Great news for our party – There will now be significantly more food available after the regional Coop team agreed to sponsor our event.
We now have access to £50 worth of food and drink from our local Coop. On a local, national and international basis, the Coop have a fantastic reputation for helping support social and environmental causes.
To find out more about The Cooperative’s principles click here: http://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/our-plan/
Free food and live music – Friday 25th November – 7pm start with free food until 8.30pm – St Collen’s Community Hall, Llangollen.
Hosted by Llangollen Friends of the Earth to celebrate the start of the UN Climate Talks in South Africa.
Open invite to all!
What will a supermarket mean for Llangollen?
Between 1997 and 2002 more than 13,000 specialist stores aroundthe UK – including newsagents, Post Offices, grocers, bakers, butchers – closed. The loss of local, independent shops can have serious impacts in terms of access to food, particularly for people on lower incomes or those who don’t have use of a car
Supermarket claims that new stores bring in jobs fail to consider the wider picture of independent retailer bankruptcies. A 1998 study by the National Retailer Planning Forum (NRPF) examining the employment impacts of 93 superstore openings between 1991 and 1994 found that they resulted in a net loss of more than 25,000 jobs or 276 per store opened
A Friends of the Earth study of local food schemes found that on average just over half of business turnover was returned to the local economy – compared to as little as five per cent for supermarkets.
The distribution systems used by supermarkets and the location of out of town stores generate large amounts of traffic. Recent work for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) suggests that car use for shopping results in costs to society of more than £3.5 billion per year, fromtraffic emissions, noise, accidents, congestion and accident
Full details for the Counterpower book launch can be seen below;
*** Counterpower Book launch – Sunday 13th November 2011 – 7.30pm – St Collen’s Community Hall, Llangollen – Upper room – Refreshments available ***
Tim Gee is the author of, ‘Counterpower’ (www.newint.org/counterpower) and also works for FoE UK as a campaign trainer.
Tim will be hosting a book launch along with a participatory workshop, or alternatively a talk followed by a question-and-answer session.
Light refreshments will be available on a donation basis. Hope to see you there!
Community Futures is a programme of courses for community volunteers from all over the UK to come and learn new skills to help them and the communities that they come from to become more sustainable. There are 12 new courses running from November 2011 – March 2012. Click here for more information.
An article from Simon Collinge, first published in the October edition of the Llangollen news;
In Augusts’ Llangollen News, under the Llangollen Town Council report readers might have noticed the application 03/2011/0696 Plas Derwen, Abbey Road – application for modification or discharge of planning obligation relating to the payment of commuted sum for the provision of affordable housing and public open space.
The Town Council quite rightly, raised objections. The original plans submitted for the development were for a much smaller and less intrusive build and included affordable housing for local residents. The developers, however, thought they could make more money from a larger, more prestigious development so submitted new plans for the incongruous development now dominating the approach to Llangollen on Abbey Road. Apparently, Planning Regulations require new build schemes should have a percentage of affordable housing and developers have to pay a “commuted sum” – in this case believed to be in excess of £200,000 – to the authority if they chose not to provide urgent needed accommodation for local people.
I wrote to the Town Council to ask if our two County Councillors would be supporting them and objecting to this attempt by the developer to avoid paying the commuted sum and their obligations to the community.
Ian Parry, the Town Council Clerk replied
Although the Town Council may object to an application we cannot insist that our County Councillors support our decisions. They may hold different views. Also I understand that they are ‘not allowed’ to indicate their position on a particular issue before an application goes to committee as this would prevent them from speaking at the meeting.
I will be writing to both our County Councillors asking them to consider supporting the Town Council in this matter.
Apparently the matter will be considered at the Denbighshire County Council Planning Committee in October and I would encourage residents to write and express their opinions regarding the developer not paying the “commuted sum”.
E-mail: your.voice@denbighshire.gov.uk
Website: http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk
Following being granted leave to appeal, at the high court in London on 8th July 2011. Hafod Environmental Group has one final opportunity to stop the extension of landfilling at Hafod quarry.
We successfully challenged the Welsh Government’s decision to modify the 1995 planning permission. We are extremely grateful to our barrister Richard Harwood, his colleague Caroline Allen and to Gamlins Solicitors.
If we are successful in our Appeal, the lifespan of the site could be reduced from around 35 years to approximately 5 years.
We now need to start fundraising again for the appeal hearing which is scheduled to place in Cardiff on 30th November 2011. We plan to hold a Hot Pot Supper, Promise Auction and Raffle on November 11th. Anyone wishing to make a donation please contact; Pauline Smout 01978 810275 or Dorothy Tunnah 01978 841335.
Saturday 1st October – Manchester
Listen, be inspired and speak out! Join us for a day of workshops, then join the Bearing Witness procession and vigil on the eve of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.
1.30pm: Be inspired by talks and workshops
6.15pm: Speak out at the Bearing Witness procession and candlelit vigil
7.30pm: Finish
A bus will be leaving from Wrexham. Contact Warren or Andrew for more information.
More information about the event…
Chester & District Friends of the Earth have organised a fun food fiesta event! There will be free food and a vaThe event will take place on Thursday 22nd September. Click here for more information.
Click to download a new report produced by Mon a Gwynedd FOE: Economic and social costs of Road Projects in Wales
This report comes with a message from Helen Lewis of Mon A Gwynedd FOE,
“The Government is currently committed to developing the trunk road system through Wales in ways designed to increase road traffic and therefore carbon emissions at a time of climate change and cuts in public services. We’re asking the Welsh Government to:
· Delay the hugely expensive Bontnewydd/Caernarfon bypass, until sustainable alternatives have been properly trialled
· Redirect the transport budget towards sustainable transport, ensuring a co-ordinated and flexible public transport system to end rural isolation and poverty.
· Use public funds wisely to invest in our young people and target the scandals of social exclusion, poverty and poor health.
Our report has been sent to all AMs. If you agree with us , please circulate this to friends and societies, and above all, contact your AM and say so. You’ll find his/her email address on http://www.senedd.assemblywales.org/mgCommitteeMailingList.aspx?ID=0 Don’t let your AM get away with claiming that this isn’t their business because the Bontnewydd bypass isn’t in their constituency: this is about the wider issues of the relationship between the roads programme and carbon reduction, social justice and the responsible use of public money.
The Welsh Government’s policy document One Wales, One Planet, states: “Sustainable development as the process by which we must become a sustainable nation…is as much about social justice as it is about securing economic resilience and living within environmental limits.” That’s the principle that underlies the report- but our AMs do need encouragement to help create a socially just, environmentally responsible nation!”
Click to download the report; Economic and social costs of Road Projects in Wales
For more information go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/M%C3%B4n-Gwynedd-Friends-of-the-Earth/146950144267?v=wall&ref=ts