This will be the first of a number of informal Open meetings we intend to organise in your neighbourhood and where, with your ideas and help, we will develop an Action Plan towards achieving our aims as outlined in our Election Manifesto 2012.

We also welcome volunteers to help us deliver street leaflets, ward Newsletters and help us raise funds or organise social events.  

To find out more about volunteering for Bury Green Party, call our co-ordinator Nicole Haydock on 0161 7051560 or email haydockbgp@yahoo.com

Labour lost 279 votes and the Lib-Dem crashed with only 174 votes.

Conservative candidate Dorothy Gunter was returned with a substantial  majority. There were no UKIP candidate standing  in her way.  In some wards, conservative candidates  may have lost their seat to Labour as a result of UKIP splitting the conservative vote.

Results for North Manor

Gunter, Dorothy - conservative - 1,873

Treadgold, Steven - labour - 899

Glyn, Heath - Green - 355

Arthur, Evans - liberal-democrat - 174

With an overall  turn-out of 33,3% for the Borough, North Manor distinguished itself again with the highest score  at 40.69%.

The most worrying low turn-out  was in  Radcliffe East and West, Besses and Moorside with an average of  27%. Voters in these 4 wards have returned  a Labour candidate to represent their interest on the Council.

Apart from Labour's landslide where they took 10 seats - Council Leader Mike Connolly expected 5 wins - the biggest shock of the night was the defeat of all 3 Liberal- Democrats  candidates. This includes leader of the Lib-Dem Victor d'Albert for Holyrood.

Our second Green candidate Andrew McKee who stood in St Mary's on a principled and radical sets of policies for Prestwich  took 7% of the vote. Lib-Dem Councillor Mary d' Albert lost her seat to Labour.

Many thanks to all those who voted for Glyn and Andrew !

There will not be any local elections until 2014.  Bury Green Party now appeal to all those who have voted for Glyn and Andrew to join the Green Party or simply become a volunteer to help us achieve our aims for a more equal, democratic and green Bury.

TO THE HUNDREDS  OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE VISITED OUR WEBSITE DURING THOSE ELECTIONS, PLEASE DO REVISIT US REGULARLY FOR UPDATES OF OUR  CAMPAIGNS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.  

AS WE TAKE THE FIGHT STRAIGHT TO LABOUR ON THE GREEN BELT, ALLOTMENTS,  LOCAL DEMOCRACY, PLANNING & HOUSING , THE FUTURE OF OUR CIVIC VENUES ,  SOCIAL JUSTICE  AND THE CUTS , THE NEXT FEW MONTHS SHOULD BE LIVELY. COME AND JOIN US !

Reducing the gap between the highest paid and the lowest paid employees of Bury Council and across the Borough and introducing a living wage for the lowest paid in the Borough  are two of Bury Green Party's key Election Manifesto points.

A campaign has just been launched by The Equality Trust, with the same aims. Go over to http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/act-local, fill in your details and it will automatically generate an email to local councillors in your area (which you are free to edit or leave as the default) asking them to:

1. Publish the highest-to-lowest pay ratio for directly employed Council staff.

2. Publish the highest-to-lowest pay ratios for all private sector companies that have major Council contracts.

3. Adopt a living wage for all staff – whether employed by the Council or employed by a private sector contractor.

For a full version of our Election Manifesto 2012, please go back to "Home".

In both North Manor in Bury North and St Mary's in Bury South, residents will have the opportunity to break the mould in local politics by electing Green candidates to represent their communities.

Candidate Dr Glyn Heath's top priority for North Manor is to continue his support to Walmersley and Summerseat residents' opposition  to all industrial or commercial development  on our Green Belt and on "Gin Hall" in particular.

A keen environmentalist, Glyn will work  to maintain our wildlife corridors and green spaces and seek to find creative  solutions to meet the demand from over 500 applicants on the waiting list for an allotment in the borough.

His ultimate aim with regards to waste and recycling  is to further reduce the £14 million landfill tax bill to local tax payers with a drive towards  a zero waste strategy.

Glyn will also give his full support to the East Lancs Railway and vigorously  oppose  plans for new supermarkets  in the north of the borough.

Candidate Andrew McKee's top priority for St Mary's  is to give his full support to long standing local residents' campaign to ensure that Longfield Suite is not sold off to private operators or retailers.

