An open letter to Martin Surl

Open letter to Police and Crime Commissioner

 27^th September 2013

 Dear Mr Surl,

At the time of your election we supported your candidacy as an independent and the following statement appeared on our website soon after your election:

 Gloucestershire Police

The Green Party did not stand a candidate in the November 2012 election of a Police & Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire. We believed it was a distraction from the serious reduction in the police authority's budget at a time when serious questions are being asked of many forces' performance and integrity.

We hope that our support for the winning independent candidate will not be a matter of regret as we look forward to his efforts to minimise the impact of cuts, improve the image of the force as impartial and implement a non-party political strategy.

 We write an open letter to you now on two matters:

 1. We are concerned to hear that you are in favour of further intrusions into private electronic communications. We do not believe that the essential work of the security services and police in protecting us from terrorism will be sufficiently advanced by this measure to justify the infringement in privacy entailed.

 2. We wish to know what you intend to do about the Chief Constable who could face criminal charges for her role in witness handling while at Staffordshire police in a conviction for murder which had to be overturned. We appreciate that she should be considered innocent until proven guilty, but cannot see how the circumstances of this particular case allow her to enjoy the confidence of the force or the public while her prosecution is under consideration.

 Yours sincerely

Martin Whiteside and Carol Kambites

Joint external coordinators - Stroud Green Party

Meeting Martin Surl, Police and Crime Commissioner; hate crime, 20 mph and more

Talking crime at Scrutiny

Last Thursday was Strategic Scrutiny meeting at the Council. There were various reports re health updates, a 'lessons learned' report re the canal and more - but this blog is a brief look at Martin Surl's presentation to us and a couple of the questions I raised.

Interestingly what I didn't get a chance to say was that in 2011 Green County Councillor Sarah Lunnon sought in a motion to GCC to stop cuts to Emergency Services; the debate was guillotined - the main opposition to amendment seemed to be that Sarah was being political. Well she was - she was attempting to use the political process to protect our vital services.Martin has gained a 2% increase in the budget now so we hopefully wont see a big impact...

Anyway Martin outlined his approach and I welcomed lots of what he said like an emphasis on prevention of crime and his support for Restorative Justice and its aims to stop people re-offending. He listed 5 priorities; the first being about preventing crime, the second an emphasis on older people, third, young people becoming adults, the fourth about how we design spaces and last 'Safe & social driving'. You can see more here.

With limited time I noted the importance of building communities - stronger inclusive communities mean less crime, but also noted the under-reporting of Hate Crime in County particularly relating to incidents with people with disabilities. This needs to be taken seriously and I am not convinced the issue is understood.

Various other issues got raised during the evening - Martin assured us that he had the Minister's word that costs for policing the badger cull would come out of central government funds and not Gloucestershire. He aslo again stated the Police would be neutral - they were not there to support one side. He also noted he wanted to keep community policing like PCSOs.

The last issue I raised was around support for 20 mph - this is clearly a County Council issue but in the past Police have not been so supportive - it sounded like Martin was neutral on the issue.

I did of course mention that Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward could be the first in the County to have a ward-wide 20 mph. As regular blog readers will know since 2006 and indeed earlier many of us have been campaigning - reducing speeds has been repeatedly high on residents list of concerns when I knock on doors. In 2009 over 400 local residents signed a petition requesting lower speeds and both the Parish Plans called for slower speeds/20 mph limits. In a vote in Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish there was 83% in favour. We hope to get final confirmation very soon and the signs to go up this summer.

As I've said before and in my submission a few weeks ago regarding the Traffic Order:

30mph is just too fast for the mix of narrow roads, parked cars and limited or non-existent footpaths, especially for children, dog walkers and cyclists. 20 mph is safer. As you will know if you are driving at 30 mph and someone run's out three car lengths in front of you, you will hit them at 27mph; that is the equivalent to falling from the third floor of a building. At 20 mph you will stop just in time. On average five people lose their lives on roads in England and Wales every day, 63 sustain serious injuries and hundreds of others suffer other injuries.

20 mph is also about reinforcing positive aspects of our villages, reducing noise, discouraging through traffic and it has also been shown to lead to more people feeling safer to walk and cycle.

The idea of 20 limits over a wider area is about getting the message across that it is unacceptable to drive more than 20 mph in a residential area. Lancashire have adopted countywide 20 mph, while Portsmouth's 20 scheme has cut serious injuries and deaths by 22%. See my report to the County in 2010 on why we need 20 mph: http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/20-why-we-need-it.html

As one of those who has long worked for 20 mph locally and over all residential areas, I fully support this move towards a 20 mph. It will not be the whole answer to slowing speeds but is part of the approach to make our communities safer and more pleasant. I hope that this Traffic Order is approved without delay.

Congrats Martin Surl

So the results are out - see here - Independent Martin Surl beat the Conservatives to second place. Martin is a former superintendent with Gloucestershire Police - congrats to him - fears with a Tory in post were that they would privatise large parts of the police as they have promised in many areas.

Gloucestershire Green Party have called the creation and election of Police and Crime Commissioners as a complete waste of money. There was no pressure from the public for this position and it is an unwelcome politicisation of a public service. The requirement for a £5000 deposit means that candidates are either from major political parties funded by big business or Unions or those with the ability to risk losing 1000s of pounds.

