Thursday 26 May 2011

Green Cabinet Member Ben Duncan meets "peaceful" protesters occupying the Old Steine

Spanish Revolution camp on the Old Steine 26 May 2011
26 May 2011. Green Cabinet member Ben Duncan talked to protesters who have occupied the traffic island known as the Old Steine in central Brighton and Hove.

The protesters, calling themselves the "Spanish Revolution", say they will deliver "real democracy" and a demonstration to "take over the streets" on 4 June. They say they are a gathering of private individuals who have orgainised an "Assembly" and hold meetings daily at their camp on the Old Steine. Other activities include theatre, yoga, belly dancing and capoeira.
Councillor Ben Duncan, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Protection, said: “I have spoken with members of the group and received assurances that any activity associated with their protest will be peaceful, lawful and transparent.

“The Old Steine isn’t just a public space in the city centre it’s the heart of a residential area so I am glad the protestors have liaised with the police and asked all supporters to recognise the need to respect the neighbourhood in which their encampment falls.

“In these respects the encampment is a model of the kind of engaged, peaceful protest the council and police are committed to facilitating, but of course we will be watching closely to see if this changes in the future.”

Spanish Revolution website says: "We are individuals who have come together freely and voluntarily. Each of us has decided, after the concentrations on Sunday, May 15, that we are determined to continue fighting for dignity and political and social awareness."

Valley Garden Project
Background information: The Old Steine is a series of large grassy traffic islands surrounded by dual carriageway traffic in the center of Brighton. Until recent times, this area was a social centre of the town, but road developments cut the parks off from the town and surrounded them by hectic traffic. In 2000, the city made plans to reverse this domination by the car. The Core Strategy included plan to redirect traffic, and make a big park connecting the traffic islands and the Pavilion/N Laine areas. This Valley Gardens Park Project was going to create a park in the city center, reclaiming it from cars in favour of people, but these plans were squashed by Tory admin last year. The local Green Party has made it part of their manifesto to revive a city centre park project.

(update 9 June: protesters agree to quit camp)

Spanish Revolution
http://spanishrevolutionbrighton.wordpress.com/

Brighton and Hove Green manifesto at
http://www.brightonhovegreens.org/

Green Cabinet Member Pete West calls for investigation after Mound Community Garden is trashed

26 May 2011. Councillor Pete West, the council’s cabinet member for the environment has promised an investigation of reports that the community garden at the Mound on Church Street in central Brighton has been trashed by the site's developers.

According to a report in Brighton and Hove News blog, the "community gardeners" complained that the developer who owns the site - Hargreaves of Little Hampton - has demolished vegetable beds, seed nurseries and a wildlife conservation area including a pond containing tadpoles and newts. despite a notice by the pond which explained that there were newts - a protected species - in the pond. "The sign was deliberately smashed up by the clearance gang.”

The land was a derelict eyesore before the community gardeners decided to brighten it up. The developers recently obtained a court judgement to develop the community gardeners from the land.

Cllr Pete West said: “If these reports are true it’s an outrage. I’ll be asking officers about whether there was any legal protection on wildlife there, whether any laws have been broken and if so whether anyone can be prosecuted.

“Even if no action can now be taken, the whole city will want to signal its disgust at such vandalism. In any case the developers will now be punished by a PR disaster of their own making.”

The community gardeners fear that the site will remain an eyesore for years to come. They said: “Since opening in January, The Mound had shown gardening films, had seed-bomb workshops, held free soup kitchens and been a mecca for locals and visitors to Brighton of a weekend. During this time there had been only positive feedback and the space had been 100 per cent trouble-free.”

Friday 20 May 2011

BBC 2 Daily Politics show trivialises Green Policies


18 May 2011. BBC 2 Daily Politics show profiled the new Green administration in Brighton and Hove. But it distorted and trivialised the party's manifesto by focusing on the campaign to introduce Meat Free Mondays in the council canteen. It also featured an embarrassing interview with with a young Green voter who could not remember any Green manifesto pledges or policies. Although interviews with Caroline Lucas and Amy Kennedy balanced this representation of Greens policies as trivial, the programme's prejudice was apparent.

