Growing a Green Future - Vote Green Party on 2nd May

VOTE GREEN IN RUGBY AND ACROSS WARWICKSHIRE ON 2ND MAY!

Rugby Green Party will be contesting 100% of all the seats in the forthcoming elections in Rugby and across Warwickshire in all 62 divisions.  

In Rugby, the Greens are standing in the following seats;

• ADMIRALS - PETER REYNOLDS
• BROWNSOVER - LORNA DUNLEAVY & STEVE WRIGHT
• CALDECOTT - KATE CROWLEY & LOUISA TAYLOR
• DUNCHURCH - SUSAN TUCKER
• EARL CRAVEN - ELLIE RODERICK
• EASTLANDS & HILLMORTON - PHIL GODDEN & JAMES HARRIS
• FOSSE - BEN PHILIPS
• NEW BILTON & LAWFORD - ROY SANDISON

Rugby Greens will also be standing for Bilton ward in a by election for Rugby Borough Council - PETER REYNOLDS will be our candidate.

The issue of local schools being forced to become Academies without the consent of local parents and the local community will be a major issue for the Greens in this election, with well known anti academy campaigners, Lorna Dunleavy and Steve Wright standing for the Green Party in the Brownsover Division - that covers Newbold, Brownsover and Benn wards areas of Rugby.

Greens will also be campaigning;

• Against the cuts, including the introduction of the awful Bedroom Tax - we have provided a community resource on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/rugbyagainstthebedroomtax/    where local people can gain advice and also information about the campaigns against the Bedroom Tax.
• We want Warwickshire County Council to assist Rugby to become a 'Green Jobs Boom Town' by producing wind turbines, Led lighting and other green technology in the town.
• We have health concerns about Incineration and placing a waste plant so near homes and the River Avon in Newbold.
• We want action over the 500 empty houses in Rugby,  to provide homes for local people and a full programme of insulation across Rugby to cut energy bills and provide jobs, especially for young people.
• We oppose the turning off street lights without proper consultation and wish to see modern energy saving and less polluting Led lighting introduced.
• We have parking concerns in the Benn Ward and want real public consultation for local people on the issue.
• We want to save local shops and community resources in Brownsover, and across Rugby from being lost because of the cuts or unfair competition from the big business supermarkets.

VOTE GREEN AND HAVE YOUR SAY!

To help with the campaign please contact rugbygreenparty@gmail.com.

P&P by Roy Sandison on behalf of Peter Reynolds, Lorna Dunleavy, Steve Wright, Kate Crowley, Louisa Taylor, Ben Philips, Phil Godden, James Harris, Ellie Roderick, Roy Sandion and Rugby Green Party c/o 21 Jubilee Street, Rugby CV21 2JJ.
P & P by Chris Williams on behalf of Susan Tucker and Rugby Green Party. c/c 20 Birchley Rise, Solihull, B92 7QD

RUGBY AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX - PROTEST AND ADVICE

This Facebook site has been established by Rugby Green Party to act as an independent resource for people in Rugby. Please post information about local and national protests as well as advice, information and questions concerning the unfair Bedroom Tax.

We do welcome contributions from anyone including members of other political parties and Independents, especially local Councillors about the ways they intend to fight the Bedroom Tax locally.

We especially would ask people who would like to assist with supporting others with case work to get in contact - the great strength of the Poll Tax struggle was the building of skills in local community in defending our community. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/rugbyagainstthebedroomtax/

SAVE 92 AND MUSIC IN RUGBY - SIGN THE PETITION

Rugby Green Party supports the campaign to SAVE 92 - Rugby only Music Studio and a major creative space in the town.

Please sign the petition to Rugby Borough Council - 
http://www.change.org/petitions/rugby-borough-council-save-our-music-making-facility

Visit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Save92Campaign to give support.

The Save 92 Campaign has been set up to stop the closure of Rugby's only music studio.

There has been an announcement that this year Rugby Gymnastics Club plans to relocate, meaning the demolition and redevelopment of the site at 92 Lower Hillmorton Road. The asset is currently in use as a venue for music/art/film nights, recording, and rehearsal space for local bands and artists.

Everyone associated with the studio are unanimous in their decision that the building should be saved: they regard the building to be an important asset to the community and a part of many people's lives which they wish to keep. It is the only asset of this kind in the Rugby area where musicians can record demos, singles and albums at an affordable price. The studio encourages creative talents in Rugby and is actively used by a diverse demographic.
We would very much like to save the asset and regenerate the building so that it can be used and enjoyed for future generations. Please help us and support the campaign!

Roy Sandison, Rugby Green Party Co-ordinator and former Youth Promotions Management Committee member gives some background and explains why he supports the campaign.

