Tuesday 14 December 2010

Withdraw Proposal To Cease The Whole Of The Youth Service In Warwickshire petition

Withdraw Proposal To Cease The Whole Of The Youth Service In Warwickshire petition
Category: Youth Issues
Region: Warwickshire
Target: Councillor Alan Farnell Leader of Warwickshire County Council

Why the 'Withdraw proposal to cease the whole of the Youth Service in Warwickshire petition' was created



We the undersigned are outraged at Warwickshire County Council’s proposal to:
“Cease the whole of the Youth Service”.
We know how vulnerable young people can be. However, Warwickshire County Council is withdrawing the very service that is proven to work successfully alongside them.
We consider that this proposal contradicts the leader of the Council, Councillor Alan Farnell’s claim to “protect the most vulnerable and the front-line services that support them,” and we are calling for its immediate withdrawal.

Saturday 11 December 2010

Save the EMA day of action | 13 December


The Educational Maintenance Allowance is a small grant available young people aged 16-19 who stay on in education. It is means-tested and students can receive between £10 and £30 a week. Last year, 635,000 students received EMA and 80% of these received the full £30. In Leicester, as many as 4/5 students receive it.

The government plans to completely scrap the EMA, despite a pre-election promise from Michael Gove - anybody see a trend here? This will have a massive impact of young people from poorer backgrounds, some of whom will simply not be able to afford to stay in education. This is turn will put more jobs at risk.

Greens offer free membership to students and young people


Greens offer free membership to students and young people

Join the Green Party http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

In an unprecedented move, the Green Party today offered free membership to people under 30 or in full-time education.

Any student or young person who applies to join the Green Party before 1 January 2011 will pay no subscription for the coming year.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP said today:

“I want students and young people to know there is a political party that still cares about their future, and that will keep fighting for a fairer future and will not give up on doing the right thing.

“We have to keep fighting, because we can’t leave the future of our country and our planet to people who want to run things primarily in the interests of big business and the wealthiest people.

“Politics is important and it’s time to reclaim it. I want to extend the warmest possible welcome to all new members, but not least to students and young people who are having such a difficult time at the hands of the other political parties.”

Greens want “a society which values mobility and inclusiveness”

Caroline, who was elected as Britain’s first Green MP in this year’s general election – and who has stood strongly by the Green Party’s policy of universal free education – said last night after the tuition fees vote:

“This is a dark day for the future of higher education in this country. The huge hikes in tuition fees, together with the scrapping of Educational Maintenance Allowance and proposed cuts in college funding, amount to nothing less than a Government assault on our young people – and an attack on the principles of universal education. Many people may be priced out of going to university as a result of today’s vote – and those who do go are likely to be saddled with massive debt. This is unacceptable for a society which values social mobility and inclusiveness.”

Further information

1. Students and young people can join the Green Party free http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

2. Students can normally join the Green Party for £5, as opposed to the standard membership rate of £31. Many people, however, pay higher membership fees to help the party fund its campaigns. Donations are always welcome, as the Green Party receives no financial backing from unions or big businesses as Labour and the Conservatives do, but gets the bulk of its income from members and ordinary supporters.

3. For any enquiries regarding individual membership call 020 7272 4474. For media enquiriesonly, call 020 7561 0282.

Thursday 9 December 2010

Greens now the only political party fighting for free education


Greens now the only political party fighting for free education

08 DECEMBER 2010

The Green Party is emerging as the only one of the main UK-wide political parties which has consistently supported the abolition of tuition fees.

Earlier this week, Green Party Leader and Brighton Pavilion MP, Caroline Lucas, co-sponsored an Early Day Motion (EDM 1130) with Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland, calling for the vote on raising tuition fees to be halted, noting that "the government has failed to convince many people that its proposals will be fair and sustainable" (1). She is co-sponsoring an amendment to the Government's Tuition Fees Motion to the same effect.

Scrapping EMA is "hugely destructive, and completely unnecessary", says party leader

The Green Party Leader, who will be speaking at the rally outside Parliament on Thursday, said:

"The government's plans to saddle young people with huge debts, and to scrap the Educational Maintenance Allowance which has been so successful in enabling more young people to stay on in education, are hugely destructive, and completely unnecessary.

"There are alternative ways to fund education, including a more progressive taxation system. For example, a business education tax levied on the top 4% of UK companies, as proposed by the University and Colleges Union (UCU)(2), would require business to pay its fair share for the substantial benefits it receives from higher education.