The show can be viewed on this link.
The Brighton & Hove piece is from 15 min 30 seconds onwards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011fwqv/The_Daily_Politics_19_05_2011/

Agenda paper for first Green council meeting

18 May 2011: Here is the agenda paper for the first Green council meeting in Brighton and Hove, at 4.30pm today:

http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=117&MId=3023&Ver=4

Cabinet posts announced in UK's first Green Council administration - in Brighton and Hove

From the Green Group of Councillors, Brighton & Hove City Council - For immediate release: 12 May 2011

BRIGHTON GREENS UNVEIL THE COUNTRY’S FIRST GREEN COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION

Today Brighton & Hove’s Green Group of councillors have unveiled their team to lead the council, after winning the largest number of seats in last week’s local elections. Among the posts announced today include their proposed Leader, Cabinet Members and other roles for the 23-strong group. Bill Randall, Convenor of the Green Group and proposed Council Leader commented:

“Last week’s election results were huge vote of confidence in the Greens As a result we have assembled a team of many talents to take the city forward at a challenging time.”

ENDS
Notes for Editors

*These appointments are subject to approval by Full Council, due to take place at the Annual Council meeting on Thursday 19th May.

*Listed below are the members with Leader and Cabinet roles. Biographies are available online on the Brighton and hove Green Party website here: http://www.brightonhovegreens.org/localsites/bh/elections/Candidate-teams.html. More information is available on request.

Cllr Bill Randall - Leader of the Council

Cllr Amy Kennedy - Deputy Leader of the Council (Executive), Cabinet Member for Planning, Economic Development and Regeneration

Cllr Ian Davey - Deputy Leader of the Council (Non-Executive), Cabinet Member for Transport and Public Realm

Cllr Jason Kitcat - Cabinet Member for Finance and Central Services

Cllr Liz Wakefield - Cabinet Member for Housing

Cllr Pete West - Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability

Cllr Rob Jarrett - Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health

Cllr Sue Shanks - Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

Cllr Geoffrey Bowden - Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism

Cllr Ben Duncan - Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety

Greens ask Labour to join them in reviewing the Brighton and Hove 2011/2012 budget

10 May 2011. Green councillors have asked Labour councillors, the unions and the voluntary sector to join them in reviewing the Tory’s 2011/2012 budget, which has cut spending on local services by £23 million.

In a message to Labour councillors, Green Group Convenor Bill Randall said: ‘Will you support us in reviewing the 2011/12 budget to see if we can stop some of the cuts that will harm front line services in Brighton and Hove?’

ENDS

Friday 6 May 2011

Greens win most seats in Brighton and Hove local election

Greens are now the largest party on Brighton & Hove City Council after election results today. This is the first time a local council in the UK has elected the Greens as the largest party.

People voted Green across Brighton & Hove. Greens held all their seats and gained 10 more for a total of 23 Green councillors, making them the largest group of on the council, and the largest Green group  of councillors in the country.

It’s a huge vote of confidence in the Greens. Green convenor Bill Randall said, “The the city has listened to the Greens and we have listened to the city. Greens will now sit down and plan how to take the city forward in these difficult times."

Bill Randall said: “The next step is for us to talk to other parties about how we will work with them and implement our manifesto pledges at a very challenging time for local government budgets."

Key Green wins included:
• Goldsmid returned three Greens, winning one seat each from Labour and Conservatives. Alex Phillips, Ruth Buckley and Rob Jarret were elected.
• Brunswick & Adelaide returned two Greens. It was previously LibDem stronghold
• Queens Park returned three Greens, despite determined efforts by Labour to win back the three seats they lost in 2007.
• Regency returned two Greens - up by one.
• Hollindean And Stanmer had three labour councillors - now they have one.  The other two seats were taken by Green candidates Sven Rufus and  Christina Summers.
• Conservatives lost another seat to Greens in Central Hove.

• Safe Green Wards St Peters & N Laine, and Preston Park returned three Greens each.

I spent an exciting day at Hove Town Hall watching the vote being counted. Here is my video of council leader Bill Randall after the results were announced.


Click Read More below for full results: