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GREENS SECURE RECYCLING IMPROVEMENTS
Green Party Councillors have secured funding for improvements to the city's recycling scheme as part of the City Council budget for the new financial year. Prior to the recent budget discussions, the Greens had secured a commitment to the following improvements:
Extending the green box scheme to those houses that aren't currently on it.
Introducing metals into the green box collections.
Installing bring banks for paper and glass at flats (where residents do not have green boxes.
Establishing a subsidised opt-in system for garden waste collections.
Introducing on-street recycling bins for glass and paper at six city centre locations.
At the budget meeting, an additional £90,000 was set aside for the installation of metal banks at flats and for two to five plastic bottle recycling banks for the city. The green waste collections and banks for flats are set to be introduced in spring 2006, while the other improvements should be in place by autumn 2005.
The Green Councillors also succeeded in obtaining additional Council staff resources for making improvements to facilities for cyclists in Norwich.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay said: "Holding five seats and the balance of power gave us enough bargaining power to insist on extra money for two of our policy priorities.
"Unfortunately, our proposals to fund ten plastic recycling banks by cutting money from budgets for civic hospitality and promotional materials were voted down by the other parties. In the longer term we would like to see plastics collected from the doorstep - but having two to five bring banks is at least a start. We will also continue to push for measures to reduce waste at source, such as Government taxes on packaging.
"I am pleased to say that all three parties agreed to keep the council tax increase to inflation level. Our next budget priority is to obtain money for more pedestrian safety measures, such as crossings and flashing speed limit signs, on busy roads."
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Norwich: a Fair Trade City
Norwich has recently been awarded Fair Trade City status. The status was obtained due to the increasing number of outlets in Norwich that stock Fair Trade goods, and the recent production of a directory showing where Fair Trade goods can be bought locally. Norwich began to seek Fair Trade City status following a Green Party motion to Council two years ago.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay said: "For those goods that cannot be grown locally and need to be imported (such as tea, coffee and bananas), it is vital that developing world workers are given a fair wage for their work. This is what the Fair Trade logo on food and drinks represent. It is great that Norwich is playing its part in the promoting Fair Trade. Green MPs would lobby for for lower import levies for Fair Trade goods to ensure they become the norm and not the exception."
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NDR 'environmentally damaging'
The County Council's Environmental Impact Assessment for the Northern Distributor Road (NDR) states that all the proposed NDR routes would have a large or very large environmental impact. As a result, the County Council Cabinet has put off making a decision between the routes until after the County Council elections.
Councillor Rupert Read, Green Party transport spokesperson, said: "The County Council Conservatives know they will make themselves unpopular with nearby residents whichever route they choose. Postponing the decision is not the answer. We would scrap the £140m NDR plans and invest any available funds in public transport."
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Iraq: two years on
Local Green Party members this month joined a march in London to protest against the continued presence of UK troops in Iraq. Two years after the war started the fighting and killing in Iraq continues. The death toll of Iraqi civilians and UK soldiers is rising all the time. The Green Party supports the replacement of UK and US troops with UN troops, or another international force acceptable to Iraqis.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Norwich South, said: "It is clear that Blair took us into war under false pretences - there were no weapons of mass destruction. It is also clear that the war has not improved the security of the Middle East, or Iraq. We need Greens in Westminster to oppose any further pre-emptive, illegal strikes of Bush and Blair, on Syria or Iran."
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Earlham house puddle
Numerous Nelson residents have contacted the Green Party in recent weeks to complain about the large puddle in the front car park of Earlham House shops. Green Party Councillors persuaded council officers to serve a notice on the owners of the site to clear the puddle, which was becoming a real hazard. At the time of writing, the puddle has gone. Green Councillors have asked for an assurance that work will be carried out to prevent the problem re-occuring.
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Tree planting on Stafford Street and Muriel Road
Five new trees are to be planted on Stafford Street and another five on Muriel Road. Over two years ago, the Council removed the trees on these roads and since then residents and Green Councillors have been calling for new trees to be planted. Council officers have said that this is set to happen by the end of March. The Muriel Road trees will be Snow Goose Cherries, while Bastard Service trees will be planted on Stafford Street.
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Free compost bins
Would you like a compost bin for your garden so you can recycle you organic garden and kitchen waste at home? The City Council has some free bins on offer. To order, call 212212 and ask for Environmental Health.
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Recycling at Earlham House
Somerfield recently applied for planning permission to extend its Earlham House store to the edge of the Recreation Road pavement. Councillor Adrian Ramsay attended the meeting and urged Councillors, it they intended to grant approval, to require recycling banks for a range of materials to be installed at the site as part of the agreement. However, Councillors from the other parties approved the application without this requirement. The Green Party is calling for the Council's planning powers to be used more creatively for ensuring environmental improvements.
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Hewett school playing fields: campaign update
Green Party Councillors are playing a key role in the campaign against the plans for the development of a private leisure centre, nursing home and nursery on the Hewett School playing fields. The development - which would cover about a quarter of the playing fields - was approved by the City Council in October (with opposition from the Greens). However, the Government Office for the East of England has decided to hold a Public Inquiry before a final decision is made. The Inquiry will begin on 25 October and last for about four days.
Andrew Boswell, Green Party County Council Candidate for Nelson Ward, said: "It is important to protect green spaces from development and ensure they are available for schools and the local community to use. It is not acceptable for the County Council and the Government to starve schools of funds and force them to consider selling land to fund other facilities."
The local campaign group on this issue is RAID: Residents Against Inappropriate Development. The group has recently set up a website, which can be viewed at www.weekendcottage.co.uk/raid
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To Comment on the Hewett School plans, write to:
Debbie Smith
Planning Inspectorate
3/17 Eagle Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN
Please quote reference 040025F
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Postal vote applications
If there is any change that you won't be able to get to your poling station on Thursday 5 May you can order a postal vote form from the Elections Office at City Hall:
Forms must be returned to the Elections Office by 5pm on Tuesday 26 April.
Students may vote here and at home in the local elections.
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Night flight ban should be upheld, say Greens
Council planning regulations currently prevent flights taking off from or landing at Norwich Airport between 11pm and 6am. The airport has to apply for planning permission for any night flights that it wants to take place. In December, the Council turned down an application for night flights to be allowed for taking football fans home after away games - but the airport has since gone ahead with such flights on two occasions.
Councillor Bob Gledhill said: "It is vital that this ban is upheld to maintain a decent quality of life for residents living near to the airport. I do not want Norwich to become another Heathrow, with local residents constantly suffering from noise and pollution. We must improve and promote train and ferry journeys as sustainable alternatives to short-haul flights."
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Surgery Times
Your Green Party Councillors hold the following surgeries:
- Last Friday of each month
Cadge Road Community Centre
10-11am
- Second Monday of each month
Belvedere Community Centre
Belvoir Street
6-7pm
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Contacting Nelson Greens
Your Green Party Councillors continue to take up local issues of concern with the Council. If you have anything you would like us to investigate or any questions please contact us:
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We would be pleased to hear from you
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The Norwich Green is published by Adrian Ramsay, 98 George Borrow Road, Norwich, NR4 7HU on behalf of Norwich Green Party, 15 Connaught Road, Norwich, NR2 3BP.
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