Cllr Sarah Lunnon (Green Stroud East) said before the election: “It is not democratic.  It will be understandable if turnout is low and if many of those who do vote choose to spoil their ballot”. With turnout in Stroud at 18% and lower in many other places, fears have only been confirmed about the nonsense of this Conservative/LibDem policy.

Deputy Director of Unlock Democracy Alexandra Runswick said: “This is a calamity entirely of Theresa May’s making.  She had been warned repeatedly what would happen without a decent information campaign but would not listen. In the run-up to the elections we were struck by how unpopular the policy was amongst our supporters. Many told us they did not agree with the elections or the new role the Home Office was imposing on them. We also received many complaints about the lack of information available from the Home Office about candidates and how to vote. There are people who have voted all their lives who simply didn’t feel able to take part in this election because they didn’t know what or who they were voting for. The low turnout is unsurprising considering people had no information and were voting for officials they did not want in the first place.  We must ensure we are never put in this situation again.”

With the government on the ropes over this, Unlock Democracy note that we have a narrow window of opportunity over the next few days to ensure the momentum for change does not get lost.  Will you write to Home Secretary Theresa May and demand she replaces this current system with a better alternative?

ADD YOUR NAME HERE: http://action.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/never-again

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.

Retain the ban on capital punishment

There have been calls for the return of capital punishment by the Daily Mail - well I am delighted that a counter petition to the restore petition currently has almost double the signatures - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1090

Please do sign and encourage others - and also see the new website: http://retaintheban.co.uk/

Retain the Ban’s campaign aims are to be the first petition on capital punishment to reach 100,000 signatures, to dispel any myths about the ineffectiveness of sentencing policy and challenge any notion that there is a ‘regressive majority’ in the UK. Very good luck indeed.

Greens return from conference

The Eco-Renovation Open Homes weekend meant I missed not just Randwick Horticultural Show but also the Green Party conference in Birmingham this last weekend. Below are some links to give a flavour of the weekend....this morning I also talked to a couple of Greens at a Green councillors meeting - it was good to hear about the buzz at conference but also some comments critical of Greens who are concerned that now we have a leader there is a worry about the 'cult of personality.'

Of course there is a risk but there are mechanisms in place to ensure the chances of that are reduced. I voted against a leader - see here - but hey it's time to move on - social and environmental justice are what we are working for and Caroline is one of the most effective voices we've ever had - a voice that is increasingly heard.

You can start getting a flavour of conference by seeing Caroline's keynote (spread over 2 videos) - after 30 years we finally have a voice in Westminister - see what she has to say to Greens:
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/News/12-09-2010-video-caroline-conference.html
You can also read it here - and see here Adrian Ramsay's speech as Deputy Leader and watch it here.

See The Independent leading article on the conference here: "One thing that is notable by its omission from Ms Spelman's thinking, however, is a credible mechanism for mobilising resources. Caroline Lucas, the Green Party leader and sole MP, last week compared the Government's response to a call for volunteers for the Home Guard. "Dad's Army will not be enough to prevent climate change or deal with the consequences," she said. She is right. Adapting to climate change will require more than the mere tweaking of planning guidelines and polite requests to local councils. In the long term it will need green taxes on property in vulnerable areas to pay for upgrading flood defences, for example"

Stroud's Molly Scott Cato did a quick piece on Radio Glos on Friday morning about the Green Party - you can listen again up until the end of Thursday here. Molly's piece starts around 1.15.12 minutes into the programme. See also Molly's blog on her motion she put to conference.

Some of the issues covered include:

How we need to tackle the prison population - restorative justice is long overdue. See here.

An emergency motion, passed unanimously at Green Party autumn conference, strongly criticised the privatisation of the NHS. The motion called for a campaign to have those health providers which have already been privatised brought back into the NHS, and for the NHS to be promoted as a public service free of commercial interests - see here. As Caroline Lucas said: "The White Paper spells out just how far the Tories and Liberals will go with their destruction of our essential services. They are planning on full privatisation of NHS service across England, a move utterly opposed by us."

On the heels of French deportations of Roma that have hit international headlines in recent weeks, conference passed an emergency motion urging "all Green Party elected representatives in local, national and international governments to apply maximum pressure toward improving equality and access to services for Roma people and asserting their human rights"- see here. Provision of services for travellers is an issue I have already raised locally.

Greens pledged to campaign for a publicly-owned Royal Mail - see here.

Public and delegates view of conference on a video wall - see here.

Caroline's vote on Afghanistan here.

New copper for Stroud

Stroud Life covered the appointment of our new policeman, Adrian Smith - I happened to catch him having his photo taken outside the Sub Rooms - did try and take the opportunity to raise some local issues like the damage done by sledging and how that could be reduced in future - but it wasn't the right time - I will hopefully get a chance in the weeks to come. Below the Stroud Life report:

Photos: thistles at Thistledown - with all the thistle down floating you can see why it gets in name - and below a moth

New sergeant leads 14-strong beat team

NEW Stroud police sergeant Adrian Smith is heading up a team that is pounding the beat around the town and neighbouring villages. He is leading the Stroud safer communities team, which covers the town and areas including Birdlip, Bisley, Bussage, Aston Down, Minchinhampton, Cashes Green, Randwick and Ruscombe.