A professional film editor and university tutor, Andy is keen to promote co-operatives and social enterprises in the  knowledge-based and creative industries  to bring new and highly skilled jobs in the borough.

Concerned about climate change and the high level of carbon emission in and around Greater Manchester, Andrew will seek to achieve  improvements  in our bus services and work towards  a substantial increase in passenger capacity on the Metrolink at peak time. 

Andrew opposes the Coalition goverment's  university tuition fees and will  lobby for a return of the Education Maintenance Allowance for College students.

Local Economy

Both Glyn and Andrew are committed to tackle Bury's low wage economy - the 2nd lowest in Greater Manchester after Blackley - by campaigning for the " Living Wage " of £8.00 an hour for the lowest paid council employees and in the private sector.

If elected, they would seek to create apprenticeships where possible within Bury Council's own workforce and with  its sub-contractors  in ecological and green spaces, office skills and nursery placements.

They will give their full backing for Six Town Housing's  project  put to the Council last September for a borough-wide Credit Union. This savings and borrowing scheme is supported by the Citizen Advice Bureau.

Local democracy

Both candidates are concerned about the depressing lack of participatory democracy and transparency  in Bury. As a matter of principle, the Green Party believes that power and responsibilities should be shared at the lowest level possible. This is why they would seek to replace our top-down, ineffective and unrepresentative Township Forums with Neighbourhood Councils  with decision making  powers and devolved budgets where appropriate in consultation with local residents and community groups.

Planning & Development

With regards to Planning and Development, they would do all they can  to involve local residents in their own neighbourhoods in the preparation and implementation of the Local Development Plan.

Housing

Six Town Housing tenants should  have the "right to chose" their social landlord. This includes  the option to return with the Council or transfer to tenant-led housing co-operatives or other not-for profit housing providers.

Concerned about the latest rent increase of 7.3%, our candidates would seek to bring the average rent of Six Town Housing tenants down  to an affordable level through further savings and smarter procurement.

If elected, they will ensure that all private residential developments deliver a minimum of 25% of affordable units instead of the existing 20%.

Council budget

If elected, Glyn and Andrew would seek further savings in the running of the Town Hall by reviewing the salaries of the Town Hall highest paid officers.

On the issue of Council Tax, Bury Greens take the view that the cost of Labour's council tax freeze for 2012-2013  in exchange for Local Government & Communities Minister  Eric Pickle's "bribe"  will only make matters much worse for next year's round of cuts.

The Green Party is the only party that believes  there is an alternative to the Coalition and Labour's cuts in public services. We have published our own evidence as to how together with efficiency measures, the budget deficit could be paid for by scrapping Trident, close tax loopholes and tax evasion, chase unpaid taxes, make bankers and the very rich pay their fair share of tax, put an end of exemptions in  corporation taxes  and introduce a levy on all financial and hedge funds transactions. Our full report can be downloaded by visiting www.greenparty.org.uk  or    www.financeforthefuture/com/TaxBriefing.pdf.

However, we also believe that when such projects have received planning permission to install turbines on our local rivers, great attention should be paid by contractors to all the conditions attached to such permission in order to avoid or mitigage any unecessary damage to the environment.

As a result of swift action taken by Bury Green Party in response to a local resident's concerns about the environmental damage around  the Micro Hydro Generation installation works on the Irwell at Bealey's Goyt, Bury Council's Planning and Environment  Department  served of a Stop Notice on the contractor. It also requested a revised planning application.

In their response to 10 questions sent to the Council's department regarding the  implementation of the conditions attached to the original planning permission, Council Officers acknowledged that the applicant  had undertaken earthworks that were not approved. It also requested that in their revised planning application, the contractor would have to include additional work and a proposed scheme to reinstate/replant the land in consultation with them.

Looking at the trees which had just been ripped out of the island from the middle of the river bed and the destruction of a large area of marsh land on the west bank of the river, local resident David Cox shared with us his sadness in the loss of a popular green space and its wild life.  A dog lover and a keen conservationist,  David  found it hard to believe that such unwarranted devastation could have been allowed in a place where swans, ducks and birds of many different species are such a popular sight for local families and residents to enjoy.

