The Norwich Green

Good News On Incinerator Plans

Norfolk County Council is set to approve a bid for the treatment of our county's residual waste that does not involve burning. The relevant County Council Committee has recommended to the Cabinet that WRG, the company that has been proposing to build an incinerator at Costessey and more recently Trowse, should not be the preferred bidder. Furthermore, the likely new preferred bidder, SRM, has confirmed that it will not include any burning as part of its mechanical biological treatment process.

Thorpe Hamlet ward Green Party campaigner James Conway said: "I know from speaking to residents on the doorstep that there has been a high level of public concern about the prospect of an incinerator being built locally. At the recent public meeting in Costessey, experts outlined strong evidence of links between incinerators and high concentrations of health problems amongst people living in nearby areas. The Green Party is pleased that there is no burning involved in the likely new preferred bid. However, we are concerned that WRG is likely to still be the reserve bidder."

Green Councillor Adrian Ramsay added: "Last month's City Council meeting adopted a Green Party motion calling on the County Council to rule out incineration for this and future contracts. We proposed a similar motion a year ago and that was not supported by any other party – but we are pleased that our motion got through this time. The successful motion also called for the development of a resource recovery park in Norwich. These centres exist in other parts of the world and achieve reuse and recycling levels of up to 90%. We are also pushing for improved and comprehensive local recycling facilities to be a high priority in the City Council's budget for the next financial year, which is to be considered this month. We will report on this in our next newsletter."

Have You Registered To Vote For 3rd May Elections?

Dangerous Junction

James Conway writes:

Campaign Against Commercial Junk Mail

Norwich Green Party is running a campaign to reduce the amount of junk mail that comes through people's letterboxes. Commercial junk mail comes in two types:

14 Harvey Lane Planning Applications Update

The Planning Inspectorate has allowed an appeal from a developer planning to build a three-storey house at 14 Harvey Lane. Green Councillor Adrian Ramsay helped residents of Stanley Avenue and Harvey Lane persuade the Council to reject the application and is disappointed that this decision has been overturned. The current building on the site is two storeys tall. The three-storey building would overlook nearby bungalows. The plans would also result in several trees being lost. The developer is now appealing against the rejection of an application for four town houses on the site. If this appeal is also granted the developer will have the choice as to which plan is pursued.

Save The Orbital Bus!

The County Council Scrutiny Committee has 'called in' for examination the decision by the ruling Conservatives at County Hall to axe the orbital bus service just half way through its three year trial period. At the recent Norwich Area Committee meeting Green Councillors strongly opposed plans to cut the service, which is due to stop in early March. Green County Councillor Andrew Boswell echoed calls from residents for this important service to be given more time to succeed and for a comprehensive publicity strategy to be developed.

Norwich Takes A Lead On Climate Change

The City Council has adopted a Green Party motion calling for the Council to take a lead in working for year-on-year reductions in carbon emissions from its buildings and services. Green Councillor Andrew Boswell, who is also Co-ordinator of the Norwich and Norfolk Campaign Against Climate Change, said: "The Council still has to ensure that this carbon reduction policy is pursued in every area of its work, but acceptance of a need for year-on-year reductions is a crucial breakthrough. We hope that the County Council, other organisations and businesses in the city follow suit – and that Norwich’s example will be copied across the country."

Anti-Social Behaviour Hotline: 212100

Reports of anti-social behaviour that residents make to this 24-hour hotline are used to help decide where the Police and community wardens should concentrate their ongoing work. Residents should use this number to report problems, but if you need the Police to attend the same day then call 0845 456 4567 (non-emergencies) or 999 (emergencies).

Plumstead Road Aldi Application Update

Aldi has submitted an appeal against the City Council's decision to reject an application for a store to be built on Plumstead Road, by the Harvey Lane junction. Councillor Adrian Ramsay, Co-ordinator of the Green Party Group on Norwich City Council, has written to the Planning Inspectorate in support of the Council's decision. Councillor Ramsay outlined the reasons highlighted by the local residents who objected to the proposals, namely the traffic implications of building a store at an already very busy junction and the loss of housing and green space that it would involve.

Comment: Britain's Nuclear Weapons

Green Party City Councillor Adrian Ramsay outlines the arguments against replacing Trident.

On around 12th March, Members of Parliament will be asked to vote on the Government's plans to spend an estimated £76billion on renewing Britain's nuclear weapons system, Trident. Green Party members are working with campaign groups to outline the arguments against these plans.

The astronomical expense cannot be justified. £76billion could make a huge difference in helping to tackle dangerous climate change or in improving our public services.

Furthermore, Trident is often referred to as an independent deterrent – but it is not at all independent of the US. The factory in Aldermaston (Berkshire) that makes the bombs uses US equipment to do so, while the submarine maintenance base in Plymouth is largely the property of Halliburton (US Vice President Dick Cheney's old firm). If one agrees with the Government that international terrorism and the suicide bomber are the main threat, then the argument that nuclear weapons act as a deterrent against attack cannot stand up either.

Renewing Trident would also undermine the crucial United Nations Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty, which came into force in 1970 and which the UK has signed. The Treaty's goal is a world free from nuclear weapons: free from the risk of social and environmental destruction that the use of nuclear weapons would heighten. Renewing Trident would undermine all attempts to prevent Iran and other states from acquiring nuclear weapons. For this reason, renewing Britain's weapons of mass destruction would make the world a more dangerous place.