One of Oldburys nukes shuts forever

One of the two nuclear reactors at Oldbury Power Station, 16 miles from Stroud, is to be shut down permanently at midnight. Reactor 2, which has been operating for 43 years, will generate electricity for the last time on Thursday.  See BBC report here. Sadly the other reactor has recently had it's closure extended despite warnings from independent scientists that the risks are not acceptable. See here and my notes from a talk by John Large in Oct 2007 (see photo) about the graphite problem here.

Library campaign update

Reading the local papers I could get the impression that all is well with plans for community run libraries - GCC Leader Mark Hawthorne reports of the plans, that 'people are saying this is what they want'.

I have to say I have not come across a single person who agrees with him. Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries report that 'this was never an opportunity, but an ultimatum'. The opposition to the County plans for closures and cut backs was massive. Anyhow FOCL go onto quote Lechlade Library Working Group, who have submitted a business case to take on Lechlade Library. They have issued a formal statement to the local press and spoke on the local BBC radio in response to Cllr. Hawthorne’s recent claims:

“We are surprised to note Cllr Hawthorne’s comments in response to the court injunction stopping GCC from closing libraries across the county. Lechlade has consistently argued against the closure of our library by the County. Two public meetings and an 800 signature petition have endorsed the Town Council’s requests that the County continue their provision, but they have refused to do so. In order to secure a library service for our residents we have reluctantly submitted a bid to take over the library, but hope that this will not be necessary and that the County will be forced, either by the courts, or by the Secretary of State who is currently reviewing the County’s proposals, to maintain the existing service.” Sue Coakley, Chair Lechlade Library Working Group

The court date hearing is on 7th July - see here. It is the court who set the date despite Cllr Hawthorne claiming the date was 'obtained' by the Council. It seems strange to me that the County seem to be moving ahead with plans when the court action was meant to put a stop to plans?

NHS: government plans will still damage NHS

I wrote to the local press recently about my concerns regarding the NHS - see here and I also wrote to our MP here. Well I've now had a reply yesterday from Neil Carmichael - and I hugely welcome the significant changes made to the original plans by the Coalition - but I still have very significant concerns.

Yes it sounds like the role of the NHS regulator, "Monitor", will now have an overall focus on promoting the interests of patients not price competition as originally proposed - although the devil will be in the detail and even Lib Dems have warned that this may not be as it seems (see here). The problems of cherry-picking by private providers look set to remain. While yesterday at the BMA's annual conference doctors have rejected the Coalitions changes saying they will not protect the NHS. They have called for 'further big changes'.

It does seem, as Labour have claimed, that the government has a long term plan to break up the NHS and established a "full-scale market" - although it is a little strong coming from Labour who pushed the privatisation agenda in the NHS while they were in power.

Vote for two canal schemes today

Voting takes place today, 29th June, for The People’s Millions from 9am to midnight. Stroud Canals Connections, a project creating canal footpaths and more, is wanting our votes - TO VOTE PHONE 0871 62 68 128. Calls are 11p from a landline and you can vote 10 times! Meanwhile see below for details of the hydro scheme that needs support.

Update: We were runner up but still got the money - so thanks to all who voted!

The Connections project has requested funding of £55,900 to create a canal side footpath connecting the town and the surrounding national and regional paths. The route will be signposted by traditional mile markers and podcast recordings made by the community that capture the spirit of the district through stories about its past and their vision for its future. Great stuff! Good luck to this project. More information can be found and messages of support left on the project page http://www.peoplesmillions.org.uk/2011-finalists/west/stroud-canals-connections

Hydro project needs support

The Cotswolds Canal Trust wants your help. See details here: http://www.energyshare.com/dudbridge-locks-hydro/

This project is apparently separate from any proposed schemes at Ebley Mill or Kimmins Mill - both of which are also on the River Frome - this scheme aims to use flow in the canal. The Trust want a grant and then when built it will take 'Fits' to provide income for canal maintenance. It is important to recognise this is not the best site for a hydro scheme but it would be able to demonstrate possibilities for hydro in the Five Valleys. There is considerable potential for more use of small scale hydro and it is frustrating that not more projects are moving ahead.

Parish Plan groups start to form

Following the Parish Plan Questionnaire that was circulated at the beginning of the year the parish council are now looking to try and progress a number of the projects proposed in the resulting Parish Plan Document. They are holding an Open Forum at the Village Hall on Saturday 9th July between 10:00 am and 13:00 pm.

Now I know this clashes with the Edible Open Gardens weekend but do pop in quick to register interest...there are all the groups, clubs and projects noted previously like the Firewood group, Community Buddies project, Bee Group, Writers Circle and more - see poster left (double click if not large enough to read).

Stroud's health profile

As a councillor we get many papers and reports sent along with all sorts of emails. One of those that arrives each year is the 'Health Profiles' produced by the English Public Health Observatories. This gives an overview of health for each district in the country. So how are we doing?

Well the health of people in Stroud is generally better than the England average. Deprivation is lower than average, however we still have a whopping 2,530 children who live in poverty. This is wholly unacceptable and worse still this figure looks set to grow. I read also today that social care spending for the elderly and the disabled faces does mean "devastating" cuts despite what the government has said. New research by Age UK shows that funding for services for the over 65's will drop by £610 Million or by 8.4% this year. I have already blogged on fuel poverty and all this is adding up to growing inequality and our most vulnerable members of our communities facing the hardest cuts.

The report shows our life expectancy for both men and women is higher than the England average - but 4.7 years lower for men in the most deprived areas of Stroud than in the least deprived areas. Over the last 10 years, all cause mortality rates have fallen. Early death rates from cancer, heart disease and stroke have all fallen and are better than the England average.

The figures also show that about 14.7% of Year 6 children are classified as obese. 55.0% of pupils spend at least three hours each week on school sport. 75.9% of mothers initiate breast feeding and 15.1% of expectant mothers smoke during pregnancy. An estimated 14.2% of adults smoke and 24.4% are obese. There were 2,032 hospital stays for alcohol related harm in 2009/10 and there are 169 deaths from smoking each year. See Stroud's statistics here.

Stroud Greens support for public workers' strike

Stroud District Green Party has expressed support for this week's public-sector workers' strike. The income gap in Britain is growing - we should not be about transferring wealth from the poor to the rich. I hope the strike on the 30th will draw attention to this large scale government attack on vulnerable people.

The proposed reforms will mean workers will pay more to get less, and come at a time when millions of public sector workers are facing a two-year pay freeze and hundreds of thousands are expected to lose their jobs. Britain's independent financial watchdog the National Audit Office found that public sector pensions were affordable and that changes under the last Labour government to increase the pension age for new staff and to raise contributions also reduced the burden on the taxpayer.


John Marjoram, for Stroud District Green Party, said: "The government's attempts to demonise hard-working people in the public sector have been disgraceful. Changes to pensions should be negotiated and not imposed from above by a government unwilling to make its friends in the banks and big business pay for the mess they have made of Britain's economy. Workers in the public sector have seen their salaries drop in real terms after years of pay freezes and inflation. To tell them now that their pensions are being raided as well is a slap in the face."