"Stroud's a great town and a safe place to live," he said. "What we are here for is to listen to people's concerns so we can act on them. People shouldn't worry about bothering us with incidents they consider small. If people don't tell us, we won't know."

The team consists of Sgt Smith, four constables and nine police community support officers, who have policing priorities in particular areas. Those include speeding on roads leading to Bisley and on Rodborough Hill, dog fouling in Minchinhampton, litter in the Paganhill estate and parking issues a number of locations.

"What we're about is the day-to-day things – how people feel about their community and improving how they feel about the place they live in," he said.

Sgt Smith is married with a daughter and lives in Stroud. He is pleased to be returning to his home town after nine years stationed at Leckhampton, then Stow-on-the-Wold. He said: "It's good to be working and living in Stroud and I look forward to meeting more people in their communities."

Full Council meeting: 1.9% tax rise, joint centres and no drinking zones

Well last Thursday was Full Council - and a more lively debate than usual - here is some of what we discussed:

Photo: Members Room at Ebley Mill

Stroud District Council approves 1.9% council tax rise

Stroud District Council approved a below inflation, 1.9%, increase for its portion of council tax for the year ahead. The Tories like to say that this increase will cover improvements to services in the areas of homelessness prevention, household energy efficiency and funding for climate change initiatives. However the amounts are very small. The 1.9% increase amounts to 7 pence a week for the average household - the lowest increase in nine years.'

It will mean that an average 'band d' household will pay £186.93 a year to Stroud District Council - £3.49 more than they do at the moment. Stroud District Council's proportion of the council tax bill is 12%, with the rest going to the county council, police, and parish and town councils. Greens were not happy that enough is being done to tackle issues like fuel poverty so felt unable to support this move - see more comment re budget here.

Joint Use centres may close

This issue has had lots of discussion and I wont repeat here - see previous blog here and here for some stuff - we are told three of these centres are no longer financially viable - I asked about why marketing of these centres hadn't done the basics - in the Nailsworth centre for example there is no internet booking, not even a sign outside and no message on the answering machine! Having said that realistically we know cuts must come - my concerns are the way they are being done - seemingly no overall strategy, picking off the three that cost the most per head, not consulting properly, not guaranteeing transition funding, inconsistent messages....

Dursley No Alcohol drinking zone

I do not underestimate the problems faced by drinking in our town centres - they can blight areas and effectively stop people from going out in the evening. I understand Dursley has a problem although on the couple of evenings I have been there I didn't witness a problem - however we heard from one councillor who described broken windows and more - although another councillor disputed that....anyhow the local press got behind the campaign to introduce a no alcohol drinking zone - an extraordinary 31.7% of 3,017 questionnaires were returned and 94% said they wanted the zone.

This is a huge support so why do I have such problems with it....why could I not support such a measure....well let me list briefly some of my concerns....

- I attempted twice to view the papers regarding the research and letters from police officers etc. On one of those occasions I went into Ebley Mill especially to view them - the papers were unavailable. How can we make a decision without viewing the evidence? We got vague and even contradictory answers during the meeting.

- This measure will not stop people who are already drunk and going home after the pub: indeed I understand this is one of the main problems.

- It does not tackle the causes of the problems re drinking: what about improving the poor youth club provision?

- Evidence from other areas show that the drinkers move to outside the zone. I asked how many of those questionnaire responses came from people outside the zone as they maybe more likely to object - no specific answer. I was then informed by another concerned councillor at the meeting that neighbouring Cam Parish Council had objected: none of this information was in the papers available to us. I have to note deep disappointment at the failure to present this information to councillors. What did the other parishes think?

- I do not believe there has been a full debate about these zones - virtually all the material I have seen is one-sided in favour of the zone - I understand the local paper supported the move - yet I read that street interviews in London, Birmingham and Brighton, found that the majority of people are against or ambivalent about these zones. Where were our street interviews?

- I have read concern from other areas about a deterioration in police relations. I hope this wont occur here as we generally have sensitive policing - but it is a risk. Other areas like Brighton have reported police officers and community support officers confiscating alcohol from members of the public who are doing absolutely nothing wrong. Already between 2004–6, 3802 people received on-the-spot fines for drinking in public.

- Another concern, raised at the meeting, is that there is evidence of biased alcohol confiscation, with officers targeting groups like homeless people, people on their own who seem to be an‘easy target’ and groups of younger adults thought to be ‘up to no good’.

- Another key issue is why do we need additional laws? I had asked previously from the Cabinet member that I would welcome a clear discussion in these papers about what measures that have already been tried. Have extra checks been made on local off-licences and supermarkets? Why are the current anti-social behaviour and other laws not sufficient? Has there been a campaign re adults buying drink for youths? Are there sufficient activities for young people in the evening? None on these questions were answered in the papers despite my request. At Council we only get the chance to ask one question.

- in thirteen years Labour has created over 4,289 new laws so far (nearly one a day) – they also now wish to build on these orders and create a law to prohibit “persistent possession of alcohol in a public place”. The Labour Government has produced more new laws than any other government in British history. Are the police short of powers? Certainly not. How can any of us even keep up with this mountain of legislation? How can we find out what we’re newly outlawed from doing day by day? Worse still laws brought in for one thing are used for others so we see anti-terrorism laws used to search children, confiscate harmless items and pursue other groups like climate change campaigners.

