2012: a year of hope?

We have had a financial crisis that became a sovereign debt crisis, rioting on the streets and the largest general strike in a generation. The OECD have predicted a double dip recession, yet our Government has committed itself to continued economic austerity and public sector cuts beyond the next parliament. Inequality continues to grow - Barclays' top executive's earnings have for example increased by a stratospheric 4899.4% since 1980, whilst wages for the average worker have only seen a three fold increase.

Yet all around the world people are questioning the way the world is run. The global #Occupy movement is demanding justice for the 99%, while Harvard students walked out of their lessons to protest the narrow economics they were taught. Here in Stroud we have seen last January the massive march against the cuts and in September the march for the NHS. We have had Judicial Reviews called to try and limit the closures to libraries and challenge the privatisation of our NHS.

Opposition is growing - even the climate change talks in Durban while on many levels a failure it was also the first time the whole world signed up. Caroline Lucas has called for a new economic order - see here.

I was able to visit earlier this month #Occupy at St Pauls - these photos are from then - it was great to see people working to create a different world - a Green party colleague some months ago produced a draft of what a manifesto could look like - I like his thoughts - am sure we could all add more. See also number one film here.

One other very positive development is the movement to create a law against ecocide - if you haven't come across this do watch the YouTube below which summarises what it's all about - and you can see Polly Higgins in Stroud in March.

 One of my favorite quotes is:

"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day I can hear her breathing." Arundhati Roy

Of course in talking about positive movements I should not forget Transition - it has taken off around the world - see here.

Anyway I am sure all you blog readers have better things to do than be here - have a good day and catch up with you in 2012.

Alternative to an incinerator

Pic from ad for Italian film re incinerators

Even despite calls by both Cheltenham Borough and Stroud District Council to think again on an incinerator the County is steaming ahead. Urbaser Balfour Beatty, a consortium of two firms, has won the £500m deal for the controversial rubbish burning facility at Haresfield. A planning application is going in and campaigners are still hopeful the whole process can be stopped and some sanity restored. There is also a legal challenge by Lib Dems to call in the decision - see here the campaigners Christmas video sent to all councillors.

Now I've written before on this blog about some of the alternatives to incinerators - and indeed there are new developments all the time - which makes it all the more crazy to tie us into a 25 year contract. Anyhow one idea was presented to Gloucestershire County Council last year - waste to ethanol - now I'm no expert in this area but it has many aspects that are interesting. You can see an interesting short video made a while ago on the Kent County Council website at: http://digital.kent.gov.uk/3038  There is also info to download at:  http://jayarec.juneayasol.com/ENERGY-FROM-WASTE.pdf

Here's a comment from someone who lives locally re this approach: "Incinerators are already being replaced in different parts of the world by waste to ethanol plants, and will have become obsolete by 2015 when this planned incinerator is due to start operating."

Oh how sad - but as noted there is still a chance this incinerator can be stopped.

Possession misery

Shelter have completed their Eviction Risk Monitor research looking at the number and location of possession claims issued in England. Every two minutes someone faces losing their home and an astonishing 70,000 children will have woken up on Christmas day in temporary accommodation.

A possession claim is an advanced stage in the possession process, and while not all households issued with a claim will end up being evicted, a claim is a good indication of the extent to which families are struggling to keep up with their housing costs and their potential exposure to losing their home.

You can see their research report with links to advice at: http://england.shelter.org.uk/campaigns/housing_issues/eviction_risk_monitor

Homelessness is up 13% on last year according to government figures. Shelter's research found that part of that was made up by a worrying 8% increase in possession claims in the rented sector. Stroud is thankfully well down the list with possession claims being in the lowest 10% of local authorities - but that is still 205 possession claims.

All this seems so unjust in a world where we have more than enough homes for everyone - it is just some have several homes and many our empty - indeed the number of empty homes is now at around one million and these would house all on the waiting list. There is much opportunity to reduce the pressure on our local green field sites by converting dormant housing stock and breathing new life into communities. It is time the government made the right sort of incentives to get those properties back into life.


See here my letter to the press about the housing time bomb in Stroud.

Right-wing press bias against renewables

I recently came across research by the Public Interest Research Centre (Pirc) - it confirms what many of us have known for a long while that the Mail has a particularly anti-green stance and in particular the remarkable degree of negativity towards renewable energy in the UK press more broadly. See report here.

In the Mail, 75% of articles "centrally concerned with renewables" took a negative stance, and only 8% were positive. The Sun came out almost as anti-renewables as the Mail – though this was mainly due to Jeremy Clarkson, who accounted for two-thirds of the Sun's negative pieces. The Independent in contrast was positive in almost two-thirds of stories focusing mainly on renewables and negative in just a few percentage of cases.

How on earth can we reach our climate change targets if the press are ignoring the science? For example The Mail made a huge deal about the costs of renewable energy policies on householder bills but increased the true figure by more than 100% due to accidental or deliberate errors.

Next step to slow traffic

Slides from talk

Before Christmas I was at the Randwick Parish Council meeting - very nice it was to as after my feedback re District Council stuff and a shorter agenda we had a presentation from Highways about 20 mph (see details at bottom of how you can hear presentation), then a presentation of cheques to local groups and then wine and nibbles for any local residents present.

