Welcome not Waiting, transforming finances...

A criticism levied at political parties when they criticise a rampant austerity policy is “how will you pay for everything?”. For the Green Party some major contributions to the public purse seem all too obvious with the response “stop commissioning white elephants”!

Contained within the Government’s Major Project Portfolio is a staggering list of troubling entries concerning hospitals and the benefits system. However, it is the so called ‘flagship’ projects that provide ready answers to the fiscal equation.

So let’s re-allocate funds from:

HS2

Hinkley Point C

Trident

This could enable transformation of the NHS, social care, nursing homes, schools, emergency services and infrastructure. That's just for starters.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

Wherever I lay my hat, that's my home...

I remember how difficult it was to secure a mortgage back when I purchased my first home a few decades ago. I admit we had to tap into an ‘old boy’s network’ that my dad was on the edge of to even open the door of the building society. Nowadays it seems to be the opposite extreme where borrowing has become the easy part of the process.

And as a result of this there is now an uncomfortable truth in that the perception has changed. Often ‘Houses’ are talked about rather than ‘Homes’ and where the purchase is seen more of  as an investment. It is said you can tell how well a country is doing economically by seeing how many houses are being built. However, surely reducing a multilayered, complex issue to such a simplistic formula is misleading?

Running alongside the critical need for accommodation is a larger investment model, one where often overseas finance enables a property developer to build prestige flats in a prime location that often remain empty, sometimes decaying, whilst the investor reaps their reward remotely.

The current government is effectively imposing new housing quotas onto local authorities which then attempt to fulfil these by expecting local communities to shoulder a proportion of that burden. The principles behind this process are contained within a government white paper called the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), a document I am now all too familiar with!

This is how Neighbourhood Plans (NP) came about. Each parish or town council can encourage a local committee to voluntarily produce a document (NP) to moderate their local authorities requirements laid out in the Local Plan (LP) by, in our case, Colchester Borough Council (CBC).

Without the Local Plan and, to a lesser extent, a Neighbourhood Plan the problem arises in that it plays into the hands of the larger developers to build larger, therefore more profitable houses, rather than determining what the actual housing needs are and then building homes that match those needs.

It is an irony that often the so called ‘affordable homes’ in new developments are not bought by local folk, they simply cannot afford them, and that can lead to just the arrival of the wealthy retired and then departure of the younger locals . How much better would it be to concentrate on smaller, energy efficient homes targeted mainly for the younger couples and families. With homes built to a Passivhaus standard or similar eco-home model running costs would be manageable and the load on the utilities would be reduced. This is what I am encouraging in West Mersea’s Neighbourhood Plan.

I have attended the CBC Local Plan meetings (I know how to party!) and seen firsthand how it has been moderated as a result of both public response and local  council’s input. So despite the concerns I have I am optimistic that our Neighbourhood Plan will be the method to navigate a positive way forward for our local community.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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Song for Nye - Health not Wealth

“It's also meant to celebrate the amazing women and men who work selflessly within it. The care they give is a beautiful thing and make our lives better in so many ways. Yes there are problems, but as the song reminds us, try falling sick in the USA and see what it costs you.” Martyn Joseph quoted here: http://eyesopenmedia.co.uk/blog/martyn-joseph-nye

We need to recapture the vision of Nye Bevan and restore the NHS to its rightful place of a fully funded public service to all rather than a creeping privatisation primarily serving shareholders. It is abundantly clear the NHS needs substantial investment and appears to be feared by some members of the current government.

P

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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Mersea Island beach hut fire...

So this happened overnight, early Sunday morning, around 10 of the unique Mersea Island beach huts completely destroyed. At the time of writing the true cause has not been established. However, assumptions are readily made, particularly as there have been spates of vandalism up and down the rows of huts. However this was triggered it doesn't alter the heartbreak of the destruction of someone's little corner of personal paradise.

It is inevitable that the lack of a regular police attendance here on Mersea will be raised. Regardless of whether it is proven that this inferno was actually caused by vandals I do support the view that a greater police presence is very much needed. But that is definitely not limited to just this wee fair isle.

Therefore I support our police, military and emergency services receiving extra funding rather than the crippling budget cuts they are enduring. How much better would it be if our communities and the true public servants felt secure and valued?

P

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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Being Green - #MyManifesto week one

May the Fourth be with you...
One month until May the Fourth be with you when it will be: Essex County Council elections day too! [read more]

Travel not Traffic
The Green vision is to re-vitalise and re-own public transport as well as encouraging cycling and walking. Problems of congestion and parking are simply caused by too greater dependence on private cars and the more on the road the greater the air pollution. [read more]

Nature not Nuclear
Old nuclear has served its time but left a dangerous and lengthy legacy of radioactive waste. It is urgent and essential to invest in developing renewable technologies for the future of our country and planet. [read more]

Respect not Reject

In these politically turbulent times politically we need to be a country that offers empathy toward those who suffer from the terror of trafficking and war.

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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Greener still... Essex County Council Elections

So I am standing as a Green Party (GP) candidate again, this time for the Mersea and Tiptree division of Essex County Council (ECC).

Since this time last year, when I first stood as a Colchester Borough Council (CBC) candidate, I have learnt a huge amount. This is both because my involvement with the Green Party built during 2016 culminating in being elected as the Colchester and District GP's Events Officer in September. Concurrently I was co-opted as a local councillor onto West Mersea Town Council. This has entailed a steep learning curve and many challenges, which I have relished, having been invited onto various committees.

In addition to this I was recently invited onto the Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG) core steering group which has been fantastic for my grey matter, topping up my maths and physics along the way!

Politics being the way it is the geographic divisions for this election vary substantially from the CBC electoral wards with the greater area they cover, therefore I am extending my investigation of concerns beyond the Mersea Island locality.

Having become one of the founding pillars of the West Mersea Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group I have identified shared concerns on striking the balance between excessive housing developments and fulfilling local housing needs for local people. Furthermore Tiptree and Mersea (along with Wivenhoe) are classed as District Centres also serving the local villages. Mersea, of course, has the unique aspect of only being accessible by one road and inaccessible either side of the spring high tides.

Over the next month leading up to polling day I shall outline my thoughts and proposals using the hashtag moniker #MyManifesto - don't forget to vote!

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Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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Time and Tide...

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One desirable aspect of when the tide comes up over the road on Mersea Island is that there is a little window when everything stops for a while... no-one can get on or off the island (via the causeway called 'The Strood' locally) and midweek there is a peace that gently descends, wonderful!

Redeeming Culture...

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A little video explanation created by Rob Halligan of our Bradwell experience...