In a 4 hour special Council meeting, Lancaster’s indoor market was saved by a narrow margin after a close vote on a motion proposed by the Green Party– 24 in favour (Greens, Labour, 1 Tory and 2 independents), 19 Against (Lib Dems, most Conservatives, most MBIs and 1 independent) and 3 abstentions. The wording of the successful Green Group motion is below.

Clr Jon Barry said after the meeting “Those against our motion wanted to terminate the market traders’ leases, spend a fortune on turning the market into a ‘white box’, and then a further fortune in sweeteners to attract a single trader which has only one other store and the worst possible credit rating. We felt that this option was much worse, both financially and in terms of the Council’s reputation.”

Market stallholders will now be given new leases fo another four years in which time efforts will be made to support and promte the market and reduce the council’s deficit.

Green Group motion for Council : Lancaster Market

Council notes that the Council has been unable to secure a single tenant to
its satisfaction since January 2008 and also that the option of a market on
one floor is expensive in terms of capital costs and has many legal
difficulties. Council also notes the desirability of a thriving indoor
market in terms of employment and service to the district. Council therefore
resolves that:

1. The City Council renews all existing tenancy agreements in accordance
with the landlord and tenant act.

2. That the City Council endeavours to negotiate by agreement an amendment
to the terms and conditions which would permit the City Council to consider
any plans to refurbish the market hall.

3. That a sum of £150,000 is set aside that can be used for professional
advice on running a successful market and on potential costs of
refurbishment. However, money spent on consultants should be kept to the
minimium possible.

4. That the option to tax the market should be re-affirmed, should this be
necessary, to protect the Council from any VAT liability on any of the
proposed capital works.

5. That a working group of councillors from all groups be set up to oversee
plans for refurbishment and revitalisation of the market. That this working
group gets expert advice and considers visiting other successful indoor
markets.

6. That this working group to report back to cabinet at key points.

7. That the Council looks at all options in terms of reducing the overheads
of the market and on the staff needed to make Lancaster market more
successful.

8. That the working group considers the advantages of licenses/tenancies for
new businesses in the market.

9. That the working group considers options such as making the market more
food-based (particularly local food), attracting key businesses, such as a
bakery, and marketing the market as a visitor attraction for the city
centre.

Lancaster  market has had a reprieve after the Full Council budget meeting voted to look into ways to reduce the financial losses whilst keeping an indoor market in the city . This followed a campaign by market traders and residents supported by the local Green Party to save the market.

Earlier  in February Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Independents councillors had voted to close the market and bring in a discount supermarket, with only the two Green Party  cabinet members voting to keep the market open.

John O’Gaunt Green Party candidate Ian Chamberlain said: “This is excellent news.. Green councillors have always supported the market and I am sure they will be working hard to make sure that there is a viable plan for it’s future success .”

The Council is currently tied into a 99 year lease after it sold the original market site in the 1990s . One plan suggested by the traders is to put all of the stalls onto the top floor and to let the bottom floor to a single trader. Proposals on the future of the market will be considered by the council at a special meeting to be held before the end of March.

Representatives from North Lancashire Green Party recently held discussions with Lancaster and District Trade Union Council on possible common ground. Lancaster & Fleetwood general election candidate Gina Dowding and county councillor Chris Coates met with Union delegates at the january monthly meeting of the Trades council at their offices in Morecambe. Subjects discussed ranged from Green Party economic and job creation policies, through renationalising the railways to local campaigning against school closures.

Gina Said “There was much more common ground between us than I think either of us thought there was going to be. We were all concerned about the impact of possible cuts in public service funding and we discussed ways that we might work together locally.”

The meeting also discussed the TUC research paper – A Green and Fair Future; For a Just Transition to a Low Carbon Economy.  The report produced by the TUC to look into the implications of restructuring the economy for a low carbon future concludes that  ” There are no ‘ ifs’ about the threat of climate change and the challenge it poses to the global community………. Citizens engagement is the key to unlocking rapid transition based on principles of equity and social justice.”

