More Coastguards

The coastguards campaign (see past articles) has turned unexpectedly acrimonious, as this article illustrates ;

Sam Lister - Coastguards `Were not Gagged`, 25 May 2011 at www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk .

Bolton Libraries Camaign

Without wanting to spend too much time on the same few issues, here`s an interesting article ;

Unsigned - 15,00 Join fight to Save Libraries, 21 May 2011 at www.theboltonnews.co.uk .

Regional Round-Up and Miscellaneous Updates

Demands on my time and energy are getting to be a bit much at present, so please excuse the brevity of these postings. In an ideal world I would present your enraptured gaze with a collection of gleaming literary pearls, complete with the effective use of bathos, pathos and irony. Sadly, I`m much too busy for that, so these entries are fairly minimalist ;

NORTH YORKS - Save North Yorks Libraries

Joe Willis - Public Outcry Forces North Yorkshire County Council to Reconsider Library Plans, 5 May 2011 at www.thenorthernecho.co.uk .

This news has met with an understandably cautious response from the campaign group. Further comment can be found on their website.

NORTH YORKS - North Yorks Waste Action Group

This group are currently waiting for the company Amey Cespa to submit a planning application before taking any further action.  In the meantime, they are asking those who`ve not already done so to visit their site and sign the petition. 

AMBER VALLEY - Amber Valley Against Incinerators

Unsigned - Campaigners Fuming as Waste Plant Gets Permit, 13 April 2011  at www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk .

AMBER VALLEY - Lodge House/Smalley Action group

Chris Mallett - Stud Manager`s Fury as UK Coal Tells Her to Buy Farm or Move, 14 March 2011 at www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk .

Chris Mallett - Concerns Over Noise Lead to Objection About Coal-Mining Plan, 22 April 2011 at www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk .

The latter article follows a decision by Amber Valley Borough Council planning committee to object to the proposed extension of Lodge House mine after hearing submissions from Nigel Mills MP and Cllr Kevin Parkinson, both of whom oppose UK Coal`s plans. 

SPONDON AND SINFIN - Spondon and Sinfin Against Incineration and others

Chris Mallett - Now Gasification Firm Heads for Court to Fight City Planning Rejection, 5 May 2011 at www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE - Emergency Services Campaigns

Fire Service  ;   Dom Howell - Stations to Stay Open for a Year Says Authority Member, 2 March 2011 at www.thisisnottingham.co.uk .

Police Service  ;  Unsigned - Police Station Closure Fears After Front Counters Shut,  28 April 2011 at www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk .

That`s all for now !

Update - Save Newark Hospital

Well, it`s a short time since the UK elections/referendum. Commentators have commented, analysts have analysed, pundits have punditted and bloggers have blogged.  No doubt their scintillating wit and insight has enriched the lives of many.

Back in the real world, I`m a bit pushed for time, so I`ll confine my own efforts to a series of short updates on matters we`ve touched on in the past, with the odd new arrival thrown in for good measure.

First up,  Save Newark Hospital.



This campaign, as I`ve mentioned before,  has brought together Conservative MP Patrick Mercer with a campaign group which features many prominent local Labour activists. 

The latest development can be found here ;

Unsigned - Campaign Joy as Committee Calls for Hospital Review, 4 April 2011  at www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk .

A link to the campaign group`s web site is on this blog already and carries a link to their Facebook page, which is the main vehicle for news from them.

Meanwhile, Back in the States...

... a coalition of environmental groups is calling for a fuel economy standard of 60 miles to the gallon by 2025.

In a letter to their  President, they cite global pollution, rising fuel prices, political considerations, the need to invest in clean energy and job creation as reasons for their call.

Their website addresses Americans directly, giving four reasons to support the initiative ; to save money, to reduce air pollution, as a step towards energy independence and to "spark innovations that create new jobs".

Their target may sound a touch ambitious but there again, a target date 2025 does allow generous time for that to be achieved. Those of us who live in manufacturing areas of the UK (Aerospace and Toyota both have plants in Derbyshire),  will be aware that the UK is already heading in the direction of fuel efficient technology, with Aerospace in particular having introduced a number of innovations.

The G60 campaign can be found at ;

www.go60mpg.org .

Organisations involved in the campaign include the Sierra Club (the US sister organisation to the UK`s John Muir Trust) ,  an umbrella group called Environment America and scientific group UCS. For full details see www.go60mpg.org/about-us .