Thursday 28 April 2011

B & H Green Party line on environment - answers to Friends of the Earth questions

Answers by Brighton & Green Party in response to questions by B&H Friends of the Earth

1)  Do you oppose selling off the city’s downland (like the forests nationally) to plug any future budget holes?
YES. Proper stewardship of the Downs is necessary to protect the underlying aquifer (and thus the city's drinking water), to provide activities that benefit physical and mental health, to benefit biodiversity and to play some role in supplying the city with food.

We believe that this stewardship is best advanced through ongoing public ownership by the Council. We don't believe in reducing everything to cash terms, but we are confident that the value of these 'ecosystem services' is immeasurably greater than a lump sum from selling off the family silver.

2)  Do you support Brighton & Hove becoming a Biosphere Reserve (greening the city and improving quality of life and links to the Downs)?
YES. We are committed to working towards UN Biosphere status through programmes in rural and urban areas. We want to see a rich natural environment integrated with the city through initiatives such as green roofs and open spaces. We would also use ‘green corridors’ to join up the natural wildlife spaces within the city, and require the incorporation of biodiversity into our planning requirements.

We want to build on the partnership work of local experts and volunteers who guide and participate in the management of the city’s wild spaces.

We will also to encourage greater access to the Downs by supporting sustainable transport, and increase education about the downland estate on our doorstep. We would like to see an office for the South Downs National Park in the city centre to inform and encourage visitors.

3)  Will you prioritise taking action to reduce carbon emissions (in line with Sustainable Community Strategy targets – 42% reduction in direct carbon emissions by 2020 and 80% reduction by 2050)?
YES. Greens made significant contributions to the development of the SCS, resulting in the inclusion of some key issues such as the carbon reduction targets, the role of transport and the notion of living within environmental limits. 

Lowering our emissions will require using less energy, switching to low and zero-carbon sources, and reducing the amount of ‘embodied’ carbon in the products we consume. To achieve these we must look across the board at different areas. Key issues in Brighton & Hove include energy efficient homes and buildings, sustainable transport, and food.

For example we would like to see the retrofitting of existing buildings that can benefit from cavity wall and loft insulation, and aspire to become a demonstration city for 'harder to treat' buildings. We would also want to become a ‘decentralised energy city' by promoting a wide expansion in community and micro-scale renewable heat and electricity production, taking advantage of Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive, and exploring new sources of finance. These schemes would also create local jobs and training opportunities for the city and lift vulnerable residents out of fuel poverty.

Greens would also promote walking and cycling infrastructure to reduce car dependency (see answers to 6) which would boost road safety and health. Similarly affordable and reliable public transport reduces emissions and improves accessibility across the city for residents on lower incomes. We have also made the case for locally-sourced food to be supported through the council’s procurement and food growing education, which can boost the local economy, and public health.

Reducing carbon emissions is a key priority, but is integrated into a wider approach to improve the city’s wellbeing.

4)  Will you increase recycling and composting (in line with Sustainable Community Strategy targets – 70% citywide recycling / composting rate for domestic waste and 80% for commercial waste by 2025)?
YES. We will work towards a zero-waste Brighton & Hove with the ethos of reduce, reuse and recycle. We will promote city-wide waste reduction and food waste collection, encourage composting and continue to campaign for reduced packaging with shop goods. Food waste is a significant element of the waste going to landfill. We want to in the first instance reduce the amount of food being thrown away through education, and secondly encourage local composting and work on a city-wide waste collection. In our recent budget amendments we secured funding for a food waste collection pilot.

5)  Will you prioritise buses to give them a green wave though traffic lights (to speed up services and reduce costs)?
YES. This is something we would look at to help ease congestion in the city, and reducing ‘waiting time’ for bus services. ‘Green Wave’ light systems are also used to help facilitate bike traffic in other cities around the world and this is something we would look to do more work on.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

BH Green Party line on food - answers to questions


Brighton & Hove Food Partnership Questions

Answered by Brighton & Hove Green Party

Q1 Food waste

Food waste is a huge cost financially and environmentally. Most of the food that ends up in the bin could have been eaten, 22,328 tonnes of food was thrown away by homes in Brighton & Hove in 2009/10. WRAP estimates that avoidable food waste is responsible for 3% of the UK’s GHG emissions. This is equivalent to the emissions from 7 million cars per year.

What will you do to reduce avoidable food waste in the city?
Education is has a key role in avoiding food waste. In the first instance we want to see residents save money on not buying food they won’t eat through encouraging meal-planning and shopping lists. We would also work with retailers in the city to discourage ‘BOGOF’-style offers which encourage people to purchase more products than they will consume. Also we want to ensure that schools food work includes information on good shopping and food budgeting skills.

Secondly, once food has been purchased we want to make sure that residents have the information to be able to cook the right quantities, and keep track of what food is due to go off. Finally, showing residents how they can imaginatively use their leftovers and other ingredients in the fridge will ensure that food gets eaten rather than forgotten about and thrown away.