See Just transition at  – www.tuc.org.uk

We all receive scam mailing and most will immediately bin. The serious problem is that the small minority that do get sucked in are unlikely to make a complaint when they finally realise they have been scammed.
Scamnesty will be running from 1 February to 26 February where people are being ased people to take scam mailings they receive to Libraries Citizens Advice or Trading Standards so the extent and range of the mailings being used can be assessed.

The campaigns aim is to gather intelligence on the scams circulating. The more info they  get the greater the chance that the problems can be tackled, either by agencies in the UK or by partner organisations overseas.

Your library will be the nearest drop off point.

Full details of the national campaign can be seen @
www.oft.gov.uk/scamnesty

The Co-operative has launched Plan Bee, a campaign and 10-point plan to help save the bee. Worried about the disappearance of bee colonies in recent years the campaign aims to get research going on the causes of the losses and to get people involved in saving bees.

As part of the Campaign the Dukes Cinema is showing the film The Vanishing of Bees on Thursday 21st of Jan at 6.30pm

The Plan BEE website has suggestions on what people can do to help including:

Over a hundred people turned out to the annual wassail of the Fairfield community orchard on saturday despite the recent bad weather. After a procession to scare away bad spirits and weclome the new year the crowd were treated to a mummers play by Stone the Crows Morris team – with such new characters as Sir Ivor Duckhouse & Mr Evil Banker.

After a toast to the trees the Gladley Solemn singers sang seasonal songs round the fire.

Green councillors have called on the County Council to prioritise gritting of pavements rather than just major roads.  John O’Gaunt ward Councillor Jude Towers said: “Many people, including me, have fallen over in the last few weeks and there seems virtually no gritting of pavements outside the town centre. Lots of old people have been rendered virtually housebound – especially in hilly areas such as Moorlands.”

Cllr John Whitelegg who has seen problems on steep roads and icy pavements in his area said: “Residents in Bulk Ward are happy to lend a hand themselves – however, the County Council has refused my request to re-fill the grit-bins on the Bath Mill estate. Surely, pedestrians should be a priority in this sort of weather.”

Green councillor Jon Barry has contacted County Council officers and asked for a change in policy so that pavements as well as roads are gritted. Green County councillors Sam Riches and Chris Coates will be formally asking for this change in policy at the February County Council meeting.

Local Green Party member and peace activist Ian Chamberlain has spent the new year under virtual house arrest in they Egyptian town of Arish. Ian, who works for the Pomocna Dlon (Helping Hand) project with the Polish community in Morecambe , joined  1,400 volunteers from 42 countries in Egypt on 23rd December en route to Palestine to show solidarity with the  impoverished and isolated Palestinian people.
For more info see the Ian in Gaza Blog

North Lancashire Green Party has welcomed the rejection of the Centros planning applications for Lancaster’s Canal Corridor, describing it as “a very fine Christmas present.”

Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government John Denham has accepted the report of the Inspector at last summer’s planning inquiry into the Centros scheme and rejected all the planning applications.

“This is fantastic news and vindicates what hundreds of my constituents have been saying for the last two years,” commented local Bulk Ward and Green Councillor John Whitelegg.

“We now need to move on and produce a plan that delivers a community vision for this site, celebrates our distinctive buildings and places and does not set out to make us a carbon copy of Basingstoke, Preston or Slough. This work starts today.”

For further details on this story see the Virtual Lancaster News Blog

North Lancashire Green Party Parlimentary Candidates Gina Dowding and Chris Coates met local Wyre farmer Ian Pye and  representaives of the National Farmers Union to discuss farming issues and the NFU’s “Why Farming Matters” Election Manifesto.

Keen to learn the view of local farmers, the Green Party candidates asked about the NFU’s views on how farming can provide renewable energy, the power of supermarkets and the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. Mr Pye, who hosted the meeting at Old Holly Farm near Garstang, said that the most useful think that could be done to help farmers would be to reduce the ammount of paperwork that has to be done to qualify for enviromental schemes.

The Gina Dowding said after the meeting: “I fear there will be little discussion about farming in the run up to the next general election so I thank the NFU for this opportunity. Farming needs to be high on the agenda.”

For further info on thise story see the NFU Website