This went out yesterday to media in Kent. We must fight NuLab's continued selling off of public services.
Kent Greens have warned against further privatisation of public services as plans go to parliament today to privatise 30% of the Royal Mail. The Greens are concerned that further privatisation will lead to a poorer service, unnecessary jobs loses and increased costs to the tax payers of the part that remains in public ownership as private companies continue their cherry picking of the profitable parts of the service.
Stuart Jeffery comments: "As the only main party opposed to the privatisation of the Royal Mail, Kent Greens have issued a call to 'Stamp out Privatisation' of Royal Mail.
"Privatisation of public services has been a common theme of the political landscape for over a quarter of a century with devastating results. In the case of Post Offices, local communities are being deprived of a basic community service for narrow, commercial reasons. How can the government possibly justify multibillion bail-outs of banks while failing to support its core public services like Post Offices? A partly privatized postal service will lead to reductions in services to the public in the same way.
"Even more sad is that the Lib Dems and Tories are backing the part privatisation, making the loss of this service to privateers almost certain.
"As the last 12 months have shown, the market economics of the private sector has been shown to be fundamentally flawed. We must not let more public services fall prey to the market, the Royal Mail needs and deserves our support. We need to stamp out privatisation."
Green Party campaigner in Kent. Also a nurse, academic, former manager, writer, Druid, husband and father...
Friday, 27 February 2009
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Message from the CWU
To all the owners of the Royal Mail,
(this means you), as it’s a publicly owned industry.
Do you realise what the government is trying to do to your Postal service and the effect it will have on your service?
In the 1980’s and early 90’s the Thatcher Government pulled off the greatest national con in history, they used Public money to advertise shares to the Public in nearly all the service industries that the Public already owned. They justified this on the grounds that competition was good, would force the prices down while using shareholders money to improve the services concerned.
Well that worked didn’t it? We the taxpayers are still subsidising the “Private” Railway industry (while the shareholders still get a dividend), and I for one cannot think of any of the privatised industries that are cheaper or better than when they were Nationalised industries. In fact most of them have been allowed to put their prices up, way above the rate of inflation year on year ever since privatisation.
But in 1994 the Thatcher Government were soundly defeated in their attempt to privatise our Postal Service, the general consensus being, that it would not be in the Public interest.
In 1997 we voted in a new Government “New Labour” and although one of their Manifesto commitments was that they had “No plans to privatise the Postal Industry”
It seems that was exactly what they set out to do.
First step;- The previous Government had allowed the Post Office to take a 13 year Pensions holiday ( because the pension fund was in surplus).
When New Labour got in one of the first things they did was to Tax pension funds.
Result—now a £5.9 Billion pension deficit, and climbing.
Second step;- Open our Postal service to competition from the European Union, 3 years before they were supposed to, and by the way the rest of Europe baulked at doing it themselves, the new “target” for them is 2011.
Result -- Now TNT, DHL, etc; are all over here taking our profit. But we cannot compete over there.
Third step;- Appoint Alan Leighton as Chairman (a known privatiser, who lives in Canada and pays no tax on his salary or bonuses), who in turn appointed Crozier who came from messing up the F.A. and knows exactly that much about the Postal industry, but takes £2-3 million in salary and bonus per year out of the industry.
Result -- Much later deliveries, thousands of town and rural sub offices closed, many Crown offices sold off to W.H.Smiths, (privatisation by any other name). Going from putting £500 million a year into the exchequer – to making a loss.
Fourth step;- When the Postal staff went on strike because they had their Pension and attendance times changed by executive action, stand to lose 40-50 thousand jobs, their canteens have been closed, their Union ignored, their jobs made harder, are bullied and treated with contempt by managers.
The Government promise a Postal review, John Hutton M.P. oversees the Hooper review, the interim report looks favourable to the Unions viewpoint, the review is due to be published in October 2008, is not, John Hutton is moved sideways and Mandleson (a known privatiser) is made a lord and put in charge.
