Lancaster & District Green Party

Saturday 1st of March saw Lancaster’s Carnival of Culture come off without a hitch. During the day, between 250-350 people joined in a fantastically colourful, creative and vibrant street procession that snaked around the town through the afternoon, stopping in spots that are due to be blighted by car-parks, big box retail shopping and so forth, as well as the town square with it’s Trumpton-style Victoria statue, the City hall and the planners’ offices.

For full report by ‘anarchoteapot’ see Indymedia. For more pics,video etc see the Carnival website.

At the January meeting of Cabinet, Green Councillors proposed that Council house rent increases should be less than 5% but were defeated by Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem Councillors voted in favour of the above-inflation increase. At full Council on 27th February, Green Councillors again attempted to get future years’ Council rent rises in line with inflation but were defeated. Cllr Jon Barry said: “It is those on low wages who suffer from Council house rent increases. A year on year increase of 5% is far higher than inflation and cannot be justified”.

The Big Lottery Fund has announced that Lancaster City Council has been successful in its bid for £307,430 of Lottery money. The cash will help the council deliver its new Play Strategy, a five-year plan to develop children and young people’s play services in the district. Green Councillor Maia Whitelegg, Lancaster City Council’s cabinet member for Culture and Young People, said: “This is wonderful news. The investment by the Big Lottery will benefit thousands of children and young people in our district over the next three years and provide lots of new and exciting opportunities for play.” (more…)

Lancaster City Council’s cabinet is due to make a decision on the ‘tender brief’ for the sale Lawsons Bridge fields (between the A6, Ray’s Drive and the railway) on Tuesday 22 January 2008.

Scotforth Cllr Emily Heath said “ People should let the council know what they feel about them selling off these fields to the highest bidder. The last thing we need in south Lancaster is a giant new supermarket.” (more…)

Seeds for Change have got 500 beech and hawthorn trees that need planting at Animal Care on Saturday 9th Feb 9am -3pm.So if you want to do something positive then get on down there and get your hands mucky. Even half an hour of your time would be much appreciated.

You will need to bring a packed lunch, some good footwear (preferably wellies) and a spade if possible, although there should be enough to go around. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. The day will begin at 9am and run until 3pm. Everyone will be welcome! Please contact Vanessa or Faye on 01524 65495 or Gary on 01524 542762 for more details.

Animal Care are having an Animal Christmas Present Open Day. Bring gifts for the animals and put them under the Christmas Tree, Visit Santa’s Grotto. Come along and visit the animals and then socialise with fellow animal lovers by having festive refreshment in the Function Room. Help make the animals in our care have a special Christmas Day.
Sunday 16th Dec. 11am - 3pm.
Animal Care Sanctuary, Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster.
Free – (£1 to visit Santa’s Grotto).
Contact: Animal Care, Tel: 01524 65495
See www.animalcare-lancaster.co.uk.

Public meeting to update residents on the City Council’s plans to sell off fields at Lawson’s Bridge for a supermarket development, and enable people to express their views and ideas about how to respond.
Thursday 13th December 7.45pm
Scotforth Parish Hall (corner Palatine Ave & Scotforth Rd)

All welcome.

The unsurfaced path that runs between Gressingham Road and Bowerham Road alongside Moorside school is to be upgraded to a shared use cycle path with funding from the City Councils Cycle Demonstration Town Project. The route will provide safe access to both Moorside and St Bernadette’s schools from the Hala estate and provide additional access to the bus stops and shops on Bowerham Road.

Lancaster City Council’s October cabinet meeting has voted to ignore public opinion and proceed with the sale of green fields at Lawson’s Bridge to the south of the City on the A6 for a possible supermarket. (Rumoured to be Tesco’s)The meeting was attended by angry local residents, and cabinet members had received an avalanche of emails protesting about the proposal. A 24hr protest camp occupation of the fields in question had taken place prior to the meeting. Despite the protests a proposal put forward by Green Councillor Maia Whitelegg to defer the decision to allow public consultation to occur was voted down by members of all other parties. (more…)

Lancaster City Council’s cabinet is being pushed to make a decision on Tuesday9th October about whether to sell off fields at the edge of Scotforth for a new out-of-town supermarket development. Green Councillors Emily Heath and Jane Fletcher, who represent Scotforth West ward, which includes the land in question (known as Lawson’s Bridge), arefurious at the secretive way that the decision is being rushed through.

The fields in question are valued and well used by Scotforth residents for dog-walking and other kinds of recreation. There is a community woodland area at the northern end which is threatened by the development. (more…)