Bury Green Party have alerted a number of local environmental and conservation groups to the apparent closure of a footpath and the effect of the damage to the river bed and  bank on the local wild life and vegetation.  

Concerns with regards to the commencement of the works with the timing of the brown trout season and the welfare of otters spotted downstream  the development site  have also been raised with relevant organisations.

From the Ordnance Survey of 2011, it would appear that this area along the River Irwell is part of Bury's Green Infrastucture and the section  close to the Metrolink designated as Ecological Enhanced Area.

We also noted that the monitoring of the River Irwell had been suggested by the Environment Agency, but this had not been submitted to the Local Planning Authority. The contractors have been duly notified that this needs to be done before the turbine starts operating.

Bury Green Party has requested further information from the Environment Agency.

Councillors for Radcliffe and the Chairman of the Planning Committee have been duly notified of our on-going investigation.

Fracking has a severe impact on water supplies, environment and human health. The method known as "fracking" used to extract gas could pollute water sources all across the country. Fracking has also been proved to cause minor eathquakes and releases toxic air emissions.

Climate experts say fracking is incompatible with achieving the emission cuts we are committed to achieve by 2020.

 The purpose of the gathering is to :

1. find out more about the new fossil fuel scourge that's hitting Britain

2. meet with other local groups who are campaigning on fracking

3. discuss what can be done to build a National Coalition ( of local groups ) on fracking

4. learn from others new skills and how to get the best out of campaigns

5. Share ideas and plan for the future

The gathering is supported by a number of local and national campaigns such as the Campaign Against Climate Change ( www.campaigncc.org)  No Fracking in Sussex, thevalesaysNO.com, Frack Off (www.frack-off.org.uk ), R.E.A.F (reaf.blogspot.com ), The Green Party (www.greenparty.org.uk ) and affiliated parties to the North West Green Party.

In the current economic and financial climate where so many people are stuggling to make ends meet or do not have a bank account, the availability of such a well established saving and borrowing scheme in Bury would be of great benefit to many of the poorest members of our communities.

Each credit union has a " common bond" which determines who can join it. This determines who can become a member. The " common bond" may be for people living or working in the same area, people working for the same employer or people who belong to the same association, such as a church, a trade union or a housing provider.

A detailed sets of proposals have already been put to Councillors last year, based on the experience of Bolton Credit Union. Bolton Council and its social housing provider Bolton Home have a long and successful history of offering such  financial saving and borrowing scheme to their own tenants and residents and employees.

It is our understanding that volunteers from Bury Citizens Advice Bureau support the project as does Six Town Housing.

If Councillors want to be seen to respond to what local residents actually  told  them regarding their priorities for the  "Plan for Change" : e.g support for vulnerable people should come first,   the launching of a Credit Union in our borough should be included in the Budget for 2012/2013.

Bury Green Party  fully backs the plan as will their candidates for the May 2012 Local Elections.

What we have demonstrated is that the plan is  unsound - that is to say not compliant with both Government and  Bury Council's policies - and unsustainable.

Together with Walmersley Residents' Action Group's, we have also shown that the Employment Land Review conducted by the Planning Department is flawed. Planning Officers have admitted there were indeed errors in their determination as to the suitability or otherwise of a site or sites for employment land purpose.  This issue alone could potentially make the whole of the Plan deemed to be unsound.

In spite of  the short period of consultation allowed from 18th November 2011 to 20th January 2012, albeit within the 6 weeks statutory requirement, we understand that over 432 objections from local residents have been recorded. The Planning Department has to respond to each one of them individually.  Comments  from companies with a financial interest in the plan, neighbouring councils, statutory bodies such as the Highways Agency and the Environment Agency will  have to be responded to.  

All these responses will have to be published in a Response Report from the Council prior to the Final Hearing due to take place sometimes in May 2012.

Summary of Bury Green Party's submission:

1. Local communities have not been involved in the preparation of the plan

2. A one-off 15 minutes power-point presentation prior to the publication of the Draft Publication is no substitute for proper consultation

3. Local residents ' participation has not been appropriate, targetted, from the outset, continuous or transparent and accessible

4. The Preferred Option to increase the employment land in the north of the Borough is not based on economic or social needs

5. The set of criteria used in the assessment of the suitability of land or site for employment purpose  is flawed

6. The plan is unsustainable in terms of transport, carbon emissions/climate change, flood risks and the protection of wild life link corridors

7. The plan is in breach of both Government and Bury Council's material policy on the Green Belt

If you wish to have a copy of our submission, do contact us and we will do our best to forward it to you.