Long have we campaigned for a 20 mph in the two Parishes - see here demo last year in Whiteshill. See here why 20 mph is the way to go and on the 20 mph label for lots lots more about 20 mph. Well now Highways have finally sorted the direction they intend to go in the light of cuts of 30% to Highways.

The way forward came partly out of a County Scrutiny meeting which reported on actions needed. I can't do justice to the talk but basically there are three ways forward - see slide one.

The crucial question is with limited resources how best should the two Parishes reduce speed - an issue that gets a mention more than most other items on the doorstep. As the last slide on this blog post from recent speed tests shows it is partly a perception of speed rather than speed itself - but nevertheless speed is still above 20 mph and also looking at some of the sites shows that infact speed maybe higher at some other sites.....

So should we pursue a 20 mph mandatory speed limit? Many have wished for this and for me it is about changing our culture - 20 mph should be the norm in all residential areas - my report linked earlier has plenty of arguments why it is needed - reduced casualties, increased cycling and walking, more pleasant neighbourhoods etc.

However with limited resources should we pay for a TRO to get a 20 mph? Yes cheaper if we did the two parishes together - but still has a cost - and will just a speed limit reduce speeds? Certainly in some areas like Portsmouth where there is a city-wide 20 mph the evidence is that speeds are significantly reduced in some areas - but many areas only marginal speed reductions. Another factor is that speeds are reduced with new signs but then creep up again unless traffic calming measures are also done.

Would money be better spent on gateways that reduce speeds coming into the village and other traffic calming measures?

Ideally we need both in my view. Traffic engineers will likely recommend traffic calming over the mandatory speed limits but it is up to the community to decide - the next step is to establish another working party to look at all this - oh dear how slow all this moves - no wonder people get disillusioned with local government - it was back in 2006 it was reported to us by the then county councillor that the mandatory 20 mph was all but certain - since then we have had endless confusion and misinformation. Having said that now there is a clear process set out by the County and I am optimistic of at least finding a way forward.


Highways will be doing the same talk to Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council meeting on Thursday 12th January 2012 at 7.30pm in Whiteshill Village Hall on Main Road. All welcomed - it is a public meeting.
  

Stop UK funding damaging biofuels

The government believes it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing finance to renewable energy technologies through subsidies called Renewable Obligation Certificates  (ROCs).  As well as providing support for clean technologies like wind farms,  ROCs also finance electricity from biomass and bioliquids, which have been shown to increase greenhouse gas emissions, cause deforestation, and worsen air quality locally. It is astonishing this is still going on - when are they going to wake up?

Email the UK Dept of Energy and Climate Change and your MP in the action below.

Here's what the campaign write: "The sourcing of biofuels and biomass from overseas has been widely implicated (directly and indirectly) in human rights abuses – including the forced eviction of people from their land and inhumane treatment of workers. The Renewables Obligation also subsidises the incineration of waste, which can be derived from fossil fuels,  thus worsening air quality and discouraging recycling. The Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change is currently consulting on the level of support to be given from April 2013 to all types of electricity classed as renewable, including from biomass and bioliquids. They propose to continue to support biomass on an unlimited scale – even more than at present as far as co-firing of biomass with coal is concerned. They also propose to support the burning of up to 400,000 tonnes of bioliquids per year (on top of the large-scale use of biofuels for transport). If all this bioliquid were palm oil – a realistic prospect given that this is by far the cheapest vegetable oil – then 110,000 hectares of new oil palm plantations would be needed.

"The Renewable Obligation Scheme is financed through money taken from our fuel bills, so it is OUR MONEY that is being spent. If things stay as they are, it will cost us up to £3 billion every year by 2020 to fund this dirty, false solution at the expense of people and the planet."

Please take action here: http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/2011/rocs-alerts/

Merry Christmas

Russ cartoon for WaRbler

Well it has been a great run up to Christmas for me - I've been fortunate to catch carols at a local school and at the cathedral in Gloucester plus various Christmas drinks. Yesterday, as my partner is Norwegian, it was our day for sharing presents - today is wonderfully quiet. A Merry Christmas to all Ruscombe Green blog readers - have a good day - if you have a moment enjoy the Torchbox Christmas Choir here.

History of St Pauls, Whiteshill still available

I have only just got around to reading the great little booklet "History of St Paul's Church, Whiteshill and The Church of the Holy Spirit, Paganhill" by Keith Davitte and the Whiteshill Parochial Church Council. It is full of info about the church and also shocking stories like the murder in Arlingham in 1873 of Amelia from Stokenhill Farm, Whiteshill. The book is still available free to local people from the Paganhill Post Office, Village Shop and a few other places.

Seasonal message to County re incineration

A seasonal message and greetings to Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) is below from Gloucestershire Vale Against Incineration (GlosVAIN). It has apparently been sent to all County councillors - thought folks here would be interested. Meanwhile the Lib Dem group are ‘calling in’ the controversial decision to build a waste incinerator at Javelin Park. Very good luck to them.



GlosVAIN rejects incineration as the solution to Gloucestershire's waste problem. Other technologies are better for the environment, health and local economy. GCC's proposal will lock in local taxpayers to an inflexible solution for 25 years at a cost of £500,000,000.

