Scottish Lib Dem Video Save Our Forests – If only someone would tell Nick Clegg

Scottish Liberal Democrats Save Our Forest YouTube video – Oh how the Lib Dems have changed – a complete sell out to prop up this discredited ConDem government. Download a copy before they take it down. Are there any decent Lib Dem MP’s out there who will vote against the Sham Consultation and the Public Bodies Reform Bill. And where do the local Wyre Forest Lib Dems Stand – not a word from Neville Farmer the Lib Dem Spokesperson.

Local Lib Dems Silent on Forest Sell Off

Why we should fight the Public Bodies Reform Bill… warning… very frightening:

It’s quick and easy to email your MP, click here to send them a message:

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the Lib Dems

Our Forests are well managed by the Forestry Commission Estate says Wyre Forest Labour

Members of Wyre Forest Labour Party are concerned at the proposals to dispose of the Forestry Commission Estate, whether to the private sector or charities and voluntary organisations. To this end the General Committee at a recent meeting passed the following resolution, to be sent to, Mark Garnier, the Secretary of State for the Environment Caroline Spellman and David Cameron:

The Forestry Commission

The Government has announced that it plans to dispose of a large portion of the Government owned forestry estate managed by. The Forestry Commission. It is not yet known if the local well-known forest – from which, incidentally, our District Council and the Constituency take their name – will be included in this job lot.

This Constituency Labour Party deplores the further passing of a national treasure into the hands of private enterprise. This forest is enjoyed by many people for recreational activities and is considered to be part of our heritage. The fact that its future may lie in the hands of those who put profit before service to the Community is abhorrent to many in the local community and, nationally, over 150,000 people have signed a petition protesting about this proposal.

The General Committee of Wyre Forest Constituency Labour Party therefore calls upon the Government to take heed of the will of the people and abandon the proposals to interfere with the Forestry Commission.”

Since this resolution was passed the government has tried to defuse the opposition to their proposals by saying that there is nothing to worry about as the land will be split into “Heritage Forest” to be passed onto Community Groups and Charities and “Commercial Forest” which will be sold off. However without the commercial forest the charities will have no source of funding to look after their part of the forest. The Forestry Commission Estate is land which already belongs to us, the community, and is being well managed on our behalf by the Forestry Commission. Wyre Forest Labour says if it is not broken don’t mend it – keep the Forestry Commission and its land as it is.

Yours sincerely,

Diana Udall
Secretary
Wyre Forest Constituency Labour Party

Update: Over 316,000 have now signed the Save Our Forests petition. Please forward and ask your friends to sign. http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests.

Guardian: Melvyn Bragg: sale of Lake District forests is ‘vandalism’

Supporting bus services is an investment not a cost says Diana Udall, Wyre Forest Labour

I write to comment on the article in last week’s Kidderminster shuttle regarding Worcestershire County Council’s proposal to reduce the subsidy to some bus services.

It was my understanding that local Transport Authorities have a responsibility to encourage the use of public transport in their area so that people get put of their cars to reduce congestion and carbon dioxide emissions. I have seen very little evidence of Worcestershire County Council doing this. Cllr Hardman asks if we want to see Worcestershire subsidising low use bus services. It has long been shown that if you improve the service more people will use it.

Here are a few suggestions for the County Council to think about:

Embark on a campaign to encourage more use of public transport.
Work with the bus companies to improve to levels of service especially in the early morning, and evenings so that residents can use the bus for journeys to and from work.
Co-ordinate with the train operators so that buses leave the train station after the trains arrive – not before as at present.
As shops are now open on Sundays and Bank Holidays so why no bus service?
Improve the evening service & employ inspectors to ensure the buses run on time.
An integrated ticketing system for all bus companies.

The Local Transport Act 2008 enables transport authorities to take a proactive approach with their local bus companies to ensure local needs are served. So come on Worcestershire – subsidising public transport is an investment which will improve the quality of life for all – less traffic congestion and pollution. Finally in this time of increased fuel costs better public transport will be beneficial to many.

