In this issue

Save the Puppet Theatre!
Children's Centre Opening
Bob Gledhill reselected for Nelson Ward
Special educational needs places in Norwich
Greens help cut Council energy bill
News in brief

Save the Puppet Theatre!

The future of Norwich Puppet Theatre has been left uncertain following the withdrawal of the £60,000 annual grant from the Arts Council for England. The theatre, which educated and entertains 10,000 people each year, needs £180,000 annually to run. This is made up of income from shows and grants from the City and County Councils as well as the grant from the Arts Council.

At the last full City Council meeting, Green Councillor Adrian Ramsay asked what action the City Council is taking to help the Puppet Theatre survive. He was told that senior councillors and council officers are in behind-the-scenes discussions with the people running the Puppet Theatre about how to try to put it back on a firm financial footing. The Green Councillors also responded to the Arts Council consultation to support the case that the Puppet Theatre grant should not be cut.

Councillor Stephen Little, Culture Spokesperson for the Green Party City Councillors, said: "The Puppet Theatre is a crucial cultural facility that deserves full support. It is disappointing to say the least that the Arts Council has withdrawn its grant. The County Council has given the theatre extra money to help in the short term and I hope it can use that breathing space to find enough ongoing income to survive in the long-term."

Photo: Green Councillors Stephen Little, Adrian Ramsay and Bob Gledhill at the recent Save the Puppet Theatre march.

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Children's centre opening

The new City Children's Centre, based at the Vauxhall Centre at Johnson Place, will officially open on Wednesday 5 March 2008. The Centre will provide links to health visitors, crèches, childminders, the JobCentre Plus and other social and healthcare agencies for parents with children aged between 0 and 5.

Chris Hull, Green Party County Councillor fo Vauxhall Street area, will be speaking at the opening. Chris commented: "It is particularly exciting that the Vauxhall Centre has been chosen to run the Children's Centre. It will be unique in Norfolk and a valuable asset to the area." Parents who live in Nelson Ward are welcome to pop in between 1pm and 2pm on 5 March to find out more. Alternatively, you can call (01603) 729808 for more information about the centre.

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Bob Gledhill reselected for Nelson Ward

Bob Gledhill will stand for re-election as your Green Party Councillor at the City Council elections on 1 May. Bob has represented Nelson Ward at City Hall for four years. He lives in the ward on Sandringham Road.

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Special educational needs places in Norwich

The County Council is conducting a review of special educational needs (SEN) schools which could result in a reduction in the number of SEN places available in the Norwich area. Green Councillors have attended two public meetings at Parkside School (on College Road) to discuss parents' concerns about the proposals. Norfolk is already below the national average in terms of the proportion of young people for whom SEN places are available and Parkside usually has about 60 applications for the 20 new places available each year. Green Councillors are working with parents to press for an increase in the number of SEN places and for the successful models of SEN schooling, such as that at Parkside, to be retained. The issue will be reconsidered by the County Council Cabinet in July 2008.

Photo: Green Councillor Andrew Boswell with parents of children at Parkside School protesting outside County Hall.

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Greens help cut Council energy bill

The County Council has agreed to 21 innovative recommendations from a working group looking at ways it can reduce energy usage. Chaired by Nelson Green Party Councillor Andrew Boswell, the group investigated energy saving across buildings and services - both to save money and to help cut the Council's carbon footprint by 25 per cent over five years.

Green Councillors at City Hall have been pushing for over a year for a similar working group to be set up there. A Green Party motion calling for year-on-year reductions in emissions from Council buildings and services was passed in January 2007. However, at the time of writing, it seems the Labour administration is still stalling on setting up a working group to oversee this process.

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News in brief

Tesco has submitted an appeal against the City Council's decision to reject its application for a store on the corner of Unthank Road and Trinity Street. At the time of writing there is little information available about the appeal but it is expected to take the form of a full Public Inquiry in late 2008. Details, when available, will be included in future newsletters. Green Councillors continue to campaign against the plans and are calling on Tesco to sell the derelict site so it can be put to a productive use such as housing.

The City Council has secured funding for pedestrian safety improvements on the part of Earlham Road near Heigham Road. The work will include improving the visibility of the zebra crossings at the end of Heigham Road and possibly widening the narrow pavements in the area between Caernarvon Road and Mill Hill Road. Residents will be consulted on detailed proposals this summer.

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Published by Tom Dylan, 123 St Leonard's Road, Norwich, NR1 4JN
on behalf of Nelson Ward Green Party, 27 Clarendon Road, Norwich, NR2 2PN