Result -- The Hooper review reappears, much changed and recommending, ………… partial privatisation, Mandleson says 49% sell off (mooted as probably TNT) one of our European competitors, who we are not allowed to compete with in their own market.
49% exactly what they sold off of B.T. (to start with)……But was soon fully private.
He has backed off a tad and now says a 30% sell off, after getting a drubbing on National television. But it’s a safe bet that the end game will be total privatisation.
Unlike Thatcher you may notice that New Labour have cut out the middle man (you), they do not intend to give the owners of the Post Office (you) the chance to have a say in how it is run, by holding shares.
What will this mean to your Postal Service?
Leighton, his cohorts and successor favour the Dutch system.
Which is, only handling letters which can be machine sorted down to walk order, can be packed into pouches which will then be delivered by part time workers (they envisage 84% of Postal delivery staff being part time by 2011).
The part time workers in Holland are mostly women who drop their children at school, pick up a pouch or so from the school and deliver the letters. (Royal Mail has already been talking to schools).
Other part time staff will collect the pouches from lock up garages etc; which means Royal Mail can also sell of the majority of Delivery offices.
So how far away will the new Delivery Processing office be from you if you have to collect something?, because you have the effrontery to be at work when delivery is attempted.
You may have noticed that there is no mention of packets, recorded, registered or any other special delivery service! Now what, I wonder will the 30 or 49% sell off consist of?
Surely not all the profit making products? And how much will they then go up by?
The hijacked Hooper report says that we are a loss making industry, compared to those of Europe!
It does not take into account that they are over here now taking our profit, nor does it stress that it may be because the European Postal industries charge up to three times the amount that we do, in their own countries!
So instead of the best and cheapest Postal service in the world (as it was a few short years ago), serviced by mostly friendly, honest, caring and helpful staff, which cost you the same to send an item 800 miles as it does to send it next door.
YOU WILL GET A SERVICE RUN FOR PRIVATE (FOREIGN) PROFIT.
(Zoned pricing has been mentioned)!
Your Posties will most likely lose their livelihood as well as getting a reduced pension.
Who pays for poor pensioners or those out of work? YOU DO, THE TAX PAYER.
Pass the word.
Write to your M.P. Demand the Postal service that you deserve (because you own it).
Also sign this petition only 5900 have signed, it should be all voters.
We can give you the service you want and deserve !
Unless of course, Mandleson gets his way.
I apologise in advance if we have to go on strike to protect our jobs and your service, we don’t want to (it costs us money), but it is after all the only weapon we have left.
KEEP THE POST PUBLIC !
Please send this to all your e-mail contacts, - Friends and family.
Clive Marshall,
CWU, A.D.R. (T.W.) 
Sustainable Communities Act
Have just returned from the Council meeting at the Town Hall where I put the following question to the Leader of the Council:
"In light of the recent short consultation on the council's draft core strategy, is the council prepared to adopt the powers within the Sustainable Communities Act in order to promote local democracy and to give local people the opportunity to influence central government to assist the council in promoting the sustainability of local communities in Maidstone."
The question was met with unanimous support. In response to the question the Tory run administration announced that they will pursue the SCA with a view to putting recommendations to central government by the July 2009 deadline. The Lib Dems also supported the SCA and stated that they had been preparing a motion for a future council meeting and were at pains to claim that this was not as a result of my question!
For my supplementary question I could not help but to ask why it had taken so long to move on the ACT given that it came in in 2007...
"In light of the recent short consultation on the council's draft core strategy, is the council prepared to adopt the powers within the Sustainable Communities Act in order to promote local democracy and to give local people the opportunity to influence central government to assist the council in promoting the sustainability of local communities in Maidstone."
The question was met with unanimous support. In response to the question the Tory run administration announced that they will pursue the SCA with a view to putting recommendations to central government by the July 2009 deadline. The Lib Dems also supported the SCA and stated that they had been preparing a motion for a future council meeting and were at pains to claim that this was not as a result of my question!