We will undertake this through ongoing work with the Food Partnership and continuing the excellent Love Food Hate Waste programme. We will support the partnership to deliver skills workshops on cooking and budgeting and will work on ways to promote and ensure access to these in conjunction with other services.

We will make communications channels – such as City News, City Clean and spaces on the waste vehicles fleet - available to raise awareness. We would also look at tying this in to Council Tax bill literature to highlight the cost implications. For instance, the average family with children throws away £680 per year through food waste, which is equivalent to 45% of Band D Council Tax.

The bulk of food waste is from households, but significant quantities also arise from food retailers, restaurants, pubs, cafés and catering. We would look at the possibility of running a promotion aimed at restaurants and their customers. For example this could share good practice on cutting waste between restaurants and de-stigmatise the 'doggy bag' for leftovers.

The Council has a responsibility too, and we will seek to drive down food waste in council services and school catering.

Do you support a separate city-wide food waste collection?
Yes. With the economic and environmental cost of food waste soaring, this significant component of our landfill waste cannot be ignored. We will promote home and community composting for those who have the space, though for many a collection is key. Greens proposed a budget amendment in this year’s budget setting process to set aside money for a food waste collection pilot with a view to introducing a city-wide scheme. It has also been shown that a food waste collection reduces food waste as it makes people more aware of how much they're throwing away.

The food waste collected not only diverts this waste from landfill or incineration, but offers opportunities to help provide energy for the city. Not only can the right processes capture methane from the waste, but this can in turn be used either directly as biogas for heating or burned to generate electricity for the city. There are challenges in identifying the right sites for this infrastructure, but we will nevertheless seek to do more work on this issue.

Q2 Avoiding clone town Brighton & Hove

Brighton & Hove’s independent shops and restaurants are an intrinsic part of the city’s attraction for residents and visitors alike.

What will you do to support local retailers and other outlets in the face of the increasing dominance of supermarkets on the high street and out of town?
Local independent shops are key to helping make Brighton unique and attractive to many of our visitors. They’re also vital to the local economy and reduce the need for people to travel to buy goods. The city already has a large number of supermarkets for the area it covers – 56 at the last count, with more proposed to open.

We will lobby national government to provide specific planning powers to allow local authorities to protect distinct and unique shopping areas, including: small shops to become their own use class, defining small shops as being below a certain ground floor space threshold and require planning permission for merging two small shops together. We will explore what new possibilities there are under the Localism Bill, particularly regarding discretion over business rates.

We will encourage the city’s larger employers (including the Council itself) to ‘buy local’ from smaller and independent businesses. We also want to see full consultation between developers and residents when proposals come forward to build a new supermarket – which often hasn’t been the case in recent years. We will also take swift and firm action against developers who flout regulations.

The Council is landlord in a significant part of the city. We must ensure that the units we rent out are as affordable as possible for our local independent shops. We will work to ensure that expansions in retail floorspace will be affordable and accessible for local independent retailers, and that this will be incorporated into the Core Strategy.

Q3 Land for food growing

There is an increasing demand from residents for opportunities to grow their own food. Allotment waiting lists are long and there are more communities than ever looking to set up food growing projects.

What will you do to encourage the use of vacant land in the city for food growing?

Many city centre spaces have been left to fall into dereliction while developers decide what to do with them. There are also a number of small sites that may be unsuitable for development, but could be used productively in growing food for local people. Greens will seek to identify such spaces and work with landowners to encourage temporary or permanent community use for urban food growing.

We will continue to pursue half-plots on existing sites for people who would prefer smaller allotments, and look to secure new allotment spaces through planning gain. We will also build on our work integrating food growing into the Core Strategy by protecting space for this purpose. We will also support the Partnership to continue delivering projects such as 'grow your neighbour's own'’.

We support the work that has been done by Harvest to map underused land that is suitable for food growing. Where it is Council land, we will support the Partnership to work with local residents to explore new growing opportunities as has been happening on the Albion Hill estate in Queen’s Park.

Thursday 21 April 2011

Don't rush Preston Village double supermarket plan - assess safety fears first, Green candidates urge council planners

News from Brighton and Hove Green Party

Don't rush Preston Village double supermarket plan - assess safety fears first, Green candidates urge council planners

19 April 2011. Sainsbury’s have resubmitted their plans for two supermarkets in Preston Village - but local residents and Green candidates are calling on the council’s planning committee not to rush the decision when they meet on Wednesday 27 April, and instead to visit the site and assess their safety fears.

Last year, Brighton and Hove City Council planning committee rejected Sainsbury’s application to build two medium sized supermarkets on the old Caffyns site in Preston Village (A23 London Road/Preston Road). Opponents of the scheme said there was a lack of space for parking and unloading, and highlighted the dangers of big lorries unloading on the London Rd. 250 local residents and shopkeepers signed a petition opposing the plans.

This week, Paul Philo, Green candidate for Withdean said: “Sainsbury’s have submitted their plans to the council - again. However the plan is little changed, other than a travel plan that merely shows ways for shoppers to get to the site. Sainsbury’s plans do not allow enough room for their suppliers’ trucks. Articulated lorries would not have enough room when arriving to unload without endangering road safety by crossing over the centre white line in Cumberland Rd. Recently local residents saw for themselves the dangers of large lorries in crossing the London Road when they observed one attempting to U-turn across the traffic and getting stuck at the end of Cumberland Rd.”

Mr Philo added: “I fear the application is being rushed through the council’s planning committee ahead of local elections on 5 May, after which membership of the committee may change. Preston Village residents would like a postponement of the planning decision to allow a site visit by councillors to see the traffic dangers. Green candidates are calling on the Tory-controlled committee to agree to this postponement. We are still waiting to hear if they support the residents’ request.”

The Conservative-led planning committee will hold a hearing to consider the application on 27 April. The City Council’s website says it is “minded to grant” planning permission to proposal no. BH2011/00336 for change of use of 227 - 233 Preston Road, from car showroom/workshop, to two A1 retail units including external condenser unit, air conditioning units and an ATM machine.

Mr R .U. Asekaran, owner of Preston News said: “Sainsbury’s are so big and powerful they will destroy all of the small shops in the village. If this plan goes ahead people, like my employee who has worked here for 40 years, will lose their jobs. This plan is also dangerous to traffic and pedestrians.”

The Green lead candidate for Withdean Sue Shanks said: “Local Conservative councillors need to take a stand on the issue of supermarket growth. In my view the site is much better suited to small shops and housing.

“Green candidates oppose the Preston Village supermarket plan both on planning grounds - especially road safety – and also on principle. There is a place for supermarkets, but we have enough in Brighton and Hove. Local shops are closing or being replaced with chain-store clones and formula retailers, and just a few supermarkets dominate the market for groceries. Existing local government policies - for example planning rules and business rates - are not protecting local shops or small retailers, and Green candidates want to allow local communities more say. We want to involve local people in deciding the future of the site, instead of having this over-development imposed upon them. We would like to see a plan that will not destroy the unique character of the village.”

*** ENDS***
For more information, please contact:
Lead Candidate for Brighton and Hove Green Party in Withdean ward, Sue Shanks: 01273 554139 Mobile: 07769653140
--- Press Contact ---
For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party Press Officer by reply to this email or phone 07931 231390. If we're not available to take your call you'll be given a national press office number. If you need local comment, leave a message and we'll call back.
---
Local Elections 2011. Brighton and Hove Green Party is asking the people of Brighton and Hove to elect the UK's first Green-led council on 5th May. We are already the second largest group on the council, along with Labour, and aim to increase our number of seats in these elections. More info and 2011 manifesto: www.brightonhovegreens.org

On 6 May 2010, the people of Brighton Pavilion elected the UK's first Green MP - the leader of the Green Party - Caroline Lucas. Visit www.carolinelucas.com to find out more.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Blaker's Park Safer Roads campaign (Preston Park)

This Road Safety petition campaign is being promoted by Preston Park Green Party as of today, 20 April 2011. It was launched 11 April, but when I signed it today it had only five signatures. I'll check in a week or so and see how many have in signed.

We the undersigned petition the council to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads surrounding Blakers Park; to introduce traffic calming measures and to put the safety of people before the car. Clearly marked pedestrian or raised paving crossings at Preston Drove, Cleveland Road and Southdown Road, a blanket 20 mph limit extending to surrounding roads and the narrowing of Cleveland Road at the Southern (Stanford Ave) end are necessary to improve the safety of our park's visitors. Please sign if you wish to make your view known.

The safety of pedestrians and cyclists using the roads around Blakers Park needs to be improved. The speed of cars along Preston Drove, Cleveland Road and Southdown Road is too high and, combined with the lack of safe crossing places to access the park, makes it a dangerous undertaking for pedestrians.

In particular, the very wide entrance to the south of Cleveland Road makes crossing the road at this point hazardous as cars turn into Cleveland Road at great speed from Stanford Avenue and frequently use the width to turn in a circle back onto Stanford Avenue or back up Cleveland Road. These actions adversely affect residents and children walking to nearby schools (Montessori & Downs).

The lack of pavements along the immediate edge of the Park on Cleveland and Southdown Roads means that pedestrians must walk outside parked cars at risk to their safety.

Additionally, that lack of pavement and the double parking of taxis outside the Montessori School (entrance on Cleveland Road) places young children at risk on a daily basis.

Although there is an island crossing at the north entrance to Blakers Park on Preston Drove, cars continue to drive quickly at this point and appear confused as to the purpose of the crossing. Sometime cars stop, often they do not. The island itself is quite narrow meaning few people can cross together.

For the vast numbers of people who visit Blakers Park, crossing the road is a dangerous undertaking before the reaching the safety of the park. It need not be. Please sign.

The petition and its paper counter-part will be presented to the Environment CMM on the 7th July 2011.

Started by: Noelle ORiordanBooth
This ePetition runs from 11/04/2011 to 24/06/2011.
To sign this petition, go to http://tinyurl.com/blakersroads

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Campaign against the Tory cuts budget - for the record

The campaign against government cuts to public services scored a major victory in Brighton and Hove when the council budget, drawn up by the minority Tory administration, was amended by a combined opposition led by Green and Labour councillors.

