Bentham Library - Protest Walk From Bentham to Settle - 7 May 2011

Save North Yorkshire Libraries is a campaign which aims to keep open all local libraries in the N. Yorks area.  

Campaigners accept that some changes may have to be made, but are urging the North Yorks County Council to find ways to deliver library services throughout the county. They are at pains to stress that they do not wish to see one library saved at the expense of another.

 At present, they are working with Andrew Jones MP, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough to promote  petitions in support of two libraries in his constituency, Bilton and Starbeck.

Elsewhere in the region, they are planning a protest walk on 7 May 2011, which will involve participants walking from Betham Library to it`s equivalent in Settle. The route will be along a mixture of roads and local footpaths, which sounds thoroughly enjoyable.

Further information can be found at http://benthamlibrary.blogspot.com/ and http://ny-libraries.org/ .

Coastguards Update

Further to my earlier article (Coastguard Kerfuffle, this blog,  22 Feb 2011), there have been new developments as regards the proposed cuts to the coastguard service.


The MCA have announced a 6 week extension to their public consultation, which will now end 5 May 2011. Most observers have taken this as a sign that the government is having second thoughts. Additionally, the Transport Select Committee have announced an inquiry into the proposals.


Coastguards representatives are taking the line that reform and modernisation of the service is to be welcomed, but that these particular proposals would be damaging. Their campaign, and those of a number of local newspapers, have attracted cross-party support.

In a fairly changeable situation, it`s almost impossible to provide an up-to-date guide to media coverage as new articles appear frequently. Here`s a quick overview ; 

The Western Telegraph has printed a number of spirited articles in support of the campaign to save Milford Haven Coastguard Station. These can be viewed at www.westerntelegraph.co.uk .

Coverage of the campaigns to save both Milford Haven and Holyhead Coastguard Stations can be found at www.theonlinemail.co.uk , an umbrella site for two newspapers which together cover the Bangor, Holyhead and Anglesey areas.

The Milford Mercury is running a Save our Coastguard Station campaign in respect of Milford Haven and their site provides a number of useful links - www.milfordmercury.co.uk .

The Hexham Express has been running a similar campaign in respect of Brixham, with details appearing at www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk . 

My earlier article provided links to the coastguards` websites, Facebook pages and petitions and also contact details for the Transport Select Committee and a link to the MCA site for anyone wishing to read/respond to the consultation document. These are still current.

It seems unlikely now that the cuts will go ahead in their original form, but at the same time it`s not a good time to get complacent. This is a second opportunity for interested parties to inform themselves and make their voices heard. Make the most of it.

Mr Bridgen`s Proposal

Not so long ago we looked at the attempt by Andrew Bridgen MP and others to introduce a legal requirement for a 500m buffer zone between opencast mines and nearby dwelling places.


As I`ve previously indicated, Mr Bridgen`s proposal has cross-party support and also the support of environmentalists and groups representing coalfield communities.


Among his supporters we find real ale afficionado and Notts County fan Nigel Mills MP. Mr Mills is the member for Amber Valley and has this to say on the subject ;


"We are trying to protect people who have had the unfortunate accident of living next to these sites from some of the worst aspects of the blight that arises if they are unlucky enough to have an opencast mine proposed near them."


Mr Mills knows the issues that can arise. His Midlands constituency is home to UK Coal`s controversial Lodge House mine and another company, LEM, is proposing a second mine in the area.


The issue has given rise to strong feelings in the area for a variety of reasons, not least because central government (the previous administration) over-ruled the local authority in allowing the Lodge House development to go ahead. There are clearly issues in terms of  impact on the environment and on the quality of life of local people, and that`s before we touch on the merits or otherwise of reliance on fossil fuels.  Anna Soubry MP, who faces similar proposals in her Nottinghamshire constituency, has cited Lodge House as a situation where UK Coal promised to generate local jobs but is now having trouble justifying those claims.


Coverage in the local press has been extensive. Competing for your attention with literary epics on other burning issues of the day such as `Half Term Potato Fun` (Ilkeston Advertiser), `Thieves Pick up a Penguin` (Ripley and Heanor News) and `Strange UFOs Spotted on A38...`  (Ripley and Heanor News again), a number of very good articles on issues around opencast mining have appeared. Here are a few of the more recent ones ;


Derby Telegraph Group (http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/)


Catherine Oakes - Anti-Open Cast Group Appeals for Secret Vote... - 22 Feb 2011
Unsigned  - Villagers Fight Second Mining Bid - 22 Feb 2011
Chris Mallet - Open Cast Mining Plans `Intolerable` Says MP...- 10 Feb 2011


Ilkeston Advertiser (http://www.ilkestonadvertiser.co.uk/)


Unsigned - `Free For All` On Mine Bids - 2 Mar 2011
Unsigned - Mining `Could Last Decade` - 2 Mar 2011
Unsigned - Government Does Not Back Buffer Bid - 23 Feb 2011

Ripley and Heanor News (http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk)

Unsigned - Mining Plan Goes to Vote - 28 Feb 2011
Stephen Sinfield - `Under Siege` by Opencasting - 19 Jan 2011

With new developments on a fairly regular basis, it`s also worth a bit of background reading. Sarah Bould ot the Ripley and Heanor News (see link above) wrote an informative but also readable and concise article `Where the Smalley Opencast Debate Began` (16 March 2007) which is still online.

