* £1m cut to funding for development of deep geothermal energy generation
* £700,000 cut by the closing of renewable technology trials early
* The damage caused to the solar thermal, biomass and heat pump industry by the long period of speculation over the future of the Renewable Heat Incentive
* The damage caused to the solar PV and small wind industry by long speculation over the future of the Feed In Tariff

This Council has the following concerns about the Coalition Government’s ‘Green Deal’

* An over emphasis on supermarkets as the deliverer of the Green Deal when clearly Council schemes such as the free insulation provided by Kirklees Council demonstrably deliver high numbers of measures while schemes lead by supermarkets have performed poorly.
* The reported omission of microgeneration from the Green Deal finance package
* A loan mechanism will not be the most cost effective way of funding low cost measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation.

This Council calls on the Coalition Government to ensure the Green Deal

* makes Councils a key partner and/or deliverer of the programme.
* enables area based approaches for the delivery of insulation and microgeneration measures
* has a cost effective way of delivering low cost measures such as insulation measures

Time-lapse film of glaciers melting

Earlier today I posted on the Blog Action Day on water - well this sort of also fits....This week there is yet another letter in the SNJ calling climate change a myth - I do wonder what we need to do to get across the facts. I've been there before on this blog so I wont repeat again. However I did come across a very graphic video which contains time-lapse photography of glaciers melting. It is powerful stuff. See Youtube here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/james_balog_time_lapse_proof_of_extreme_ice_loss.html

Nine nations have so far set their all-time temperature records in 2010. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the planet has just come through the warmest decade, the warmest 12 months, the warmest six months, and the warmest April, May, and June on record. While a "staggering" new study from Canadian researchers has shown that warmer seawater has reduced phytoplankton, the base of the marine food chain, by 40 percent since 1950. And then, in late July, the U.S. Senate decided to do exactly nothing about climate change. See Bill McKibben's Grist article on what he thinks here.

As Bill says we need to step up the action. As he says: "Mosrtly, we need to tell the truth, resolutely and constantly. Fossil fuel is wrecking the one earth we've got. It's not going to go away because we ask politely. If we want a world that works, we're going to have to raise our voices."