Chatham residents battle to save trees

Local residents have mounted a campaign to protect a parcel of land behind Crestway, Chatham which has been sold to a private developer.  The land which provides habitats for wildlife is under threat as the new owner has opted to clear the site, cutting down a number of trees.

Medway Green Party has been contacted by a Crestway resident who said:

“This land has been untouched for at least 50 years and is made up of a number of trees and bushes and is home to numerous animals. Among those supported by these habitats are bats, which have been here for a number of years, slow worms, hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels and birds to name but a few.

“The landowner is aware of this but has chosen to clear the site.  It is devastating to the whole community. It will affect the community centre which is adjacent to the land, where a well established playgroup has had nature walks alongside this land looking at the wildlife and foliage”.

Marilyn Stone, spokesperson for Medway Green Party commented:

“We would strongly urge Medway Council to introduce a Tree Preservation Order (at least in the short term) so that this matter can be fully investigated.  Bats in particular are a protected species and no one should have the right to threaten their habitats.

“It is also of concern that land which has been such an asset to the local community and has been used to introduce young children to nature for so many years is now under threat”.

“We also understand that there are possible safety issues to excavating the land as removal of trees could affect the stability of the site as well as potentially exposing asbestos and other contaminants.  It is imperative that the Council acts in the interests of the whole community”.

A petition is being organised by residents in preparation for a meeting with Medway Council Officers, including the Council’s Tree Officer, which is due to take place on Thursday 7th December.  The two Labour Councillors are also providing active support to residents.

Strood South candidate, Steve Dyke, on local housing priorities

Please see below a letter that Green Strood South candidate, Steve Dyke, wrote to the Medway Messenger.  A shortened version of this was printed in the paper on Friday.

***

Dear Editor,

With one eye on the Strood South by-election, Roy Freshwater again used his Party People column (29th September, Medway Messenger) to raise the need for the Council to focus on the housing crisis in the Medway Towns, but seems to be misled in thinking that EU and international migration is a major factor. According to the supporting evidence provided by Medway Council as part of the recent Local Plan consultation, domestic migration from neighbouring towns has had far more impact than international immigration here in recent years. [1]

In her recent letter to your paper (16th September), MP Kelly Tolhurst gave a panicky message suggesting that the Tories are building a case for concreting over our green spaces, while, as part of her Strood South by-election campaign, Conservative Josie Iles has recently championed the new Redrow development at Temple Waterfront in the ward [2]. This is despite the likelihood, in keeping with other recent new housing developments, that the majority of the homes built there will be too expensive to meet the needs of local people.

According to the North Kent Strategic Housing and Economic Needs Assessment [1] (used by the Council to predict housing need in the Medway Towns), from around 2011 there had been a stark rise in inward domestic migration from neighbouring towns and South East London. Before this, the net direction had been outward. Could it be that this is a direct response to the building of costly new developments such as that planned for Temple Waterfront?

We will never meet the housing needs of Medway people if we allow our valuable land to go to building executive homes that the majority of the local population cannot afford. We are also at risk of destroying our rich local natural environment in an effort to chase a goal that is forever moving – fuelled by political decisions which have led to a decline in decent social homes and encouraged financial housing bubbles. Shortages are not simply a result of population figures outweighing the numbers of homes available, but other factors, like income inequality, play a part and must be taken into full consideration when planning future allocations.

It is shocking that in the latest housing report by the Office of National Statistics, Medway featured as having the biggest shortfall in social housing in the country! [3]. A clear objective therefore must be a focus on putting this right. The way forward must be based on a clear understanding of the relationship between social, economic and environmental factors, but I fear that many of our current and prospective councillors have the wrong priorities.

Yours,

Steve Dyke

Green Party candidate in Strood South by-election

Notes:

[1] http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/North%20Kent%20SHENA%20Baseline%20report.pdf

(page 19)

[2] https://rochesterandstroodconservatives.org.uk/blog/temple-wharf/

[3] http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/housingsummarymeasuresanalysis/2015-08-05#social-housing-shortfall

 

 

Medway Greens announce Strood South by-election candidate

Steve Dyke has been selected as the Green Party’s candidate for the upcoming by-election in Strood South.

Steve moved to Strood in 1966 at the age of five and has lived in the area most of his life since.  Educated at Elaine Avenue School and then Rochester Math, he currently commutes to London for his job in insurance.

