Edinburgh and Midlothian Greens

Green councillor hits out at lettings tax

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:34:34 +0000

Green councillor Alison Johnstone has hit out at Council plans to reduce the “free hours” school organisations get - even when they are raising money for the school!

Edinburgh Green Fair seeks repeat success - Saturday 27 February 2010

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:14 +0000

Edinburgh’s second Green Fair takes place in Tollcross this Saturday (27 February) with the organizers hoping for a repeat of last year’s success.

In February 2009 600 people attended the event, bringing much needed trade to local and fair-trade businesses at a time of economic gloom.　 This year the fair has expanded with a greater range of stalls, from producers of goods and services through to campaign organizations and advice stalls. 　

Local Green councillor, Alison Johnstone said:

“I am delighted that the Green Fair is returning having had such huge support from the public last year.　 I firmly believe that our economic future lies in promoting thriving small and local businesses so this kind of event is exactly the right kind for now and years to come.” 　　

The Green Fair takes place on Saturday 27 April from 10.30am to 3.00pm at the Barclay Church Hall, at the bottom of Bruntsfield Place.　 Entry is free.

FORTH BRIDGE COMMITTEE URGED TO THINK TWICE ON BILL PLAN

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:23:44 +0000

The Scottish Green MSPs today warned that the Forth Crossing Bill Committee, meeting for the first time this week, (1) must consider all the options, including outright rejection of the Scottish Government’s unpopular proposals. (2) The party cites a report from SPICe, published last week, which explains that even the limited remedial work currently ongoing to the existing Forth Road Bridge could secure a lifespan for it of “several decades”. (3)

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“SNP Ministers appear fixated on this deeply unpopular and entirely unnecessary scheme. It’s time for the other parties on this Committee to find their backbone, and give proper consideration to an outright rejection of this Bill, or at the very least a delay until the facts are in.

“If they fail, billions of pounds of public money will be blown by SNP Ministers who still refuse to contemplate just fixing the existing bridge for little more than a twentieth of the price. The next Scottish Government will be operating on tighter and tighter budgets as the effects of the recession unwind, and this vanity project will result in other transport schemes and even school buildings or hospitals being cancelled right across Scotland.

“The most astonishing thing is the timetable for Parliament to consider the Government’s proposals. It seems designed solely to give Alex Salmond a few photo-ops just before the 2011 election, but if we delay by just a few months we can make the final decision once we have the engineering reports back on the existing bridge. Ministers risk committing billions of pounds on a new bridge, only to be told that we could keep using the existing one for many years to come.”

Notes

1. The Committee has been established with an MSP from every party except the Greens. For more information on their work, see:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/forthXbill/index.htm

2. YouGov polled 1114 Scottish adults about this decision between the 26th and the 28th of October last year. The question asked was as follows:

As you may know, the Forth Road Bridge is deteriorating, and action will need to be taken to ensure a continued road link across the eastern Firth of Forth. The Scottish Government has proposed building a new bridge at an estimated cost of up to £2,300m which it will pay for using public Scottish funds, but borrow initially from the UK government in order to help spread the cost.

According to a report by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, the existing Forth Road Bridge could be repaired, rather than replaced, for an estimated cost of up to £122m.

Those in favour of REPLACING the bridge argue that it needs to be widened, to reduce congestion, and that a new windshield should be built to protect travellers. Those in favour of REPAIRING the bridge argue that replacing the bridge altogether would put an unnecessary burden on public funds.

Which ONE of the following statements comes closer to your view?

The Scottish Government should REPAIR the existing bridge: 57% The Scottish Government should REPLACE the existing bridge: 34% Don’t know: 10%

3. The report is available here:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/briefings-10/SB10-17.pdf

It states that:

“Were the dehumidification system to stop further corrosion and loss of strength in the main cables, then the Forth Road Bridge could have a life span measured in several decades, or at least long enough to postpone taking any decision on a new crossing for some time without the concern that there may be a period where a crossing would not be available.”

Green MSP’s questions over Edinburgh’s biomass facility

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:25:31 +0000

Green MSP, Robin Harper, has questioned a proposal for a city biomass plant to important wood for fuel.