The Green Party has shown that the Coalition government's cuts in the welfare state and our public services  are not only deeply damaging to our economy, counter productive and unfair, but they are also unecessary. The money needed to reduce the £163 billion budget deficit could largely be found by scrapping Trident (£91 billion), closing  tax loopholes and tax evasion (£100 billion) in addition to collecting all unpaid taxes and implementing the introduction of  a small  tax on all banking transactions (£20 billion).

For further details of our supporting  evidence, visit: www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2010-06-19-callous-cuts-report.html.

As argued by leading US economist and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz in the Guardian last November, Britain, and the world, cannot afford not to have another stimulus. "We cannot afford austerity ", he said and added :  "cutbacks in spending will weaken Britain, and even worsen its long-term fiscal position".

This is  precisely where Osborne's ideological austerity measures - now supported by all 3 main political parties - against the disabled,  the most vunerable and our public services are  heading towards  with unemployment at 2.7 million and rising, and the debt repayment rocketing as the economy grinds to a halt.

Because of the cuts and for us in Bury,  the Council has to find savings of £32 million out of a Revenue budget of £143 million between April 2011 and until March 2015. This means that the currrent 38% of the Council Budget allocated to Supporting vulnerable people could be slashed by over £1,3 million.

In practical terms, it means that independent travel for pupils with Special Educational Needs could loose £200,000, our Children Centres £150,000 and the Adult Care Services (Older People' s Care Home Accommodation) £950,000. The Connexions Service is earnarked to loose £300,00 this year alone and £450,00 overall. Environmental Services could loose £87,000 this year and £242,000 overall.  Our  Park Ranger Service, play area and countryside maintenance will loose £95,000 this year and could loose £250,000 overall.

Unfilled vacancies will  mean cuts of a staggering £3,050 million whilst "preventative services" to children in care is planned to save another £1,300 million.  

What the UK needs is not austerity,  but a  plan to reverse the unemployment that is driving up the welfare bill and a plan which gets people back into work and paying taxes. What we also need is for people on low income to be paid a living wage.

Opposition to unfair and economically illiterate austerity must now therefore unite all trade unions against the madness of neoliberal austerity.

We believe the way out of this economic crisis lies in a Green New Deal which would create 1 milllion jobs and Green Quantitative Easing to act as direct stimulus to create long term assets in green energy and a more sustainable  economy.

" Given that Gin Hall is within the Green Belt, and given the context/history of the original Core Strategy Submission (which was first changed to take local residents' strong opposition into acount and then withdrawn !), why is Bury Council so keen to promote Gin Hall as development land for industrial and commercial use ?".

This will be followed by a further 12 questions - with supplementaries from the floor, if time allows - ranging from challenging the scoring of the site in terms of its potential employment use, "material considerations" e.g. the Council's unchanged policy on the Green Belt, traffic/pollution issues and sustainability.

 Bury Green Party urges its supporters and all those who care about protecting our environment in Bury North to come along to this meeting.

These cuts  hit the most vulnerable people hardest, including women, pensioners, the unemployed, the low paid, disabled people and carers.

In the North West jobs are being lost, as well as vital public services including day care centres, youth services and libraries and public  transport.

The Green Party takes the view that these cuts are unecessary and that the deficit could be paid for through scrapping Trident nuclear weapons system, impose higher and fairer taxation on wealthy corporations, the banks and individuals and closing tax loopholes and tax evasion.

Fore more details of our alternative budget, visit www.greenparty.org.uk and look up our 2010 General Election Manifesto or our more detailed report: "Cuts: the callous con-trick, Finance for the Future".

This is why the Green Party believe in protecting public services from damaging cuts and privatisation and would end pensioners' poverty by introducing a weekly Citizen's Pension of £170 for a single person and £300 for a couple.

We would also increase the minimum wage to a living wage and bring in our " Green New Deal " to create a million jobs in renewable energy, insulation, social housing, public transport and waste management.