The Green Party supports the rights of workers to strike if they feel that their pay and conditions are under threat. For a fairly balanced view on the pensions see here.

Squatting rights threat: criminalising vulnerable people

"Only a truly uncivilised government would make it illegal to stay in empty buildings, while making people homeless." Ellie Mae O'Hagan

I haven't yet got into this tweeting thing but have managed to occasionally check out other tweets and this quote was one that caught my eye. This week the government has announced a short consultation on squatting.

It is no surprise that housing charities like Crisis and Shelter are against this move. We are in the midst of a housing crisis in which rents are increasing, people are struggling to get mortgages and housing benefit is being savaged. Here in Stroud we are told it could mean a further 500 people made homeless - can this really be true?!! See previous blog here. Almost 40% of homeless people resort to squatting at some point, and of these more than half have been to prison, 20% are alcohol-dependent and more than 30% have mental health problems.

Squatting is not some middle-class drop-outs game. A large proportion of squatters are very vulnerable people who are squatting because they don't have another choice. This law would be criminalising them. It's counter-productive. It's not going to address the underlying problems that these people face ie a lack of housing.

Groups representing squatters say precise numbers are hard to establish but that the government's estimate of 20,000 squatters is likely to be a significant underestimate.

Meanwhile, as Greens have pointed out repeatedly, 870,000 homes lie empty - and for that matter there's enough empty commercial property to create 420,000 new homes although many of those sites are needed for employment. SchNEWS argue that: "Far from being a social menace - squatting is a positive short-term solution to homelessness, requiring initiative and responsibility. It's free of government cost and management. To make it illegal right now is both stupid and inhumane could at best be described as foolish, at worst inhumane."

Enforcing the possible new laws will also cost - police, courts - and where will the folk go - most likely they will then claim housing benefit.

Let us not forget the law already provides virtually instant eviction for squatters who try a family home say while they are on holiday - this is provided by clauses allowing 'displaced residential occupiers' and 'protected intending occupiers' to force entry if their homes are occupied.

This challenge to squatting makes no sense.

Edible Gardens launch on 2nd July

Here's the press release that I sent out this week - see also additional items that were not in our leaflet. .....On Saturday 2nd July on the forecourt at the Subscription Rooms in Stroud, 10am to 2pm, there will be a very wonderful display about food and ten local organisations who are helping to make the Transition Stroud Edible Open Gardens weekend on 9th and 10th July a success.

Helen Royall, coordinator of the project said: "This is a great opportunity for people new to growing vegetables to come along and find out more. We want to note thanks to The Midcounties Cooperative and Cainscross Parish Council who have supported this project. It is great that so many food growing organisations have come together and we hope this will be the beginning of a food growing revolution in Stroud!!"

Philip Booth, a Transition Stroud member and an organiser of the project, said: "The stalls on the forecourt are to help publicise the many groups that are about growing food locally. It is also to let people know about the following weekend on 9/10th July with the 35 plus open gardens and various workshops, which are for all of us to share and learn more about growing food."

The organisations on the forecourt include:  Transitiion Stroud, Stroud Pound, Foraged Food, Days Cottage fruit trees, Down to Earth cooperative, StroudCo, Stroud Community Agriculture, Get Growing, Vision 21 and Gloucestershire Wildlife.

Amanda Godber, a spokesperson for the cooperative Down to Earth, said: "We aim to support households in the Stroud area wanting to grow organic vegetables and fruit in their own gardens. We offer a range of services including 1:1 training and/or advice, courses and preparation of growing areas. We are delighted to help with this project to increase awareness about growing more food."

Tamsin Bent, one of two new community workers with the Stroud Valleys Project said: "We have just launched ‘Get Growing’ which aims to support food growing in 20 local primary schools. Already we have helped set up gardening clubs to encourage pupils to grow and eat their own vegetables. The Edible Open Gardens weekend will also have some activities for children."

Helen Pitel, one of the organisers of the Edible Open Gardens, said: "This Saturday (2nd July) is a chance for us to publicise the 9th/10th July weekend, where we are have workshops on chicken keeping, setting up a community orchard, drawing a garden, composting and more - plus over 35 gardens opening. Amongst the gardens we have organic, biodynamic, medicinal, and permaculture gardens, individual, community and vegan allotments, new and mature orchards, rainwater harvesting and forest gardens. The gardeners and allotment holders are opening their gardens for free and we are hoping their passion, knowledge and interest will encourage more people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS: NOT IN LEAFLET

1. Saturday 11.00am at Happy Valleys Farm Shop and Nursery – Venue 12.  KEEPING BEES: A talk and demonstration about keeping bees with the new bee hives at the Happy Valleys Farm Shop and Nursery with Roz Jones and Andy Coombes

2. GUIDED WALKS on Sunday 10th July. Two guided walks around the Edible Open Gardens organized by Transition Stroud, accompanied by an expert gardener who will answer your questions. Walking boots and sticks recommended...Both walks include steep and possibly slippery slopes and some stiles. Pre-booking essential.
 
Morning Walk – departs 9.45am from Horsley Village shop.
Approximately 1 ¾ miles, visiting 5 gardens in Washpool, Sugley and Tickmorend and returning to Horsley about 12.30pm.
 
Afternoon Walk – departs 2.00pm from Nailsworth Library
Approximately 3 miles, visiting 5 gardens and a community orchard,
returning to Nailsworth Library by about 5.00pm

Refreshments will be available at some of the gardens.

Leaflets with details of the gardens are available in local cafes, libraries and Tourist Info. There is also a website: http://edibleopengardens.org.uk/ 

The weekend is being organised by Transition Stroud, (www.transitionstroud.org) a group of volunteers working to strengthen our abilities to grow more food locally and find solutions to our steadily increasing supermarket food, transport and energy costs.

Andy Read blogs: County blocks food waste to heat pool and more

Andy Read (pictured right with John Marjoram) is the Independent district councillor and former Mayor of Stroud - Greens didn't stand against him in the recent elections - a rare event indeed but Andy has demonstrated leadership on many key 'green' issues. Anyhow he has a blog sharing what he gets up to and I wanted to share it here - in particular a couple of his recent blogs....

Firstly an issue I have been meaning to write on for a while - the County Council blocking plans for an anaerobic digester that could be used to heat Stroud swimming pool. You can read his blog here - this story has a long history - the county argue they want a bigger contract with all the Districts but here is a real local solution that works out economically - we deal with our own waste and heat the pool - with rising fuel prices we must do something to tackle the costs - in the new contract for Stratford Park it looks like any rises will be shared between SDC and the new company that looks set to possibly take over from Parkwood to manage Stratford Park Leisure. At the recent Cabinet meeting I asked if, as I had requested long ago, that the new contract had a clear clause that SDC can add renewables in the future. It does.

The second item that caught my eye - had missed it in the news - was police will now travel free on Stagecoach - see here - this might save money - see Andy's blog on the £18m cuts to police here - more importantly it might lead to safer public transport and hopefully a green message to other organisations?