HILLEND CRISIS: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT URGED TO STEP IN

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:33:36 +0000

Following a meeting today with local campaigners, Scottish Green MSP Robin Harper wrote to Scottish Ministers to request an urgent meeting to discuss the future of Hillend Ski Centre, and to propose that the Scottish Government provides match funding in the short term to keep the Centre open.

Fears were raised last week that Midlothian Council would no longer be able to afford to maintain the centre, which currently operates at a loss of around £500,000 a year.

The centre is considered to be one of the best dry ski slopes in Britain and it is the second longest run in Europe. Around 29 Olympic athletes have trained there, including Alain Baxter, Finlay Mickel and Andy Noble. The ‘Stop Hillend Closure!’ Facebook site now has over 22,000 members, and the founders of the site are urging people today to sign a petition on the Number 10 website.

See pictures of Robin Harper MSP with Lucy Singh and Hannah Daulby, who set up the Facebook group, taken today at Hillend.

Robin Harper MSP said:

“It’s frankly embarrassing that we are having to fight to save one of our premier snow sport resources right in the middle of the Winter Olympics. If we are to produce the next generation of Scottish Winter Olympians, then facilities such as Hillend are absolutely vital.

“I understand that Councils across the country are having a tough time financially, but we cannot lose this incredibly important, and popular, sporting asset. That is why I am writing to Scottish Ministers requesting an urgent meeting, and I will urge them to do everything they can to help secure its future.

“We must recognise the importance of Hillend to Scotland. This is not just a ski centre for Midlothian, or for Midlothian and Edinburgh: it is a national asset, and it is only right that it receives national support.”

Karine Polwart and friends, live in concert for the Edinburgh Greens, 11/03/10

Phyl — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:46:21 +0000

Karine Polwart and friends in concert: Roxy Art House, Thursday 11 March 2010

Award-winning singer-songwriter, Karine Polwart leads a special performance for Edinburgh Greens, in association with Bespoke Organic Events. Download our flier.

Roxy Art House, 2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh, 11 March 2010, 6-11pm. Tickets £12/£8

“A passionate, perceptive songwriter”, Uncut 2008

“Exceptionally subtle and melodic”, Q 2008

Thanks for your interest in the Karine Polwart concert on 11 of March. We are now sold out. Sorry! However, we do still have tickets for the Ceilidh on 13 March - see next entry for details.

Privatisation of Council services no way forward, say Greens

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:11:38 +0000

Green councillor, Maggie Chapman, has criticised Council plans to put council services out to private tender.

Greens in appeal over Edinburgh school closures

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:33:38 +0000

Green councillors have made an eleventh hour appeal to fellow councillors over school closures.

City of Edinburgh Council is due to decide the fate of four primary schools on Thursday 17 December. Following a period of consultation, city officials are recommending that all four schools – Fort, Royston, Burdiehouse and Drumbrae – are closed as planned, despite massive parent opposition.

The Greens have prepared a summary leaflet for parents explaining why they think the closures should not go ahead. Green Education Spokesperson, Cllr Alison Johnstone, said:

“I have attended most of the closures meetings and seen first hand the sheer passion that parents and the wider community have for their local schools.

“But it is not just passion. Parents have asked searching questions about the educational and financial cases for closure which the City Council has struggled to answer. What will this do to the national policy of lowering class sizes? Can receiving schools cope with a new influx of children? Why are we closing schools when the number of primary-aged children is set to grow significantly in the future?”

“I am also astonished that the City Council has dramatically revised its financial case in the last week. Having been deliberating this for months, all of a sudden new figures are pulled from the hat without the time for others to scrutinize them sufficiently.”

Cllr Johnstone added:

“I know that several of my Liberal Democrat and SNP colleagues will be preparing to vote for closures with a heavy heart. They will have been told that the only way to protect all school budgets from cuts of 9% is to close some schools. But like me, they will be deeply uncomfortable with saving scraps for most schools only at the cost of depriving some communities of a school altogether.

“That is no choice at all. This time I urge them to follow their conscience.”

Copies of local party newsletter, “Greenscene”

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:56:47 +0000

Most of our bulletins, “Greenscene” go by email. We have re-started the occasional one by mail as well.

See December 2009

Green councillor dismayed over weak planning standards

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:18:52 +0000

Green councillor, Steve Burgess, has criticised the Council for blocking proposals for renewable energy in new developments.