Please take 5 min survey to get us better broadband

I've already highlighted the broadband survey here - please take the survey here if you haven't already - we really do need improvements!

New action on fuel poverty in Stroud

Let's hope we are not heading for a cold Christmas!

Oh my we have had some cold days recently and many on low incomes will be concerned about their bills - some one in five older people actually reduce their food intake to save money for fuel according to Age UK research. The recent event on fuel poverty in Stroud was certainly timely and by all accounts a great success that raised the profile of this issue locally. Brenda Boardman, one of the country's leading experts on fuel poverty was the key note speaker, well now you can hear an excellent Stroud fm podcast with bits from the event put together by Cllr Andy Read. Listen to the podcast at: http://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/stroud/index.php?id=259

The other news is that there is a group getting together to see how we can take this issue forward - having chaired two Scrutiny inquiries which cover this issue and supporting the District to put together an Energy Strategy I know that we have a real opportunity to influence the action plans coming from that. Hopefully more on all this early next year. See also report of event here by Wood U Waste who put on the event. Lastly if you want to donate your fuel allowance see here more details.

Tell HMRC that big companies must pay their tax

38 degrees have launched a campaign this morning -please consider joining me in sending an email from their link below. Already many of these companies seem to be avoiding tax by using havens - you can also see my 6 short videos of the talk in Stroud earlier this year by tax expert and former government advisor, John Christensen (pictured left): http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2011/03/tax-haven-videos.html

38 degrees write: We found out that the government’s tax collectors - HMRC - don't seem to have been doing their job properly. Instead of making sure everyone is paying their fair share of tax, they’ve agreed to “sweetheart deals” letting big companies off paying billions of pounds (see BBC). The government will be hoping we’re too busy doing our Christmas shopping and working out how we’re going to pay our heating bills to care what their tax officers have been up to. But they’re wrong.

A huge public outcry and a flood of complaints to HMRC will send a powerful message: we won’t stand for the government giving big business the green light to dodge billions in tax. It only takes 2 minutes to send a complaint letter to HMRC - we’ll collect all the letters together and deliver them in the New Year: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/complain-to-HMRC

Today's news is full of the shocking details of these deals. The Daily Mail warns "While families, shopkeepers and small businesses are forced to pay their bills in full, big businesses are striking favourable deals and have a 'far too cosy' relationship with HM Revenue and Customs." 

As lots of us prepare for winter on a tight budget, it’s not hard to imagine that those billions of pounds could have been spent on something better than stuffing the wallets of the most powerful companies in the country. We could have spent it on schools, on hospitals, or making sure everyone can have a safe, warm home this Christmas time. We know that tax dodging is a big issue. That's why last month we decided that it should be something we should make an urgent priority. [3] This is our chance to make sure we get a fairer system. A people-powered flood of complaints now will surprise HMRC and force them to think again.

'Stroud in Transition' news

'Stroud in Transition' news' latest monthly email is now out - you can sign up to it at http://eepurl.com/gkllr

The first item in the newsletter is about the recent Winterfest - the photos here are from that event but you can also see the video I helped make:

Winterfest was a celebration of the year in Transition Stroud and related projects. One day of stalls, bicycle servicing, storytelling and entertainment in an empty shop on Saturday 3rd December in Stroud. Groups and organisations all contributing to building resilience in Stroud District had stalls - Stroudco Foodhub, Down to Earth Cooperative, Stroud Community Agriculture and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust around Stroud. Transition Stroud groups present were Textiles, Heart and Soul, Skillsgain and Transition Stroud Youth, and the Eco Open Homes, Edible Open Gardens, and Changing Gear / Back to Bike projects all had stalls. 

We signed up 25 new names to the Transition Stroud mailing list and took names of new people willing to open their eco homes and edible gardens. Several other groups signed up new members and the Textile Group sold £90 worth of wonderful home made goods.

Erik Wilkinson and Philip Booth have made a film of the event, which has short interviews with people involved in the projects, and gives a flavour of what Transition Stroud is about. See: Winterfest video

Thanks to everyone who made such an effort to make their stall look so professional and interesting and to all the people who came to demonstrate their skills. Also thanks to Tony’s Butchers for the lovely roast chestnuts, to Anthony Nanson for the wonderful stories and to Circle of Sound for the seasonal music. All in all a great success - and certainly has convinced us of the value of doing future 'pop-up' events in Stroud - watch this space.....

Cameron puts Jubilee parties before planet

David Cameron has decided not to go to the Earth Summit in Rio because it partly overlaps with the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. Protocol demands that all Commonwealth Heads of State must do the same. If you think Cameron's decision is wrong, sign the petition:
http://planetbeforeprotocol.org/

Attacks on Wind Continue

NuClear News December 2011 is now available for downloading at
http://www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/nuclearnews/NuClearNewsNo35.pdf

I do recommend signing up for it - one of the articles looks at the attacks on wind. Click on read more to see it (download the article to get the references) - it really is a fascinating insight into the war against wind - interestingly Caroline Lucas discovered earlier this month that energy companies have lent free of charge more than 50 staff to government departments - and guess what? None of the staff on secondment work for renewable energy companies or non-governmental organisations - see Guardian article here.