"Raising corporation tax to the G7 average would generate enough annually to abolish tuition fees, and increase UK investment in higher education to the average for other comparable countries, while leaving 96% of companies in the UK unaffected by the change, and still leaving the UK's main corporation tax below that of France, Japan and the US."

Caroline Lucas continued:

"The Green Party believes that education is absolutely vital for people to be able to participate fully in society, and as such, access to learning should be as democratic as possible, with no person made to feel excluded by prohibitively high costs."

Young Greens' concern over generation gap

Young Greens co-chair Sam Coates said:

"The amount of student debt this rise will bring, along with the lack of affordable housing and high youth unemployment, is driving the gap between our generation and previous ones even wider."

Notes:

1. Research published by university think-tank million+ and London Economics suggests that the majority of students (60-65%) will be worse-off under the new proposals, and that social mobility and participation will also be adversely affected, "Fair, progressive and good value?", (30 November 2010),http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/file_download/184/Fair

2. "In place of fees: time for a Business Education Tax?" (10 March 2010),http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/2/3/inplaceoffees-betax_ucucompass_mar10.pdf

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NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE AT RUGBY CEMEX?


New Bilton Green Party (a local ward party of Rugby Green Party) have written to the Environment Agency to demand answers over concerns raised by local residents in New Bilton with the local Green Party over pollution and health fears from 'smoke' emanating from the CEMEX Plant, which is in the middle of New Bilton and Rugby (70,000 population) on Sunday 5th December.

CEMEX a massive multinational are burning a combination of tyres and waste at the plant to provide a cheap fuel to make cement and have faced numerous actions by the Environment Agency including massive fines over its operations in the town.

As the letter (below) sent to the Environment Agency’s Officer David Hudson covering the Lawford Road site, indicates the plant has recently (August 2010) suffered an uncontrolled fire at its waste storage facility and local residents are understandably concerned - We in the Green Party also share these concerns!

To: 'David Hudson'
Subject: New Bilton residents concerns

Dear David

A number of local residents from New Bilton have been in contact with ourselves to raise concerns about the amount and nature of what appeared to be smoke emanating from the CEMEX Plant in Lawford Road Rugby on Sunday 5th December 2010.

I personally also witnessed the unusual colour, quantity, behaviour and direction of the smoke, but was unable to make contact with the Environment Agency at the time due to the need to deal with other important issues, but did remark to the person I was with at the time my concerns.

I would ask you to provide full details of any investigation that the Environment Agency may have undertaken and the outcome. Please also confirm that the local residents who made contact with you have also been provided with this detailed information as well?

We note in the ‘Environment Agency Update number 4’ (August 2010) to the Community Cement Engagement Group (an organisation we may add unfortunately largely discredited in the eyes of many local people due to the removal of local skilled environment groups) of a recent fire resulting from the storage of waste for burning at the plant and we would ask you to provide a detailed response on the outcome of your investigation of this incident.

Please note, we will forward your response to the local residents who have contacted us and provide information for local residents in New Bilton and Rugby via our website.

Regards

Roy Sandison – New Bilton Green Party


Wednesday 8 December 2010

LIB DEMS HIT 8% IN POLLS

Tonight’s YouGov poll for the Sun has topline figures of CON 41%, LAB 41%, LDEM 8%. It’s the lowest Lib Dem score YouGov have ever shown, and as far as I can tell the lowest Liberal Democrat score any pollster has shown since September 1990, over 20 years ago.

I’ll add my normal caveats about not getting too excited about a single poll, new extreme highs and lows for parties do tend to be the outliers, but nevertheless, the fact that we’ve got our first 8% for the Lib Dems suggests that their support is still on a downwards trend. It is probably no co-incidence that this comes after several days of the Liberal Democrats internal ructions over tuition fees have been all over the political headlines.

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2903

Tuesday 7 December 2010

London Calling: National Demo on Parliament - SHUT DOWN LONDON

400 PEOPLE MARCH IN COVENTRY AGAINST THE CUTS IN IMPRESSIVE SHOW OF STRENGTH!

From Rugby Against The Cuts - http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/
Rugby residents joined the impressive 400 strong march in Coventry on Saturday - the demonstration supported by many local trade unions and students leading the fight against Clegg's Lib Democrats sell out over student Tuition Fees and their support for the abolishment of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) laid the basis for the first of many protests to come.
Youth workers in UNITE also joined the protest in large number from Warwickshire (where the Youth Service will cease under Tory plans) and Coventry where Labour intend to make large cuts. The rally agreed to support both set of workers in their struggle.



Please visit the Coventry Against the Cuts website for further reports about the protest and more pictures.- http://coventryagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/

* Rugby Green Voice comments - Greens from Coventry and Warwickshire also support the protest in numbers.



Monday 29 November 2010

RUGBY GREEN PARTY MAKES FRONT PAGE OVER TESCO TROLLEY AVON RIVER DUMPING



(Rugby Advertiser Article)
Rugby Green Party has made front page news in the Rugby Observer this week over our survey of Tesco's trolley and rubbish dumping in the historic River Avon.
The story was also given a prominent place in the Rugby Advertiser and was covered on Rugby FM.
Pressure is mounting on Tesco's to clean up their act and ensure none of their belongings are left in our River Avon - no news on our demand for a meeting yet - but we can assure people and Tesco that the issue will not be swept under the carpet.

*More information further down this site on this issue

Sunday 28 November 2010

VOTE GEORGE HOUGUEZ (GREEN PARTY) IN THE DUNCHUCH & KNIGHTLOW BY ELECTION ON THURSDAY 2ND DECEMBER

Rugby Green Party is standing George Houguez in the forthcoming by election for the Dunchurch & Knightlow ward of the Rugby Borough Council on the 2nd December.

George who has stood in the ward a number of times is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and lecturer for The London College of Clinical Hypnosis and has practiced in Bank Street, Rugby for 6 years.

In explaining why he is standing for the Green Party, George says “Our psychological well being is closely related to our lifestyles and environment. Green Party policy promotes sustainable community and a responsible attitude towards the environment.”

MAKE A DIFFERENCE – VOTE GREEN

Printed, Promoted and Published by Roy Sandison on behalf George Houguez and Rugby Green Party PO Box 4123 Rugby CV21 9BJ

Tuesday 23 November 2010

DO THE RIGHT THING?- A LETTER SENT TO LEADING RUGBY LIBERAL DEMOCRATS FROM RUGBY GREEN PARTY


This letter has been sent to the following leading Liberal Democrats in Rugby:
Rugby General Election Candidate & Councillor Jerry Roodhouse , Councillor Sue Roodhouse, Councillor Richard Dodd,
Councillor Gwen Hotten, Councillor Bill Lewis, Councillor Sue Peach, Councillor Sally Ravenhall, Councillor Noreen New, Councillor Niel Sandison, Dave Upstone, Tom Hardgrave. - We await their response.

24 November 2010

Dear Rugby Liberal Democrat Councillor or leading members of the Rugby Party.

NICK CLEGGS SHAME

As many of you will know. I was the Green Party Parliamentary Candidate at the General Election for Rugby and was pleased to agree with Jerry Roodhouse and the Lib Democrats over the issue of student fees against the Labour Party and the Tories position at the hustings and in print.

Jerry increased the Lib Dem vote in Rugby as did the Lib Dems across the country not least because of their strong support for students.

Unfortunately the opinion polls show that it is very likely the Liberal Democrats will face an electoral melt down at the next local elections if they continue jumping to the Tories tune not least over student fees and will lose some good progressive councillors in Rugby.

I notice from reading your Rugby Liberal Democrat website that the Rugby Party appears to be swinging behind Clegg’s discredited position – I would ask you to think again!

Watch the students protests today and do the right thing – confirm that you as an individual stand firm to your electoral pledge over students fees and that you will be contacting Liberal Democrat MP’s to demand they also keep their electoral promises to students.

And also read this below from Jenny Jones Green Party member of the London Assembly and Sam Coates Co-Chair of the Young Greens before making up your mind:

"A whole generation of young people are having their futures torn up in front of their eyes as policies they explicitly voted against are put into effect with the support of a party many of them voted for.

They note that university fees in the UK are already among the most expensive in Europe, and if trebled to £9000 will be the most expensive in the world.

University fees in the UK are already among the most expensive in Europe and if trebled to £9000 will be the most expensive in the world. The average across all sectors in the US is around £7000 and even private universities in Japan (£4379 a year) and South Korea (£5379 a year) will be cheaper than public universities here. Sweden, Finland, Denmark and some others all still charge no fees at all and the OECD average is just £1427 per year.