- Lastly there was a question about Stroud - the zone was introduced a while back and led to problems in local parks - these were not policed properly despite some of the areas being in the zone. One question produced an answer that they didn't know about the effects on Stroud while then we heard it had improved the situation. Why was not proper information available to us?

While I applaud the intentions to try and sort this problem I do not believe this is the way to do it.

Lastly

There were lots of other bits and pieces at the meeting - like the Asset Management plan which was basically good, shared service arrangements that will hopefully see savings.....I've run out of puff to write more......See webcast here.

Randwick a Cold Calling Zone? Foxes Field and more

Randwick Parish meeting last Thursday covered lots of ground - more later in this post about the meeting and other bits - but first it started with a discussion after a presentation by Ricky Pellatt about Cold Calling and possibly setting up a scheme in Randwick.

This is all about trying to stop residents becoming the victims of distraction crimes and bogus callers. Signs would be attached to lamp posts in the area warning cold callers and uninvited salespeople are not welcome. A bogus caller helpline number will also be displayed on the signs along with a 999 number.

It is true that these crimes are particularly distressing for older people and we heard stories of one local person done for £40,000 and several other examples. To go-ahead with this more than 50% of replies in an area to a request by the Parish or other need to be in favour of the zone - I have to say I dislike yet more signage that can also contribute to raising people's fears that this is a cold caller area. In fact there appear to be few examples in our area - nevertheless it is a problem and this is an effective way of stopping cold calling groups come to an area. What do others think? See more details re No Cold Calling Zones here.

So what else at the Parish?

I gave a brief report re the inquiries I'm involved in re planning and climate change (several meetings already relating to the planning one - again apols not in this blog yet as so much info!), an update on the disasters relating to the Housing Revenue Account and housing service - that is for discussion tonight at Full Council - all set to be a fiery meeting - you can see the scrutiny meeting last week that I went to on webcast here - that was also a more interesting one than usual - at one point I think I ask the same question 4 or 5 times - anyhow there will be more tonight so I wont cover that here now.

There was also feedback relating to a planning application that I have made enquiries about - of course the proposed development just in Stonehouse ward also came up - see clipping - there is a public meeting on 29th held by David Drew - unfortunately I have another Council meeting that night but would urge people to go - it would be crazy if this field was developed - it is the last green space between Stroud and Stonehouse - indeed I am astonished it has got to this point.

Anyway the Parish are also moving forward on identifying street lights that could be switched off late at night like in Whiteshill and Ruscombe, the '20 is Plenty' signage is nearly ready to order....anyway that will do for now as must dash to work...

Randwick: vandalism and petty theft incidents

As Runner readers will know there have been a number of incidents of vandalism and theft recently in Randwick - minor but still cause for concern. These have been raised at the recent Randwick Parish Council meeting - I unfortunately had a Scrutiny meeting that night so was unable to attend but did speak to councillors and local police. It is good that these incidents are being taken seriously.

Quote: From Resurgence magazine - as research shows crime rates are falling but fear of crime remains high - see here.

One residents noted that "in recent weeks I have seen reports of fires affecting the cattle, thefts of toys and other items in the village, vandalism at the Village School and have suffered acts of vandalism and arson to trees" in a field. The resident went onto note that "the latter also being the location of several discovered stolen items and evidence of solvent abuse. It seems we are in the middle of a spate of criminal activity that although probably the work of a handful of people is affecting many throughout the village. I do not want to see the Village School turned into a fortress, nor think people should be forced to lock everything away in their gardens at night. These selfish and petty acts do not have to be a part of life if the community can act to stop these people."

There have also been reports of youths taking drugs by the Randwick tributary and leaving some of their paraphernalia on one occasion. I hope this is an isolated incident.

Plus of course this year we have seen the major damage and rubbish left following the tobbogganning on local hills. However generally we have had very low crime figures in this area.

It is also worth mentioning Ruscombe as this year there has been more use of those fields at the end of the Wheelers Walk estate - young people have had several fires and 'parties' there - and at one point used a motorbike repeatedly across the fields on many days - this seems to have stopped for the time being. This is also the first year for many years that there has been a considerable quantity of rubbish dumped in the brook - it can be seen on my blog here - the Ruscombe Brook Action Group had a clear up on 15th August where in nearly 3 hours 15 or so people cleared the brook - see here.

Some of the incidents have been reported to police but sadly not all so they did not have a full picture - please be sure to report!!

As Randwick Parish Council says in their minutes "residents should: - · report incidents · be mindful of their own security · be vigilant · report the registration numbers of vehicles misusing roads such as Sandpits Lane."

Please report incidents on: 0845 090 1234.

I personally would also be keen to see improved youth facilities - indeed this week had conversations re the problems that Tesco in Paganhill have faced recently. They are apparently also keen to see more done - one suggestion is that if Tesco don't come up with a bus shelter then they could perhaps help fund some activities? I hope also as a result of these issues being more discussed we will have the chance for residents and police to work more closely together on these issues.