Was Durban a success?

Caroline Lucas gave a very cautious welcome to the recent climate change conference but also went on to say how much is still needed - see here - I don't think anyone is under illusions about how much more work is needed but in these times when there is a lot of despair around the inaction re climate change it was good to get this email below from Adi Lawton (of www.cotswold-solar.co.uk). Adi has kindly let me reprint it here:

Of all the environmental concerns, runaway climate change is the biggest. For 17 years the UN have been trying to sort it. Copenhagen (COP15) was successful by getting all countries to attend (and show intent via the Copenhagen Accord). The Cancun (COP16) agreement was successful by getting all countries to agree on somehow capping global warming at 2C. Now the "Durban Platform" (COP17) has got all countries to agree to participate in a legally binding deal to reduce emissions.
 
This is significant - even though the details of the deal wont be set until 2015. Significant because every country is on board! This means no country can opt out anymore - on the excuse that: I'm not doing it - because they're not (and the implications on domestic economies losing competitiveness from that). Global warming was caused by massive industries and is essentially "top-down" created and ....given the time pressure to sort this before its irreversible... the solution needs to be top-down too.
 
We now have the "top" of that "top-down". We now have a real chance to actually prevent warming above 2C. Voluntary actions would never have done it alone!
 
BUT... the the details of the deal have to be worked on to address "ambition gap" (difference between that which is pledged to be reduced and amount which needs to be reduced to cap warming at 2C).
 
The UNFCCC has incrementally been getting there - each year almost appearing to fail but actually holding them together - this year Europes' spokesperson Connie Hedegaard really was the Heroine. Thank goodness for her and all of them really.
 
Anyway, as hope is reinstalled I write this partly to inform for those unaware (news dominated by economy) and partly to invite organisers to hold a Monthly discussion group on the "Ambition Gap" . As the top is in place - the bottom-up/ domestic efforts can all count for so much more (UK only 2% of problem). So efforts are now being done in EVERY country - it re-empowers the grass roots movements (Bottom-up) - so the efforts are all adding up and  no longer potentially futile. Local effort has been galvanised or empowered by this international road map we now have. Phew! The ambition gap (or ratcheting up targets) is the UNFCCC step. How can local efforts help this process?
 

The Watermelon is out!

The latest e-edition of The Watermelon - The Newsletter of Green Left is now available at: http://thewatermelon.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-watermelon-newsletter-of-green-left-novemberdecember-2011-special/

It has a great article re the issue of equality.

We need to design a new economic order

The Guardian has an excellent blog article yesterday by Caroline Lucas - see here or click on read more below - she writes: "The system we have is catastrophically impaired, yet our leaders remain prostrate before neoliberalism - an ideology that has destroyed jobs and firms, ruined the life-chances of millions, while enriching crooks, thieves and oligarchs. I call on others to join me in calling on our political leaders to match progressive politics with meaningful action, and in taking a principled stand to challenge the deeply corrupt financial system that has plunged us into environmental and economic crisis."

Stroud Standard for housing

It is exciting to see that an idea that came out of the Scrutiny Task and Finish group that I chaired is finally coming to fruition. For the last two years I have been working on trying to improve our Council's response to climate change and fuel poverty. One of the recommendations we made earlier this year re housing standards was to create our own Stroud Standard that could prioritise fuel poverty. Well the Energy Strategy which the Task group requested was finally passed last month and is now being acted on - the next step is consultation with tenants.....

A consultation leaflet has been sent to all District Council tenants explaining what the new system could mean for future investment in the housing stock. Tenants have been asked to indicate what type of things they would wish to see prioritised for inclusion in a future “Stroud Standard” for housing. A copy of the document has also been place on the Council’s website and is available through the following link: http://www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/housing/new/self_financing.asp

It is now down to tenants to let the Council know what they want. It seems clear to me one of the key issues is to reduce the running costs of their homes - energy costs are one of the key elements of this.

Should number of councillors be cut?

I ask this because in the recent residents survey there was a question about whether the numbers of district councillors should be reduced.

The way questions are framed to members of the public can be a significant factor in gaining certain answers or responses. Sometimes it is appropriate to provide additional information about the choices on offer. However no additional information was provided in this case regarding possible cost savings, impact on communities or impact on local democracy.

At the recent Scrutiny last week I asked about where this question came from - apparently the idea was muted as staff numbers are being cut so why not councillors? Well I am totally in favour of a discussion around this topic but it needs to be done in an informed manner.

See here my objection to cutting the number of County councillors which is now going ahead and here further discussions about councillor numbers in Europe. We have fewer councillors than anywhere else  - we should in my view be looking to enhance and develop the community roles. They have huge potential and costs are minimal in my view.

Eurozone Crisis: was Cameron right?

From Gaian Economics blog

Tuesday night saw me at our monthly Green Party meeting at Star Anise - well while we were there it was being wall papered with woodcuts by local artist Simon Packard - I am a bit of a fan of his work and love this latest - very worth a visit to Star Anise to see (see Simons work at Ruskin Mill here). Anyway I digress - our meeting is usually divided into half business and half discussion and this week it was the Eurozone.