Diana Udall
Wyre Forest Labour

Kidderminster Shuttle Supporting Buses is an Invesment

New district HQ: We don’t want it, you don’t need it says Gren Jones, Wyre Forest Labour

THE Leader of the district council, John Campion, and his inner circle are surely having a laugh (Letters January 20).

Or is it just arrogance that makes them believe that they know better than the thousands of people who are against the expenditure of large amounts of money pursuing the ideology of a single site? It must be a comfort to many people to know that our money is being spent for our benefit, not theirs. We do not want it and they do not need it.

This money, which apart from that which is being borrowed, is coming from reserves, and could be better spent on delivering services to the local people -– that is what we want. I appreciate that it can be difficult to mix capital and revenue expenditure, but it can be done.

Long after the present cabinet members have disappeared into the sunset, the taxpayers of Wyre Forest will be stuck with the legacy of their folly.

GREN JONES Stourport Road Bewdley

Kidderminster Shuttle New district HQ: We don’t want it, you don’t need it

Kidderminster Shuttle Comments

ConDem Cuts to Policing will harm our Communities says Wyre Forest Labour

A brick was thrown at a car while a woman and three young children were travelling down Comberton Hill, in Kidderminster during peak time at 4.40pm on 24th January. The attack happened at the entrance to the main Railway Station. With this type of incident, you would think there was a case to have more Police Officers on the beat. Yet ConDem Cuts to West Mercia Police of almost £10 million will lead to the loss of 287 jobs – 189 civilian support posts and 98 officer posts.

Just another example of ConDem polices harming our Communities.

Kidderminster Shuttle Brick thrown at car in Kidderminster/

More Vicious ConDem Cuts – West Mercia Police to Cut 287 Jobs

Tories will always be Tories but they can only make cuts to Policing with the support of the Lib Dems.

Please take the time to Sign the Save the Forest Petition 273,000+ have signed so far

Don't let the Tories sell our Forests

The hypocritical LibDems ran a Scottish Save Our Forests Campaign but are now quite happy to sell out to support the Tories in selling off English Forests.

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the LibDems.

Wyre Forest is under threat as well as many other ancient woodlands – Please sign the Petition and forward to your Friends.

The following is from the Save our Forests Website:

The Save Our Forests campaign is creating a national sensation! We now have a quarter of a million signatures on our petition — nearly three times the capacity of Wembley Stadium.

That’s because the we understand something the Government doesn’t: our natural forests are priceless, and once they’re gone – they’re gone forever.

Our campaign is already all over the news and politicians are getting increasingly nervous. That’s why the most important thing we can do right now is spread the word and ensure our petition continues to grow as quickly as possible.

Please forward this email to your friends and ask them to sign. All they have to do is click on the link and add their names:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests.

Government ministers are trying to distract us with warm and fuzzy words about how much they love the forests. They’ve just announced a “consultation” on how we’d like our forests sold off – even though they already know most of us don’t want them sold off at all!

Even before this so-called consultation launches they’re busy trying to change the laws that currently protect public forests. This is blatantly clearing the way for a massive sell-off. What kind of consultation is that?

Don’t let them get away with it – tell everyone you know about our campaign right now.
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests.

If they want consultation, here it is: 38 Degrees members chipped in to fund a national opinion poll which proved that 84% of the public want our forests kept in public hands for future generations.

Places like the Forest of Dean, the New Forest, Grizedale, Thetford, and Alice Holt are national treasures. We don’t want the natural places that belong to future generations flogged off for a quick cash grab today. But if we don’t rally together now, we may not have a choice.

Our petition already has over 250,000 names on it. Can you help us get to 500,000? Please forward this email and ask your friends to add their name: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests.

Wyre Forest Labour Response to District Council Cabinet letter on £10.5 Million New Offices

The Tory Cabinet letter (Kidderminster Shuttle 20th February) last week does not begin to tell the real story of the proposed new office development and what it will mean for Wyre Forest residents. It is not the right time, investment, or location, it is not affordable and is not a rational decision to proceed in the current economic climate. It is a reckless gamble.