The Tories' dismal budget proposals boasted a 1% cut in council tax (saving around £14 a year for most people), against £23m in spending savings, at the cost of hundreds of front line jobs including youth and services. Meanwhile, extraordinary items of expenditure included £1.1m to demolish Hove's Flagship cycle freeway, and £4.5m to make improvement's to Hove's car parks. Opposition was furious and resulted in the worst parts of the budget being overturned. However, the Labour Councillors ultimately refused to join the Greens in trying to get the budget thrown out altogether.

The following is the report of what Greens and other opponents of the cuts achieved. First published in St Peters and North Laine Green Party Spring Newsletter.

Greens stand firm in opposing Tory cuts Budget
March 2011. More devastating cuts from the Tory-led government have hit Brighton & Hove. Greens have successfully fought against Tory ideology which imposes cuts to frontline public services, reduces benefits and increases VAT.

This is when corporation tax is being cut, tax evasion is reaches new heights and the banks remain unreformed. Locally, Green councillors have succeeded in amending the Tory administration’s cynical budget plans.

While the joint amendments removed the sting from the Tory budget, it still meant over £23m of cuts. Opposition parties had been given only a few weeks to study the budget papers which Tory councillors had prepared in secret over many months.

Voting down the budget would have opened a fruitful week of negotiations to improve the budget. Greens also proposed opening the budget decision to wider scrutiny from interest groups and the community.

Labour’s eleventh hour abstention Unfortunately Labour, who had previously said they would join us in opposing the budget, had a last minute change of heart. Labour councillors abstained while Greens voted against, leaving the Tories free to push their budget through.

Greens will keep fighting the Coalition government’s cuts agenda. With over£80m of cuts forced on Brighton & Hove City Council over four years, we believe agree-led council will be the most open, air and compassionate in handling the difficult decisions ahead.

Read the full alternative Green budget at www.brightonhovegreens.org

Green Councillors call for volunteers to save wildlife in Queen's Park

News from Brighton and Hove Green Party
For immediate release: 19 April 2011

GREEN WARD COUNCILLORS BACK URGENT CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SAVE QUEEN’S PARK POND WILDLIFE

Green councillors are working with local volunteers to protect birds left high and dry by the receding waters of the Queens Park pond, which has sprung a leak.

Ward councillor Ben Duncan commented:

“It’s a shock seeing the pond like this, and we need to act fast to limit the damage to the ecosystem. However it’s fantastic that the local community is pulling together to help protect the wildlife that lives in the pond. We urge officers to work on a solution urgently, but in the meantime this is a golden opportunity to remove debris from the bed.

“We need volunteers to help the Park Ranger work on temporary solutions for the pond, which will be happening Tuesday afternoons from 1pm. Anyone who wants to help out can come along and pitch in.

“Together we need to find a long-term fix so that the pond can be restored to its usual level. Ward councillors will continue to work with officers and residents to help find a sustainable solution so that both wildlife and residents can enjoy it for years to come.”

ENDS

For further information
Cllr Ben Duncan
Green Councillor for Queen’s Park ward

Sunday 10 April 2011

Tories delay opening Wild Park Toilets

BRIGHTON & HOVE GREEN PARTY PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: 08 April 2011

TORIES DITHER AROUND WILD PARK LOOS

Hollingdean & Stanmer Green candidates were outraged to hear that a new £30k public toilet facility has not been opened immediately despite being completed and ready to use weeks ago.

The new toilets at Moulsecoomb's Wild Park won't open until 15 April, around four weeks after building work was completed, even though the park itself and the Wild Park Cafe are open all year round.

Debbie Gower, owner of the cafe, said: "Council officers have told me there is a lack of funds to maintain the loos throughout the year. As a busy cafe with an obvious need for toilets, we'd be happy to be the keyholders and ensure accessibility as needed. I really cannot see the problem here."

Candidate Luke Walter said: "Greens see public loos as being essential for inclusive neighbourhoods – particularly important in enabling older people, disabled people and carers with children to get out and about and enjoy themselves."

"We want to see more and better public loos," said fellow Green candidate Christina Summers. "We’re proud that Brighton & Hove Council hasn’t closed public loos - unlike Manchester, for instance - and we call on the Tory administration to stop dithering and open the new toilets in Wild Park immediately."

Thursday 7 April 2011

Greens say if Hove Police Station has to be sacrificed to save officer jobs, it could be turned into a school

News Release issued on behalf of Brighton and Hove Green Party:

Green candidates: Rob Jarrett, Councillor Alex Phillips, Ruth Buckley


07 April 2011
From the Green Group of Councillors, Brighton & Hove City Council
GREENS ARGUE THAT HOVE POLICE STATION SITE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Green councillors fighting against cuts to Sussex Police have argued that should Hove Police Station have to close to save officer jobs, the council could turn the site into a primary school.
Cllr Alex Phillips said: “We don’t want to see Hove Police Station closed. But thanks to cuts imposed by successive governments, Hove Police Station on Holland Road is now under threat."

