North Lancashire Green Party

Join the Green Party | Contact Lancaster Green Party

Greens vote against proposed High Speed Rail system

Councillor John Whitelegg of the North Lancashire Green party proposed a moti0n at the recent Green Party conference that condemned the proposals for a new high speed rail link between Birmingham and London. He said that the proposals currently on the table would be “economically and environmentally unsound” and pointed out that the proposed HS2 trains would burn 50% more energy mile-for-mile than the Eurostar, and that HS2 would produce more than twice the emissions of an intercity train.

“HS2 is a ‘rich person’s railway’ – the business case assumes that a third of passengers will be on incomes of £70,000 or more.”

Read more at http://virtual-lancaster.blogspot.com/2011/03/16-billion-should-not-be-spent-on-high.html

Posted on 15th March 2011 |

Halton Carbon Positive Eco-Fair

26th MARCH 2011

10:00 – 4 Halton Carbon Positive :00

THE CENTRE@HALTON – LOW ROAD, HALTON

Stalls, presentations, music, exhibitions, food
Ideas to help you reduce your carbon footprint
Information about eco-projects in the village

More Information

The Fair is the initiative of Halton Carbon Positive and is a joint project supported by Halton Community Association with Lancaster Co-Housing and LESS.
The event is co-ordinated by Global Link.

Posted on 23rd February 2011 |

Candlelight Vigil to Protest Against Cuts in Social Care

A candlelight vigil to protest against the cuts was held on Tuesday 1st of March in Dalton Square, Lancaster.

Morecambe and Lancaster respite centres for disabled children are under threat of closure.

Social services have informed personal social care staff that no support is to be provided for shopping, cleaning and laundry to their disabled clients. They have been told that help may be given under exceptional circumstances.

Anyone classed as having moderate needs by social services will no longer be eligible for care service provision. Social services class moderate needs as the inability to carry out several personal care or domestic routines.

Day centre charges are to rise from £5 to £50 for anyone with over £24,000 in savings.

Many disabled people live in fear of having their benefit cut.

The candlelight vigil was supported by Lancaster and Morecambe Against the Cuts, local charities, faith groups and SORE (Save Our Respite Establishments).

(update 07-03-11)

Posted on 22nd February 2011 |

Come and meet Caroline Lucas MP in Market Square

Caroline Lucas MP

Wednesday 23^rd February

Caroline Lucas, Britain’s first Green Party MP, will be visiting Lancaster on Wednesday 23^rd February, from 11.30 – 1pm. We will have a stall in Market Square, where Caroline will be talking to people and answering questions about the Green Party’s plans for dealing with the financial situation and the forthcoming referendum on voting reform.

The Lancaster visit is part of a national tour to inform as many people as possible of the Green Party’s policy on government cuts and its attack on the relatively poor and those in need of public services.

Speaking in advance of her visit to Lancaster Caroline said “I am delighted to be in Lancaster. The savagery of national cuts will hit Lancaster residents in many ways, including job losses at Lancashire County Council and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Primary Care Trust. Vital areas of public services including adult social services and care for the elderly are being cut. It is the weakest and most vulnerable in society who will be hit the hardest. This is not necessary and there are alternatives. I want to listen to what local residents are concerned about and feed this back into my efforts to cut the cuts.”

Posted on 18th February 2011 |

Oxfam Fashion Extravaganza

All profits go to Oxfam

Tuesday 8th March

The Lancaster University Fashion Society presents an Oxfam Fashion Extravaganza, 7pm on International Women’s day, 8th March, Great Hall, Lancaster University (map).

This will be a fun filled night, showing off Oxfam clothes expertly reworked by the Lancaster University Fashion Society. There will also be clothes from Joseph Menswear and The Vintage Shop. The night of entertainment will be completed by belly dancers, the University dance troop and live music.

Tickets £5, all profits to Oxfam. Clothes and accessories will be on sale after the show.

Posted on 17th February 2011 |

Big Canal Clean Up

Canal litter pick

25 volunteers turned up and gave Lancaster Canal a thorough clean up between the Moor Lane bridge and the Ridge Lane bridge last weekend.

Organised by Green Party Councillor Andrew Kay, the clean up came after concerns that the canal has been looking very bad indeed over the past few months, with large amounts of litter on the tow path, grass verges and in the water itself.

The canal clean up was organised by with the assistance of the city council who provided equipment for litter picking and rubbish bags and took them away at the end of the pick.

“I was absolutely delighted with the turn out on Saturday,” says Councillor Kay. “The weather was dreadful and yet we had the biggest turn out ever for a litter pick. I want to thank all those who turned out and helped. They were magnificent.”

Posted on 17th January 2011 |

Council votes to support new nuclear build at Heysham and Sellafield

A meeting of Lancaster City Council on 15th December was presented with a recommendation from Andrew Dobson (Head of Regeneration and Policy) that read: “That Council responds to the consultation on the National Policy Statements in the form drafted and attached to this report at Appendix B, and makes it clear that it supports the nuclear new build projects at Heysham and Sellafield in principle subject to mitigation of any adverse effects.” Councillor Bryning (Labour) proposed that Council adopts this recommendation. This was supported by all Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem councillors (Note 1) who spoke.

John Whitelegg (Green Party) proposed an amendment that deleted the word “support” and inserted the word “oppose”. He argued that nuclear power was expensive and dangerous, high risk, usually over budget and usually delivered several years late and is associated with serious health risks (e.g. leukaemia). He argued that we should support wind and wave power and other renewable energy technologies all of which have far greater potential to create jobs and minimise risks. Other green councillors including Cllrs Barry and Coates also spoke in support of Cllr Whitelegg’s amendment. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Heysham, john whitelegg, lancaster city council, Nuclear
Posted on 16th December 2010 |

Greens only party fighting for free education

The Greens are now the only political party fighting for free education 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” . She is co-sponsoring an amendment to the Government’s Tuition Fees Motion to the same effect. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted on 9th December 2010 |

Green Drinks and Reggae Night – Thurs 16th Dec at 8pm

Green Drinks and Reggae night with DJ Joe Wood at the Park Hotel, Bowerham Road. Come and celebrate another year of Green action. Open to green-minded non members. Free Event

Posted on 5th December 2010 |

Hundreds March Against the Cuts

Green Councillors joined people from across the district marching through the streets of Lancaster on Saturday in protest against proposed cuts to public services. The March organised by Lancaster & Morecambe Against the cuts met with support from local shoppers it passed through the busy city centre on its way to a rally in Dalton Square.