Neil and others in Worcester Green Party believe that the main beneficiaries of the decision, which is yet to be endorsed by the secretary of state, Eric Pickles, will be the developers, St. Modwen, who would probably introduce commercial development along Nunnery Way to the detriment of the city centre shops and commercial centre of Worcester.

At the meeting concerns were also raised about parking on match days, as the chairman of the club has confirmed that parking would not be free, which would likely lead to people parking on surrounding streets, therefore exacerbating the existing parking problems in relation to the hospital. Surely there are alternatives to building a new ground, which could lead to the club going bust?

You can read more here:

http://www.worcesterstandard.co.uk/2012/01/06/news-Safety-fears-spark-call-for-action-25998.html

Green Party members joined hundreds of people who marched through Worcester City Centre to voice their anger at the government's attack on public sector pensions.  

Prior to the national strike, the BBC commissioned a poll which suggested that 61% of people believe public sector workers are justified in going on strike over pension changes. Indeed, there seemed to be a lot of support from people in Worcester on the day.

Neil Laurenson, Green Party candidate for St. Stephen ward, said: "The government is yet again using a crisis caused by the private sector to heap misery upon public sector workers, who, after years of contributing to their communities, simply want to enjoy a worthwhile retirement. The repeated misinformation from MPs who actually do have very generous pensions is as infuriating as it is hypocritical. We must continue to campaign for fair pensions for all."

According to the county council, there are 280 areas within Worcestershire with multiple reported incidents, with the area of Bilford Road from the Astwood Road bend until the bridge being at 244 on the list.

The data only covers incidents that the police are aware of - the figures did not include the elderly lady who was hospitalised, nor the elderly gentleman killed on Bilford Road in 2003.

At the meeting that Neil arranged with Councillor Mary Drinkwater and a member of the Highways Department on 31st October, potential solutions for making the road safer were raised, but the Council took the view that nothing can be done due to some technical reasons.

Several residents have since contacted Neil to raise concerns, as they have personally witnessed accidents or near-accidents on Bilford Road. Neil will continue to press the council into making the road safer.

Neil consulted residents to see if they would be in favour of lowering the local speed limit from 30mph to 20mph, as several residents had raised concerns about speeding.

64% of people who expressed a preference were in favour of lowering the speed limit.

As this is not an overwhelming majority, Neil will continue to encourage the County Council to come up with some solutions to the various traffic and speeding issues on the estate, making sure that the Council does not take action until any options are put to residents in a consultation. 

Neil Laurenson and other Green Party members are consulting local residents living near the Tudor Grange School to find out whether they want their road to have a 20 mph limit. If enough people are in favour, he will lobby the the County Council to extend the current 20 mph zone (the green area on the map below).

Our 20 mph campaign is being supported by the campaigning organisation 20's Plenty For Us. To find out more about the benefits of having a 20 mph zone where you live, visit their website at www.20splentyforus.org.uk.

20's Plenty For Us from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Date: 18 October 2011
Time: 18:15 - 19:45
Location: Urwin lecture theatre EEG087, University of Worcester St John's Campus, Henwick Grove, Worcester, WR2 6AJ

University of Worcester host a free screening at 6:15pm on 18th October

Join Worcester Green Party members at this free screening at University of Worcester.

What is "Just Do It"?

Just Do It is a documentary that lifts the lid on climate activism. On October 18th, the organisers are aiming for more people to see Just Do It in a single day than throughout the entire theatrical release. The film will be screened in almost 100 universities across the UK, for FREE, open to both students and members of the public. It's a great opportunity for as many people to see the film as possible.

See justdoitfilm.com/university-of-worcester-615pm  for more information. Hope to see you there.

750 questionnaires and 3,400 Viewpoint surveys have been received, and a representative from the Council claimed that "there is a huge amount of backing for this strategy."

Neil said:

"Although the Government's cuts were mentioned, most of the Council's presentation was taken up with talk about increasing people's independence and enabling them to plan for their own future, which are sound concepts, but making people pay more for services isn't the way forward. The last thing people over 50 need - when bus cuts are taking effect and energy prices are rising - is to be told that they'll need to pay more for care services."

The health service we know and love is under massive threat. The coalition government claims to have listened to the concerns of the public and made changes to the draft Health and Social Care Bill.  But the Bill will still

• Increase privatisation
• Bring back the postcode lottery
• Increase red tape

Cameron's revised health Bill is now a dangerous mess of amendments and loopholes. Our MPs will be voting in Parliament on this Bill and the future of the NHS on 6th and 7th September.   They will be asked to vote on the amendments and vote the Bill through (or not) before it goes to the House of Lords.