The UK Government is effectively privatising universities. The whole burden of higher education is falling on individual students. Why is this Government so keen to saddle young people with debt when other nations continue to recognise the wider importance of education, especially in a recession? Graduate debt has more wide reaching effects than we realise, not only do repayments make it difficult for graduates to set up a home, they are unable to pay into pensions and will generally spend less in the economy, further damaging chances of a lasting recovery.

This is just one ingredient in a toxic cocktail of cuts and privatisation being imposed on the nation for ideological reasons. The Tory cuts are not an inevitable response to the financial crisis but an attack on the very idea of a socially-conscious, good society.

We have to ask: what kind of a socially-destructive example are Tory and Lib Dem MPs setting to the current generation of young people? And would it be surprising if this kind of behaviour by those in power were to leave millions questioning democracy?”

I look forward to each and every one of your replies.

Regards

Roy Sandison – Rugby Green Party

*Please note this letter has been published on the Rugby Green Party website - http://rugbygreenparty.blogspot.com/


Monday 22 November 2010

“DISGUSTING MESS” SAYS RUGBY GREEN PARTY - GREENS SLAM TESCO OVER ALLOWING RIVER AVON TO BECOME TROLLEY AND RUBBISH DUMP!








PRESS RELEASE (22nd November 10)

Rugby Green Party have reacted with anger after carrying out a survey of the River Avon next to the Tesco store in Leicester Road which showed an incredible 21 shopping trolleys from the store in the river - this just at the Black Path Bridge (See attached pictures) also other rubbish from the company was seen along the banks of the river.

Roy Sandison spokesperson for Rugby Green Party explains “The scene is like a modern day version of the way that 19th century capitalists used to care so little about how their money making operations impacted on the environment, so ending up with town rivers and canals filed up with their waste products” Roy continues “This situation has not just come to pass and it seems to show a careless approach by Tesco’s”

“It makes you wonder if Tesco would be allowed to get away with such disregard for the environment and the historic River Avon further down stream at Stratford on Avon? Why should Rugby people have to put up with these lower standards of care on our part of the River Avon?”

DEMAND FOR A MEETING

“We have written to the Manager of the Store in Rugby demanding a meeting with him to discuss with him what immediate and preventative actions his company are going to take to ensure that our river is treated with the respect and in the manner it should be.”

Roy continues “We would expect Tesco to immediately send out assessment and clean up squads to clear the river and clean up the banks. That they use their security staff and CVTV cameras to monitor the whereabouts of their trolleys and that they also assign trained staff to undertake daily clean up operations in the locality of the store – if they do this then it will show at least some commitment by Tesco to treat the local environment with respect.”

AVON WATCH’

Rugby Green Party are also asking local residents to keep a watching brief (AVON WATCH) over the River Avon by contacting the Rugby Green party at rugbygreenparty@googlemail.com to report any concerns about pollution issues. The Green Party will log the concern and if necessary make representation to the appropriate body... *Please put FAO ‘Avon Watch’ in the headline of the email.

Sunday 21 November 2010

ANIT CUTS GROUP AND UNITE TRADE UNION SAYS NO TO YOUTH SERVICE CUTS IN WARWICKSHIRE!

From Rugby Against The Cuts - http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/
Rugby Advertiser 18th November 2010
Rugby Observer 18th November 2010
FULL PRESS RELEASE BELOW
ANGER AT PLANS TO DESTROY WARWICKSHIRE’S YOUTH SERVICE

Rugby Against the Cuts has expressed its anger at proposals by Warwickshire County Council to cut its budget for youth services by £4.6 million, and close the Youth Service completely. “This is the reality of the Con-Dem Governments spending cuts announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review,” the campaign’s spokesperson Pete McLarensaid today. “To cut the Youth Service, and the parallel Positive about Young People organisation, would effectively deny young people any real, voluntary access to crucial support, and lead to hundreds of redundancies. Youth clubs and related organisations provide vital services for the community, especially in deprived working class areas. The County Council should be supporting the young people of Warwickshire and be seeking ways of persuading the Government to find other ways of resolving the country’s debt problems. We have put forward a number of alternatives, including a 5% tax increase for the wealthiest 10% of the population, nationalizing the banks and financial institutions and using their profits to improve public services, and collecting the £120 billion owed by the wealthy through tax evasion or avoidance, “ he concluded.