Stroud District Councillor Molly Scott Cato, who is also the Green Party's Economic spokesperson presented a report then fielded a barrage of questions which developed into more discussion - you can see her brief summary below and more about her views re Camerons decision here - Molly says Cameron was right not to sign but for the wrong reasons - it is not about protecting the city but about the potential loss of sovereignty. 

I have to say none of that sat easily with me - as Molly's blog noted I was one of those hoping for Europe to restrict some of the powers of the City - how can we sit outside the rest of Europe and not have influence? Of course we don't know the details of any new treaty yet and of course agreeing with Cameron now doesn't for a moment mean we agree with his economic policies.....

Eurozone Crisis - Mollys briefing

It is said, although the story may be apocryphal, that Friedrich Hayek founded the Mont Pelerin Society in 1947 because he was in despair at the low level of support for ideas of the market as the ideal form of economic organisation and the international dominance of Keynesian ideas. The crash of 1929 and the economic dislocation of the 1930s, culminating in the bloodbath of the War, had convinced politicians that free floating currencies, competitive markets, and trade wars were socially destructive. Although Keynes died in 1946 he bequeathed us a system of political constraint on markets: globally through the Bretton Woods system, and nationally through social democratic political systems and redistributive economic systems with supportive welfare states. It was this system, a system involving the political management of market economies, that led to 30 years of stability and security.

Keynes had become an advisor to the British government as a result of his ability to explain and find solutions to the collapse of the economy in the Depression of the 1930s. His theory revolved around the concept of aggregate demand and can be illustrated by what he called the ‘paradox of thrift’. Keynes noticed that people’s natural response to be cautious in times of crisis could actually make the problem worse. While saving at the individual level may be entirely noble, at the level of an economy as a whole, and especially one with insufficient demand, it can be devastating. Japan is often taken to be the paradigmatic case. The validity of Keynes’s position was proved by the disastrous figures for the UK economy announced by the Chancellor in the autumn statement: cutting public sector spending on the scale announced in April can only push us into the ‘death spiral’ of falling demand, leading to falling confidence, leading to reduction in investment, and so on.

So what does this have to do with the Eurozone? Well the admirable Keynes was less strong on the question of money, or perhaps he just didn’t like to be so explicit. The problem is that capitalist money systems work like pyramid-selling schemes: all money is based on the creation of debt and so long as you can persuade somebody to borrow you can create money. But when confidence fails, all money is sucked out of the economy and you have a credit freeze. The first time this happened (2008) politicians responded by spending out moneys to fill the debt holes. It appears to be happening again but there is no more money to spend.

Two solutions to the Eurozone crisis are proposed: a system of Eurobonds, where national debts are consolidated and backed by Germany, which is an attempt to rebuild confidence and restart the debt merry-go-round. Second, the creation of money by the European Central Bank which can then be used to fill the black holes. Either could work in the short term, but in the long run we need to restructure the global system and find ways of creating money that do not involve debt. For more info you can check out my Ten Point Stabilisation Plan and other posts on my Gaian Economics blog.

Do we want a burnt out shop?

From Ross Gazette

Fire safety chiefs in Ross-on-Wye transformed an empty shop into a living room after a fire - see article here. This seems a great way to get the message across....

I have written to local fire chiefs - if the burnt shop is indeed successful in getting the message out then I wonder if they could consider such a project in Gloucestershire? What do folk think?

Glos Trading Standards and Emergency Management face massive cuts

View of Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe

I've already done a couple of blogs on Thursday nights Scrutiny - see here - this one is on the County Community Safety - we had a report from the SDC rep but I had two key concerns. I'm still learning how this Scrutiny works re reports from the County (think this is only third meeting this year) - or doesn't - it seems we get reports to which we all nod sagely then move onto the next item. However it is surely meant to be more of a two way process to which we input questions, views etc for our rep to take to the meetings? Well I hope we can get more clearly to that point - and with that in mind I raised two issues:

Trading standards 

Glos Trading Standards face cuts that are more severe than in other Counties; the cuts will mean fewer interventions, fewer inspections, less food sampling, less preventative work and more enforcement work. The report shows we have not yet seen the impact of previous cuts to services. I raised concerns about the impact all of this will have on Gloucestershire. We have not had a clear understanding about cuts to services and I requested a report detailing the impact.

The County report notes risks to animal welfare and animal movement if there are cuts. We know Glos has already been hit hard by TB. Can we have assurances from the county this important area of work will not be cut? We will see.

Emergency Management

Recent civil disturbances highlighted that Emergency Management staff would be stretched to support the County Council to manage in an emergency. We again have seen huge cuts in staff. I understand we have a service agreement with the County and wonder what impact these cuts will have on Stroud? Again I hope we will see.

Phenomenal response to libraries letter - please join me in signing

Poet Marcus Moore: part of the Save Libraries Day 'Flying Authors' tour

Yesterday I covered on this blog the open letter to Culture Minister  Ed Vaizey - well there has been quite an extraordinary response - see already the dozens of names signed up to the letter here. As the campaign have noted it only went on the web yesterday: "It has been signed by library groups, teachers, library users, librarians, academics, authors, comedians and actors. Amongst them are Children's Laureates Anne Fine and Julian Donaldson, Booker Prize winning author Yann Martel, comedians and actors Chris Addison, Robin Ince and Marcus Brigstock. Marcus Chown,  scientist, award winning-author, journalist & cosmology consultant to New Scientist magazine, Dr Steve Jones and that is just to name a few!"

Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries have also penned a separate letter to Mr Vaizey specific to the issues in Gloucestershire asking him what he is going to do to ensure GCC do not make the same mistakes again. The letter is rightly damning of the Department of Culture Media and Sport and Museums Libraries and Archives council who clearly shared concerns about GCC's planned cuts but sat back and left us all to battle on alone. See letter here.

An Inconvenient Truth 2 by Glos-based Jack Guest

I met Jack Guest a number of years ago at Gaunt House - he was talking of making a film - well now he has done it - An Inconvenient Truth 2 is a 3-episode TV series which is airing on the Community Channel but will also be available as a DVD. It looks great - he looks at what is working, what is possible - takes examples from places like Sweden where they are working to be free of dependence on oil by 2020.

See a trailer here on Facebook. See here is interview on Gloucestershire Radio about the film and read here a piece by Jack about the project.

Glos County determined to make same mistakes re libraries?

Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries have done an excellent update on where we are with the court ruling - click on read more below to see it. I have however just heard that the County are snubbing the planned meeting to discuss the very issues that got them into court - see press report here. I can only say that I am bitterly disappointed that not a single member of the cabinet or representative of the library service will be attending the open public meeting. It seems once again new plans are being drawn up without any discussion with service users.  Where is the fresh and open dialogue that surely as members of the public we can expect? Should GCC not be at pains to demonstrate they are doing things properly this time after all their mistakes?

The meeting is still going ahead tomorrow. I have written to my County Councillor Tony Blackburn to express my dismay at this approach by the County - see letter below.

The campaign have also sent GCC a paper with recommendations on best practice by other authorities undertaking library reviews, the findings of Charteris report to DCMS and advice from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, as well as my own senior library management experience over the last 25 years in Devon and Gloucestershire. It is vital GCC learn's from their mistakes and listens this time. Lastly see here a joint open letter to Culture Minister Ed Vaizey (the minister who is supposed to superintend councils' delivery of library services) from library user groups nationwide - if you are a group do consider signing. 


Letter to Cllr Blackburn:

Tony, As you will know I have been very concerned by the way that GCC has handled the library closures. The High Court has now found GCC’s plans unlawful and all of their library plans are to be quashed. GCC were ordered to pay the Claimant all of their costs and the judge ordered that GCC cannot appeal the judgement. Even though GCC has claimed that the judge declared their library plans do not contravene the 1964 Public Libraries Act this is not strictly the case. Put simply, the judge cannot proclaim on this as it is the Secretary of State to do this.

GCC had also claimed "hyperbole, exaggeration and hysteria" on the part of the campaigners. But Judge McKenna, reflecting on how the case had been conducted, described the campaigners' approach as "perfectly reasonable" and "proportionate" even in the areas where their legal claim had not been successful. Meanwhile Mark Hawthorne told Channel 4 News that the case had been lost on "a very small technical point" . This is a direct contradiction of the judge's own remarks just beforehand, in which he called the breach of equality duties involved "substantive, not merely a technical or procedural defect".

To comply with the court’s ruling, GCC has to scrap all of their previous library plans and go back to the drawing board. This is a great opportunity for residents and community groups to help shape future library plans.  If we can discuss and agree on some fundamental points, we can ensure a library service that is fit for purpose, especially where equality is a major point (poorer areas such as Hester’s Way, Matson, Tuffley etc, and for vulnerable or disadvantaged library users). I am therefore dismayed that Mark Hawthorne is not planning to attend the meeting on 14th December to look at these very issues. It is suggested that this is just a pressure group but the meeting has been set up to promote positive dialogue and a way forward.

I urge that the County does find ways to engage with all those who are passionate about our libraries. It is vital the same mistakes are not made again. Please can you find ways that those voices can be heard.

All the best - Philip

Big Cats on BBC Radio Glos

I've covered the stories of Big Cat incidents in the past on this blog - see here - they have caused considerable interest - well you can hear interviews and reports with Rick Minter and witnesses at the times below in the BBC Radio Glos link here.

See Big Cats in link at: 14.00 Nailsworth incident, 43.30 Hear Rick Minter, 53.30 More from Rick, 107.30 Nailsworth incident and 2.09.30 Painswick woman stalked by cat. Available until 15th December.

County Health, Community and Care Scrutiny update

Scrutiny at the District Council on Thursday night covered a number of issues like the Police Reform Act - see here - in this blog I will cover the feedback we get in Stroud from the Health, Community and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the County - as the webcast was not working I will try to do a bit more detail than usual. I might even get a chance to do another blog on other issues we covered at the Thursday meeting......anyway we get feedback from our County representative at each Strategic and Overview Scrutiny meeting in Stroud - I am still working out how we can use this as it seems to have been more of a feedback of info meeting rather than a chance to change stuff. Worse still the report backs don't always happen as the representative doesn't attend our Scrutiny....