"The much valued and also improved facility brings much value to the town, since it was started at Youth Promotions  (a youth and unemployed centre that came out of demands from a campaign led  by mainly West Indian Youth but also supported by most young people in the town in 1980) after an occupation of a building in Castle Street in the middle of the town.

Producing Music and the ability to have a facility to produce music was much a key part of the centre from the off set and after funding was gained for a music recording studio (which i helped with a bit)  to be set up,  this allowed local musicians to record music professionally in Rugby - building on the excellent abilities of local people that existed and now were able to move forward as a career option and build Rugby's reputation as a vibrant place for creativity and music.

I remember the hard work to get the original studio off the ground in the first place and secure funding and i think it will be a real shame if local Councilors turn theirs backs on something they should be supporting!

Its great to see that the current people running the facility have continued to provide such an important resource for the local community, the people who occupied Castle Street back in the 80's  (who made people listen and take action)  will be pleased to see that local people are still fighting to provide a base for music and creativity in the town."

In solidarity - Roy Sandison

Schools Campaigners to stand for Rugby Greens in County Council Elections

Anti forced Academy school campaigners, Lorna Dunleavy and Steve Wright will be standing for the Green Party in the forthcoming County Council Elections on 2^nd May in the Brownsover Division (which covers Newbold, Brownsover & Benn).

Lorna standing up for local schools

Lorna and Steve as members of  Rugby Parents Against Academies and Rugby Academy watch (FB) are highlighting the need for parents and  communities  to be vigilant over attempts to coerce schools to become academies.They echo professionals concerns that:

·         Any extra money that an academy gets is taken away from the common LEA budget.

·         Schools and pupils hit most will be those left that will need Local Authority support most.

·         Academies can “cherry pick”their pupils to make it easier to reach their targets.

·         Focussing on targets means less time will be devoted to teaching a broad curriculum.

·         £8.3Bn has been spent only to replace the existing,democratically accountable system with a fragmented group of private companies.

PARENTS AND COMMUNITY NOT CONSULTED MEANINGFULLY

Parents at Newbold Riverside were mainly kept in the dark about the  intentions to give the school to the Reach2 and given no vote over the future of their school - a school that is a much loved part of the local community.No mandate is required from voters!!!

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An Academy can mean that local Governors can be removed and unqualified teachers used and even regulations on healthy food can be ignored.

Steve Wright who is the other Green Candidate in this two Councillor seat is heavily involved in seeking assurances about the future of his own local community school (St Andrews Benn) in the Town Centre and a regular poster to the very informative Rugby based 'Academy Watch' Facebook site - that can be found here http://www.facebook.com/rugbyparentsagainstacademies?fref=ts

NO SECRETS PLEASE!

Lorna, Steve and the Green Party want parents and the local community to be fully informed and involved in any plans for our local schools.

At the moment it seems decisions are being made about our schools behind closed doors and this it totally unacceptable – no one now or in the future should give away our schools without the parents and local community having a REAL SAY and VOTE!

LOCAL PEOPLE HAVING A SAY!

Lorna Dunleavy and Steve Wright were both born and bred in Rugby and care about Rugby and like most other residents in the town have concerns about the poorly planned turning out of the street lights, health concerns about incineration, cuts in benefits and the bedroom tax, and the closure of local shops and community resources. 

Steve Wright (left) discussing  his concerns about the future of our town with Will Duckworth,
Deputy Leader of the Green Party, during Will 's recent visit to Rugby.

Rugby needs Councillors like Lorna and Steve who will really reflect local concerns and take action when asked by local people and the local community

P & P by Roy Sandison on behalf of Lorna Dunleavy and Steve Wright and Rugby Green Party at 21 Jubilee Street, Rugby, CV212JJ.

Green MP leads fight over Bedroom Tax

Bedroom tax U-Turn: "Huge win for social justice, but now exempt disabled from this cruel and counterproductive measure", says Green MP

CAROLINE Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, led the Opposition Day debate on the Government's bedroom tax policy in February together with MPs from Plaid Cymru and SNP.

Responding to Iain Duncan Smith's announcement today, she said:

"The eleventh hour decision to exempt foster carers and families with children in the armed forces from the new bedroom tax is a huge win for social justice - and a clear sign that the Government is beginning to recognise just how flawed and unfair this policy is.

"However, ministers should now go further and exempt disabled people too in order to protect the most vulnerable from losing their homes to this cruel and counterproductive measure."

FIGHTING THE BEDROOM TAX AND BENEFIT CUTS

Rugby Green Party members will be meeting at 10am on Friday 1st March - meeting at 181 Oxford Street, Rugby to campaign against the Bedroom Tax and Benefit Cuts - please contact us via this page if you can help to leaflet or by email to rugbygreenparty@gmail.com or text to 07906600689 - If you want to know where we stand please see the video above.!