The constant claim that it will save £500k in annual running costs has so far only been made up of “estimates and assumptions.” These were the subject of a detailed response at the last Council meeting from Labour proving that savings of under £100k per year were all that was likely to be forthcoming. The main rationale for spending over £10.5m of your money destroyed but irresponsibly ignored by the Tories and their Liberal and Lib Dem partners.

The Cabinet say they can’t extend Stourport Civic Centre and it “isn’t accessible for large parts of Wyre Forest communities.” So how is an alternative building halfway along Stourport Road more accessible than the Civic Centre? It is hardly the benefit to the community the Tories claim. Government guidelines require major office developments to be centrally located in town centres. The Tories chose to ignore that and have lost an opportunity to bring back into use town centre land in need of regeneration and keep the offices easily accessible to residents.

Regarding funding and the misinformation about this currently being promoted by the Cabinet to justify their profligacy, in rounded figures and simple terms, the development will cost £10.5 million. £7.5million is in the bank. £3 million will come from the sale of current offices and undefined assets. Whilst these sales take place the council will borrow the shortfall through bridging finance. The risks to Wyre Forest Council of being stuck with expensive bridging finance for longer than anticipated are “high” and would be unacceptable to any pragmatic decision maker.

Additional to this however, the Council is also borrowing £1.5m of Capital to part fund the development of the new cemetery, which will need to be repaid with interest from the Revenue Account at a consequential cost to the residents of Wyre Forest. This borrowing would be unnecessary without “Single Site” since the funds would be available for the cemetery instead in the £7.5m of Capital Reserves.

The contract to build the offices is currently out to tender. This closes at the end of February and the Cabinet will decide in mid March who has been successful with contracts being signed by 21st March. Normally this process would take between two and three months. The Tory Cabinet intends to conduct this process in just three weeks. The speed of decision is irresponsible and puts the future financial security of the Council seriously at risk.

So, despite Tory promises that the office development would not cost the residents one penny, money is being borrowed, revenue is being deflected from local services, regeneration opportunities are being overlooked, jobs are being lost, irresponsible and unacceptable risks are being taken, the final decision is being “rushed” for purely political reasons and the Tory Party is misleading the community in an attempt to make them believe it is in the best interest of Wyre Forest residents.

We will shortly release proposals which will put into perspective the points made above. They will show a radical, affordable and sustainable alternative that will make major strides forward in protecting local services, regeneration and job creation. It will put into perspective the Tory office proposals and show there is another, better way.

Yours sincerely

Mike Kelly, Howard Martin, Chris Nicholls, Jamie Shaw

Labour Councillors – WFDC

Kidderminster Shuttle Tories claim new HQ will benefit Community

80% say No to Wyre Forest ‘Tory Towers’

Wyre Forest ‘Tory Towers’ projected savings plan is based on flawed evidence says Barry McFarland

‘Tory Towers’ Press Release from Wyre Forest Labour Party.

We must have a bigger say on NHS says Nigel Knowles, Wyre Forest Labour

THE Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government are going to change the NHS by introducing the private sector into its management through GP Practice Commissioning.

The abolition of Primary Care Trusts and regional Strategic Health Authorities (SHA) opens the door to a new system of health care delivery.

For the record, the SHAs were unnecessary and ineffective, and gave no strategic vision that was accepted by local people and communities, particularly for us in Wyre Forest.

For more than 10 years I have advocated and petitioned for elected health authorities. I do believe elected authorities at local level could play an important part in renewing confidence to the process of health care delivery, investment and scrutiny.

I consider that the GP commissioning policy is a risk to the NHS. The greater involvement of the private sector will mean profit becomes the prime issue for a major part of NHS healthcare delivery.

Regional policy-making could be provided by the Acute Hospital Trusts having regional responsibility for hospital service provision.

We must have a greater say in the management of the NHS. We should reject any Government policies which take the NHS towards a private health care service, based on ability to pay rather than healthcare need.

NIGEL KNOWLES Former Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Wyre Forest 2010, Welch Gate Bewdley

Wyre Forest MP, Mark Garnier gives Sleight of Hand ideological message

MP Mark Garnier gave us a sleight of hand with his Tory ideological message (Shuttle Letters, January 13). The whole letter
WAS based on Conservative ideology.

Nowhere did he mention the £9 million Wyre forest District Council lost in Icelandic banks and he, according to the
Conservative website, is stated as having extensive experience in investment banking.

No wonder he is going to blame Gordon Brown for the failure of the banking system, when really blame falls at his door
and that of his investment banking friends.

He also talks about Wyre Forest having to share the burden like all areas across the country. Will he now be pushing
the local Tory councillors to abandon the idea of the £10.5 million Fine Point development so as to ease the burden on
the reduction in services that the budget cuts are going to make, and will he also lobby them to use some of the £3.2
million reserves that the district council is said to have?

There are two schools of thought, both ideological and about the choices that can be taken.

The first one is the ideological stance of the Conservative which is to cut fast, deep and hard; this saves the most
money in the shortest period of time but harms the largest number of people through jobs and services.

The second is cut slower over a longer period of time with less harm to services and jobs, the ideological stance of
the Labour Party.

He also discusses the two new committees that will sit alongside the Bank of England. Does he actually believe (or
does he want the reader to believe) that these two committees will stop the UK being pulled into recession
should the world banking system collapse again or Ireland and the Euro zone fail?

Ideologically it makes good sense to do everything you wanted to do anyway and blame it on Gordon Brown and the
Labour Party.

It wasn’t Gordon Brown’s fault that the world banking system collapsed. Perhaps Mr Garnier who has (according to
the Public Whip website) voted for tuition fees, an increase in VAT, a reduction in civil service pay and to privatise
Royal Mail, should be asked ‘Does he agree with the pay and bank bonus culture of investment banking as he has
extensive experience in this?’ These cuts and the Tory rhetoric are ideological. Thatcher attacked the unions and
destabilised the workforce, making it easier and cheaper to hire and fire.

These cuts on public services will do the same, it’s just a different area of the workforce they can attack.

So when all the former public sector workers and workers from connected services are standing outside the new council
headquarters at Fine Point to register for housing and council tax benefit, they may have time to reflect on which
way to vote at the council and general elections.

PAUL CONNOR Kidderminster

LibDems Sell out: Who would believe the LibDems would support Tory ideology

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t Cut without the support of the Lib Dems

Wyre Forest Labour deplore ConDem Forest Sell off Plans

At tonight’s Wyre Forest Labour Party General Committee meeting the following motion was passed condemning forest sell off plans.

Motion submitted by Bewdley Branch Labour Party – The Forestery Commission

The Government has announced that it plans to dispose of a large portion of the Government-owned forestry estate managed by The Forestry Commission. It is not yet known if the local well-known forests – from which, incidentally, our District Council and the Constituency take their name – will be included in this job lot.

This Constituency Labour Party deplores the further passing of a national treasure into the hands of private enterprise. This forest is enjoyed by many people for recreational activities and is considered to be part of our heritage. The fact that its future may lie in the hands of those who put profit before service to the Community is abhorrent to many in the local community and, nationally, over 150,000 people have signed a petition protesting about this proposal.

The General Committee of the Wyre Forest Constituency Labour Party therefore calls upon the Government to take heed of the will of the people and abandon the proposals to interfere with the Forestry Commission.

Update 233,000+ have now signed the Petition. You can Sign the Petition here http://38degrees Petition/

LibDems Sell out: Who would believe the LibDems would support the Tories in selling our Forests.

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the Lib Dems

Council tax freeze was on Cameron’s orders not District Council Leader says Gren Jones, Wyre Forest Labour

IN the report on next year’s district council budget proposals (Shuttle, January 6), John Campion, Leader of the council, is reported as acknowledging that local people were in a tough spot, and saying that his cabinet had therefore decided to keep next year’s council tax at the present level.

