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Green View
April 2015
Poulton Ward - Election Special
Help us to turn Poulton Green!
On Thursday 7th May, voters will have 2 ballot papers. One is for the General
Election, to elect an MP to represent Morecambe & Lunesdale in Parliament.
The other is to elect 2 Councillors to represent Poulton Ward on Lancaster
City Council for the next 4 years.
The Green Party is standing candidates in
both elections – you can find out more
about them in this newsletter.
You don’t have to vote for the same party in
both elections, and you can vote for
candidates from different parties in the City
Council election if you wish to.
Register to vote
The deadline for voter
registration is 5pm on
Monday 20th April. Go to:
www.gov.uk/register-tovote or tel: 01524 582905.
Cleaning up Poulton
Poulton Green Party candidate Clare
Long-Summers (pictured far left)
helped at a recent litter pick on Out
Moss Lane near the Trimpell Club,
where the ditch was given a makeover.
Clare said “I couldn't believe there were
stickleback fish living there - finding them was a highlight and made all the
hard work worthwhile.”
Which party has the best policies?
Not sure who to vote for? An independent website could help you to decide.
At www.voteforpolicies.org.uk you can compare policies on the national
issues that are most important to you, then find out which party you most
agree with. As Green View went to print, the Green Party was neck-and-neck
with Labour as the two most popular parties in Morecambe & Lunesdale.
Green MP candidate against NHS privatisation
Green Parliamentary candidate Phil
Chandler (pictured) joined local NHS
campaigners in Morecambe last
month.
The group called ‘38 Degrees’ was
collecting signatures for a petition to
give to all parliamentary candidates,
to stop further privatisation of the
NHS.
Phil says “Clearly people feel very
strongly about this issue. Almost
everyone wanted to sign the petition,
and many people came over and
brought their friends and family over specially to sign it.
We all know that the NHS isn't perfect, but a well-funded health service
for the common good represents how we want our society to work.
There is no place for the profit motive in the NHS.”
Meanwhile Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton, has been
leading the fight in Parliament to stop the break-up of the NHS.
Morecambe Bay - Tidal Energy Hotspot
North Lancashire Green Party recently hosted a public talk where Dr.
George Aggidis presented his research for the use of tidal energy as a
source of renewable energy. Morecambe Bay is one of the few tidal
energy hotspots in the world which is close enough to a populated area
to be a feasible resource. This means that our region is ideally placed
to be a World Centre for Tidal Energy, which would provide long-term
jobs with minimal environmental impact.
This is in marked contrast to fracking which has a substantial impact on
the environment and only provides short-term jobs as sites are
exhausted within a few years.
The Green Party is against fracking and members have been working
hard to prevent Cuadrilla from being granted permission to frack in
Lancashire.
Greens call for Transport Plan rethink
Lancashire County Council recently unveiled plans for improving
transport in the Lancaster District, including a new motorway junction
in South Lancaster. Greens are concerned about the impact that this
will have on traffic. We want safer cycling routes, an upgrade of the
Lancaster – Morecambe railway, and investigation of a guided bus or
tram system linking Heysham, Morecambe, Lancaster and Galgate.
Greens on the City Council …
For the past 4 years, the Green Party has had 2 of the 8 members of
the City Council’s cabinet, in a shared administration with Labour.
Greens have been able to influence decisions and get lots done!
… Our track record of achievement
Council Tax support for those in need. We argued
successfully to not charge Council Tax to the poorest households.
Living wage for Council employees. Greens successfully
pushed for the Council to pay its workers a wage they can live on.
Income from renewable energy. Greens pushed for solar
panels on Council buildings, earning the Council £55,000 per year.
Bus services protected. Greens successfully campaigned with
residents’ groups to keep evening and weekend bus services.
Maintaining funding for the arts and voluntary sector.
We worked hard to save vital grant funding for local organisations.
New allotments. Cinder Lane allotments opened in Scotforth in
2014, prompted by a Green-led review of allotments provision.
A thriving city centre. We lobbied strongly to keep Lancaster’s
outdoor market in its present location.
For more about our local achievements and policies:
Website:
www.northlancs.greenparty.org.uk
Facebook: North Lancashire Green Party
Twitter:
@NorthLancsGreen
YOUR GREEN CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Feel free to contact us about any local issues
Clare Long-Summers [lead candidate]
clarelong@ymail.com 01524 409915
Clare has lived in Morecambe and Lunesdale for 20
years and moved to Poulton 10 years ago following a
decade as Sub-Postmistress of Bolton-le-Sands Post
Office. She has been a volunteer with several
organisations including Morecambe Bay Credit Union
and the much-missed Signposts.
Clare says: "Social and economic justice are high priorities for me, and I
joined the Green Party because it is taking a stand against austerity. I want
a government which puts people before profits and the interests of big
corporations. In my volunteer roles I have have seen first hand the effects of
benefit sanctions and benefit cuts falling disproportionately on disabled and
vulnerable people. So I am not surprised that the hard-working volunteers
at Morecambe Bay Foodbank are providing emergency food to an
increasing number of people in crisis. I want a different kind of politics with
honest politicians working for the Common Good."
Rebecca Stevens
mail@beckystevens.com
07762 552 286
Becky grew up in Morecambe, playing footy on
Poulton park and spending her pocket money on
Sam's fish and chips. She has a degree in Computer
Animation, has worked as an illustrator for children's
books, and created a prize-winning short animated
film. Becky currently works at LPC Furniture as a
Media Administrator, and in her free time runs art workshops locally.
Becky says: "Living with the English seaside on my doorstep has made me
realise how much I want to protect it for future generations. Morecambe's
where I work and live, where my family and friends live – so of course I
want to make it a better place for everyone who lives here!"
Promoted by Andrew Brennand on behalf of North Lancashire Green Party, both of 49 Wingate-Saul Road, Lancaster LA1 5DW.
Printed on recycled paper by Pagefast Print & Publishing Ltd, 4-6 Lansil Way, Caton Road, Lancaster LA1 3QY.