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

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

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

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

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

Big Green Gathering Shut Down

“It’s political” Chief Superintendent tells BGG Director

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

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

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

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

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

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

Take action on Vestas

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

Photo: Turbines in Denmark

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

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

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

Take action

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

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish meeting: update on various local issues

Well it is early and I've got a busy day so just a quick update on some of the items that were discussed on Thursday....

Cartoon: from Russ

- following the sad death of Michael Lakin there is now a vacancy on the Parish Council - it will be advertised shortly.

- the plan for allotments moves closer - I've been on the Parish Working Party Group - the site has been identified, many draft plans drawn up and a couple of weeks ago we had another site meeting this time with the local Crime Prevention Officer to see what others issues we need to consider - however the Parish rightly want to see what interest there is from those on the waiting list so they have been invited to a meeting on 25th - sadly that is also the night of Full Council so I can't be there - then the next step is agreeing legal stuff with the landowner, drawing up contracts and then clearing the site - the latter will be a major task - and suspect the site will only be for 6 allotments? We'll see but it is an important start and I am hoping this will work and lead to other similar projects with private landowners around the District - see here some background and more why we need allotments here

- the Parish agreed with me that changing the AONB covenant was wrong - see here

- they again agreed the ward name change - see here

- the Basketball hoop moves closer to being installed - all sorts of problems have transpired but after another quote it looks like we will proceed - see some background here

- the 20 is Plenty scheme is approved - signs have been ordered and soon to go up with stickers for all parishioners recycling boxes - see more here

- the Parish also added it's support to Save Our Green Spaces campaign - see Greens joining the local campaign here

Who is challenging the Greens in Euro elections?

Greens polling is very encouraging - up from 6% a few days ago to 11% today - and the YouGov poll we commissioned indicates that 34% will either definitely vote Green or would consider voting Green. Plus some good national coverage last week.

If you haven't already contacted your local Green party do please think about it as leaflets, canvassing and more is needed. Life for many Greens is now super busy with the campaign - and here I'm responding to media requests regularly - although the absurd thing is that local press stop reporting most politics before an election - just at the time when people get more interested - see our website for some of the news releases and comments I've been adding.

Below is some of the news coverage plus a list of those competing against the Greens for votes in the Euros:

'Caroline Lucas: There's light at the end of the tunnel. After years of infighting and unworkable policies, the Greens are at last presenting a united front – and their leader might even become her party's first MP. Geoffrey Lean meets Caroline Lucas' - see here.

'Two in five shun three main political parties: After 10 days of headlines that have devastated Parliament, The IoS reveals the strength of the public revolt against mainstream politics' See here.

Party funding: Top donors turn against Labour over MPs' expenses. See here.


Whose on the ballot?

In order, as on ballot paper, below, are the parties for the EU elections with some initial comments and thoughts... it seems clear that there is no way the LDs and Lab will gain a second seat in the SW. The only way therefore that folk can prevent the right-wingers from maintaining their stranglehold on SW representation at Brussels is to vote in the Green Knight.

It is also worth saying again that in terms of the planet's future (and it's inhabitants) we must remain within Europe (and indeed the world community of nations) as we have serious global problems that cannot be fixed without international structures and restrictions. To walk out of Europe now would be to kill any hope of either stopping severe resource exhaustion or climate chaos. More below...

Anyhow here is the list...

1. BNP. I've written before on this lot - see also Richard Lawson's blog here. Also UNISON highlighted a few of their key policies: BNP would kick out everyone not born in Britain (if other countries kicked out Brits a staggering 5.5m people would be returned incl 800,000 from Spain who are mostly pensioners), if Black and minority ethnic people were kicked out many services like the NHS would simple collapse (16% of nurses, 40% new dentists and 58% of new doctors are from ethnic communities), the BNP would introduce apartheid to Britain with their policies of white's being given preference in housing, education and jobs (like in South Africa's policies of apartheid which the BNP supported),BNP opposes any racial integration - mixed race relationships would be outlawed and in their 2005 manifesto their answer to violent crime is to allow every household to have a gun. The good news is that today's PoliticsHome poll reflects intelligence on the ground that the anti-BNP message from mainstream parties may be working. Searchlight, an anti-fascist organisation, reports a shift to Ukip in the BNP's top target seat, the northwest. As the Green MEP for the northwest, Peter Cranie, argues, this election is the BNP's "last hurrah": if it cannot win a seat in such favourable circumstances, it may implode. Indeed as Peter has said - and Ricky Knight, the lead Green in SW, a vote for Green is the best way to ensure the BNP don't get a seat. See here.

2. Christian Party. All list members with London addresses - I don't know much about this lot and their websites have virtually nothing - they have some green mentions but their news items have only 5 items - and one of those is joining the Daily Mail's campaign against Alan Duncan MP for a week offensive quip he made on 'Have I Got News For You'. Two of the other news items were about their bus and billboard campaign????

3. Conservative Party. They will be looking to increase vote from forecast relative decline of UKIP so seem to be playing down their pro-EU angle. However see Cameron's Tories very poor record on environment in Europe here.

4. English Democrats Party. The tag is 'putting England First' - while I understand their wish to address the West Lothian question - withdrawl from the EU as they want is not the best way to achieve a better democracy - see comments under UKIP below - plus I have real concerns about where they are coming from - their London Mayoral candidate Matt O'Connor withdrew shortly before the 2008 election, claiming that the English Democrats had agreed with the England First Party - an avowedly racist breakaway from the British National Party - not to stand against one another. The EDP denied a link.