Third was Andy's item on Capel Mill and the canal route - see here - some will remember some years ago the Iranian artist working there - see my photos of his fantastic work here - anyway the new plans were on show at Brunel Mall a week or so ago and I went along - I have to say they are a vast improvement on previous plans. Indeed the previous plans and the sham consultation that went with them left a nasty taste - this route does seem to address most of the major concerns. Although I have to say while the canal project is moving ahead there are very real concerns about the budget - we learnt recently that the shortfall has risen from £2.3 million reported in March, to £3.38 million now.

Circus vote win!

Yesterday evening, MPs voted to back a ban on circus animal cruelty.
It was very close. The government tried to stop the vote from taking place by bullying MPs to toe the line. One of the MPs who called the vote, Mark Pritchard MP, was offered a government job if he backed down and then said he was threatened when he refused.

The vote brings us closer to stopping wild animals suffering in British circuses - but there's a risk the government will try to block a ban coming into force.

Only a handful of circuses in England keep wild animals which includes any non-domestic species, such as tigers, zebras and camels - the RSPCA estimates 46 such animals are currently used in circus performance in the UK. Nearly 3 out of 4 British citizens favour a ban.



The government have claimed that a ban would risk a legal challenge, but Greens have argued that this is little more than an excuse, with no evidence forthcoming to back up the position.  During an earlier parliamentary debate on 8th June, Caroline Lucas MP highlighted that the government was given similar legal advice on banning the import of cat, dog and seal fur, yet when other governments challenged similar legal advice they found that they could implement bans.

It is clear that these majestic animals do not belong in circuses in inadequate enclosures and many suffering from inappropriate, sometimes cruel, training techniques and performing routines. It is great this has got through this stage - but there si much to do and bigger battles like factory farming....and I can't help but have real concerns about this Government's commitment to animal welfare  - question marks for example still remain over the government's position on the badger cull and its stated intention to call a vote on hunting with hounds.

Nuclear update: Oldbury to be extended despite risks

Oldbury viewed from Randwick

World Nuclear News report that almost half of the Oldbury nuclear power plant site has been declared free of the need for nuclear regulation. At the same time, Oldbury 1 has been granted approval to generate electricity until 2012 – an 18 month extension on earlier plans. Unit 2 will cease generation on 30 June, in line with the earlier plan.

This is shocking - I can't tell how many times we have been told this plant will close - see for example my blog last year here. Meanwhile we hear the government is planning on building new nukes at old sites like Oldbury. The Citizen called for a quote today but I was at work - Cllr Sarah Lunnon was able to give the quote instead. The Green Party also issued a press release:

Greens say Britain should avoid dangerous nuclear distraction

"Nuclear power creates a toxic legacy of waste and is bad value for money. Investing the same amount in energy efficiency and renewable energy would make much more difference more quickly in reducing carbon emissions, making our energy supply more secure and creating skilled, lasting jobs."
Green Party deputy leader Adrian Ramsay responded to the government's announcement that up to eight new reactor sites have been designated for development. Chris Huhne signalled that Britain will be "open for business", and hopes to attract foreign nuclear investment, despite recent events at Fukushima and elsewhere.

Mr Ramsay said: "While the Conservatives and LibDems often talk about being 'the greenest government ever', the coalition partners show their real priorities with their policies. Reducing carbon emissions must be a top priority, but this fixation on nuclear will divert investment away from the real solution - energy efficiency measures and renewable energy. "

With the recent revelation that three of the four affected reactors at Fukushima experienced full meltdown, and plants in America being put on alert or shut down as a result of flooding alongside the Missouri River the risks involved with nuclear power are being illustrated all too clearly. And the public is taking notice; Italian voters have overwhelmingly rejected Silvio Berlusconi's plans to restart the country's nuclear programme and Germany has committed to closing all of its plants by 2022.

Mr Ramsay concluded: "There are good reasons why countries across Europe are turning away from nuclear power and yet the British government is taking us in the opposite direction. Nuclear power creates a toxic legacy of waste and is bad value for money. Investing the same amount in energy efficiency and renewable energy would make much more difference more quickly in reducing carbon emissions, making our energy supply more secure and creating skilled, lasting jobs."

Report finds 'major problems' with home care system

Poppy field near Cirencester

A new inquiry has found that the care of older people in their homes is so poor that their human rights are being overlooked. See BBC report here. I blogged about the Anchor 'Grey Pride' petition here - this is yet another example about why we need a Minister for Older People. It is shocking and outrageous that this report has revealed such neglect - the report comes on top of other reports that also show how poor we are at looking after the older members of our communities.

In the last two weeks I have had cause to help two family members who have gone into hospital - one locally - it has not been an easy experience but staff have been respectful and caring. However it is clear they are very stretched for time - calls at the weekend to Gloucester Royal went unanswered - I made several attempts ringing for over 20 minutes each time and when I visited the ward several times this week the poor nurses seemed very understaffed to deal with all the patients. It is plainly not the right time to be spending billions on reorganisation when we need to invest in existing services.


The concern is also that we are loading yet more onto carers at home - last week was Carers Week - it is estimated there are 6.4 million carers in the UK who face cuts to services and benefits. This is despite the fact that carers who look after relatives or friends are saving the nation £119bn a year - or almost as much as the entire cost of the NHS, according to the latest calculation by researchers. This figure has gone up almost 40% since 2007, when the value of carers was put at £87bn.

The ageing population is making caring a fact of life for every family. Increasing numbers look set to be pushed to breaking point – forced out of work and into poverty, ill-health and isolation. Very worrying times but I also hear many people saying this cannot be allowed to happen. The cuts that are proposed go too deep and too fast. For Glos Carers see: www.carersgloucestershire.org.uk/

Julie Girling looks set to fail us on CO2 emissions

I've just read that Tory MEPs plan to defy Cameron over greenhouse gas targets - see Guardian here. Julie Girling, our Tory MEP who lives in the Cotswolds, is one of those who has said she will not support the 30% cut that is needed. This 30% was a Coalition agreement and is seen as the minimum required to tackle the worst of climate change. Camerons 'greenest government' pledge is already in tatters - this will not do that pledge any favours.

The EU vote is tight enough that it could be lost. Shame on our Tory MEPs who look set not to support the 30% cut. 70 top businesses have already supported stiffer cuts that will ultimately help measures to drive green growth and create millions of new jobs in Europe's clean industries. Christian Aid, Oxfam, Greenpeace, WWF and Green Alliance have all written to the Prime Minister, urging him to bring Tory MEPs back into line with the coalition’s support for 30 per cent cuts in European emissions by 2020. How can Julie Girling and others not see the urgency and the need for the EU to lead by example?

Email your MEP with Christian Aid's campaign here.

Cotswold Pride - yes another Glos Pride event

Hot on the heels of Saturday's Gloucestershire Pride event in Gloucester - see my video here - we have, what is billed to be, an even bigger event. Cotswold Pride 2011 on 6th August is claiming to be the pinnacle event of the Cotswold Pride Charitable Trust's calendar and this year the Charity aims to provide the biggest and best Gay Pride event the Cotswolds has ever seen.