For my supplementary question I could not help but to ask why it had taken so long to move on the ACT given that it came in in 2007...
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Support for Unison at Kent County Council
As I have stated before, I support Unison's claim for a reasonable wage rise for Kent County Council workers and earlier I sent the letter below to the Kent on Sunday. News just out from the Kent Messenger:
The letter:
Dear Editor,
The news that Kent County Council has voted to cut the pay of its workers is hardly a surprise but it is a decision that must be condemned. Council workers have been offered just 1% against current inflation rates of around 3%. In times of economic recession KCC needs to inject money into our economy not take it out. By shrinking Kent's economy more than it is already shrinking, KCC are putting others' jobs at risk. County Councillor's need to rethink their decision.
For anyone suggesting that workers are lucky to have a job, it is worth remembering that a large proportion of KCC staff are not paid huge amounts and for people on lower incomes keeping pace with inflation is essential. KCC must look after its staff and remember that public sector
staff are the backbone of our society.
KCC claim they must keep spending down in times of recession but, as we now all know, economists across the world are saying differently. KCC has failed to look after public money, losing £50m on dodgy investments and wasting cash on pointless publicity like Kent TV, it should try to make amends and look after its staff and inject money into Kent's economy.
Stuart Jeffery
Green Party Prospective MP for Maidstone and the Weald
"Bonuses of more than £100,000 were paid to Kent County Council's top officers last year"
How County Councillors can deny low paid public sector workers a proper rise is beyond me.The letter:
Dear Editor,
The news that Kent County Council has voted to cut the pay of its workers is hardly a surprise but it is a decision that must be condemned. Council workers have been offered just 1% against current inflation rates of around 3%. In times of economic recession KCC needs to inject money into our economy not take it out. By shrinking Kent's economy more than it is already shrinking, KCC are putting others' jobs at risk. County Councillor's need to rethink their decision.
For anyone suggesting that workers are lucky to have a job, it is worth remembering that a large proportion of KCC staff are not paid huge amounts and for people on lower incomes keeping pace with inflation is essential. KCC must look after its staff and remember that public sector
staff are the backbone of our society.
KCC claim they must keep spending down in times of recession but, as we now all know, economists across the world are saying differently. KCC has failed to look after public money, losing £50m on dodgy investments and wasting cash on pointless publicity like Kent TV, it should try to make amends and look after its staff and inject money into Kent's economy.
Stuart Jeffery
Green Party Prospective MP for Maidstone and the Weald
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Green Party PPC for Maidstone to support the 'Bin the Bag' launch
Green Party parliamentary candidate for Maidstone is to attend the launch of the 'Bin the Bag' campaign, Maidstone's campaign to end plastic bags. Stuart Jeffery, Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Maidstone and the Weald, has welcomed the campaign and offered his full support. Stuart has called for Maidstone to lead the way in reducing plastic waste, which would save the council money and therefore save householders money through reduced council tax bills.
Stuart Jeffery, Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald: "We have lived beyond our ecological means for many years, refusing to cut back on both waste and consumption. We now know the appalling impacts that are happening as a result of this with landfills at bursting point. There is also a truly shameful sea of plastic in the Pacific that has built up as a direct result of throw away packaging.
"Even though plastic carrier bags are a relatively small part of our consumption problem and reducing them will not solve our ecological problems, they are an area where individuals and businesses can make a direct impact without waiting for political solutions.
"Just this week we learnt just how much packaging is thwarting householder's efforts to recycle and is costing council taxpayers dearly to have the waste disposed of. Reducing our plastic carrier doesn't just send a strong message to others, it can reduce our council tax too."
Notes: Bin the Bag launch: 20th February, 11.30am – 12.30pm Royal Star Arcade, Maidstone Town Centre
http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=1613897
Stuart Jeffery, Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald: "We have lived beyond our ecological means for many years, refusing to cut back on both waste and consumption. We now know the appalling impacts that are happening as a result of this with landfills at bursting point. There is also a truly shameful sea of plastic in the Pacific that has built up as a direct result of throw away packaging.