Thursday was not so different - the rep has resigned and the deputy was unable to attend so all we could do was raise issues resulting from minutes of their meetings. This is of course not so satisfactory. We need to look at replacing the rep. So what did I raise....well here is some with some additional notes...

Scrutiny misled?


Firstly I noted my concerns that SDC and the community maybe being misled by both our representative on the County Health, Community and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the NHS Chief Executive, Jan Stubbings. They have both indicated that the legal case to call for a rethink over the transfer of parts of the NHS including Stroud General Hospital to a social enterprise could speed up privatisation.

NHS Gloucestershire have also claimed in a letter to staff that "If taken to its logical conclusion the challenge would mean that community services would be competitively tendered” and that this “may therefore accelerate the very thing the challenger says he is opposed to namely the services being provided by a body outside the NHS."

However as I noted at the meeting a local solicitor and the Stroud Against the Cuts campaign have said that this is 'disingenuous and unhelpful' and that there are alternatives to privatisation. Indeed without the legal challenge, the transfer on October 1st would have resulted in the services being provided by a body outside the NHS – the CIC is a private limited company outside the NHS. Therefore rather than accelerating this process, the legal challenge has delayed it.

I asked for clarity from the NHS that this legal challenge by members of our community, if successful will mean that the Primary Care Trust will have to consider several options which would keep services and staff within the NHS. I was basically informed that legal opinions can vary and that the matter was now with solicitors...we'll see.

As an aside I have been urging folk to write to the NHS Glos about keeping our services public - see here - plus here you can see the video I edited of Wendy Savage's talk in Stroud.

Response to motion

The District have had the response to the District Councils' motion from the County. It seems the County have written strong letters of support for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of services to the social enterprise organisation. I have spoken to literally dozens of people on this issue and it is clear people want their services kept within the NHS. I find it quite shocking that the public's view seems to have been ignored and the County just supported the changes.

As I've noted before on this blog past evidence suggests contracts when they are up for renewal will go to multinational companies, as has happened in Hull. As we know even the award-winning social enterprise Central Surrey Health could not compete for a contract for community services, and these are to be provided by a private healthcare company owned by Virgin.

The claim is that the changes are not substantial therefore the County Scrutiny need not look at it - well privatisation of our services is in my view very ‘substantial’ and has the potential for major change to services experienced by patients and future patients.

Total Place project

I asked about the Total Place report on the project in Dursley and am delighted that this will now be brought to our Scrutiny meeting. It is an exciting project that has the potential to improve how we deliver services to older people and how they can have a better say....

A related issue I noted was re the County's Performance report quarter 2 relating to personalisation. There is talk about people who are choosing personal budgets are getting less than the cost of the services they have been receiving. This could be viewed as cost cutting and is potentially giving personalisation a bad name. Personal budgets have some advantages like people will have more control over their lives, they can empower disatvantaged people and disempower obstructing local government. It is of course also true that personal budgets could allow individuals to purshase better and more appropriate services - that can be cheaper.

This issue needs more understanding about the impacts locally and I asked about what evidence is collected regarding the changes to people's funding when they are offered direct payments? Certainly if the project continues in the current way it will lead to personalisation getting a very bad name when in fact it could be a force for good.

Sorry this is quite a ramble and doesn't cover all the issues raised but is at least a flavour.....

Winterfest film and what Transition Stroud is about

Here's a video by Eric Wilkinson with editing by me - it celebrates Transition Stroud and related projects. Winterfest was a day of stalls, bicycle servicing, storytelling and entertainment in an empty shop on Saturday 3rd November in Stroud. This film has short interviews with people involved in the projects and gives a flavour of what Transition Stroud is about.

Police Reform Act

At Scrutiny last night one item was Andy Champness from the Glos Police Authority giving an update on the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act. More of the rest of scrutiny in another blog but here are just some quick concerns about this Act that I raised at the meeting.

Firstly I am unclear about why we need to replace the current system? Where is it failing? Well of course this is a political move - it is argued it is about making the police becoming more accountable.....of course we want police accountable but to what and whom? There are ways of holding someone accountable without requiring elections. It seems more of a move to deflect criticism from government when things don't go right....

However perhaps my biggest concern is about putting someone in charge of the police whose political fortunes are dependent on the success of the force - as I said at the meeting this is surely potentially dangerous? Police must not be swayed by public opinion - we can't have arrests just because someone is calling for blood or because the media portray someone as 'creepy'. Some have noted the Bridgewater 4 miscarriages of justice were possibly in part because of the public pressures on the police. What safeguards do we have to ensure politics doesn't get into policing?


Well the answers I got regarding the Police and Crime Panels, media and monitors office were not wholly satisfactory - there is still a grave risk that politics will now be a part of policing. And what about some eccentric getting elected? I suspect Chief Constables are in for a tough time in some areas.

In terms of the new Police and Crime Panels, Glos is in a good position as we already have a Community Safety Scrutiny. Stroud District will be able to elect one person to that Panel. Lastly I raised the issue of elections. If delayed until November as is now planned the turn out will potentially be very low indeed - a Lancashire Police survey showed people have very little understanding of the role and already local politics doesn't bring in great numbers to vote. My question was about how can we help the public understand better to engage with the process. I learnt that this issue is not being looked at yet - however they will take on board my concerns.