5. Fair Pay Fair Trade Party. I don't know about this lot despite knowing one of their candidates - again little info and while they may have some great policies they do not appear holistic in their approach. Again it is hard to find anything about their policies.

6. Jury Team. So it is hard to find policies about some of the above well this lot claims to want 'politics without parties' yet they are standing as a party - this makes little sense to me? What are we voting for here?

7. Liberal Democrats. See their poor voting record on environment here.

8. Mebon Kernow. These are good folks - Greens are closer to their views than others but we have a v v much better chance of getting elected plus we will prioritise some of their key issues.

9. No2EU:Yes to Democracy Party. Another party hating the EU but sounding less UKIP? See my comments below re UKIP.

10. Pensioners Party. Why develop another party when Green's have had standing ovations for their policies at Pensioners Conferences - and we have the full range of policies - see local Green party letter here.

11. Pro-Democracy:Libertas.eu. Broadly pro EU - but again where are the policies?

12. Socialist Labour Party. Party leader Arthur Scargill who wants more coal-fired power stations - not a great idea if you want to take climate change seriously - indeed I can barely find a mention of climate change on their website.

13. The Green Party. Who is this lot? Full list headed by some bloke from North Devon called Richard Knight. See more at: www.thinkagainvotegreen.org.uk

14. The Labour Party. This lot seem a little in disarray? Apparently have already failed to turn up at two hustings so far - are they in disarray? See Labour's dire voting record in Europe here.

15. UKIP. Anti EU, pro business with authoritarian tendencies - here are a couple of letters from last Euro elections here and here. UKIP calls for us to be out of Europe, yet they want more free trade agreements. These are no protection of British sovereignty or our own economy. UKIP seem to think that withdrawing from the EU, will mean we could still engage in full trade with our European partners without the political entanglements of belonging to the Union itself. Switzerland has been quoted as an example, yet the Swiss people still have to follow most EU regulations. If almost all your products are sold within the EU, then you have to meet EU rules. If Britain withdrew we would still be bound by EU regulations, but would have absolutely no say in formulating them. The UK Isolation Party, as they have been called, have also, in the past been strongly criticised by Friends of the Earth UKIP for failing to vote for a single environmental improvement measured. The way forward must be for the radical reform of the EU that Greens want - greater decentralisation - but with EU-wide decision-making on issues that cross national boundaries, like safeguarding basic standards of human, civil and animal rights, regulating multinational companies and resolving disputes between member states. Greens want to see the EU work for the benefits of all it's citizens, which is why we are working to see greater accountability and democracy in the EU with issues like trade and economic policy left for member states to deal with. Having said all that UKIP also don't have a great record with their MEPs - one resigned for beneifit fraud, another for allegations over expenses - then of course there was Kilroy-Silk splitting off, several racist incidents - and from 16% of the vote in 2004 their support plummeted to under 1% in the London Mayoral race. However I don't write them off; their simple message appeals to some who are switched off by politics - and no wonder with the recent nonsense over expenses. There is even a UKIP Watch website! Anyhow I didn't mean to go on here but wanted to address some of the issues that are being thrown around...

16. WAI D. This seems to be something about getting folk to tell their MEPS how to vote by using the internet - that immediately excludes a large section of the population...

17. Katie Olivia Hopkins, Independent. A list of one - apparently was in the TV show the 'The Apprentice'...and on I'm a celebrity get me out of here...her blog has little in the way of policies and the media section on her website appears to be all about losing weight after giving birth.

Have police infilterated campaign to stop Staverton expanding?

Well the bad news is that the Airport extension is one step closer after last week's vote - see here - they got three out of the four planning applications with the last one deferred. I still find it difficult to understand how councillors can support this move in the face of the evidence about climate change. I can only muse that they have not read or don't believe the evidence.

Photo: From Citizen

Anyhow onto a related matter - I read with concern that Austrian tourist Klaus Matza and his son were banned from taking pictures of buses in Walthamstow - see Guardian here - the two policemen forced them to delete the photographs from their cameras in the name of preventing terrorism. After the Tomlinson incident and reporting of G20 it seems that even the wider press have started to get concerned by police tactics. I personally have not had a problem or even witnessed one but have heard a number of first-hand incidents that have raised alarm bells...

One of the most recent concerns were the revelations that Strathclyde Police attempted to plant paid informants within the aviation direct action group, Plane Stupid. It raised the question amongst local airport campaigners whether the police had tried to infiltrate our Gloucestershire campaign. I have to say I think it would be very unlikely indeed.

Anyhow in response to the Strathclyde revelations Caroline Lucas said: "These revelations today are sinister and shocking, and come at a time when public confidence in police tactics is at rock bottom. At a time when there is already concern and controversy over policing of the climate camp at Kingsnorth, the G20 protests, and the mass arrests near Nottingham, it is clear that a review of police tactics is long overdue. The police should not be obstructing our right to peacefully protest. We should make it abundantly clear that intimidation, infiltration and bribery are not legitimate means of policing non-violent protest. We need a police force which understands the vital democratic right to peaceful protest, which acts proportionately, and which can be held properly accountable."