The main event will take place in Cheltenham’s Montpellier Gardens, the day begins with a March from Pittville Park through the town centre arriving at the ‘pride grounds’ just after mid-day. The pride grounds are where the days events will unfold, entertainment and hospitality are combined with numerous stalls, both community and commercial, which they claim are an excellent way to promote your business or get your message out to the thousands of visitors expected that day.

Who are the Cotswold Pride Charitable Trust? Well apparently they were established as a charity last year with the aim to provide support and representation to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender community of the greater Cotswolds, encompassing the 6 county area of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Somerset & Avon. See more info at: http://www.cotswoldpride.co.uk/

Roundup: Is the public being kept in the dark?

A new report, 'Roundup and birth defects: Is the public being kept in the dark?', has been authored by a group of international scientists and researchers and was released earlier this month. It basically shows that the pesticide industry and regulators have repeatedly misled the public with claims that glyphosate is safe.

As most will know Monsanto's Roundup is used widely by gardeners, schools, farmers and more. Indeed on our allotments locally we had a big debate about whether to spray or not - see here - in the end half the group wanted the site sprayed and half didn't, so half the site along with paths got sprayed and the rest was not. However the site is now wholly organic.

Claire Robinson who helped write the report, writes in "The inside story on Monsanto and the glyphosate birth defect data" in The Ecologist (See full The Ecologist article here.): "The report reveals that industry’s own studies (including one commissioned by Monsanto itself) showed as long ago as the 1980s that Roundup’s active ingredient glyphosate causes birth defects in laboratory animals. Industry submitted these studies to the European Commission in support of its application for glyphosate’s approval for use in Europe. As the 'rapporteur' member state for glyphosate, liaising between industry and the Commission, Germany took an active role in minimising the problems with glyphosate and must shoulder a chunk of the responsibility for allowing it onto the market." Click on read more to see more of the article.

Westley Farm courses

Poppy field near Cirencester

Just a quick advert for a collection of courses at Westley Farm near Chalford - permaculture, rustic furniture making, charcoal burning and elm bark harvesting and weaving. It is great to see the range of courses we have in the Stroud Valleys - however I am sure we could do better at reaching people by working together more. I have been seeing if Transition Stroud and other like-minded groups could work more closely together. For example Transition Stroud has run Skills Gain courses and with the Eco-Renovation Open Homes project we are planning courses in insulation and more. Anyhow more of that in future but for now see courses at: www.westleyfarm.co.uk/courses.htm

Press Complaints rule on library cuts video

Some might remember I made front page of the Echo back in February and various other articles in other papers including even a small piece in The Daily Telegraph. What did I do? Well I made a comment on a video about Gloucestershire libraries - and put a warning note - see here. Well the Conservative leader of the county council, Mark Hawthorne, condemned me for posting a comment  saying that the video compared library cuts to the holocaust.

Well I understand that the Press Complaints Commission has now found the editor of the Gloucestershire Echo in breach of the press code of conduct following a complaint by the campaigning group Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries over the newspaper's coverage of the video.

Gloucestershire Pride 2011: YouTube of The Parade

Saturday was Gloucestershire Pride 2011 - a great day - I have rather hurriedly thrown together this YouTube - great to see how Pride has grown in Glos since the first one in 2006 (see here).  A big thanks to all the organisers.



Greens in Gloucestershire have joined all the marches and this latest parade since 2006. You can read more about the Green Party and LGBT issues at: www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

Fuel poverty: success at Cabinet

I have been chairing an inquiry into fuel poverty at the District Council - see here. The report I wrote was passed by Scrutiny and so this last Thursday the report went to Cabinet. I had the morning off work to attend the meeting and add any additional info necessary - well I am delighted the report was passed. Of course now I wish I had pushed for more! However it is a realistic next few steps that we must take if we are to take more action to tackle fuel poverty.

The link here covers the issues and what I have been seeking as chair of the inquiry. As noted it is deeply concerning that we face 15 to 16% of households in the district in fuel poverty and rising. Indeed last week The Times reported a million extra people face the prospect of fuel poverty within months with the gas price increases. While a representative of the Stroud District Older Persons forum told me this last week that they had visited Neil Carmichael to raise the issue of fuel poverty – particularly older people in rural areas and the cost of oil.

The inquiry Chris Huhne launched into fuel poverty earlier this year has now just closed to submissions and will report in the Autumn with a final report by January 2012. It cannot come too soon - as I have said before that I think it is shameful in an energy rich country that we see older and vulnerable people are skipping meals as Age UK have found, under-heating their homes, rationing their consumption of fuel – and increasing their exposure to ill-health, misery and depression. In 2007 60,000 excess deaths were attributed to cold in homes.

Last week a new study into the energy efficiency of Scottish housing. found that for every £1 spent on keeping homes warm and well insulated, the NHS could save 42 pence on health costs. A related report showed that bringing all homes to a ‘D’ rating in Scotland would support nearly 10,000 jobs and generate £613 million gross value added to the economy. 

It makes sense on so many fronts to tackle fuel poverty I find it hard to understand why there is not more leadership on this issue nationally.

Stroud youth team at UN Commission on the Status of Women

Yesterday evening I went to the District Council Chamber to hear the local youth team who attended the UN Commission on the Status of Women this March in New York. Wow they were impressive. 

I am seeing whether the many great presentations can be put online - they covered issues from the glass ceiling, gangsta rap to the issue of widowhood.....this last issue is getting a higher profile and their is a meeting later in the month at the House of Commons....I can remember reading something on this at least 10 years ago and the terrible impacts on many women whose husbands die. It is amazing that this issue still seems to be so low down on priorities. Many millions of widows of all ages face extreme poverty, violence, ill-health, loss of homes and more. It is great to see Widow's Rights International  now working on this - with Ruscombe resident Zarin Hainsworth as a Trustee - she was also co-chair of the meeting.

Anyway the event was sponsored by National Council of Women and supported by UN Women UK – Stroud ADVANCE. The UK youth caucus gave a number of presentations at the UN events and at the House of Commons and shared some of their presentations - as noted I hope to bring links in the future to their presentations if that is possible.

Library closures on hold

Well I've just heard the good news - library closures have been stopped so that courts can look at the legality of the closures. See below the Public Interest Lawyers press release. Many of us have long argued that the County failed miserably with it's consultation process and failed to take account of many aspects when it put in place this programme of cuts. Indeed you can see now the results of their consultation which have been obtained via Freedom of Information - see here. As the campaign group say: "How can GCC claim they have ‘listened’ to the public when they are charging ahead with implementing these, clearly, deeply unpopular and feared unworkable plans?"

This court action will be a chance for all factors to be considered and by all accounts - I hope it means that cuts to mobile services just announced will now not take place. In the meantime the campaign are still collecting contributions towards the legal challenge. If you wish to donate, details of how you can are on our website here. You can see my letter before Christmas questioning the consultation here and see the Stroud Against the Cuts March video here.