Water-related meetings!

Cattle poaching in summer on Ruscombe Brook

I have had a number of water-related meetings recently - Wessex Water in Bath as the rep of SDC (more on that when I get a mo) and a Ruscombe Brook Action Group meeting in Puckshole where we were updated on the sewer relining - some difficulties there with contractors which we are looking into but good news that the sewer along Randwick tributary now looks set to get a reline as well. One issue that has caused concerns along parts of the brook was cattle poaching - it has been very bad this last year and it seems part of the reason is the very low water flows in the streams. One landowner is now looking to put in water tanks for the cattle and protect part of the stream with fencing.

We also discussed our role within the Stroud Valleys Water Forum - which has met twice in the last month - once re the Severn Rivers Trust and more recently to discuss whether to formalise our group into more of a constitution. We managed to find a way forward in the SVWF group - since our first meeting that I initiated back in Feb 2009 we have met every couple of month. Slad, Brigend, Ruscombe and Painswick groups have all been represented with other individuals also joining and we've had MPs, EA, GCC and many different groups attend. The focus is around what action or change we can create to get the whole catchment seen as one but also support to each of the group to achieve change. We now plan to open the group to wider membership - but more of all that in the future...

Locally-based Water 21 who have been advisors to the group have an article in a magazine recently - see it here - it shows how we need to look at this issue much wider - in this last year we have already seen considerable pressures growing re water like the impact of cattle poaching.Indeed water companies are already concerned about next year - see Guardian here.

Listen again on Stroud FM

Strouds FM has a new listen again facility at: http://podcasts.stroudfm.co.uk/

It means folk can catch up with the excellent Transition Show which goes out live on Friday afternoons - it goes many local projects and discussions about all matters relating to climate change and peak oil. Last week the Transition Show did a special edition on Fuel Poverty. It featured guests Debbie Hewitt from local charity Wood-U-Waste and Neil Toweler from the Severn Wye Energy Agency discussing a wide range of issues related to Fuel Poverty. This was in the lead up to a public meeting held in Stroud about the issue this Thursday 8th December from 7pm at The Imperial Hotel in Stroud.

Climate talks: where is the hope?

What are the Durban climate talks all about - the 17th set of climate talks - see a 3 min film that explains it all here. New Swiss research shows that about three-quarters of the warming seen since 1950 is down to human influences. While another report says glacier loss in parts of the Himalayas is accelerating - see BBC here. Yet we seem further away from a deal than ever....

In 2010, emissions grew by 5.9% - more than compensating for the fall of 1.4% seen in 2009, when the recession caused a dramatic downturn in developed countries. Even accounting for the 2009 drop, emissions have risen faster in the last decade than at any time in the last 50 years.

As Prescott has said there seems to be a 'conspiracy against the poor' - see here. WDM released a rather shocking report into the tactics used by developed countries - see here. Indeed our own government seems to rapidly be moving away from any tinge of green in it's policies - see the last budget here and here green groups call on Osbourne today - and here comments on Cameron - or is there hope with Chris Huhne trying to increase the targets at the conference to 30%?

What will it take to wake us up? Most depressing of all is the seeming lack of hope and leadership. However despite all this I do believe things can be done and will change - we have seen radical actions in the past and the financial meltdown we are facing may bring the opportunities we need....Caroline’s environment blog for the Guardian this week is on this topic and she sees some room for hope - see it at: http://bit.ly/vTzNQ5

Green MP named biggest influencer in British politics

Green MP Caroline Lucas has been recognised by a prestigious Political Studies Association, as the MP who has most influenced the political agenda in 2011. Since her election to the constituency of Brighton Pavilion in 2010, the UK's only Green MP has made a significant impact through her work on a range of issues - from putting pressure on the Government to tackle fuel poverty and drop Trident, to campaigning for Parliamentary reform and fairer rail fares.

Lucas received the award for 'Influencing the Political Agenda 2011' from Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow at a packed ceremony in Westminster this week. Caroline Lucas said: "I am honoured and delighted to collect this award from the Political Studies Association - and appreciate the judges' recognition that having even one Green in Parliament can make a positive difference."

The panel of judges at the Political Studies Association said: 'Caroline Lucas has made unprecedented steps forward in raising the profile of the Green Party. The achievement of winning a seat in Parliament under the First-Past-The-Post electoral system should not be underestimated. When considering these factors alongside her role in influencing the AV debate, we felt she was a worthy winner of the 2011 award for Influencing the Political Agenda."

For information about the 2011 award winners: http://www.psa.ac.uk/PSAPubs/Awards2011.pdf

Great BuyLOCAL magazine out

The freebie 'BuyLOCAL' magazine's second edition is out now - and what a great addition to Stroud - it covers all those independent stores and promotes lots that is wonderful about Stroud. The quality is excellent and I applaud those behind it for really giving a boost to local businesses.

This last couple of days I've been at the Goodwill evening, the Farmers Market, Acorn School's Christmas Fayre and Transition Stroud's Winterfest - I really appreciate every time I go to such events what a special place we live in.

See BuyLOCAL blog and read the magazine on line at http://buylocalmag.blogspot.com/ or find it in local shops and cafes around the Five Valleys.