And here is the commitment that the Green Party are seeking from the police to halt:

* infiltration, bribery and intimidation of activist groups who are part of non-violent protest
* the filming of activists by police officers when activists have committed no crime
* an end to police officers at direct protest events appearing without ID numbers on their uniforms (as occured recently in a climate change protest at E.ON's headquarters in Coventry, and at the G20 protests) - see here. The comments by Denis O'Connor, the Chief inspector of constabulary are very welcomed on this when he told MPs on the Commons home affairs select committee that it was "utterly unacceptable [for police] to be not wearing their numerals" on the G20 protests. See here.

And to finish this blog here is a comment by a campaigner on the BBC coverage of Strathclyde: "You ran a piece last night on Strathclyde police's attempt to recruit a spy from Plane Stupid. Plane Stupid is avowedly a non-violent protest group. Yet you accompanied text from the police conversation relating to 'terrorism' with images of violent protest at the G20 events (no connection with Plane Stupid) and the violent break-up of the Climate Change camp by police, with no reference to the fact that the violence was inflicted by the police on the (peaceful) protesters. You therefore successfully portrayed violence as a natural component of dissent, and police action as fully justified in the general cause of defeating terrorism; and Plane Stupid as an organisation somehow connected with violence. Why did you do this and what action will you take to correct what is either lazy or biased coverage?"

Fire-breathing newts in Stonehouse?

I was up at 6am yesterday to take my partner's granddaughter newt counting with Stroud Valley's Project in a large pond opposite the Stonehouse Court Hotel. Sadly despite some of the children saying the newts breathed fire we did not get to see those ones - we were in search of the Great Crested variety...

Photos: from our newt adventures

Surveys have shown that up to 50% of Gloucestershire's ponds have disappeared since 1950, depleting the newt's natural habitat. Today there are fewer than 3,000 of the original farm ponds left. During Spring 2007, 60 ponds in the county were surveyed but great crested newts were only present in 14%.

Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) is undertaking a long-term study into the state of the population of great-crested newts living in the Stonehouse pond. The launch of this study coincides with the peak courtship and egg-laying period which occurs mid-March to mid-May. During this time, adult males attract females by undertaking a complicated courtship ‘dance’ and you can go out with a torch and see if you have them in your pond. We sadly saw no crested newts but did see 9 'boy' newts and 1 'girl' newt - see below - females are less colourful on their bellies - see below

1 in 10 gardens now have a pond but natural ponds are disappearing throughout the countryside due to infilling, pollution and draining as a result of modern agricultural practices. As a result great crested newts are now a protected species as the lack of natural habitats; particularly the loss of breeding grounds is impacting on the size of the newt population in general. Indeed the police have a Wildlife Crime Officer who patrols some of the key sites at key times.

On my visit to the Stonehouse site we witnessed that one newt was dying as a result of the strimming of grass there (see photo below) - I will ask to see if there is a way the Parish can change the times of strimming to have less of an impact on the newts.

The long term goal of the study is for SVP to work with local residents to look after the pond, ensuring that the newt population continues to thrive despite the housing development that’s been built around the pond in recent years. The survey involves putting out special newt-friendly traps on the Friday evening, and then returning to the pond at 7.00am the following morning to empty the traps and see what's been caught. The early start is to minimise any disturbance to the newts. We were apparently working with one of the country’s leading great-crested newt experts who lives in Stroud and is properly licensed to handle these legally protected animals.

There is also now a project to protect great crested newts in Gloucestershire - with £34,396 collected from landfill taxes to ensure the 'No Newts is Bad Newts' conservation scheme will run for two more years. In an attempt to halt the decline of newts the team has held pond survey training days with more than 60 volunteers. They have issued advice and management plans for 38 ponds, restored four ponds and created a further four new ponds and seven artificial hibernating shelters for the newts during the project's first year.




Former Green District councillor Dr Simon Pickering, Chair of the Gloucestershire Biodiversity Partnership, is quoted in the press saying: "This is a stunning innovative project that will set new standards for great crested newt conservation in Europe by protecting and enhancing networks of ponds not just individual ponds."

This pic is of the fence - a special design to stop the newts getting out onto the main road - however there are apparently flaws with it? Anyhow it was a very enjoyable time - I learnt lots - would have been even better with an espresso machine but nevertheless a good time - look out for similar events next year.


GREAT CRESTED NEWTS

The species is legally protected in the UK

It is possible for them to reach an age of 27 years

They may grow up to 17cm long (body and tail)

They are nocturnal, hiding on land during the day in burrows or under logs, stones

They hibernate between October and late February

They have dark grey-brown backs and flanks, and are covered with darker coloured spots

Glos street lighting to be dimmed

The Citizen yesterday reported that 10,000 of the 59,000 street lights in Gloucestershire will be dimmed by 35% from 10pm to 5.30am. It will save £210,000 per year and cut emissions by 28% saving more than 980 tonnes of carbon.

Photo: Coffee to help keep me writing

I am quoted in the article saying: "I am delighted with the news. This is something that I have been pushing for a long time. There is overwhelming evidence that dimming street lights saves carbon emissions and saves money. And there is no evidence that dimming street lights increases crime rates."