HIGH COURT ISSUES INJUNCTION AGAINST GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL PREVENTING LIBRARY CLOSURES

The High Court today issued an Injunction against Gloucestershire County Council stopping its planned library closures in their tracks. Public Interest lawyers obtained the Injunction as part of the judicial review case being brought on behalf of a Gloucestershire library user opposing the library cuts. The case has the support of a large number of Gloucestershire library users. The Injunction prevents the Council from:

1. Withdrawing funding from any library which it currently funds;
2. Transferring or agreeing to transfer any library building or lease or responsibility
for running any existing library;
3. Transferring or agreeing to transfer any mobile library or other library asset (such as computers, shelving etc.); and
4. Closing or taking any steps to close any library.

The injunction is effective immediately. The Injunction preserves the status-quo to allow the Court to fully review the lawfulness of the Council’s cuts to library provision at a hearing on 7 July 2011. If the challenge is successful, then it will proceed to a full hearing quickly thereafter.

Until today, Gloucestershire County Council was pressing ahead with the library cuts, despite strong public opposition with the county. Mobile libraries, issuing over 100,000 books a year to care homes and children in deprived areas were due to be taken out of action over the next few weeks. The Council wants to reduce the number of libraries with full opening hours from 38 to 9 and to withdraw funding from 10 of those libraries altogether. The scale of the cuts is more than twice the percentage reduction in central government funding.

Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers said as follows: “The High Court has stopped Gloucestershire County Council’s library cuts in their tracks today. It cannot proceed with closures, and must continue to fund libraries, until the legality of these cuts has been properly decided by the Court.”

Daniel Carey, also a solicitor at Public Interest Lawyers, added that: “The Council was in such haste to push these cuts through it couldn’t even wait until the consultation period was over. It has tried to do the same with the court case, but the High Court has today ensured that these cuts will receive the full scrutiny of the law. The Council has very clear statutory duties to provide libraries and these plans breach them.”

More Hall Annual Garden Party 25th June

Winning milking competition at previous garden party!

On Saturday, 25th June, the residents, staff and friends of More Hall are holding their annual Garden Party. This year there will be the usual selection of stalls, including plants, cakes, Tombolas and bric-a-brac also there will be music, dancing, games and a chance to explore the grounds on our Nursery Rhyme Trail.

The afternoon will have a Nursery Rhyme theme including tableaux illustrating the rhymes around the garden and a chance to join in singing and dancing to these songs that are part of our heritage.

Throughout the afternoon musical entertainment will be provided by Norma Mills and her friends with featured spots from two local groups. The first, UkeStroud (who show that a Ukulele is a serious instrument). They will be joined by a new local Morris side – SCA Morris - made up of members of Stroud Community Agriculture; who heard that there was a shortage of Morris Dancers for the event and decided to fill the gap for us. Their appropriately named organiser, Sue Dance said “we are enjoying the fun of mixing traditional folk music & new dance steps and look forward to entertaining friends and families in the beautiful setting of More Hall Convent.”.

Refreshments will available all afternoon to eat in or take away. These will include strawberries and cream, cakes, ices and the famous More Hall Samosas.

The garden party is organised by The Friends Of More Hall, an informal group who organise events for the residents and raise funds for “extras” such as the recent railway trip they made on the GWR in Cheltenham. For more information about More Hall or the activities of the friends please contact Sister Elsy Poonoly (01453 764486). The Party will start at 2 pm on Saturday, 24th June in the grounds of More Hall. The entrance is just into Humphries End off the Randwick Road.

Peak oil: why did Labour deny the facts?

Following a long battle using Freedom of Information it has been confirmed that the government was warned in no uncertain terms by its own civil servants two years ago that there could be "significant negative economic consequences" to the UK posed by near-term "peak oil" energy shortages. The response was the Wicks review into energy security which effectively dismissed peak oil as alarmist and irrelevant. See Guardian here and George Monbiot here - although no one seems at the moment to be able to answer why Labour denied their own official reports. More importantly it means the government must act with all haste to address the situation. As the suppressed report said peak oil is likely to have significant global consequences including civil unrest. How many more reports does our Government need to see before it acts?

Stroud: help us find our fruit and nuts!

Down to Earth Co-Operative are currently undertaking a study in the Stroud District on the feasibility of running a Fruit and Nut Tree Guardianship Scheme. The aim is to tend trees and bushes, harvest them when the time is ripe and to produce delicious treats from the harvest. They need your help in locating as many trees and bushes as possible to build a map of the potential bounty - these can be in yours or willing neighbours’ gardens.

If you know of any suitable trees or bushes and would like to support the project or be involved in any way then please contact Leisa Wakeling, with type, size and location on: leisakaleid(at)yahoo.co.uk or 07749 113209

Stroud Edible Open Gardens website launched

Stroud Edible Open Gardens 9th and 10th July 2011. Here's our press release:

Website and leaflet now available

Helen Pitel, one of the organisers of the Transition Stroud event, said: "We have workshops over the weekend on chicken keeping, setting up a community orchard, drawing a garden, composting and more - plus over 35 gardens opening. Amongst the gardens we have organic, biodynamic, medicinal, and permaculture gardens, individual, community and vegan allotments, new and mature orchards, rainwater harvesting and forest gardens. The gardeners and allotment holders are opening their gardens for free and we are hoping their passion, knowledge and interest will encourage more people to grow their own fruit and vegetables."

Philip Booth, another organiser said: "This is an opportunity for people to learn how to grow their own. “Food prices are going through the roof due to rising costs of farming and transport so growing your own, whether in pots, an allotment or garden, makes sense. Our leaflet with details of the gardens is out now and will soon be in local cafes, libraries and Tourist Info. We also have a website. See: http://edibleopengardens.org.uk/ 

Big thanks to The Midcounties Cooperative and Cainscross Parish Council who have helped launch this project."

Transition Stroud is a group of volunteers who work “for the benefit of the community of the Stroud District to take, and inspire others to take, collaborative actions that strengthen our local community and respond positively to the challenges of climate change and rising energy costs.”
See more at: http://www.transitionstroud.org/

Green MP tackles tax evasion

A new Tax and Financial Transparency Bill which could help the UK recover billions of pounds of lost tax by forcing companies to be more transparent in their accounting was on the agenda for debate in Parliament on Friday. The Bill, launched by the MP for Brighton Pavilion and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas in March this year, is due for its second reading in the House of Commons - and also featured on BBC Radio 4's Decision Time programme tonight. It is worth a listen (only 5 days left to hear it) - see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011pkqn

The Brighton Pavilion MP launched her campaign after posing a number of Parliamentary Questions to the Chancellor, in which she exposed the fact that H M Revenue & Customs is failing to prevent serious tax evasion which could amount to as much as £16 billion in lost tax.

A report published by Tax Research UK in March revealed that around 500,000 companies "disappeared" from the UK's Register of Companies in the year to March 2010 - with billions being lost to the Exchequer as a result.