Although apparently a magnaminous gesture, perhaps he has forgotten that the Prime Minister has already stated that council taxes would be frozen for the next two years for everyone. In fact, although I appreciate that for some it would be difficult, many people would prefer to pay a few pence more per week and keep more services – the elderly and disadvantaged in society will suffer in the years to come.

I would, however, defend John Campion over the criticism of the refuse collection service over the holiday period – it is unreasonable at this time of year with the exceptional weather conditions, to expect no disruption.

I am sure the refuse collectors did the best they could under the circumstances.

GREN JONES Stourport Road Bewdley

Kidderminster Shuttle Council tax freeze was on Cameron’s Orders

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t cut without the support of the Lib Dems

More Vicious ConDem Cuts – West Mercia Police to Cut 287 Jobs

West Mercia Police comprises the forces of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. Under the Tory led ConDem Government they have had a vicious and unnecessary cut of almost £10 million leading to the loss of 287 jobs – 189 civilian support posts and 98 officer posts. This is ,indeed, sad news for those who will lose their jobs and for our communities.

Over the last few years under a Labour Government we have seen a substantial rise in the number of both police officers and civilian support staff. We had more police officers than at any time in our history. The result was that to be expected, lower crime because we had more police with civilian back up to combat crime.

I challenge Mark Garnier MP to tell us

i) how many police officers will we lose here in Wyre Forest

ii) how many police community support officers we will lose here in Wyre Forest

iii) how many civilian support staff we will lose here in Wyre Forest

iv) how he defends vicious, unnessary cuts that damage our communities?

So Mark Garnier are you going to fight for Wyre Forest or are you going to sit on the sidelines and watch your Tory led ConDem Government destroy our societry and important gains achieved under the last Labour Government?

There is an alternative to these deep, ideological cuts – we do not have to do it this way. Thatcher cut and slashed quickly and deeply with the result of high inflation, high unemployment and a reduction in public services – that is history. You can either learn from history or you repeat the mistakes – that is exactly what this Tory led ConDem Government is doing instead of putting growth and jobs first?

This is just another example of bankers causing this financial crisis and making ordinary people pay for it.

Tories will always be Tories but they can only make cuts to Policing with the support of the Lib Dems.

Barry McFarland Wyre Forest Labour

MP Mark Garnier Out of touch with public opinion on Forest sell off

Huge majority oppose England forest sell-off, http://t.co/rMhg9kv

MP Mark Garnier says “It is immaterial who owns the forests” and “there will be no noticeable difference in the forestry estate.”

Kidderminster Shuttle MP attempts to calm forest sell off fears

210,000+ Sign the Petition http://38degrees Petition/

The campaign to stop the sell-off of forests in England is generating lots of media from right across the country.

Forests Campaign Media Coverage

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the Lib Dems

Sale of Rigg Wood could herald forests’ future

The Daily Telegraph has highlighted the case of Rigg Wood in Cumbria as a sign of things to come when the Tories sell off the forests.

Daily Telegraph Sale of Rigg Wood could herald forests’ future

MP Mark Garnier Naive over woodland sell-off

Kidderminster Shuttle Letters Naive over woodland sell-off

Wildlife News Protests over government sell-off of major UK forests

Save Our Woods Websitehttp://saveourwoods.co.uk/

189,000+ Sign the Petition http://38degrees Petition/

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the Lib Dems

The very fabric of the NHS is under threat by Tory health reforms says Mike Kelly, Wyre Forest Labour

The comments contained in Views from Westminster by the Conservative M.P. really do worry me. Doesn’t Mr Garnier realise that the very fabric of our N.H.S will be under threat? To allow what is one of the fundamental services that impacts on every single one of us, with the exception of the very rich, to be subject to market forces is totally irresponsible.

The role of our G.P.s, for whom I have the utmost respect, is being radically changed. Not only will they be expected to look after the welfare and treatment of us the patients, they will be asked to become financiers responsible for managing multi-million pound budgets, having to buy in the treatments, operations and medicines.