"Even though plastic carrier bags are a relatively small part of our consumption problem and reducing them will not solve our ecological problems, they are an area where individuals and businesses can make a direct impact without waiting for political solutions.
"Just this week we learnt just how much packaging is thwarting householder's efforts to recycle and is costing council taxpayers dearly to have the waste disposed of. Reducing our plastic carrier doesn't just send a strong message to others, it can reduce our council tax too."
Notes: Bin the Bag launch: 20th February, 11.30am – 12.30pm Royal Star Arcade, Maidstone Town Centre
http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=1613897
KCC pay rise
Frustratingly I missed the protest by Unison outside County Hall this morning. Unison are rejecting the 1% pay offer from KCC and rightly so. CPI is at 3.1%, KCC are wasting millions on Kent TV, pointless road building, hiring expensive hotels, a politically low council tax rise, etc. The economy needs injections of cash, as economists now agree, not cut backs and a 1% pay rise is a pay cut.
Why make hard working council staff suffer? It will have a knock on effect of depressing the local economy further.
Why make hard working council staff suffer? It will have a knock on effect of depressing the local economy further.
FCUK or Recycle Now?
I'm off to do some shopping and I'll be wearing a T shirt which says 'Recycle Now'. I am very worried about being arrested as a dangerous extremist pushing my offensive views on an unsuspecting public. Even though I will be leaving my camera at home, I still deserve a night in jail for even thinking about making a public statement.
With hindsight it might be better to buy a FCUK T shirt - at least that can't be construed as offensive???
Worse still, I could write something in the snow which people might be able to read... this is from the Daily Record:
With hindsight it might be better to buy a FCUK T shirt - at least that can't be construed as offensive???
Worse still, I could write something in the snow which people might be able to read... this is from the Daily Record:
A GRANDAD was arrested by police - for drawing a protest message in the snow.
Geoff Lamb, 65, yesterday told how he was handcuffed, spent a night in the cells and had his car impounded.
It happened after police found him drawing a four-foothigh slogan on a hill.
The 100-foot-long message was on the flight path into Aberdeen airport so that it could be read by passengers.
The message read: "You fly, they die."
It was written by Geoff using a garden pressure hose and was meant to be a protest against climate change.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Section 78 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008
Video from Beau Bo D'or - might be a lost on anyone who doesn't remember Camberwick Green.
Remember children, it is now illegal to shoot a policeman with a camera.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Civil Liberties
Just when you thought it was safe to photograph a policeman or wave a placard, two important piece of news that are the latest nails in the coffin of civil liberties arrive today.
I hope everyone went out photographing the police yesterday, cause you needed to get it out of your system. If you snap a cop today you could face 10 years. Even if the cop is doing something wrong.
This is from Penny Red: "Set to become law on the 16th of February in the UK, the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 amends the Terrorism Act 2000 regarding offences relating to information about members of armed forces, a member of the intelligence services, or a police officer. Laws are being introduced that allow for the arrest - and fining, and imprisonment for up to ten years - of anyone who takes pictures of officers 'likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism'."
So when the police are harassing peaceful protesters at a demonstration, the demonstrators can't even protect themselves by gathering photographic evidence.
Secondly, The NETCU look like they are being replaced by the CIU... The CIU or Confidential Intelligence Unit (clearly intimidatorily named to be like the CIA) seems to be taking on the role of defeating domestic extremism. I'm all in favour of defeating extremists but my guess is that they won't target people who hand billions of squid to bankers, or people taking bungs to amend the law in the favour of greedy corporations, or even politicians that claim that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists are wrong and that her economist friend knows more about climate change than them.
Target the terrorists and those who are out to cause people harm, not those who are trying to raise awareness of the biggest problem that has ever faced mankind.