See also Tax Havens - 6 short videos of the talk in Stroud by tax expert and former government advisor, John Christensen: http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2011/03/tax-haven-videos.html

She is also calling for a requirement on multinational companies to publish information on where they make their sales, record their profits and pay their taxes, in order to ensure that corporations make a fair and proper contribution to society.Caroline Lucas MP believes that urgent measures are needed to stop companies that are formally dissolved from trading fraudulently, thereby undermining honest businesses who do pay their taxes. See full press release here.

"This bill goes right to the heart of the economic issues facing our country. If the Government was serious about protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities from the cuts, it would start investing in tax collection and proper regulation so that companies are not allowed to simply disappear without paying the taxes they owe." Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)

The bill would force companies to 'publish what tax they pay', requiring all companies filing accounts in the UK to include a statement on the turnover, pre-tax profit, tax charge and actual tax paid for each country in which they operate, without exception. If they only trade in the UK, this has no impact on them. This information would, however, mean that the answers to the questions asked of Barclays Bank earlier this year about where it earned its profits, how much profit was recorded in tax havens, and where it paid its taxes could be answered for all companies trading internationally.

Caroline Lucas said: "This information is vital if we are to ensure that multinational corporations make a fair and proper contribution to our society. Companies cannot opt out of corporate social responsibility - and paying tax to the country that provides them with their opportunities to trade is an essential part of it. You can't be socially responsible and accountable unless you say where you are and what you do in each place that you trade."

Concerns re how County libraries will work

Poppy field near Cirencester

Yesterday I covered the plea to raise money to take the County to court over the libraries - see here. Well have a look over at the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries website - they have been trying to find out how community libraries will work. I think their questions are wholly legitimate yet they appear to have been blocked all the way - see here. It hardly seems plausible that the county have not thought through these proposals yet here seems to be another example where things have gone badly wrong.

Volunteers wanted: village shop threatened with temporary closure

Village Shop

Our wonderful Village Shop is in need of help. I understand that there is a desperate need for volunteers who are prepared to donate 2 hours of their time a week to looking after the shop. Apparently there will be occasions this week when the shop will have to close due to the lack of volunteers to keep it open.

After the school, the village shop was deemed to be the most important facility in the village, so if you are aware of anyone who would be prepared to help could you please ask them to contact the shop. It would be a real shame if the shop had to close through lack of support in the village. See more about the shop on the recent guest blog here.

Help challenge County decision over libraries

The Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries (FOGL) have been fighting cuts to Gloucestershire’s libraries throughout the year. A legal challenge has now been launched against the council’s plans, as they may be in breach of the Public Libraries Act, the Equalities Act and failed to consult properly. Following government cuts to Legal Aid, the Legal Services Commission will only be able to fund part of the costs, and will be seeking ‘community contribution’ to cover the remainder.

Photo: Tulip


FOGL are not the claimant in this case (they wish to be anonymous), but they are launching a campaign to raise the money. The amount required will be between £10,000 and £15,000. We will know the exact amount after 23 June, but it is important that we start raising the money now as the council are starting to implement their cuts.

Although this sounds like a lot, if the council’s plans go ahead then communities will be having to raise more than this every year to keep their libraries running. FOGL think it is regrettable that we have to do this, but this is the only option left in the fight to save our libraries. The lawyers have indicated they think the challenge has a good chance of success. They are looking to raise as much as possible by 26 June 2011. See more here about how you can make a donation and support the campaign.

Amazingly I read that 3 out of 10 children own no books - see Guardian article here. Nationwide it is said 521 libraries are due to be closed or are under threat. The average cost of running a library is £300,000.  This means that only 1% of the corporation tax being lost by the Exchequer would keep all closed or threatened libraries open while only 3.5% of the corporation tax being lost by the Exchequer would fund the total amount of Educational Maintenance Allowance in England. Meanwhile as we've seen bankers bonuses are again obscenely high despite David Cameron saying in Feb 2009: "Where the taxpayer owns a large stake in a bank, we are saying that no employee should be paid a bonus of over £2,000." 

Potato Day and the most pro-gm government yet!

Well Caroline Spelman has said our government will be the most pro-gm yet. See blog here with details of the two trials re GM potatoes. It seems astonishing the government are still pushing ahead with all the evidence against GM....

And talking of potatoes last week I had a meeting to plan next years Stroud Potato Day. This year we raised over £760 from potato sales and our recipe book for Transition Stroud. I had a meeting with the Down to Earth Cooperative about a partnership to help celebrate Stroud Potato Day. Working in partnership I believe can help us all....our provisional date is Saturday 4th February and things are looking good....we certainly will be GM-free!


So who are Down to Earth?

Well the Co-operative was set up in late 2009, to support households in the Stroud area wanting to grow organic vegetables and fruit in their own gardens. The group provides a range of services from 1:1 training and/or advice (planning, trouble shooting etc), running gardening courses, preparation of growing areas including installing raised beds or removing turf or recovering overgrown areas, through to planting and sowing, weeding and feeding, protection from pests, harvesting and holiday cover. In addition to these services, Down to Earth has a 'Growing Communities Project', the aim of which is to take volunteers through nationally accredited training in growing food organically, and then supporting them in encouraging others to start growing.

They hope to start a new project later on this year, called 'The Fruit and Nut Tree Guardianship Scheme'.  Other plans in the pipeline include crop share schemes, which they are currently researching to find the most suitable option for those with spare growing areas.  If anyone would like to find out more about the co-operative, go to www.downtoearth.coop, email info(at)downtoearth.coop, or call 01453 700011.

Ruscombe brook: walk highlights action areas

Just over a month ago the Ruscombe Brook Action Group walked the top half of the brook. We gained permission from the relevant landowners as we do each year to check out problems, improvements etc. It was a great evening where I learnt lots.

Last year we walked with FWAG - that's the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and it is the UK's leading independent provider of environmental advice to farmers - see that walk here. This time we had a new group member who works with water and conservation - he was able to add to the advice and info we had gained last year.

Photos from walk in May of the top half of the brook.

On Tuesday this week we met again to discuss what we found on the walk and our next steps. We have drawn up a list of 4 target issues to consider further. It is good to have some renewed enthusiasm and focus for the group as we have drifted a bit over the last 6 months.

Also good news is that the relining of sewers is imminent. Severn Trent have contacted several local landowners and will soon be giving dates to start. It has only taken us since 2006 to get this to happen!!

Having said that the yearly root cutting of roots that have grown into sewers has led to almost no raw sewage incidents - what a difference from 2005/6 when there were some 20 plus incidents.

You can read more about our project at:
http://www.rbag.org.uk/

Or for even more click on the Ruscombe brook label below.

Nuclear updates

It is a bit shocking to learn that the Japanese company that runs the Fukushima nuclear plant failed to let the world know that three of six reactors damaged by the tsunami actually suffered meltdown within days - as Porritt and others have said you cannot trust this industry - see more here.

However it was good to hear that residents in Shepperdine hope the ruling by the German government to close all of the country’s nuclear power stations will mean no new plant at Oldbury (pictured left). Reg Illingworth, chair of Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy (SANE), said fellow anti-nuclear campaigners were the most optimistic they had ever been since they began their fight against a potential new nuclear plant. See here.