The N.H.S. as we know it will disappear. The market will take over. The private health care hospitals will hive off the most lucrative areas such as cataracts, hip & knee operations, in other words the simple, most profitable areas of patient care. Leaving the N.H.S hospitals doing the more costly, complicated, less profitable areas of patient treatment. The new system will put unrealistic and unfair pressure on the G.P. practices. It will lead to patients being treated according to the amount of money their individual practice has in that particular treatment pot. When the funds run short the reatments will suffer. If the pot runs out presumably the treatment will stop.

No Mr Garnier. I want an N.H.S. that is freely available to everyone without being driven by your ideological free-market private enterprise. This Scheme is very similar to the one introduced by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s and scrapped by John Major in 1990 as being unworkable. Treatment for all, free at the point of use, and not at the mercy of the markets.

Press Release from Cllr. Mike Kelly. Labour Group Leader Wyre Forest District Council.

Healthcare reforms – It’s all about scratching an ideological itch

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t destroy the NHS as we know it without the support of the Lib Dems

Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier Naive over woodland sell-off

Rigg Wood before the sell off

After sell off - Car Park Closed

MP Mark Garnier says “It is immaterial who owns the forests” and “there will be no noticeable difference in the forestry estate.”

He claims forests will continue to be protected with public access, but once our heritage is sold off there is no guarantee this will be maintained. The sale by the Forestry Commission of Riggs Wood in the Lake District is evidence of the danger of selling off public forests. The new private owners have closed the car park, removed picnic benches and put up fences, making it much more difficult for people to access the woodland.

Lord Clark of Windermere, a former chairman of the Forestry Commission has said: “I do not believe any Government has the right to sell off our public forests. We hold these magnificent green spaces in trust for our children.
“Once they’ve gone we will not get them back. Government claims that the environmental and public benefits would be maintained if forests are sold off, simply do not stand up to scrutiny. All over the country people are raising their voices against these dreadful plans.”

So why does Mark Garnier think Wyre Forest woodland will be any different if sold? Can our MP see the wood for the trees in the area which gives the name to his Westminster seat? His voice, on behalf of Wyre Forest constituents and future generations, will be ineffective and have no influence on new owners.

Far from calming constituents fears, Mr Garnier shows he is naive or just plain stupid.

TREVOR CLARE Castle Road Cookley

Kidderminster Shuttle Letters Naive over woodland sell-off

Wildlife News Protests over government sell-off of major UK forests

Save Our Woods Websitehttp://saveourwoods.co.uk/

Sign the Petition http://38degrees Petition/

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the Lib Dems

MP Garnier full of mealy-mouthed platitudes says Robert Ireland Wyre Forest Labour

IN his letter our MP, Mark Garnier, trots out his party’s line that the ConDem cuts are driven by necessity not ideology.

He puts the blame for the global banking meltdown on the previous government’s poor financial regulation. He conveniently forgets that, when this legislation was introduced, his party voted against it.

Mr Garnier is right about one thing, there have to be cuts over time to balance the budget. They do not have to be made as quickly or as deeply as the ConDems tell us.

Don’t take my word for it. David Blanchflower, a respected commentator and economics professor at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire and University of Stirling, says: “They [deep and immediate cuts] are not essential and there is a significant chance that this is the wrong path.”

But it is the sheer audacity of Mr Garnier’s main contention that the cuts are not ideological that beggar’s belief. If this is the case why is it more important to cut benefits than tax avoidance loopholes?

Why cut the Building for Schools programme and not the charitable status of public schools? Why cut Education Maintenance Allowance rather than impose a tax on bankers’ bonuses? And why introduce an increase in VAT when every extra penny taken by the government means so much more to someone on a middle or low income than it does millionaires?

Tory ideology means ‘small government’ and fewer frontline services and those of us on middle and lower incomes suffer most.

If Mr Garnier was really ‘fighting our corner’ he wouldn’t be writing letters full of mealy-mouthed platitudes; he would be openly criticising this government.