I hope everyone went out photographing the police yesterday, cause you needed to get it out of your system. If you snap a cop today you could face 10 years. Even if the cop is doing something wrong.
This is from Penny Red: "Set to become law on the 16th of February in the UK, the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 amends the Terrorism Act 2000 regarding offences relating to information about members of armed forces, a member of the intelligence services, or a police officer. Laws are being introduced that allow for the arrest - and fining, and imprisonment for up to ten years - of anyone who takes pictures of officers 'likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism'."
So when the police are harassing peaceful protesters at a demonstration, the demonstrators can't even protect themselves by gathering photographic evidence.
Secondly, The NETCU look like they are being replaced by the CIU... The CIU or Confidential Intelligence Unit (clearly intimidatorily named to be like the CIA) seems to be taking on the role of defeating domestic extremism. I'm all in favour of defeating extremists but my guess is that they won't target people who hand billions of squid to bankers, or people taking bungs to amend the law in the favour of greedy corporations, or even politicians that claim that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists are wrong and that her economist friend knows more about climate change than them.
Target the terrorists and those who are out to cause people harm, not those who are trying to raise awareness of the biggest problem that has ever faced mankind.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Climate change beyond anything predicted
Following on from my previous post, this appeared on the BBC website today:
"The severity of global warming over the next century will be much worse than previously believed, a leading climate scientist has warned.
"Professor Chris Field, an author of a 2007 landmark report on climate change, said future temperatures "will be beyond anything" predicted."
Scary stuff, but while fear is a useful stimulus to action, we need action first and foremost. Action that is lacking at local, national and international levels. We simply have to stop digging the black stuff out of the ground. International agreements on targets are all very useful, as is ensuring equity of our global resources, but unless we stop digging and burning, we will start burning and digging.
And as for airport expansion being good for our children as proposed by in a letter to teh Kent on Sunday...
Letter to the Kent on Sunday
Dear Editor,
I was amazed at the out pouring against Clive Aslet's views on Manston as I for one agree wholeheartedly with him on this issue.
Mr Andrews's suggestion that airport expansion offers a 'glimmer of hope for our children's future' is particularly worrying. Climate change is the biggest threat to our collective future that we (and our children) face. Expanding airports, and therefore increasing emissions from planes, is complete madness. The climate change effect of emissions from planes up to 4 times more than from cars and power stations. There can be no increase in flying if we are to stop runaway climate change, indeed there has to be significantly less. Our children do need a glimmer of hope, but destroying our climate will not give them that.
In a separate letter, Mr Medwell attacks the suggestion of civil disobedience to stop the expansions. Non-violent civil disobedience may well be the last line of defence against expansion - let us hope that it does not come to that. However, Al Gore has asked why children everywhere are not protesting in the streets over the need to stop carbon emissions, and remember that Ghandi and Rosa Parks changed the world with their civil disobedience. Sometimes it is necessary.
Stuart Jeffery
Campaigns Officer for Kent Green Party
I was amazed at the out pouring against Clive Aslet's views on Manston as I for one agree wholeheartedly with him on this issue.
Mr Andrews's suggestion that airport expansion offers a 'glimmer of hope for our children's future' is particularly worrying. Climate change is the biggest threat to our collective future that we (and our children) face. Expanding airports, and therefore increasing emissions from planes, is complete madness. The climate change effect of emissions from planes up to 4 times more than from cars and power stations. There can be no increase in flying if we are to stop runaway climate change, indeed there has to be significantly less. Our children do need a glimmer of hope, but destroying our climate will not give them that.
In a separate letter, Mr Medwell attacks the suggestion of civil disobedience to stop the expansions. Non-violent civil disobedience may well be the last line of defence against expansion - let us hope that it does not come to that. However, Al Gore has asked why children everywhere are not protesting in the streets over the need to stop carbon emissions, and remember that Ghandi and Rosa Parks changed the world with their civil disobedience. Sometimes it is necessary.