Lastly three Lib Dems will have the chance to demonstrate 'muscular liberalism' or 'liberal capitulation' on Tuesday when the vote for public subsidy - or not - of nuclear power at the Public Bill Committee - see Greenpeace blog here which starts: "On the eve of a vital vote on taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power, we've published the results of an exclusive opinion poll which shows that the majority of people - 46 per cent - oppose any future subsidy for the nuclear power industry - compared to less than a third who support it (32%). Liberal Democrat MPs stood at the last election on a manifesto pledge of opposing new nuclear power and ending public subsidy: these opinion poll findings will be a reminder of what the electorate expect."

Local artists open their studios

I blogged about the Open Studios opening this month - see here and picture left of preview exhibition in the Museum in the Park - but I didn't in that blog mention properly the local artists opening...

Jackie Garner - world renowned wildlife artist is opening her studio at The Old Cider House in Humphreys End. It's open 11am - 6pm on both the weekends; 11 & 12 and 18 & 19 June. It'll also be open 6 - 9pm on Tuesday 14th June as a special evening opening. See her blog: http://garnerwildlifeart.wordpress.com

Dorte Shelley - at the Old School in Whiteshill uses both clay and paper - I've mentioned her already and Moira Buckley of Puckshole is exhibiting at Frogmarsh Mill porcelain and jewellery. The other two artists near us are Anna Bloomfield at 26 Byron Road, Farmhill with watercolours and mixed media and Heather Coleman at 311 Westward Road exhibiting jewellery, photography and costumes.

This is the 15th Site Festival 2011 - see full details here and download a programme here. As noted in the original post it gets bigger and better - over 460 artists at 78 sites! So lots and lots to see - am looking forward to the weekend.

Make your views to Forest panel known

The wonderful Hands Off Our Forest (HOOF) campaign to save the Forest of Dean continues. The deadline for submissions to the Government is 31st July but they would like them made by 13th June ahead of the panel's visit to the Forest of Dean. See more on their website: http://www.handsoffourforest.org/

My submission is below - click read more - I am not sure how useful the panel's questions are as they overlap......and goodness knows how they will collate the responses. I am also really concerned that this is another meaningless consultation process where views will be ignored...we'll have to wait and see....I've done this in a rather hurried fashion due to personal circumstances - I would welcome comments and feedback.

Gloucestershire Pride: Sat. 18th June

Gloucestershire Pride is coming up on Saturday 18th June - march starts at 1pm. It is a great atmosphere and the organisers invite folks to join in. See details at: http://www.gloucestershirepride.org.uk/

The Green party were amongst those in the first Gay Pride march in Gloucestershire. Catch a glimpse of me holding the banner in the Youtube film below. Since then it has grown every year and is now a wonderful fun filled day. See previous Pride 2010 photos here and one from 2006 here.

Green League tables: well done Glos Uni

The University of Gloucestershire takes second place in the university green league tables. People and Planet have come out today with their yearly league table of which universities have performed best, on a variety of measures (Fairtrade, carbon, recycling, energy, curriculum). See:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2011/jun/07/green-league-table-2011?intcmp=239

Letter re disasterous NHS and education changes

Here is the letter to local press below that I sent at the weekend - but first the Gloucestershire public drop-ins re the NHS. Stroud's is on 22nd June 11-1 in the Sub Rooms.

Photo: View across to Whiteshill

Dear Madam,

It is no wonder there have been letters to the SNJ concerning the Coalition's plans for the NHS. We are told a funding crisis threatens the NHS if Andrew Lansley's 'reforms' don't go through. The truth is that there is a massive funding crisis facing the NHS whatever. This has been created by the impact of the government's cuts, money wasted on the ongoing privatisation of the NHS (including the PFI schemes) and a failure to 'green' the NHS with more emphasis on prevention and less on mega-hospitals.

Our NHS is value for money; it remains one of the least expensive and lower than both the EU and OECD average. The press talk of NHS negligence and misdiagnosis, yet a recent study shows that the NHS is the one of the safest healthcare systems in the world and a patient survey of eleven countries published earlier this year shows that on most criteria the NHS is in fact first class.

The Coalition plan a take over of the NHS by competing private companies responsive primarily to their shareholders. Forget the camouflage of localism and choice. People can't choose if services are contracted out, as contracts go on regardless. Even pro-market economist DeAnne Julius failed to find any decent evidence that contracting out actually works as a general proposition. Forget wasting billions on reorganisation, what the NHS needs is more money, less private sector and more on prevention.

Meanwhile while many of us focus on the shake-up of the NHS, Michael Gove has been pushing ahead with school reforms that are just as risky. It is the same sorry story with private providers set to take over services and further develop a two-tier system in which the poor get a bog-standard service while privileged families are offered a streamlined alternative.

The private sector has no "magic bullet" for education or the NHS. Both Lansley and Gove seem set on ripping apart our services for purely ideological reasons. Greens are amongst those who will be opposing their moves.

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

PS The Green party sponsored Coffee House discussion on Friday 24th June is on the NHS at 7.30 at Star Anise cafe.

Stroud arts festival: over 460 artists in 78 sites!!

We have just had the wonderful International Textile Festival here in Stroud. Now it is time for the 15th Site Festival 2011 - see details here and download a programme here. It gets bigger and better - over 460 artists at 78 sites!

Well on Saturday I made the opening of the taster of the Site Open studios at the Museum in the Park. It was lots of fun indeed and as usual came away inspired and wanting to do lots of creative things...

The photos in this blog posting are of paintings by  Matthew Curtis': he got my vote for the best in that exhibition - loved his pics. The next pic has Whiteshill's Dorte Shelly's pic in the background (I think entitled Daffodil carriage - apols if I got that wrong)...also in pic to right is Randwick artist, Moira Buckley who has also got pieces at the exhibition. Next up in the last photo was one of my granddaughters favorites...'A Flock of Snippety Snips' by Corinne Hockley.

With all the cuts to arts funding I fear for the future of such wonderful events - it is extraordinary that Stroud has such an incredible number of artists - they also play a part in making Stroud the special place it is to live in....as The Telegraph once said Stroud is to art what Hay-on-Wye is to book...

Save the Slad Valley

The proposed development at Wades Farm is understandably creating concerns from many.  Nearly 600 letters of objection have been made.

Photo by Matt Archibald: taken from campaign website - see link below 

For me this is proposed development is wrong on many counts - but in terms of planning it is outside the settlement boundary and in a particularly important Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Both these factors should be good planning reasons to oppose this development, but sadly this is not always the case. The campaign group are right to muster as much support as possible to challenge this development.

I am also concerned that the proposed development is located in Flood Zone 1. This will increase flooding risk into the Slad Road from the Slad brook where issues regarding the current problems of flooding are still to be resolved. I would urge all to make your own comments to the local planning departtment.

The comments can be submitted online at: http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/planning/planning_application_detail.asp?AppRef=S.11/0812/FUL

They are then transferred  by the Planning Office to the reference: S.11/0899/MISC which is where you will find all the comments are listed.  http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/planning/planning_application_detail.asp?AppRef=S.11/0899/MISC

See the campaign website at: http://www.saveslad.blogspot.com/

Salt doesn't deserve such a bad press!