Steve says: “I have seen much change in the area, some of it positive, some negative.  I feel that this side of the River Medway often gets taken for granted by the Council.  It seems to me that Strood and surrounding areas are often regarded as places to be crammed with more and more housing without the need to make improvements to infrastructure and facilities or to build sustainable communities.

“There is pressure from all sides to build in and around Medway, such as the Council’s plan for 30,000 houses and the proposed Lower Thames Crossing, which will impact directly on Strood South.  The recently announced Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission chaired by Lord Heseltine adds further uncertainty by including the Medway area within the scope of its vision for what it calls ‘high-quality growth’.

“Our schools, medical facilities and public services are suffering from being subjected for many years to a failing political programme imposed by central government. While some areas of Medway have benefitted from investment, others have been left behind.

“Now, more than ever, Green voices on Medway Council are needed to protect and improve what we have, both for ourselves and future generations, to create a better local environment resilient to climate change and to build healthier communities.

“If elected I will work with local residents and Councillors from other political parties to introduce or support measures and policies that move the Council in a greener direction.  This means that a Green vote would be a vote for taking local democracy seriously. It would be a vote for reducing pollution levels and providing sustainable and affordable housing and transport, for local clean energy production, for protecting our public services, and for valuing and seeking to protect our green spaces and wildlife.

“As a lone voice on the Council, this may be a gradual process but voting Green on October 20^th would be a step in the right direction.  Local government in Medway has got stale.  ‘Politics as usual’ is clearly not working in the interest of most people locally and nationally. The Green Party is not afraid to do things differently in its pursuit of building a society that works for the Common Good.”

Upcoming event – Medway Open Studios – 16th July

OPEN STUDIOS AT NUCLEUS ART CENTRE,  CHATHAM.

Saturday July 16th,17th & 23rd 10am-4pm each day.

This includes a visit to Paul Cumming-Benson’s Studio (pictures etc on sale).

Paul is one of our members and will be raising funds for Medway Green Party.

Hope to see you there.

Please click here for further details.

 

Medway Housing and Green Space – by Steve Dyke

It was very disappointing to read that Cllr Jarrett thinks Medway will “inevitably see many of our green spaces lost to development” (Party People, Medway Messenger, 22nd April).

Green spaces offer health, social and economic benefits to us all and provide important assistance in meeting the challenges we face from climate change.

While it is recognised that the unreasonable housing target imposed on Medway by the Conservative Government is huge, there are many established or innovative alternatives to building on green space in addition to using readily available brownfield sites.  For example empty houses could be brought back into use, redundant retail or office space could be converted to residential and accommodation built above car parks or even on the water.

We hope that Cllr Jarrett’s comments do not mean that there is a lack of ambition by his Conservative Council in developing the new Medway Local Plan. With this he has the chance to make Medway an example to other authorities of how to provide affordable, sustainable, energy efficient urban housing – will he take it?

Medway Greens urge him and his Cabinet colleagues to consider the development of green space in Medway not as inevitable, but as a last resort, to be used only after all alternative housing solutions have been pursued.

Steve Dyke

Medway Green Parry

 

 

 

 

Make politics fairer say Medway Greens

Medway Greens have called for fairer and better policed politics.
This is in light of the revelations by Channel 4 News that The
Conservative Party may have broken electoral spending rules in the
Rochester and Strood by-election in 2014.

Clive Gregory, former Green parliamentary candidate in the Rochester
and Strood by-election says:

“The claims of illegal spending put further light on how unequal the
battle is. It seems the £100,000 limit on expenses, intended to
produce a level playing field, may not have been enough for the
Tories, who have allegedly put themselves above the law and any sense
of fair play. We are never going to take the corruption out of
politics unless we remove the power of big money.

“Added to the effect of financial imbalance, the communication of
ideas and solutions which differ from those of the powerful is made
much harder by our first past the post electoral system.  As well as
meaning that millions of voters are unrepresented, this broken
electoral system squeezes out grassroots political movements
orchestrated by ordinary people in favour of the money men.  Electoral
reform isn’t just about an attempt to get some form of true democracy,
it’s also about reducing corruption and making things more difficult
for those that can spend huge sums swaying elections to their
advantage; an advantage that consequently works for the richest and
most powerful members of our society”.

Mary Smith, Medway Green Party Treasurer and Election Agent adds:

“I have been watching the re-run of ‘The Pallisers’ and the
similarities are frightening.  It seems the only thing that has
changed in 150 odd years is that over-spending is now illegal; but
no-one seems to be policing it.  Channel 4’s news item was well put
together and seemed to make a good case.  However, as it takes some
considerable time to make an investigation of this depth, I would very
strongly suggest that the one year limit, within which legal action
can be taken, is not nearly long enough.

“As often happens, the person or persons prepared to spend the most
money gets the result.  Ironically, in this case they didn’t.

“However we will never know how much impact the money spent on the
by-election had in raising the profile of the previously little known
Conservative candidate and her subsequent General Election success”.

Medway Greens urge local MPs to back basic income research

Medway Green Party is calling on Medway MPs to back a parliamentary motion for government research into the introduction of a universal basic income.

The  concept of replacing much of the current social security system (with the exception of housing and disability benefits) with an unconditional, non-withdrawable basic income, paid to all individuals, is currently been investigated by think-tank Compass, innovation charity Nesta, and the Royal Society of Arts, among others; it is also undergoing practical experiments in Finland and The Netherlands.

The motion [1] calling for further research into “the possibilities offered by the various Basic Income models, their feasibility, their potential to guarantee additional help for those who need it most, and how the complex economic and social challenges of introducing a Basic Income might be met” has been placed by Caroline Lucas,  Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, but Medway Greens are keen to  point out that  the Basic income concept has had  support from across the political spectrum, including from Conservatives, hence the call on local MPs to sign the motion.

Clive Gregory, Medway Green Party co-ordinator comments:

“The universal basic income concept (which has been a long term Green policy) was supported by no other than Friedrich Hayek, Margaret Thatcher’s favourite intellectual guru. Similar schemes have been backed by right wing thinkers Milton Friedman and Charles Murray. The attraction for these thinkers is that it would remove state interference in the day to day lives of individuals, simplify and reduce the costs of administering the welfare system and give everyone a secure foundation.

“In our current times of casual low paid labour, which offers little in terms of predictable hours or long term security ,and the growth of food banks, the need for a basic floor under which no one can fall has become more important than ever.  A universal basic income could also revolutionalise the labour market, allowing people more choice in how they balance their work and caring responsibilities, as well as provide a boost to entrepreneurialism and the creation of small businesses”.

A range of different ways of financing a universal basic income have been suggested, from a cost neutral reorganisation of the tax and welfare system e.g. that suggested for consultation by the Green Party [2] with its 2015 manifesto (or similar reorganisations of the tax and welfare system, but with additional funds e.g. the RSA model [3]) to full monetary reform [4]; in the latter model, interest-free money created by the state instead of by banks, as currently happens, could go directly to individuals rather than into financial markets and property bubbles.

Clive says:

“We are at a point when the idea of introducing a basic income is gaining traction and we hope that  MPs  across the political spectrum, both locally and in other parts of the country, will support research and debate into the potential it could have of providing a better and more secure future for us all.”

***********************************************************
Ends

NOTES:

[1] http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/974

[2] https://policy.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Policy%20files/Basic%20Income%20Consultation%20Paper.pdf

[3] https://www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/rsa-blogs/2015/12/in-support-of-a-universal-basic-income–introducing-the-rsa-basic-income-model/

[4] http://positivemoney.org/our-proposals/

Medway Green Party responds to proposed new Thames crossing

Medway Green Party has responded to the recently launched consultation from Highways England about the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing. Highways England have recommended a multi-billion pound scheme including a tunnel east of Gravesend and Tilbury and a new dual carriageway running from the M2 in Kent to the M25 in Essex.

Highways England claims that this project will bring economic benefits to the South East and will help to reduce congestion at the current Dartford crossing. However, Greens argue that this project is short-sighted and flawed.

Medway Green Party Membership Officer, Steve Dyke says:
“Far from tackling congestion, any benefits are likely to be quickly eroded by an increase in road travel.  We are also very concerned about the wider impact it would have on residents and the environment on both sides of the Thames.  The new crossing will do little or nothing to alleviate the existing high levels of pollution at Dartford
and will additionally impact residents elsewhere, in terms of increased noise and reduced air quality.  Locally this would include those in Strood, near the proposed enhanced junction with the M2, and those in the villages on the route of the new dual carriageway, such as Higham, Chalk and Shorne.

“Increased traffic around the area will put additional pressure on our already stretched road network and yet more green space and wildlife will be sacrificed in the name of spurious economic growth, including through possible infill development. Highways England has admitted in their Consultation Booklet that development will impact on greenbelt land, the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, irreplaceable
ancient woodland and other environmentally sensitive sites”.