Sussex Police need to find £52m over the next four years, and is facing a choice between cutting opening hours at police stations or cutting frontline officer jobs. The Police are now considering alternative locations to save money.

Cllr Phillips added: "I have spoken with Inspector Jason Hazzard who is confident the area will be just as strongly-policed, and may even receive a better service operating from other bases. We support the police decision to prioritise front-line officers’ jobs, and have been arguing that police contacts should be available in other public buildings such as council offices and Hove Town Hall.”

Cllr Phillips has also for the last few years been campaigning for more primary schools in Hove with the parent-led group action4kids. She concluded: "What will happen to the site if the Police are forced to vacate because of these cuts? Ibelieve it should still serve the local community. If the station does come up for sale, I would like to see the council do its utmost to purchase the land with a view to building a much-needed new primary school in this ideal spot."

ENDS
Notes for Editors
*The coalition government has demanded £52m of cuts from Sussex Police by 2015. The previous Labour government required £27m of cuts and savings from the SPA between 2008-2011. More information here: http://www.sussexpa.gov.uk/fileUploads/SPA-Meetings/2008_02_14/agenda6.pdf.
For further information
Cllr Alex Phillips
Green Councillor for Goldsmid ward

Hanover and Elm Grove campaigns for safer crossings, co-housing and more trees

Green campaigns in Hanover & Elm Grove - March 2011

Fairer water charges for pensioners 
Hanover and Elm Grove Green councillors are campaigning for a fairer deal on water charges for sheltered housing tenants. Says Cllr Bill Randall: “On a recent visit to Sidney Tidy House in Queen’s Park Road, I discovered pensioners living in identical one- bedroom flats paying different amounts for their water. Some are paying as much as £30 a month, more than £5 a month more than their neighbours. I have taken their case up with Southern Water.”

Safer crossing at Elm Grove School 
Green councillors handed in a petition to the March council meeting signed by more than 150 parents and other residents and calling for a Puffin crossing to replace the outdated Pelican crossing outside Elm Grove School.

Community land grab on the Queen’s Park Estate 
Green councillors are campaigning with Queen’s Park Estate residents for the community takeover of wasteland behind Plumpton Road. Local residents will decide the way the space is used. First proposals include a community garden, a children’s play area and a food-growing project. “Three years ago we persuaded the Guinness Trust to give the association a rent-free community base, christened The Haven by residents, in its Pankhurst Avenue scheme,” said Cllr Bill Randall.
“It has been a huge success, thanks to the work of residents, their former Chair Margaret Lucas and Amy Allinson and other Trust for Developing Communities workers. More than 70 local young people have used the Haven. Other activities provided have included a mother and toddler group, cookery classes, a sewing circle, a women’s book club and an estate-based choir.”

The Hanover & Elm Grove Local Action Team (LAT)
The LAT, chaired by retiring councillor Georgia Wrighton, has groups on transport and parking, and students in the community and wants your views on these hot topics in the ward.
“The transport and parking group, which is chaired by my colleague Bill Randall, was set up to capture some of the good ideas raised during last year’s parking debate. It has met twice and heard views and ideas across a wide spectrum, and will hold one more meeting in April before publishing its findings and seeking the public’s views on any proposals.”
The Students in the Community Group begins its work next month and will look at issues raised by student housing and the halls of residence in the ward. First flagged up by Green councillors five years ago, the issues were dismissed as not being a problem by the Labour-controlled council.
“The transport and parking group, which is chaired by my colleague Bill Randall, was set up to capture some of the good ideas raised during last year’s parking debate. It has met twice and heard views and ideas across a wide spectrum, and will hold one more meeting in April before publishing its findings and seeking the public’s views on any proposals.”
Problems with untidy or obstructive Binvelopes are frequently reported at the Hanover and Elm Grove LAT. Some Binvelopes are left out permanently by residents and fill up with litter, recycling and Councillor Georgia Wrighton, Chair of the LAT, responded by joining a local resident and council officers on a walkabout to look at the worst examples of untidy Binvelopes. Officers agreed to follow up be kept in a neat and tidy condition and must not be obstructive. The letter will warn residents their Binvelope will be removed, if they are neglected. Binvelopes are a great way of keeping Hanover streets clean and Local Action Team wants your views on local hot topics Cherish your Binvelope – or you may lose it...
The next LAT meeting is on Thursday 9 June 6.45pm-8.45pm (venue to be confirmed). For more information on the sub-groups, please contact Cllr Georgia Wrighton.

Greens pledge support for co-housing groups and housing co-ops 
Green candidates Matt Follett and Liz Wakefield met Julian Howell (centre) of the Brighton Cohousing Group at a recent meeting at the Hanover Centre attended by about 40 people who want to set up cohousing projects. “It was very inspiring meeting that clearly demonstrated an unmet housing need for people who want to combine shared living with their own private space,” said Liz.
“Greens support the work of cohousing groups and housing and co-ops, which reflect the spirit of Brighton and Hove and could make an important contribution to solving the city’s housing crisis,” added Matt.