As stated by Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party and the UK's first Green MP on the Day of Action : "The Coalition Government really doesn't 'get it' . One of the best way of sorting out the economy would be a huge investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy. It would create jobs, reduce fuel poverty and get our Co2 emissions down".

To their dismay, residents heard that having taken "Gin Hall "out of the second version of their Strategy,  the Council's third and latest "Draft Publication Core Strategy" (www.bury.gov.uk/corestrategy) actually puts "Gin Hall " back in their plan as Employment Land.

It was explained to the many  participants who had registered their objections to the original proposals that  the Council would not take those objections into consideration,  although the reasons for them remained unchanged.

With the closing date for consultation being Friday 13th January 2012,  fresh Comments Forms were provided to everyone present. The organisers also stressed the importance of people registering as stakeholders by Friday  2nd December if they wanted to be kept informed of proceedings and be invited at the Stakeholders Event towards the end of the consultation period.  This can be done by either calling (0161) 253 5550 or emailing planning.policy@bury.gov.uk.

What followed was a very lively question and answer session where Jim Metcalfe, spokesman for the Walmersley residents at the Final Hearing on 12th May 2011 explained in some details what was the rationale (or lack of !) behind the new document. He also pointed to some of its more obvious  and inherent contradictions whilst recognising that the Planning Department seemed to  had done a better job this time  round in gathering evidence to support the Draft Publication.  

Everyone agreed that the campaign to "Save Gin Hall" had to  continue and pressure on the Council  stepped up. A 15 strong  Action Group was formed  and  more volunteers came forward to distribute leaflets in their neighbourhood or street. A detailed  Action Plan was adopted which includes lobbying the Leader of the Council, members of the Planning Committee, Bury North Councillors and David  Nuttal, MP for Bury North.

A suggestion put by chairperson Nicole Haydock  to take up the Planning Department's offer to come to a meeting of local residents as part of their consultation procedure was also agreed. The Church Hall was booked for a further Public Meeting on 5th January for that purpose , starting at 7 pm.

If you wish to join our campaign to protect the Green Belt and save "Gin Hall"  from being turned into land for industrial or commercial development, you can visit  www.bury.gov.uk/corestrategy  and complete the Comments Form online. Alternatively, you can simply send a letter to :

Freeport RSHH-BGXC-LSSK

Environment and Development Services

Planing Policy and Project Section

3, Knowsley Place

Duke Street

Bury

BL9 OEJ

LOCAL DEMOCRACY : WHAT'S WRONG WITH TOWNSHIP FORUMS ?

Thursday 1st December - 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm

St Joseph's Parish Centre

132, Walmersley Road, Bury. BL9 6DX

EVERYONE WELCOME

Too many decisions in Bury are taken at executive level. This inevitably leads to a lack of accountability and residents have very little or no control over decisions affecting their neighbourhood.

Labour's Township Forums are nothing new. They are still only advisory, have no decision making powers and no budgets.

We believe that power and responsibility should be given to the lowest level possible. To achieve this in Bury, we would seek to replace the Forums with much smaller and elected neighbourhood committees or councils. And we would devolve real decision making powers with proper budgets to these.

Issues we believe would be best decided at neighbourhood levels would include:

•  local planning applications
• the management of community facilities such as Community Centres, Civic Halls, Parks and Green Spaces
• crime prevention measures
• local community projects and job creation
• traffic calming measures
• youth provision and play areas

If you are interested in exploring further how to improve local democracy in Bury, you are most welcome to join us at our Open Meeting.

For further details, call: 0161 7051560 or email haydockbgp@yahoo.com  

What is Fracking ?

Fracking or Hydraulic Fracturing is a controversial extraction method which  involves blasting water  and  highly hazardous chemicals deep into the ground to fracture layers of rocks or shale and force out natural gas.

What problems could we face if Fracking is allowed to go ahead in this country ?

Ground water will be contaminated with toxic and carcinogenic chemicals which could affect our crops and animals. Where Fracking has occured in the States, local residents have experienced breathing difficulties associated  with air pollution from the fracking plants.