If you`re misguided enough to want to read more of my own efforts you might try one of these;

The WAG Man Returns...(this blog, 1 Oct 2010)
Congratulations and Commiserations...(this blog, 20 Feb 2011)

It`s interesting to see how `real politics` like this often transcends the narrow, Westminster-based party politics our leaders like to play at.

In my personal view (I have no party political allegiance), at leadership level both the major parties have behaved badly over this issue - Labour by over-ruling the local authority and allowing Lodge House to proceed, and the Conservatives by not backing Mr Bridgen (though many Conservative MPs, particularly those from the Midlands, did give their support). By contrast, Mr Bridgen  has fought a good fight and certainly won the respect of many who may not always agree with him on many other issues. As I`ve been at pains to stress, his Bill is supported by a number of political parties and I hope that will continue to be the case.

As for Mr  Mills, since he`s fond of football, I`d hope that we`s all agree that on this issue the boy from Brinsley done good !

Coastguard Kerfuffle

This week the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (part of the Department of Transport*) begins a series of public meetings across the UK to discuss government proposals to cut the coastguard service.

The cuts currently being considered are a reduction in the number of stations from 18 to 8, with five of the surviving stations providing a reduced service. Particularly sensitive is the fact that, under the government`s plans as they stand, only three stations will operate a 24 hour service.

Other changes being considered are proposals to `remove` the Agency`s emergency towing vessels and `delete` the offshore fire fighting and chemical spill response service.

Unsurprisingly, these suggestions have met with something akin to anger, particularly in the communities most directly affected ;

`UK Coastguards Unite Against Closure` said the Shetland News (22 Feb 2011 at http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/)

`Coastguards Angry with MCA Director` reported H J Marter of Shetland Marine News (6 Jan 2011 at http://www.shetlandmarine.com/ )

`Now it`s the Coastguard that Need to be Rescued` commented the Western Telegraph (19 Jan 2011 at http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/ )

Inevitably, there has been a response from MPs and Councillors ; `MPs Unite in Battle to Save Coastguard` reported  News Letter ( 15 Feb 2011 at http://www.newsletter.co.uk/)

The public have not been slow to show their feelings (Campaign to Save Holyhead Coastguard Backed by Public` stated The Bangor and Anglesey Mail`s Elgan Hearn (9 Feb 2011 at http://www.theonlinemail.co.uk/ ).

Local newspapers have also not been slow to join the fray ;

`Save our Station` implored the Milford and West Wales Mercury (17 Feb 2011 at http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/ ), while the Hexham Express launched a similarly-themed SOS (Save our Station) campaign in respect of Brixham station, quickly attracting cross-party support (details at http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/ ).

Is this the beginning of another Save our Forests ? Well, maybe. "There are very few coastguards that are not calling for change or modernisation", a representative told the Shetland News, but pointed out that  "not one has said  these are the right plans", a point apparently conceded by MCA Chief Exec Sir Alan Massey.

The point to remember here is that we live in a plural democracy. There are reasons why even elected governments cannot just impose their will on the people without consultation. The most important point may not be what position you take on a particular issue, but that you get the chance to express that view.

Fortunately, opportunities to do so present themselves all too readily in this instance.

Firstly, there are the public meetings mentioned above. I`m pretty sure we don`t make much use of coastguards here in the Midlands, but the meetings will  provide important opportunities for the relevant communities to put their concerns.

Secondly, the MCA consultation document appears online for anyone to read and comment - visit http://www.mcga.gov.uk/ to do so.

Additionally the Transport Select Committe is also looking into the issues, and submissions can be sent to them at transev@parliament.uk (closing date 26 April 2011).

If you wish to sign one of the many petitions that are being circulated, or familiarise yourself with the case against the cuts, here are some useful links ;

www.petitiononline.com/ukcghq

www.shetlandcoastguard.info/petitions

http://www.saveshetlandcoastguard.com/

www.saveshetlandcoastguard.com/links.html

Should you want to know my opinion, I think the cuts go way too far and are badly thought-out and impractical, though some changes may well be necessary. My suspicion is that the government fully intends to reduce the level of cuts (to this particular service) and that the current proposals are purely a starting point for negotiations and to test the level of public reaction. In that context, the phrase `be careful what you wish for` springs to mind !

*For a bit of background reading, you might like to see my posting `Transports of Delight` (this blog, 1 Sep 2010), with partic reference to the section headed trade unions.

Congratulations and Commiserations : 38 Degrees and Andrew Bridgen MP

CONGRATULATIONS to 38 Degrees.