Do you want this Bill to become law?  If you are as worried as we are, please tell your MP not to vote for the death of our NHS.  You can do so via http://nhsalert.org.uk/ a campaign organised by nurses, doctors and concerned health professionals.

We are absolutely determined to do all we can to try and stop this Bill becoming law.  If you love the NHS, help us fight to keep it.

Why a demonstration outside the Walk-in Centre?

Worcester Walk-in Health Centre provides GP appointments for everyone from 8am to 8pm 365 days a year.  It was commissioned to do so by NHS Worcestershire to improve access to primary care.

The Walk-in Centre is run by Elgar Healthcare Limited.  This company was formed in May 2008 ‘by local GPs to manage and run a variety of community based healthcare services. The company is also supported from investment by 64 shareholders who are all either GPs or Practice Managers in South Worcestershire.' 

This means that the profit from providing this NHS Walk-in service goes to the shareholders of Elgar Healthcare Limited.

Under the ConDem government's proposed Health and Social Care Bill, GPs will become the commissioners and decide where NHS funds are spent.  The government will require them to ‘offer choice' of health service providers.  This will allow them to award more contracts to Elgar Healthcare Limited for their own profit.

Furthermore your own GP will have a financial incentive to refer you to services provided by Elgar Healthcare Limited, rather than to non-profit making NHS providers, because they will be adding to their personal income.

Neil said "I was genuinely shocked when I saw the fencing for myself. Bits of sharp wire are sticking out all over the place and there are lots of trip hazards. It is good to hear that the Council has taken note of our concerns and I look forward to seeing the park once the Council has removed the fencing."

Neil said: 

"It was pleasing to see Dr Richard Taylor on the panel of speakers. He criticised the Government for suggesting that the notion of choice within the NHS is anything new, and he expressed his fear that under the Government’s plans we could have an American-style health system."

"Dr Carl Ellson, Chair of the new South Worcestershire Commissioning Consortium, was also at the debate. Dr Ellson is a shareholder in Elgar Healthcare, a private company that stands to make a lot of money from the Government's plans."

"As I have said before, there are huge conflicts of interest if GPs are given responsibility for commissioning budgets."

"The NHS should remain national, public and free. Sometimes people accuse us (the Government) of wanting to privatise the NHS...That is not the case at all. I don't want to see the NHS changed beyond recognition or cut. I don't think the Government would dare to cut the NHS and wouldn't be in power again if it did. There won't be a market competition in terms of price - that would lead to ‘cherry-picking'. Competition has to be based on quality - whatever the provider they will be paid the same amount."

Elaine Carolan, Worcestershire County Council Lead Joint Commissioning Manager for Adult & Community Services, also spoke at the meeting, which was chaired by Reverend Anne Smith of St. Andrew's Methodist Church. Mrs Carolan said:

"Worcestershire County Council is very committed to not doing services in-house. Commissioning services out is more cost-effective (but) we don't just contract out to the cheapest bidder."

Neil said:

"The proposed Health and Care Bill is an unnecessary re-organisation of the NHS. Robin Walker acknowledged that the reorganisation - which could cost £3bn - could divert resources. Most GPs are private provider businesses, not NHS employees, with investments in a range of providers. There are huge conflicts of interest if they are given responsibility for commissioning budgets. Privatisation is about making profits out of existing services for private shareholders, not making sure that people get the best care possible. I was also concerned by Elaine Carolan's comments regarding privatisation and personal responsibility for care. I have heard Adrian Hardman, Trish Haines and Phillip Gretton make similar comments, and it is becoming increasingly obvious that the deficit caused by the banks is being used as excuse to make cuts to public services whilst enabling private companies to increase their profits."

Adrian Hardman (Conservative Leader of the Council) made a presentation outlining the Council's intention to shift from service delivery to a commissioning council.

A commissioning council in effect means a council that contracts out work to either charities or private profit-making businesses - or to put in another way: privatisation.

Neil commented, "The County Council is determined to allow private companies to deliver almost all of its functions. Private companies would pay staff less and standards of service would go down, as the priority would be increasing profits for chief executives and shareholders. The Council also stated that it would consider selling off some of its assets - you only need to look at what is happening with Southern Cross to see the pitfalls of privatisation and poor regulation".

