Norwich Green Party | Town Close Ward Newsletter

Please Vote Green in the City Council Elections

Stephen Little (pictured left) is your Green Party Candidate for Town Close ward in the Norwich City Council elections on Thursday 3rd May. Stephen has been an environmental campaigner since the late 1980s. He has been active in the Green Party in the Town Close area for six years and knows the area well, having previously lived on Trinity Street and now living near the Lakenham end of Town Close ward.

Stephen's key concerns include promoting sustainable transport and protecting the unique character of Norwich. Stephen Little and your Town Close Green Party Councillors Janet Bearman and Chris Hull have been active in the ward all year round, delivering newsletters, visiting residents and taking up local issues of concern with the councils.

A summary of the Green Party's 2007 City Council Election Manifesto will appear in our next leaflet, along with a reminder of recent Green Party campaigns in Town Close ward. For more information in the meantime please browse this site or contact Town Close Green Party on (01603) 664928.

Help build a Greener Norwich: please vote for Stephen Little.

The Green Party won the two most recent local elections in your area (Town Close ward). The nine Green Councillors provide a constructive opposition to the Labour administration at City Hall. Please elect Stephen Little on 3rd May – another Green voice for your area.

Unitary Status Explained

Councillor Adrian Ramsay writes:

Norwich is one of 13 areas short-listed by the Government to become a Unitary Authority. Here we answer some frequently asked questions. For more information please visit www.norwich.gov.uk.

What does it mean? Currently, some local services in Norwich are run by the City Council (such as housing, planning and parks) and some by the County Council (such as transport, education, social services and waste disposal). Unitary status means all these services are run by the same council.

Who supports it and why? All three of the large parties at City Hall (Labour, LibDems and Greens) support the bid. A Unitary Authority would mean all services delivered in Norwich would be decided upon in Norwich. Currently our city’s waste disposal and transport services are controlled by Conservative councillors who represent rural Norfolk. As a result the campaigns against incineration and for better bus services and cycle routes in the city have been difficult. They would have been easier if these services were run by councillors who are elected by Norwich residents.

Who will make the final decision and when? The Government will make the final decision in July following a consultation. We will publicise the details of the consultation when they are known.

Unthank Road Proposals Update

Town Close Green Party Candidate Stephen Little writes:

We previously reported that the council has been consulting over road safety proposals for the part of Unthank Road near the shops. Most respondents were generally supportive of the scheme but some specific concerns were expressed. Several people objected to the installation of 'buildouts' at the crossing points because this would make the road more dangerous for cyclists. The Green Councillors responded to the consultation to welcome the 20mph speed limit and the widening of the footpaths on the north side of the road but to object to the 'buildouts'. The Green Councillors also highlighted the need for the proposed zebra crossing to be very visible. Council officers are currently putting together a final draft of the proposals in light of the consultation. There will then be another opportunity for residents and ward councillors to comment before a final decision is made.

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Another Former LibDem Councillor Joins the Green Party

Simon Richardson, who was a Liberal Democrat City Councillor between 2000 and 2004, has joined the Green Party. Simon joined the Green Party partly because of its support for council housing and opposition to the demolition of the structurally-sound council flats on Barrack Street. Simon, who lives in Mancroft ward, is the second former LibDem Councillor to join Norwich Green Party in the last year. Dawn Castle-Green joined last summer, citing the Green Party's clear opposition to incineration as a major reason for defecting. There are also six former Norwich Labour Councillors actively supporting the Green Party.

Mount Pleasant Traffic Calming

Stephen Little reports:

When I was visiting residents in the Mount Pleasant area recently several people asked for an update on plans for traffic calming on the road. Speed management measures for Mount Pleasant are in the work programme for the 2007/08 financial year and officers will be consulting with residents in the summer over the type of measures that should be introduced. It is disappointing that this work was delayed but I am pleased that it is now in the programme.

Master Composter Demonstration a Success!

Around 40 local residents attended the recent composting demonstration by Town Close resident and County Council Master Composter Peter Anderson. Town Close Green Party Councillors Janet Bearman and Chris Hull were also on hand to discuss waste and recycling issues with residents.

If you were unable to attend the event but would like more information about how to compost your kitchen and garden waste, thereby reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and producing a rich nutrient for your soil, please contact Recycle Now: phone 0845 600 0323 or visit www.recyclenow.com/compost. You can also order a compost bin for your garden at a cut-down price (£8) from Recycle Now.

'Bring CityCare Services Back Under Council Control' Say Greens

The Green Party has revealed that one of its key policies for the 3rd May City Council elections is to bring at least some services currently provided by private firm CityCare back under council control. Many City Council services, including waste and recycling collections and the management of parks and trees, were contracted out to CityCare in 2000. The council will soon have to decide who should run these services when the contract ends in 2010. Councillor Adrian Ramsay said: "Privatisation often proves to be more costly and makes services less accountable and responsive. This is supported by feedback from residents and local newspaper reports."

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Don't Attack Iran

Norwich Green Party is joining with local members of the Stop the War Coalition to back the growing international pressure against Britain and the USA launching an attack on Iran.

Councillor Rupert Read, the Green Party's representative on Norwich Peace Council, said: "The British Royal Navy personnel being held in Iran should be released. A negotiated diplomatic settlement is needed to achieve this. It is crucial that the terrible mistake made four years ago in attacking Iraq is not repeated with an attack on Iran. Another attack in the Middle East would make the region and the countries involved more unstable and result in more loss of life."

Bus Scrutiny Update

Councillor Chirs Hull writes:

In the January edition of the Town Close Green Party newsletter we reported that the councils are about to start a scrutiny review of local bus services. Thank you to everyone who has suggested issues that we should raise with First and the other bus companies during the review. The lack of a direct service to the hospital from Unthank Road understandably remains a key issue. The panel of councillors conducting the review will first meet this month and we have passed the comments we have received to the Green representatives on the panel.

The Norwich Green