The groups’ Trade Union Liaison Officer Roy Sandison was particularly concerned about the effects of these cuts on young people themselves. “The Youth Service targets its provision towards areas most in need. Removing the service will have a serious impact on local communities, particularly those in deprived areas”, he claimed.

Geoff Dewhirst (Warwickshire Branch secretary of Unite – Youth Work section) went further. “Youth clubs, and the activities within them, are the vehicles through which professional youth workers gain the trust and confidence of our more marginalised young people. Their purpose is to help those young people towards constructive and fulfilling engagement with others, their communities and society at large. Withdrawing this support, encouragement and role model can only lead to continued disaffection, at a time when it’s universally recognised that disaffection is the antithesis of cohesive, safer communities. Increases in youth unemployment mean that state funded youth provision should be expanded, not decimated,” he concluded.

NOTES
  • Rugby Against the Cuts was set up by local trade unionists and political activists on September 22nd. Officers were elected as above
  • Rugby Against the Cuts meets on the second Thursday of every month, 7.30pm, at the Three Horse Shoes, Rugby
  • Rugby Against the Cuts can be contacted on 07881 520626, atrugbyagainstthecuts@googlemail.com, or through our web site athttp://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com

Friday 19 November 2010

HELP BUILD THE MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CUTS - COME TO COR CONFERENCE!

Rugby Against The Cuts is affiliated to the COR and members will be attending.


Coalition of Resistance Conference

Saturday November 27

Camden Centre

Bidborough St, London WC1H 9AU

10am-5pm

Tickets:

  • Unemployed/Student Rate £3
  • Standard Rate £5
  • Representative £10

Conference Agenda

10:00 – 10:30 REGISTRATION
10:30 – 11:45 OPENING PLENARY
Mark Serwotka PCS, Andrew Murray, Jean Lambert MEP, Bob Crow RMT, Christian Mahieux (Solidaires unions, France), Clare Solomon NUS, Heather Wakefield UNISON, People’s Charter, John McDonnell MP, Lindsey German CoR.
12:00 – 13:15 ORGANISING AGAINST THE CUTS LOCALLY
Range of speakers from anti-cuts and other organisations from around the country
ANALYSING THE CRISIS
James Meadway, Stathis Kouvelakis, Derek Wall, Hilary Wainwright
MOBILISING THE UNIONS
Alan Whittaker President UCU, Rebecca Allen PCS, George Binette UNISON
WHAT SHOULD POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES DO?
Liz Davis, Samir Jeraj (Green Party), Billy Bragg, Laurie Penny
YOUTH, STUDENTS AND EDUCATION
Speakers from recent school and student protests, Alex Kenny NUT, Jean-Baptiste Tondu (NPA student , France)
RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Chris Baugh PCS, Jonathan Neale CACC, Peter Robinson
13:15 – 14:00 LUNCH
14:00 – 15:15 DEFENDING THE WELFARE STATE
Colin Leys KONP, Chris Nineham CoR, Dr Jacky Davis, DCH
ALTERNATIVES TO THE CRISIS
Ozlem Onaran, Richard Brenner, John Hilary (War on Want)
STATES OF INEQUALITY
Zita Holbourne, Terry Conway, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Katherine Connelly, Linda Burnip
COR: HOW AND WHY
Paul Mackney, Andrew Burgin, Lindsey German
DEFENDING BENEFITS AND PENSIONS
George Thompson PCS, Colin Hampton (Chesterfield UWC), Pip Tindall (BBC), Pensioners’ Convention
15:30 – 17:00 VOTING, ELECTIONS AND CLOSING PLENARY
Dot Gibson (Pensioners Convention), Lee Jasper (BARAC), Jeremy Dear (NUJ), Jeremy Corbyn MP, John Rees (CoR), Kate Hudson (CND), Chris Bambery (RTW), Lowkey, Tony Benn. Chairing by Paul Mackney and Romayne Phoenix
There will be elections for a National Steering Committee – nominations will be taken at the conference from individuals,organisations and anti-cuts groups that support Tony Benn’s statement. There will a vote on a campaigning plan for the forthcoming period. The plan of action will be amendable at the conference and will include suggestions from the sessions. This is a founding conference and we are proposing that the incoming steering committee prepare a resolution based conference to take place within 9 months.