ROBERT IRELAND Secretary, Bewdley Branch Labour Party Northwood Lane Bewdley

Kidderminster Shuttle Letters Fight our corner by being critical

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t cut without the support of the Lib Dems

Far better to tackle obscene bankers’ bonuses than sell off our Forests says Barry McFarland

Through your paper may I reaasure Mark Garnier and, more importantly, your readers that with respect to forests I do not “have an idea that they will be sold and chain sawed down”, although the possibility that some of our ancient woodland will end up on the saw mill floor cannot be ruled out. ( MP attempts to calm forest sell-off fears, Shuttle January 13th). We are all aware of the Forestry Commission’s work in planting and harvesting woodland as has been the case for nearly a century and as no system can remain effective and efficient without constant monitoring and some degree of change we accept changes in strategy to forestation is desirable. Such changes do not include privatisation and commercialisation of vast amounts of English forests for the gain of the few at the expense of the many.

Perhaps IT Systems is not the only mystery in the life of our MP. May I remind him that last October Caroline Spellman, the Environment Secretary of his government, announced plans to sell off vast amounts of woodland in England over the next three years. Strangely enough this announcement was made just as her department had its budget cut – hardly a coincidence. At the time it was suggested that forests would be sold to private landowners, property developers or even international power companies, a not unlikely scenario may I suggest. Since then other suggestions include fencing off areas of once public forests into private retreats of the rich or offered out in the portfolios of foreign fund managers.

The area in question amounts to about 44% of forestry that is readily available to the public, last valued at approximately £700 million and costing 30p per person per year to administer. Such a sell off would hardly make a dramatic impression on the deficit and give the nation greater value for money. Far. far better to tackle the obscene bankers’ bonuses and to catch up with the tax evaders and avoiders.

In public ownership at a cost of 30p per person per year our woodlands provide a haven for biodiversity, a habitat for rare and/or endangered species of flora and fauna and free access to roam, ride, cycle and enjoy its wildlife and natural beauty. Locally, our Wyre Forest plays an important part in environmental protection, eg carbon sequestration, pollution absorbtion, flood control and erosion protection. So the issue certainly is one of ownership despite what our Tory MP thinks! He has not reassured us that he will fight for the right to roam and enjoy our heritage of the Wyre Forest.

Barry McFarland Wyre Forest Labour

Kidderminster Shuttle Letters Forest ownership is Issue

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t sell off our Forests without the support of the Lib Dems

Tory Cuts are ideological not an economic necessity says Vi Higgs, Wyre Forest Labour

What a Difference a Change of Government Makes!

Last summer, my colleague Cllr Jamie Shaw praised Conservative-led Wyre Forest District Council for the number of affordable* houses it had been able to build, in partnership with Wyre Forest Community Housing and other Registered Social Landlords. Of course, he was talking in the context of a wider housing strategy, involving a regional dimension and targets for each council. These were elements of the national government’s policies, a Labour Government, of course.
How circumstances have changed in just a few months! The new Conservative-led government has removed the regional tier of decision-making and reduced available capital. The consequences of its slash-and-burn, anti-public service approach were revealed in a report to a district council meeting on Thursday 6th January : 367 new affordable homes “in the pipeline”, thanks to Labour’s policies, but now unlikely to go ahead because of Conservative cuts.
Let’s be clear : the severity of the cuts being imposed is an ideological choice, not an economic necessity. These are Conservative values at work. We will oppose them with all our strength.

*For rent or part-purchase

Vi Higgs Wyre Forest Labour

Tories sell off, Lib Dems sell out says Barry McFarland, Wyre Forest Labour

Woodland under Threat Photographs by kind permission of George Rywacki

The Tory led ConDem Government are proposing to sell off forests in England currently well managed by The Forestry Commission. Last year in the run up to the general election the Lib Dems denounced selling off forests in Scotland as “a money making scam” and “selling off the family silver”. They warned that it would damage rural communities, cost jobs and diminish opportunities for leisure access.