The Green Party is pushing for greater investment in alternative transport measures such as the rail networks [1], which will help tackle air and noise pollution, rather than an extension of the road networks and high levels of pollutants associated with them [2].

Green Party Kent County Councillor, Martin Whybrow, says:
“Kent has some of the highest air pollution levels in the country, and developing further road networks does nothing to counter this. With air pollution in Kent responsible for hundreds of deaths every year, it’s time to stop pouring money into more polluting roads. We need cleaner, sustainable travel options that move people and freight away from vehicles, for the sake of people’s health and the sake of our environment. ”

Steve Dyke adds: “The billions of pounds to be spent on this scheme could be better invested in measures which reduce pollution and tackle the urgent issue of climate change.  We need a smarter transport strategy”.

Medway Green Party is urging concerned residents to respond to the consultation.

Details and the online survey can be found on the Highways England
website. https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/cip/lower-thames-crossing-consultation/consult_view

The consultation ends on 24th March 2016.

Ongoing news on this proposal can be found by visiting the Medway Green Party Facebook page.

Notes:

[1] Green MP Caroline Lucas’s Railways Bill calls for the railways to
be brought back into public hands, to improve investment in our rails
and to ensure affordability and access:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/railways.html

[2] Pollution from road traffic, and particularly from diesel fumes,
is a key contributor to deadly air pollution. The key pollutants of
concern are Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Dioxide which are
particularly threatening to human health.

 

 

 

 

 

Last few days of climate talks 2015 (COP21)

In the course of the next 48 hours or so the climate conference in Paris will draw to a close. The stakes couldn’t be higher – and much is still to be decided.

Caroline Lucas, Green MP, is joining Greens from across Europe in Paris this weekend demanding the strongest possible action to tackle the climate crisis.

Our hope is that a strong deal can be struck which limits warming to 1.5 degrees, includes aviation and shipping and gives proper finance to poorer countries. Caroline’s put out this press release setting out her hopes: http://www.carolinelucas.com/latest/caroline-travels-to-paris-as-hopes-mount-for-climate-deal

Caroline’s also had an interview with The Ecologist published. In it she sets our why acting on climate change is a moral imperative – and why the Government’s actions on climate have been so deeply disappointing: http://www.theecologist.org/Interviews/2986636/caroline_lucas_acting_on_climate_change_is_a_moral_imperative.html

Below are a few of our photos from the People’s Climate March held in London recently in which local Greens joined 50,000 others in calling for action to be taken.

 

Medway Green Party members attend Medway City of Sanctuary launch

Medway Green Party members were among a strong attendance to the launch of Medway City of Sanctuary held at the Salvation Army Hall in Gillingham..

Medway City of Sanctuary is part of a growing movement committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome in towns across the UK, especially for refugees seeking sanctuary from war and persecution.  Speakers at the Medway launch included Vince Maple, Leader of the Labour Group on Medway Council and Captain Haris Giannaros of the Salvation Army. The launch was organised by Stephen Goldbrough who stood as an independent in the Rochester and Strood by-election a year ago.

Medway Green Party comment:
“We welcome Stephen Goldbrough’s initiative and would urge all of our local politicians, councillors, members of other organisations, and local people to follow the lead of Medway City of Sanctuary in working towards ensuring that Medway is truly a welcoming and safe haven.

“A first step would be for Medway Council to join 22 other councils in signing up to the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. This is a central government funded project which provides five years humanitarian protection.  Not only would this be of enormous benefit to the individuals supported by the scheme, it would also help to challenge an image, fueled by the media, and encouraged by other parties in the Rochester and Strood  by-election, that Medway is an area where xenophobia is tolerated and rife.

“During the by-election, the Green Party was the only main party speaking out against the anti-immigration sentiment.  Our candidate and other members also attended the huge anti-racist protest, held in Rochester, against Britain First, which made it clear that the people of Medway will not tolerate far right extremism in our towns.

“Since the by-election the refugee humanitarian crisis, largely as a result of the conflict in Syria, has escalated to huge proportions. No one can fail to be moved by the tragedy of so many desperate people being forced to flee their homes, only to be rejected when they seek help.

“The least we can do is to create an environment where the people who reach our towns are greeted with kindness and offered support”.

Medway City of Sanctuary will be holding a second welcome meeting on 3rd November  2015 (venue to be announced).  Further information can be found on their website https://medway.cityofsanctuary.org/