Stuart Jeffery
Campaigns Officer for Kent Green Party
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Maidstone gets Fairtrade Status
Fantastic News: Three years of hard work and Maidstone has just been awarded Fairtrade Borough status. The steering group have all worked their socks off putting on events round the town, including:
"It's my great pleasure to confirm that Maidstone's application for Fairtrade Borough status has been successful! Well done. Our feedback on the application is attached.
"It has been an absolute pleasure to learn of all that's been going on in Maidstone and wonderful to see all that has been achieved since an application for Fairtrade status was first submitted last year. The panel were very impressed by the huge amount of work and dedication put in by steering group members and please do pass on our thanks to everyone involved for all their hard work and commitment."
- a large stall at the Mela each year
- a picnic with 600 junior school children
- various stalls around the town
- a couple of speeches at the anual PeaceOne Day concert
- a couple of disasterous chocolate fountains (they don't like the wind)
- badgering evey shop in Maidstone
- badgering every school and church in Maidstone
- and much more
"It's my great pleasure to confirm that Maidstone's application for Fairtrade Borough status has been successful! Well done. Our feedback on the application is attached.
"It has been an absolute pleasure to learn of all that's been going on in Maidstone and wonderful to see all that has been achieved since an application for Fairtrade status was first submitted last year. The panel were very impressed by the huge amount of work and dedication put in by steering group members and please do pass on our thanks to everyone involved for all their hard work and commitment."
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
WDM message to the EU
This is from the World Development Movement. Please send a message to the EU that human rights and the environment must take precedence over corporate profit.
"Europe’s trade policies put big business before the interests of people and the environment.
"They will particularly harm the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world: destroying jobs, small-scale industries and the livelihoods of small farmers, as well as increasing environmental exploitation and human rights abuses."
Save our Mail
I have signed this 10 Downing St petition and would encourage others to do so too. The Royal Mail must not be privatised. Labour's latest round of privatisation must be resisted, there is no place for private profit in this public service:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to reject any part privatisation or minority stake sale of Royal Mail which could lead to loss of service, price hikes and would erode a much loved public service.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to reject any part privatisation or minority stake sale of Royal Mail which could lead to loss of service, price hikes and would erode a much loved public service.
Racism and xenophobia
Liberty are calling on all general election candidates to sign up to their pledge against racism and xenophobia (below). I have signed this - let us hope that the other candidates in Maidstone do too.
Stuart
There is no place for racism and xenophobia in modern British politics. Nor is democratic debate advanced by the denigration of the most vulnerable in our country, including children and asylum seekers who do not enjoy the right to participate in elections.
I promise to remember the importance of refugee protection, even in free and wide-ranging debates about immigration policy. I will never play fast and loose with the proud tradition of a nation that must always offer succour to those in genuine fear of persecution.
Stuart
There is no place for racism and xenophobia in modern British politics. Nor is democratic debate advanced by the denigration of the most vulnerable in our country, including children and asylum seekers who do not enjoy the right to participate in elections.
I promise to remember the importance of refugee protection, even in free and wide-ranging debates about immigration policy. I will never play fast and loose with the proud tradition of a nation that must always offer succour to those in genuine fear of persecution.
MBC Draft Core Strategy
Maidstone Borough Council are consulting on a draft Core Strategy (until 16th Feb). We have submitted a response. The draft strategy is is available on the MBC website. This is our press release that went out this morning:
Maidstone Greens have submitted their comments to Maidstone Borough Council on their Draft Core Strategy. Maidstone Borough Council is running a consultation "Have your say on the council's plans for the future" for just 18 days. Maidstone Greens have strongly criticised the council's lack of action on tackling the economic downturn, lack of action on climate change and lack of action on building strong communities.
Stuart Jeffery, Green Party prospective MP for Maidstone and the Weald: "The draft objectives that the Conservative run council have put together will be disastrous for the people of Maidstone. The council want to cut spending, but however they make these spending cuts, it will lead to job and service cuts both of which will have an appalling impact on both people and the economy in Maidstone, especially at this time.
"We have suggested that rather than reducing spending, the council raises money through issuing local government bonds and injects this money into schemes to create new green jobs. We want to see free home insulation provided across the borough, investment in public transport, walking and cycling, and investment in local renewable energy. All these schemes would stimulate the local economy, provide much needed jobs and start to tackle the environmental crisis.
"We want Maidstone to become more resilient to economic downturns. It can only do this by widening its range of businesses and by reducing its economic reliance on large scale retail.
"We have also called on the council to build communities and improve residents voice in local issues. One key way of doing this would be for the council to adopt the provisions in the Sustainable Communities Act.
"Maidstone Borough Council have allowed just 18 days for people to respond to the draft Core Strategy, for a strategy that defines the council's objectives for the next three years, we think this is far too short."
Maidstone Greens have submitted their comments to Maidstone Borough Council on their Draft Core Strategy. Maidstone Borough Council is running a consultation "Have your say on the council's plans for the future" for just 18 days. Maidstone Greens have strongly criticised the council's lack of action on tackling the economic downturn, lack of action on climate change and lack of action on building strong communities.
Stuart Jeffery, Green Party prospective MP for Maidstone and the Weald: "The draft objectives that the Conservative run council have put together will be disastrous for the people of Maidstone. The council want to cut spending, but however they make these spending cuts, it will lead to job and service cuts both of which will have an appalling impact on both people and the economy in Maidstone, especially at this time.
"We have suggested that rather than reducing spending, the council raises money through issuing local government bonds and injects this money into schemes to create new green jobs. We want to see free home insulation provided across the borough, investment in public transport, walking and cycling, and investment in local renewable energy. All these schemes would stimulate the local economy, provide much needed jobs and start to tackle the environmental crisis.
"We want Maidstone to become more resilient to economic downturns. It can only do this by widening its range of businesses and by reducing its economic reliance on large scale retail.
"We have also called on the council to build communities and improve residents voice in local issues. One key way of doing this would be for the council to adopt the provisions in the Sustainable Communities Act.
"Maidstone Borough Council have allowed just 18 days for people to respond to the draft Core Strategy, for a strategy that defines the council's objectives for the next three years, we think this is far too short."
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Wisdom, wine, raise money, more wine, etc...
Wine and Wisdom
in
Maidstone
Quiz Night fundraiser for the Euros (in four months time...) - all welcome
6th March 7.30pm
Maidstone Community Support Centre, Marsham St
Teams of 6-8 if possible, but we can put people together.
£5 per person
Free food, free questions, lots of laughs,
great prizes (including the obligatory wine but also raffling a pair of Mark Thomas tickets),
BYOB
Booking is essential!
Phone Stuart: 07970 436029
Maidstone Green Party
in
Maidstone
Quiz Night fundraiser for the Euros (in four months time...) - all welcome
6th March 7.30pm
Maidstone Community Support Centre, Marsham St
Teams of 6-8 if possible, but we can put people together.
£5 per person
Free food, free questions, lots of laughs,
great prizes (including the obligatory wine but also raffling a pair of Mark Thomas tickets),
BYOB
Booking is essential!
Phone Stuart: 07970 436029
Maidstone Green Party
Jerry Hicks for General Secretary of Amicus
I left Unison for Amicus / Unite a couple of years back simply because Karen Jennings, who was the health lead at Unison, announced that she is standing for Labour in the next General Election. Amicus seem a good bunch and I'm please to be a member. Derek Wall is backing Jerry Hicks for General Secretary and I tend to agree with Derek on this.
Caroline Lucas on KIG
Great letter from Caroline in the Maidstone edition of the Kent Messenger this week:
Dear Editor,
Once againI have made a submission to the consultation on KIG in the hope that continuing public objections about the environmentally destructive nature of this vast industrial estate will bear fruit.
What is more, the recession casts an enormous question mark over the viability of the proposals.
There is a potential conflict between KIG and the China Gateway development planned for Thanet, since both rely on heroic,and totally unsubstantiatedassumptions about future economic activity.
Proposals for economic development in this recession need to become realistic about the state of the economy.
A locally focused response to the recession could be upon three elements:
Caroline Lucas, Green Party Member of the European Parliament for Kent
Dear Editor,
Once againI have made a submission to the consultation on KIG in the hope that continuing public objections about the environmentally destructive nature of this vast industrial estate will bear fruit.
What is more, the recession casts an enormous question mark over the viability of the proposals.
There is a potential conflict between KIG and the China Gateway development planned for Thanet, since both rely on heroic,and totally unsubstantiatedassumptions about future economic activity.
Proposals for economic development in this recession need to become realistic about the state of the economy.
A locally focused response to the recession could be upon three elements:
- Implementing public transport improvements
- Taking unfinished and empty buildings into public ownership and ensuring decent housing for all
- Beginning a comprehensive energy efficiency and local energy supply programme
Caroline Lucas, Green Party Member of the European Parliament for Kent
Wealden Progressive Movement
The Wealden Progressive Movement's latest bulletin/newsletter is out. I have only recently discovered this group and have been very impressed by the work that they are doing. Their latest newsletter has articles on the Gaza demonstrations in Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, articles on the recent strikes, economics and monetary reform, and plenty more, including this Make Cake Not War picture!This is a snippet from "Fighting the Wrong Enemy":
"The reports of unofficial strike action across the north of England in response to the award of a contract to build a new power plant to an Italian company, which is not going to use British workers is possibly the first step towards concerted calls for protectionism in Britain.
"The workers, who are rightly scared for their livelihoods are blindly repeating the mistakes of previous generations during economic hardship. The new found militancy and the support shown by other workers should be applauded, but sadly they are focusing on the wrong target.
"The situation which allows multinational companies to move labour and finance around the world at a whim is the real problem here, not Italian workers, who like their British counterparts are simply trying to make a living.
"British workers must realise that they share a common enemy with their foreign equivalents, and that they should be asking why Italian workers are being used by the companies involved. The simple answer is that they are cheaper to employ, thus the company makes a larger profit on the contract.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Maidstone Core Strategy consultation
Apologies for taking a whole week off blogging - have been writing a response to Maidstone Borough Council's Draft Core Strategy which is currently open for consultation at present.
In keeping with its Tory masters everywhere, our Tory filled council seems happy to comment on the economic crisis but has no solutions to it. They seem happy to propose to cut services (quite how removing more money from the economy and making more people unemployed will help is beyond me). They also suggest that it would be cheaper to jointly provide some services with neighbouring areas.
Of course, if it was cheaper to jointly provide services with neighbours then I have to ask why haven't they done this before, the savings could have been channeled in to enhancing other council services. I suspect the answer is simply that the jointly provided services will reduce both cost and provision, and it is clear that the Tories are only doing this to slash jobs.
The draft Core Strategy is unbelievably light in ideas, fortunately I think Maidstone Greens have a few! I will publish our submission here once we have agreed it, but it focuses on:
In keeping with its Tory masters everywhere, our Tory filled council seems happy to comment on the economic crisis but has no solutions to it. They seem happy to propose to cut services (quite how removing more money from the economy and making more people unemployed will help is beyond me). They also suggest that it would be cheaper to jointly provide some services with neighbouring areas.
Of course, if it was cheaper to jointly provide services with neighbours then I have to ask why haven't they done this before, the savings could have been channeled in to enhancing other council services. I suspect the answer is simply that the jointly provided services will reduce both cost and provision, and it is clear that the Tories are only doing this to slash jobs.
The draft Core Strategy is unbelievably light in ideas, fortunately I think Maidstone Greens have a few! I will publish our submission here once we have agreed it, but it focuses on:
- localism
- pump priming green jobs aka Green New Deal
- improving democracy and communities
- reducing carbon dependency
- increasing alternatives to car use
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