Just like their pledges on tuition fees this is another Lib Dem let down that betrays those who voted for what they imagined to be a principled, progressive party.

I challenge Mark Garnier and his band of local Tories together with their Lib Dem flunkies to explain to us why they support the selling off of our forests.

Wyre Forest is on the hit list Mark, are you going to fight to protect our forest? Are the local Lib Dems going to challenge this odious decision to sell off our forests? We deserve honest answers, wonder if we’ll get them.

Barry McFarland

Condem sell off Plans threaten Wyre Forest & other Woodland

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t cut without the support of the Lib Dems

Tory Budget Cuts will hit most vulnerable says Mike Kelly, Wyre Forest Labour.

The budget proposals put forward by the controlling Conservative group are a further extension of the misery that the national con-dem government are peddling.

From choice they are hitting the most vulnerable in our society.
The Conservative leader of the Council, John Campion, together with the Conservative M.P. Mark Garnier have already gone on record as saying the actions of their Government-I repeat their Government, is unfair.
I quote “We feel the cut in government grant to Wyre forest Council is disproportionately high. And they are going to lobby for a fairer deal”
These are the Conservative M.P. and Conservative leader of the Council’s words.

The budget proposals put forward by the Conservative group are incomplete. They are full of guess work, assumptions and suppositions.

This is only the first phase of the budget making process and is probably the most botched attempt that I have ever seen in my thirty years in local government. These flawed proposals will be amended, and the Labour Group will be putting an alternative budget forward. The amount that the con-dem government have cut the grant to Wyre Forest is horrendous. It will have a devastating effect on the services we provide for the elderly, the young, people who live alone and all the most vulnerable in Wyre Forest.

Mike Kelly Wyre Forest Labour

Press Release. Comments on Conservative budget proposals from Cllr Mike Kelly Leader of the Labour Group Wyre Forest District Council.

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t attack the most vulnerable without the support of the Lib Dems

Labour supports Shuttle Campaign to limit grant cuts says Jamie Shaw.

I support the Shuttle’s campaign, in conjunction with Cllr John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council, to request the Conservative-led government to reduce the presently-proposed level of cuts in its annual grants to the council. However, even if the campaign is successful, the “average cuts” of 10.7% and 6.4% Cllr Campion regards as tolerable will require a significant downsizing of the role of the council in the life of the community.

Let it be clear, the cuts required are primarily an ideological, not an economic, choice, intended to reduce public services funded by general taxation and to replace them by voluntary effort funded by charitable giving. Indeed, David Cameron has said that he intends there will be no restoration in funding levels to local government, whatever progress the economy makes. His MPs know this and support him, (including one assumes, Tory MP Mark Garnier), as they showed when they cheered Chancellor Osborne’s intentionally-savage financial package on 22nd October.

Therefore, when district council services are diminished : perhaps volunteers conducting food safety inspections, perhaps sports facilities shut down, perhaps untidier streets, perhaps a full-blown crisis in the provision of affordable housing, I expect Cllr Campion to accept these lower standards as the intended consequences of Conservative policy. Small consolation, I know, but at least local debate will then be able to proceed on the basis of honesty.

Jamie Shaw
Wyre Forest Labour

Tories will always be Tories but they can’t cut without the support of the Lib Dems

Barry McFarland calls for Urgent Action on St Mary’s Subway

St Mary's steps

Broken steps at St Mary's Subway

Graffiti in St Mary's Subway

St Mary’s subway is dangerous and neglected and in need of Urgent Repair.

Barry said: “The steps to St Mary’s subway are broken and dangerous. The recent bad weather has not helped but the real cause is years of neglect by the ruling Tory administration. The Subway is in a filthy condition with the walls covered in graffiti. The old 1970′s murals are defaced and vandalised. The subways are not the most attractive gateway to the town and the lack of parking means shoppers are forced to park out of town and use the subway to cross the busy ringroad. The steps are in need of urgent repair. A deep clean and a complete makeover is required and why not ask the college to provide new murals.”