I've just read an article that makes alot of sense to me about salt. I've never been one for the 'refined, processed salt' since I learnt it was an industrial leftover - basically the chemical industry removes the valuable trace elements and heats it at super-high temperatures to 'make' sodium chloride - which of course contains all sorts of  industrial additives. It is then bleached and no wonder it is not good for you - on the otherhand unrefined seasalt is a whole different game. See article here.

For peat's sake listen!

When will the Government phase out the use of peat in horticulture? The evidence is overwhelming - extracting peat destroys vital wildlife habitats and is responsible for loads of greenhouse gas emissions. Peat bogs are major carbon sinks - some estimate we have lost 95% of them already - when peat is extracted it releases huge amounts of carbon - indeed the peat industry in this country leads to emissions equivalent to 100,000 cars.

What’s more, there are plenty of peat-free alternatives available - and research by 'Which?' found that alternative peat-free compost can outperform the traditional product. Last year the consumer watchdog awarded Best Buys for container compost to three peat-free varieties - Vital Earth Tub and Basket Compost; New Horizon Multi-Purpose Compost; and Vital Earth Multi-Purpose Compost.

The Government even accepts this argument but for some reason is not acting despite even the big gardening businesses wanting action.

For more than ten years we have had a voluntary approach to phasing out peat use, with a target of using 90% peat alternatives by 2010. As RSPB note: "The result has been a spectacular failure - growing media in the UK is still 70% peat!"

Peat-free is currently more expensive than peat and it seems the government is happy for us to continue using it. However with a levy per litre they could move towards a complete phase out.  Garden Organic have launched a pledge for people to sign up to not using peat - that is part of a lobby to get the government to end peat sales by 2016.

Letter: cannot hear action on CO2 is impossible

Here is a letter that I sent to Stroud Life newspaper earlier this week in response to a letter calling for Britain not to sign up to CO2 cuts:

Photo: Ruscombe valley

Dear Sir/Madam,

John Parfitt calls on the Government to suspend targets to cut carbon as the US and China don't plan similar cuts (Stroud Life letters 1.06.11). It is true no nation will solve climate change alone, but the UK target while described as 'groundbreaking' is the 'absolute minimum' required. Few are confident that we will meet it. Indeed research shows the new carbon target is likely to be more than annulled by the growth in outsourced greenhouse gases.

Last week the International Energy Agency said that greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year. This puts hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach and this is despite the most serious global recession in 80 years. This is a terrifying wake up call, or at least it should be. We need serious political will, but even now our political leaders are discussing extracting the world's last remaining fossil fuels.

China's per capita CO2 emissions are much less than others. How can we preach to them when our house is not in order? The West has only managed to reduce emissions by allowing other countries to run polluting industries on our behalf. Under Kyoto, China need not cut emissions, which allows Cameron to pretend there is no conflict between green and growth. China can take the blame.

The Stern report said acting on emissions now is cheaper than dealing with the impacts of climate change. We have an opportunity to build a new green economy that takes us away from fossil fuels. We must act with other nations, but for Britain to turn back on the limited emissions targets, would be an economic, environmental and moral catastrophe.

The climate crisis is the greatest threat we face. Actions to date have largely failed, but a system that tackles climate change fairly is still possible. We have seen a short-term rescue of the economy where overnight billions were found to bail out the banks. It should never have been necessary, yet it shows what governments can do when the political will is there. We cannot hear that action is impossible. Governments can and must make it possible.

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

Support Grey Pride!

Anchor housing launched 'Grey Pride', a nationwide campaign to petition the British government to appoint a Minister for Older People. Despite making up 40% of voters, there is no Government minister dedicated to the well-being of older people. It is time to change that. Sign here.

Research shows that early intervention programmes can produce savings of between £1.20 and £2.56 for every £1 spent. Preventative action saves money and lives - yet as noted before on this blog the very progammes like Supporting People that are doing that in Gloucestershire look set to face massive cuts - see here. We need a more coordinated approach that understands this - a dedicated Minister would at least go someway to a more coordinated approach.

Allotments sold off in past

Just a quick note to say thanks for all the positive feedback re the allotments video. See video here.

Having been delighted that the government have U-turned on plans to remove requirements to have allotments I was disappointed to learn that a government study just released has found that town halls have sold or redeveloped over 50,000 allotments in 15 years. This is despite huge waiting lists and demand for ‘grow your own’ food. However, Planning Minister Greg Clark has pledged to boost allotments by giving communities powers to identify new sites and protect existing plots under the Localism Bill. Read more from the Daily Mail here. We await to see how this turns into action.

Meanwhile Transition West Kirby have just finished their annual survey of allotment waiting lists across the country. The report demonstrates that demand for allotments remains high, and there seems to have been little increase in supply - the number of plots in new allotment sites brought into use by local authorities in the last year represents only about 1% of the number of people on local authority waiting lists.

Sponsored bike ride to challenge Fairford Air Tattoo

The possibility of Nailsworth Green, Kevin Lister, going to jail was noted here on this blog and his video about it is here. Indeed yesterday he relased a new video here which is also worth a look. Well there is no news on that yet - but I hear the sponsored bike ride to Fairford plans are going well. The Facebook site with details can be found here.

The ride is about raising money for charity but just by being there it is also challenging the enormous and hugely powerful military industrial complex. As one of the news items on it says: "The solution to climate change is fundamentally an issue about challenging the power structures in our global society – and those power structures stem from the military industry complex. Without tackling the military industrial complex and connecting it directly with the failure of climate change agreements, there will never be the progress that we desperately need."

The Green Party has long called for the cancellation of the Tattoo - click read more below to see letter to press in past. The Air Tattoo this year have started distributing their leaflets around local shops and businesses – they even have the A-10 and their intent is to be 'the loudest celebration on earth'. The A-10 is the only aircraft that carries depleted uranium bullets - capable of piercing armour - just sent to Libya.  As this blog has noted the depleted uranium leaves a deadly cloud of radioactive micro-particles - a powder which will cause damage to both environment and health for years. The uranium powder produced during impact and combustion of depleted uranium munitions can potentially contaminate wide areas around the impact sites leading to possible inhalation by human beings.  This is an abomination.

A Google search on the Air Tattoo is already showing a huge number of anti Air Tattoo web pages on the first and second search pages. I came across this excellent analysis of the trivial amount the Fairford Tattoo contribute to charity, see http://directactionstation.com/?p=3476.

The Tattoo, I understand, used to be advertised as raising money for charity but when you look at the amounts raised, it is, in my view, shocking indeed that they are so little. According to that analysis most goes to fund Air Cadets at university with only £14,000 going to disabled or injured service men. However the Charity Commission, which is part of the Civil Service run out of the government’s Cabinet Office has decided that promotion of armed forces recruitment is a charitable act!

Meanwhile I understand Kevin has not received answers to the issues raised in his letter to Neil Carmichael - see here.