As I would think most people know, 38 Degrees and others achieved an extraordinary level of public support for their Save our Forests campaign (see `More Woodland Worries`, this blog, 11 November 2010 ), eventually achieveing an astounding, and outstanding half a million signatures for their petition. As a result of their efforts, publicly-owned woodlands will not now be sold off . ( see Johnny Chatterton - `Victory ! Government to Scrap Plans to Sell Our Forests` at http://blog.38degrees.org.uk  , 17 Feb 2011 ) .

Kate Ashbrook, General  Secretary of the Open Spaces Society and a trustee of The Ramblers has been one of few who have sounded a word of caution. "The government`s about-turn on forestry sales...was wonderful" she commented "but we mustn`t be complacent." To find out more, see her article `We`re Not Out of the Woods Yet` ( 20 Feb 2011 at http://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/ ).

COMMISERATIONS to Andrew Bridgen MP.

 Mr Bridgen had tabled an Early Day Motion bringing English law into line with that in Scotland and Wales, in that companies engaged in open cast mining would be required to leave a 500 metre buffer zone between their operations and any dwelling place(s) nearby (see `The WAG Man Returns / Lodge House Controversy Continues`, this blog, 1 October 2010).

 This entirely sensible and moderate objective had achieved cross-party support and was endorsed by many environmental bodies, notably the Campaign to Protect Rural England and Leicester Friends of the Earth,  and community groups such as  Smalley Action Group,  but I understand that UK Coal in particular had lobbied against it and it was opposed by the Government.

In the event, not one MP spoke against the proposal, but the Minister chose to `talk it out`. I`m a bit hazy on the finer points of Parliamentary procedure, but I gather this means the Bill is not actually killed stone dead, but `goes to the bottom of the pile` and will face an uphill struggle to become law.

Mr Bridgen to his credit, is not discouraged and plans to return to the matter in October. He commented ; "I was pleased with the level of cross-party support for the Bill. This is an important issue for thousands of people who live in the former coalfields and this Bill would give them peace of mind."

You might assume that Mr Bridgen, who has links with the Whitwick Action Group (see `Whitwick Action Group`, this blog, 8 September 2010) and the Minorca Open Cast Protest Group, is something of a rebel within the Tory ranks.  In fact, he seems to be a loyal Conservative, albeit one who has no great love for UK Coal. He does appear to be a diligent constituency MP and has a background in the processing and distribution of fresh vegetables.

I`m indebted to Steve O`Leary of Minorca Open-Cast Protest Group for providing a useful link on this issue ;

www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/andrew-bridgens-500m-buffer-zone.html

  

Utterley Butterley

Butterley Ironworks is a former industrial site in Derbyshire with a history that incorporates historic events such as the Napoleonic Wars, the Pentrich Revolution and the building of St Pancras Station.

After literally hundreds of years of continued foundry work there, it is no longer in use and the future of the site, with it`s unique underground wharf, has been the subject of some debate.

Fortunately, I have written on the subject before, so I can be lazy and simply direct you to my articles A Tale of Two Ironworks (February 2010) , Ironworks Revisited (February 2010) and Ironworks Revisted Again (January 2011), all of which you will find at http://bookshelvesandbrownale.blogspot.com/ .

I shall, however, attempt to offset my laziness by directing you to a potted history of the site, to be found at www.gracesguide.co.uk/wiki/Butterley_Co and to more history and some sriking images at www.jacksdale.org.uk/pages/JDHeritage/Forge.htm . There are in fact many entries relating to the site online and it does pay to search around a bit. However, these are a couple I thought would complement each other nicely.

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Voices for Libraries # 3 : 5 February is Save Our Libraries Day

I had hoped to write at greater length on the subject of the various campaigns against cuts to the library service, but work and family commitments leave me with relatively little time to spend on researching these things, and I`m conscious that others do it better in any case.

One such individual is the writer Alan Gibbons, who has been waging an epic  one-man war on library cuts. Another is Benedicte Page, who has written repeatedly on the subject at http://www.thebookseller.com/. Somerset man Steve Ross has been campaigning for a public debate on the subject and, while the Minister initially appeared to refuse this, he has now granted a debate to Wigan MP Lisa Nandy, whose constituency has seen a 17% increase in visits to libraries, in contrast to a national trend showing declining use.

Without further ado, I shall draw your attention to the proposed Save Our Libraries day being promoted by Mr Gibbons. Details are to be found in his articles ;

`February 5th : A Carnival of Resistance to Closure` (25 January 2011) and `Support Swells for Save our Libraries Day` (25 January 2011), both at http://alangibbons.net/ .

For more on libraries, including links etc, see these ;

Voices for Libraries ( this blog, 29 Sep 2010 ) and Voices for Libraries #2 ( this blog, 9 Dec 2010 ) and Long Eaton Library and a Local Historian`s Legacy  ( 16 Jan 2011 ) at http://bookshelvesandbrownale.blogspot.com/ .