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Stop Unthank Tesco: campaign victory
The City Council Planning Committee has rejected the application by Tesco to build a new Express store on the corner of Unthank Road and Trinity Street. The decision follows a five-month campaign of Residents Against Unthank Tesco (RAUT), supported by the Green Party, to stop the store from being built.
Andrew Boswell said: "Putting even a small supermarket on that site would have caused real traffic problems. The entry and exit movements of the delivery lorries would have been a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists and worsened current problems on the road. We were also concerned about the effect the store would have had on local and independent businesses nearby."
At the Planning meeting, two residents argued that a Tesco would provide cheap, accessible food for elderly residents. However, a Tesco leaflet circulated locally in January made it clear that its Express stores do not abide by the 'price promises' of its larger stores. Furthermore, Age Concern organises shopping trips for older people. Please call (01603) 496333 or 787111 for more information.
Under national planning rules, Tesco now has six months to appeal against the decision - so the RAUT campaign will continue. If you can help RAUT in the coming months, please contact Bridget Barne on (01603) 629373 or go to www.stopunthanktesco.com.
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Ethical investment success
Green Party City Councillors have succeeded in their campaign to persuade Norwich City Council to recognise the importance of ethical investment. The Green Party motion, adopted last month, commits the Council to considering the ethical implications of where it invests its money.
Andrew Boswell commented: "The next stage is to establish that ethical investment must mean not investing in arms companies. It is vital that we also persuade the County Council to adopt an ethical investment policy as it is the County that invests the pension funds of Council employees. I would campaign for this if elected to County Hall."
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Advertisement
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Bread from Metfield and All Natural bakeries, meats and poultry from Courtyard and Castle Acre Farms, fruit and vegetables from EOSTRE, pulses, grains, flakes, pasta, sauces, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan products.
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2 Earlham House, Earlham Road, Norwich
Tel 01603 250000
Opening hours:
Monday-Wednesday 9-6
Thursday-Saturday 9-7
Sundays 11-4
Shop online at www.thegreengrocers.co.uk
We deliver fruit and veg boxes to your door across Norwich and Norfolk
You can ask for 5% of your bill to be donated to Norwich Green Party - at no extra cost to you!
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Greens support hospital workers
The Green Party has pledged its support to some workers at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital who are in a dispute with their employers over pay. The workers in question are cleaners, caterers and porters at the hospital and are currently paid £4.85 per hour by private employer Serco. Other workers at the hospital, who are employed by the NHS but carry out similar work, are paid £5.69 per hour.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Norwich South, said: "This large pay gap between the NHS and private sector workers is grossly unfair. Equal pay for equal work should be a fundamental principle in our society. This is another example of why privatisation in our public services should be halted. In the meantime, I hope Serco bosses agree to increase wages to NHS levels."
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Greener school meals
Green Party candidates in the Norfolk County Council election have pledged their support to the Feed Me Better campaign. The campaign seeks to ensure that local, organic and fresh fruit and veg is served up in school meals across Norfolk. A Norwich shop has offered to supply local, organic fruit and veg to Norfolk schools at cost price - but it needs the support of County Councillors to make this happen. With County Council elections on 5 May, the company has called upon party candidates to pledge their support to this initiative - and the Green Party candidates are the first to do so.
Andrew Boswell said: "The aim of the campaign is to improve the health of local children whilst supporting local producers and reducing pollution by avoiding the importation of foods that can be grown locally. As a County Councillor, I would lobby for such healthy food in school meals. Organic food is low in salt and fat and free from pesticides, colourings and preservatives."
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A dangerous zebra crossing
Local residents continue to report the danger to pedestrians resulting from motorists failing to stop at the zebra crossing on Earlham Road, by Park Lane.
Andrew Boswell said: "We have decided to conduct a survey to illustrate the scale of the problem. Please get in touch if you are willing to help monitor the number of motorists failing to stop. We hope the survey results will persuade the Councils to take action. We would like to know what action local residents want. Options include turning it into a pelican crossing, arranging Police patrols and installing a flashing speed limit sign. If elected, I will lobby the County Council to provide more money for pedestrian safety measures so more campaigns such as this can be successful."
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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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Elections 2005
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Background and facts
On 5 May you can vote for who should be your County Councillor and who should be your Member of Parliament. There are no City Council elections this year.
The Green Party holds all three City Council seats for Nelson ward.
The Green Party does not currently have any County Council seats.
You live in Norwich South Parliamentary constituency, for which Charles Clarke is currently the MP.
The deadline to register for the County Council General Election was 11 March.
Poling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on poling day. 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:
T (01603) 212055
E elections
Forms must be returned to the Elections Office by 5pm on Tuesday 26 April.
Students can vote twice (both here and at home) in the County Council election, but only in one place in the General Election.
Citizens of the UK, Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth can vote in the General and County Council elections. Citizens of other EU countries can vote in the County elections only.
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Elections 2005
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What does the
County Council do?
The County Council has control over education and social services across Norfolk. It is also the primary authority in charge of transport and has joint responsibilty with the City for waste and recycling. After winning the City Council seats for Nelson ward last year, the Green Party has a strong change of winning the County Council seat on 5 May.
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Elections 2005
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Key Green pledges for the General Election
Green MPs would stand for:
Taking urgent action on climate change
Balancing learning in schools: helping children develop, not just pass endless tests.
Defending schools and hospitals: exposing the true cost of private finance initiatives.
Keeping the peace: strengthening the UN; withdrawing UK troops form Iraq; resisting further pre-emptive strikes.
Protecting developing economies: calling for overseas aid to go to those who need it, indigenous industries, not British contractors.
Defending justice: ending detainment without trial and ensuring a right to trial by jury.
Protecting the environment: helping more farmers convert to organic and ending GM crop trials; scrapping VAT on renewable energy.
Localising the economy: protecting local producers by ending the importation of foods that can be grown locally; protecting local businesses and services by resisting more large and out-of-town shopping developments.
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Elections 2005
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If not here,
where?
We urgently need a strong Green voice at Westminster to speak out for environmental sustainability and social justice. The Greens hold five City Council seats in Norwich South - the same number as Labour and five more than the Conservatives. Norwich South is one of the best prospects in the country for a Green MP! Four former Norwich Labour Councillors are actively campaigning for a Green MP in Norwich South because only the Greens are a distinctive alternative to Charles Clarke and New Labour.
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"If everyone in Norwich South who would like a Green MP votes Green, the Greens will win."
Tom Green
Alexandra Road resident
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"I'm campaigning for a Green MP in Norwich South because only the Greens have consistently opposed the Iraq War, GM crops and privatisation."
Derek Pardey
Licoln Street resident and former Labour City Councillor
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"Only the Greens call round outside election time to talk to me about local issues."
Shirley Webb
Winter Road resident
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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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