However I also wanted to note that this is only a start - some villages and towns like Nailsworth have seen part night switch off of their lighting - why is this not being rolled out across the County as well? There is a failure to see the urgency needed in tackling climate change and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Furthermore there are huge advantages in reducing light pollution - an issue I have covered before on this blog.

I have written several emails and had conversations with the County as both Randwick and Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parishes have agreed to participate ages ago in a partial switch off - part of the delay I am told has been caused by an "opportunity" to obtain some government funding towards the cost of the scheme. The bureaucracy involved in pursuing this, apparently imposed an inordinate delay on doing anything. I will write again today to see if things can move. I'll let you know any news...

Videoing journalists is a step way too far

I had a rant just last week about the threats to our liberties - see here - any-which-way you look at it the British Government has spent the past decade carrying out a wholesale assault on our rights and freedoms, from ID cards and the DNA database to detention without trial and infringements on free speech.

As Greens, we have a strong and proud tradition of direct action and peaceful protest. This week commendable work by The Guardian newspaper has revealed the extent of police surveillance not just of those who join marches and demos, but the journalists who act as the eyes and ears of the public. This is surely a step way to far? What sort of society are we creating?

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, commented: "The police need to distinguish between crime and democratic dissent or they will find themselves on the receiving end of the law."

Rainbow flags to fly again in Glos? And petition to sign?

Greens in the SW have launched a new LGBT group (see here) - they are already approaching Councils to promote International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) - Bournemouth and Poole are already signed up. Read on also for petition to sign.

Photos: Pride flags flying previously at Ebley Mill and Sub Rooms after my request supported by the local Glos Pride group

Some may ask why such a move is needed but we should not forget that there are 77 countries in the world today where it is a criminal offence to be gay. These countries punish women, men and children because of their sexuality and in seven countries the punishment is death. This day provides a platform for everyone to make a powerful statement to demand improvements for the quality of life for LGBT people both overseas and here in the UK. The 17th May is used to raise awareness of homophobic issues that are negatively impacting on people’s lives and to showcase success stories where a positive change has been achieved.

Locally Greens have been involved in the County Pride events and many other related issues from calling for hate crime legislation to condemning attacks - we were the only political party marching at the first event - see here. I am appalled that suicide statistics show that 40% of gay boys bullied at school have gone on to attempt suicide. I am also angered that the National Blood Service discriminates against gay people and refuses to let them give blood...there is more....

This year I've been speaking to one of the organisers re this year - they will consider helping call on local councils to fly the flag for IDAHO and Pride - but at the moment are still trying to make the event happen - it is planned for Cheltenham - see here - but so far it appears they may not have had the support needed from the Borough - let's hope things come together...it is an important event that raises the profile and challenges those who think discrimination no longer exists or is nothing to worry about....

I just heard that the 'new' head of the Metropolitan Police insisted that the rainbow flag was taken down from a police station in the East End of London where it had been flying to denote respect for LGBT History Month. They're perfectly entitled to do this as they're only supposed to fly the union flag and the flag of the local police authority, but in Brighton the Police fly the rainbow flag for IDAHO and Pride.

Anyhow last week there was a mini-storm in the local paper (see here) when some hit out at a city cinema's decision not to show the recent blockbuster "Milk". The story is about California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White. I've heard it is an important film worth seeing - it does seem disappointing that it is not being shown at Cineworld here - although it is elsewhere at their cinemas.

Petition to sign?

Many will know my total opposition to the nonsense of the hugely costly and pointless ID cards - well here is another aspect of them that is set to cause problems for a small number of people. Gender Spectrum have launched an on-line petition aimed at ensuring the safety of members of the community who do present themselves in a manner which is not the same as the gender to which they were assigned at birth. Heres a bit more about it - please consider signing urgently as consultation closes on 13th Feb:

The guidelines at present will require people to have their gender (determined as either Male or Female as reflected by their Birth Certificate) announced on the ID Card. If a person wishes to present in a manner that is not the same as their Birth Certificate they will have to undergo a process to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) or hold 2 ID cards. This means that unless a GRC is obtained, the person will need to have two ID cards. Both will be in the persons legal name, but one will identify the person as male, the other as female. The one in the birth gender will be valid for travel throughout Europe, the other will not. Once a full GRC has been issued, a single ID card will be issued in the acquired gender. Each of these individual cards must be paid for in full. The initial proposed fee of £30 will only remain until 2012. Anyone who wishes to obtain a Passport must also obtain an ID card under the proposals. The guidelines also state that the database will also keep details of your birth gender, even after a GRC has been issued.

Here's what those setting up the petition say:

We believe that there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. We believe that a person carrying two ID cards, each bearing details that conflict with the other, will be become vulnerable and at risk from harm from foreign security services or members of the public, particularly in volatile countries and/or situations. We believe that this puts many peoples lives at risk. We also believe that this puts many people who do not have a GRC in a vulnerable position. For this reason we have taken two specific actions and would appreciate your support by taking action.

1. We have drafted a letter that you are welcome to download and send to Robin Woodland at the Home Office. You may use it in its entirety or as a template to compose your own letter
2. We have started an on-line petition which we would love you to sign

The document is available for download from:
http://www.alisonwhelan.co.uk/id_cards.htm

The on-line petition is available at:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TransID