This consultation was intended as a one-off - only time will tell if they honour our request for more consultation and in fact listen to feedback given by ordinary citizens.

Click here for a complete list of results in Worcester.

Elsewhere in the region, the Green Party were even more successful. They gained an additional seat in the Malvern West ward and now have two members on Malvern Hills District Council. In the West Midlands the Green Party has gone from having two Councillors to seven.

Across the country the Green Party gained many new seats. The greatest achievement was probably in Brighton where they gained ten seats and are now the largest party on the council. As Caroline Lucas, the Green Party leader, said: "We have offered people a positive and progressive alternative to the older political parties, and they have welcomed it."

For more information about the seats held and won by the Green Party, go to their website. To read more about the Green Party success in Brighton, read The Guardian article.

The demonstration, which was organised by members of Worcester Against The Cuts and 38 Degrees, involved people wearing David Cameron masks holding placards such as ‘Cuts Won’t Hurt Me’ and others holding placards with pro-NHS messages such as ‘People Not Profit’. A ballot was held, whereby visitors were asked if they are in favour of the Government’s plans to change the NHS: 100% said ‘No’ to the Government’s plans.

Neil Laurenson said:

"The Government’s NHS plans will turn the NHS into a business where our taxes will increasingly pay for profit-driven companies to provide our healthcare. The Government has very craftily delayed its plans by three months so that it isn’t a local election. Actually, it is an election issue, and it’s an issue that will affect everyone, as proper healthcare will become a lower priority than private profit."

"Two out of three MPs won their sets when most people backed someone else. AV means all of them need to aim for support from 50% of the voters to get elected. So they'll all have to work harder to earn - and keep - our support."

www.yestofairervotes.org

Dr Richard Taylor, former Independent MP for Wyre Forest, spoke of his opposition to the Coalition Government’s proposed changes to the NHS at a public meeting in Worcester organised by Worcester Against The Cuts and members of the campaign group 38 Degrees (21/4/11). He urged people to challenge local MPs on their support for the Government’s plans and said that “Labour are in such a weak position” in terms of opposing the plans, given that when they were in power they welcomed in private healthcare providers. Dr Taylor also referred to the Government’s NHS Future Forum and said,

"The truly shocking thing about the NHS Future Forum is that there appears to be no working group to look specifically at safety and quality of care."

Ann Montague-Smith, representing Worcestershire LINk (Local Involvement Network), said that Worcestershire Primary Care Trust is losing many staff. She warned that by dividing Worcestershire into three consortia (South Worcestershire, Wyre Forest, and Redditch/Bromsgrove) services may be fragmented, and she added that there will be no scrutiny of how consortia are spending public money. Dr Taylor, on the subject of the new consortia, said that “the postcode variation (in quality of care) will go mad”, and he stressed that "so much (health care) can be done centrally".

Dr Taylor famously won his seat in 2001 with an 18,000 majority, having based his election campaign around restoring the A&E department of Kidderminster Hospital, which had been closed due to cuts. In 2005 he became the only Independent MP to have retained his seat for a second term since 1949.

NHS Worcestershire has proposed to cut £60 million from its budget, which could lead to the loss of 200 jobs and 120 beds at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. It owes Catalyst, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) company that built the hospital, £720 million, even though it cost £82 million to build.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), has said: "Cutting thousands of frontline doctors and nurses could have a catastrophic impact on patient safety and care. It’s a myth that the NHS has been protected."

Neil said:

“Yvonne Hossack said that Government policies are not always in the best interests of people. Indeed, I believe that the council’s policies are not in the best interests of local people who require decent care. Philip Gretton was mostly evasive about the council cuts, but he was refreshingly frank about undermining worker’s terms and conditions and privatising local services. That said, I was appalled that Mr Gretton had the audacity to say that the council has acted ‘with due care and consideration’ whilst also defending the Chief Executive Trish Haines’ six figure salary and the use of consultants.”

*BOLD = ‘Better Outcomes, Lean Delivery’

"Vote Green posters are never going to win an election by themselves, however many are put up by green minded sympathisers, but they do help to keep up the momentum and should help to increase turnout on the day." - said Louis Stephen, Campaign Manager for Worcester Green Party.

If you are already a Green Voter why not encourage others to support us on the day too by putting up a poster? You can email us at Louis.Stephen@WorcesterGreenParty.org.uk or call us on 01905 359 509 and we will drop one round for you.

Alternatively, you can download a Green Party poster yourself.