Matt Follett and Liz Wakefield with Julian Howell (centre) of the Brighton Cohousing group

13 new trees for Hartington Road 
Hartington Road resident Grant Fischer (centre left) was concerned about the loss of mature trees in his road and asked Cllr Georgia Wrighton (left) for her help in getting them replaced. The result is 13 new trees recently planted in the street and more to come. Cllrs Vicky Wakefield-Jarrett and Bill Randall joined them to mark the tree planting. For more information, call the Arboriculture Team on 01273 292929.

Off-licence victory! 
Cllr Bill Randall campaigned with residents recently to scupper plans by a Queen’s Park Road off licence to stay open until 3am every morning. Following their representations to the council’s licensing committee, closing time was fixed at 11.30pm.Greens pledge support for cohousing groups and housing co-ops.

Greens condemn plans to cut front line services while spending £1.1m on cycle closure.

Ian Davey leads protesters
This early PR for the Save Hove Cycle Lane campaign was not officially released - it was quickly overtaken by news of the plans to demolish the lane were abandoned.

Greens condemn plans to cut front line services while spending £1.1m on cycle closure.

21 Feb 2010. Cyclists braved rainy weather over the weekend to protest against the planned scrapping of the award winning cycle freeway along The Drive in Hove. Two Green councillors were at the event.

The plans to scrap the cycle lane, at a cost of £1.1m, were revealed in Brighton and Hove City Council’s budget proposals, made public last week. The plans have provoked protests from across the country, including from Sustrans, the charity that promotes sustainable travel in the UK.

The cycle freeway is segregated from traffic. It runs through Goldsmid, whose councillor, Alex Phillips, won the ward for the Green Party at a by-election in 2009. She said: “At a time of cuts to frontline services, leaving vulnerable people to fend for themselves, it’s not right that money is used to get rid of this important and well-used cycle lane.”

She added: “We launched a petition a few days ago, aiming to get a full council debate on the subject. Already we have 1,200 signatures, many online. Brighton’s status as a city of sustainable transport is of national interest”

Councillor Davey, Green Party spokesman for Transport said: “I’m so pleased so many people came out in the rain at such short notice. This is just the start of this protest. The Conservative administration led by Councillor Mary Mears will have to withdraw this proposal if they want get their budget passed by the council. We have every hope that Labour will vote with the Greens to overturn this budget when it comes before council for approval on 3 March.”

The cycle freeway was built with funding from Cycling England after Brighton and Hove was granted Cycle Demonstration Town status in 2005. When council’s transport team picked up the Transport Authority of the Year award last year. It was commended for cycling improvements that saw cycling in the city increase by 27% since 2006.

Councillor Davey said: “If they go ahead with spending a million pounds scrapping this cycle lane it will be the transport laughing stock of the year and it will be bottom of the class for cycling.”

The 2011 budget proposals were released on 11 February. They revealed plans to remove the cycle lanes. The reason cited was to “improve the visual impact and traffic flow along this important north – south corridor including access to the A27/A23 from the A259/Shoreham Harbour".

Councillor Davey said: “I wonder if Councillor Mears has consulted local residents about whether they will welcome this road becoming an artery for heavy vehicles on their way to Shoreham Harbour.”

Councillors Davey and Phillips asked those who support the campaign to sign the petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43064.html .

Council hears residents’ appeal to make Hollingdean Dip safe

Official PR from Brighton and Hove Green Party

28 March 2011. Green Party council candidates for Hollingdean & Stanmer Ward have submitted a resident-led petition calling on Brighton and Hove City Council to make the roads that converge on Hollingdean Dip safer for pedestrians.

The petition – signed by 835 residents in and around the Dip – was presented at Thursday’s Full Council meeting by candidate Christina Summers.

She said: “This petition asks the council to take a proper overview of all the problems with the road layout in the Dip rather than look at just one part.

“Residents have identified several issues that contribute to their general feeling of vulnerability and concern when moving around the Dip: drivers’ speeds, parking on corners and double yellow lines, the bus stop location and layout, amongst others.”

Christina added, “The Council’s ‘Pedestrian Crossing Assessment Methodology’ highlights the importance of public perception of dangerous roads and the impact of crossings on “community cohesion”.

“Yet this isn't scored in their assessment, nor are the near miss collisions or the ‘predictable risk increasing dynamic situations’ (such as cars overtaking buses at build-outs every ten minutes), or the need to take into account the number of children under ten who use the street or how well vehicles adhere to speed limits.

“So how will the city council ensure that the safety of pedestrians who need to use the Hollingdean Dip will be incorporated into the council’s road safety assessment?”

Steve Hare, a resident of Hollingdean Terrace, will quiz councillors at next Thursday’s (31 March) Environment Cabinet Member meeting.

He will urge the Council to include residents’ daily experience as pedestrians in Hollingdean Dip in any decision on whether to build a pedestrian crossing.

Mr Hare said: “As well as near misses, the number of cars speeding to overtake buses at the Dip bus stop don’t currently appear to be taken into account. This can’t be right and, especially in areas like the Dip with high numbers of under-10s crossing the road, means people are at risk."

Christina Summers added: “A fatality is waiting to happen and the many near misses are a clarion call for the council to do something before it’s too late.”

END

Note to editors

Full text of the ‘Make Hollingdean Dip Safe’ petition:

“We the undersigned petition the council to take urgent steps to make the Hollingdean Dip safer to cross by reviewing the traffic calming measures in the area and taking steps to improve road safety such as installing a zebra crossing.

“The current arrangement is wholly unsatisfactory for such a busy junction that provides a cut-through for road traffic from all directions and a major pedestrian route particularly to and from Hertford Infants School, and the “pinch points” installed on Hollingbury Crescent 10 years ago to slow down vehicles have had no effect as they race one another to squeeze through first.

“We feel strongly that providing better traffic management will transform the level of personal safety, particularly for school children, and significantly ease access to shops on both sides.”

Hollingdean & Stanmer’s Green candidates with Steve Hare outside Brighton Town Hall just before the Full Council meeting at which they presented the petition.

Order in the photo: Cllr Sven Rufus, Steve Hare, candidates Christina Summers and Luke Walter.

Pavement politics in Withdean Ward

Official PR from Brighton and Hove Green Party
6 April 2011. Three local residents with a strong track record in "pavement politics" will be standing for the Green Party in Withdean Ward, north Brighton, in the local elections in May.

The ward is represented by three Conservative councillors but the Green Party is hoping to build on the momentum of Caroline Lucas' historic general election victory and win council seats in new places such as Withdean.

Withdean Ward is part of the Brighton Pavilion constituency which elected Caroline and covers a large suburban area of northwest Brighton taking in Preston Park station in the south, the current Albion football stadium, Westdene and residential areas to the A27 by pass.

Green candidates Sue Shanks, Paul Philo and Jacqui Cuff have been involved in a range of local campaigns including:
Pushing for a school crossing on Surrenden Road;
Campaigning against rail fare rises through the Fare's Fair demonstration at Preston Park station;
Supporting local residents campaigning to stop the Sainsburys overdevelopment of the former Caffyns site on London Road
Ensuring local views are taken into account so that Withdean Stadium provides recreation and play facilities for local families after the Albion move to Falmer.
Lead Green candidate Sue Shanks said: "We're getting a good response on the doorstep in Withdean, and on the basis of our canvassing returns so far we hope to get at least one Green councillor elected. Please consider going Green on 5th May.

"The great thing is that many people want to get involved and help out. It really feels like there is a momentum building in Withdean."

"Many residents are fearful about the effects of the Coalition Government's spending cuts on public services, and were surprised to learn that Withdean has for a long time been represented by three Conservative councillors.
"People are looking for fresh voices for change which new Green Councillors would bring."

The Green Party believes there should be greater openness about council decision-making, particularly if finances are limited, and is committed to bringing more genuine democracy to local government and supporting local neighbourhoods.

To get in touch with your Green candidates please contact us on e: withdeangreens@brightonhovegreens.org

Saturday 2 April 2011

Green Party on George Street, Greens go to school

Green Councillor, candidates and activists on the George Street Stall:
Alex, Oliver, Ben, Jack, Phelim, Chris, Ruth

Some of the Green campaigners on George Street:
Chris Hawtree, Alex Phillps. Caroline Lucas, Oliver Sykes, Ruth Buckley.
2 April 2011. A Green Party stall was set up on George Street at lunch time today. It was run by Green Councillors and candidates from Central Hove (Chris Hawtree and Anthea Ballam), Brunswick and Adelaide (Phelim Mac Cafferty and Olley Sykes) and Goldsmid (Cllr Alex Phillips and Ruth Buckley) and Green MP Caroline Lucas. Rob Jarrett, the other Green Candidate for Goldsmid sent his best wishes from the meeting of the European Green party he is attending this weekend.
The stall promoted the:
• Fresh Start for a Fair City Manifesto,
• Petition for 20 is Plenty,
• Petition for more school places (since the new Connaught Primary School does not provide for Junior places, nor enough primary ones),
• The Sustainable Communities Act Consultation which may enable communities to call on government to allow them to control the type of shops that serve them - such as the number of supermarkets.
• Chris Hawtree reported that he was having success recruiting activists and helpers who were otherwise unknown to the Green Party.
Here are links to the photos from the event
George Street Stall: http://flic.kr/s/aHsju7WkXD
Connaught School: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjuiWawU

Goldsmid Cllr Alex Phillips, MP Caroline Lucas, Goldsmid Candidate. Ruth Buckley

Friday 1 April 2011

Green campaign to sustain independent traders comes to George St. in Hove on Saturday 2 April

George Street looking South (Google)
Brighton and Hove Green Party Press Release of last night

Green campaign to sustain independent traders comes to George St. in Hove.

31 March 2011. Greens will bring their campaign to sustain independent traders to George Street, Brighton and Hove, on Saturday 2nd April. A stall will be set up where members of the public can discuss this and other issues with Green candidates in forthcoming local elections. Caroline Lucas is expected to attend the stall around noon.

Greens want to protect the independent traders who help give Brighton and Hove its unique character. Recent times have seen these shops closing to be replaced by chain stores, a trend nowhere more evident than in Hove’s George Street, a pedestrianised area that provides a community focus for Central Hove, Goldsmid, and Wish Park.

Ruth Buckley, Green candidate for Goldsmid, said: “Many high streets now are indistinguishable from one another and have lost their local character, the very essence for which they were once known. Seven Dials has retained its character due to the prevalence of mainly independent traders. Unfortunately, George Street seems to be losing this battle as week by week a shop closes to be taken over by either a charity shop or a chain store.“

Green Councillor for Goldsmid, Alex Phillips, said: “Small businesses in Hove are under pressure. I talked with shop owners along Church Road who say rates for small businesses are too high.

“Greens have had success stemming the march of the superstores in the East of our city, most recently convincing Tesco to drop plans for a mega store at Preston circus and to withdraw from the Lewes Road community garden site, a campaign I was involved with, alongside other Green councillors and Caroline Lucas.

Chris Hawtree, Green Candidate for Hove Central, planned the stall on George Street as a talking shop for community issues. He said: "Local independent shops, such as Fine Records, are very much a place where people meet and talk. Such shops create the essence of a place."

Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas has been campaigning to get government to act on the next step of the Sustainable Communities Act – consultation with local communities. It will help local people protect their services and have a say in improving their communities. On 29 March, she organised a debate in Parliament, to discuss the Government’s stalling. It was confirmed that the consultation needed to allow local people to make future proposals under the Act will start immediately.

Caroline Lucas said: “Thankfully, in Brighton Pavilion there is still a thriving local economy, with traders and businesses fighting off incursions onto the high street by the big chain stores and supermarkets.

“But there are many battles ahead, and we need more powers to restrict the number of large chain stores that pose a threat to the unique character of Brighton. I hope that the new phase of this Act will bring about regulations to help local people stop aggressive supermarket expansion – given that we already have about 56 stores.”

Ruth Buckley added: “There is a place in our community for good stores that bring a choice of commodities to our high streets at attractive prices. But there has to be a balance, or we’ll end up with soul-less high streets dominated by similar stores with no local roots, and no commitment to the well being of local communities.”

“With stores that are part of a national group, the money fed into the shop is not redistributed within the local community, but is fed to shareholders and its board, mostly in another city. Local shops help support local jobs and local businesses. A vote for the Green Party in May is a vote to protect your local community.”

A problem for Brighton and Hove is that in 2006 the then-Labour-led council adopted a consultant’s ‘retail study’ that argued the city needed new supermarkets and shops with a total size equivalent to nine Churchill square shopping centres. The document is still used by supermarkets to justify and support their ever-expanding presence in the city.

Caroline Lucas added: “In the past decade, Britain has lost a quarter of all its post offices, a quarter of all its independent newsagents and a fifth of all its bank branches – with unsustainable consequences for local communities.

“Local people want to be engaged and to get involved, but they often feel that they can’t change anything. The Prime Minister talks about the Big Society, but without adequate resources it is unreasonable to expect that people will have the capacity and skills to either plug the gap left by cuts to public services or provide the input required for genuine community development.

“This is what the Sustainable Communities Act is about – long term, community controlled sustainable engagement allowing local people to decide the solutions to problems in their communities.”

The Green Party 2010 Manifesto promised to amend planning laws to appropriate small businesses and ensure that all large retail developments included spaces for small local businesses, introduce a network of local community banks, and reduce corporation tax for small firms to 20%.

Notes to editors

1) Caroline Lucas’ speech to the Adjournment Debate: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110328/debtext/110328-0004.htm#11032843000002

2) The Sustainable Communities Act became law in 2007 as a result of a long and widespread grass-roots mobilisation campaign organised by Local Works, a coalition of more than 120 national organisations. The campaign inspired tens of thousands of citizens to urge their MPs to back the Sustainable Communities Bill.

3) The Green Party was the first political party to back the Bill formally, and the campaign continued to call for cross-party support. That was eventually achieved and the Act became law in 2007 with the support of all parties across the House. In October 2008, the Government launched the first invitation for proposals under the 2007 Act. Local Works held many more public meetings across the country, where communities lobbied their councillors to resolve to use the Act. A hundred local authorities responded.

4) The people of Brighton and Hove successfully urged the council to opt into the Act, and then many got involved in coming up with the proposals that would help the area become a more sustainable place. Of those proposals, eight were shortlisted by the LGA. Examples include allowing food grown in allotments to be sold locally, introducing feed-in tariffs for local renewable energy and empowering councils to have more flexible business rates to encourage local trade and jobs.

5) In early 2010, Local Works successfully campaigned for the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Act 2010. The 2010 Act ensured that the process would be ongoing, and allowed parish and town councils to submit proposals to central Government directly.

Contact:
Contact Brighton and Hove Green Party Press Office for interviews with Candidates and Counsellors.
bhgp.news@googlemail.com

Office of Caroline Lucas
Melissa Freeman, Senior Parliamentary Press Officer
Tel: 020 7219 0870 (no answer phone)
Mob: 07590 050565
Email: melissa.freeman@parliament.uk