Energy contractors Cuadrilla  suspended its shale gas test drilling near Blackpool in June over fears of links to two earthquakes  which hit Lancashire Fylde coast on 1st April, followed by a second tremor on May 27th. A study conducted by The British Geological Survey placed the epicentre of the quakes as being 500 metres away from a well at Weaton. A report commissioned by Cuadrilla found that it is " highly probable " that shale gas test drilling were responsible for the earth tremors, but added that the quakes were caused by an " unusual combination of geology at the well site".

A spokesman for Frack Off said: " This report does not inspire confidence, they should have done their research before drilling began" and added "Can we believe anything else the industry says when it talks about the safety of fracking?".

A recent study by three researchers at Cornell University also exposed the myth that shale gas is "clean". Methane leaks in the fracking process plus the energy consumed by drilling operations and pumping add up to a larger greenhouse gas footprint than coal-fired electricity !

What can be done to stop fracking in this country ?

Leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas is calling for a moratorium on fracking whilst the process itself is thoroughly investigated as is happening in France.

You can support local residents in Lancashire by joining their protests and meetings. Look out for the next Frack Camp and join us there.

For more details of the Frack Off campaign and latest news on the matter, visit : http://www.frackoff.org.uk.

Finally, make yourself aware of up and coming Planning Applications. It could be us next !

In his keynote speech on Saturday morning, deputy leader Adrian Ramsay attacked the Coalition government's plans to move the NHS towards privatisation and said :

"The Tory-Lib Dem proposals threaten the founding principles of our National Health Service and they do this by shifting more responsibility and delivery of healthcare out of public hands".

"The Government's plan is one where private companies provide services commissioned by GPs, paid by taxpayers.  But the British Medical Association is clear: most GPs want to focus on treating patients, not commissioning".

He continued :

" NHS privatisation is a bad deal for the patient and a bad deal for the taxpayer. It does matter who deliver the care - not just what it costs".

And added:

" We have a clear message for the Government: we're proud of the NHS. We still believe in healthcare free at the point of delivery. We still believe in healthcare based on clinical need, not ability to pay. We haven't stopped believing in healthcare to meet the needs of everyone and we reject your privatisation."

Notes

 For the full speech see

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/mediacentre/release/10-09-2011-conference-adrian-ramsay.html

Greens vote to revitalise rural economy

Caroline Allen of the party's national Policy Committee, who lead the policy review, said :

" Our new policies aim to revitalise the rural economy without resorting to inappropriate and damaging development. People are rightly horrified by the Coalition's proposals for a National Planning Policy Framework, which would simply give developers a green light to concrete out the countryside. We would strengthen planning controls for large-scale or damaging land-use changes in the countryside. In addition, we reaffirm our complete opposition to any sell-off of Forestry Commission land ".

She added:

" Our policies will support rural communities, create new employment, protect services and ensure that any development is appropriate, sustainable and provides real benefit "

To address the rural housing shortage, the Green Party proposes a Rural Housing Agency to keep under review housing needs and would support imaginative schemes to meet these needs in a sustainable and affordable manner. The Greens also want to see more Government action to stop the loss of essential facilities like health centres, schools and post offices.

The Green party would increase agricultural employment through better access to land for new entrants by securing long term local markets. The party also recognises the potential of non-agricultural rural enterprise, including recreation and tourism, renewable energy, home working and internet-linked enterprise. Rural employment is often characterised by low pay and seasonal work and improved employment opportunities, particularly for young people, are essential.

Other policies adopted call for :

* Greater protection to wildlife and extend a basic level of habitat protection to the whole countryside

* Link national parks and conservation areas to create a wide network of arears with high conservation value

* Protect and maintain existing rights of way and provide wider public access to the countryside

* Ensure that tourism and recreation development is sustainable and benefit local economies.

The visit was both informative and interesting, comprising of a power point presentation by two of Viridor  Education Officers,  a tour of the landfill site and the methane fuelled electricity generating facility. This was followed by a session on the recycling of household waste.

The information of keen interest to us as members of Bury Green Party can be summarised as follows:

• Pillsworth landfill site belongs to the Earl of Wilton - not Bury Council
• This site is ideal for landfill as it is a very large sand-filled basin; but it is in the Green Belt !

• A proportion of the income generated from the site from the "gate fees" and electricity generated goes to the landowner
• The methane produced by the fermentation is captured and 7 generators produce enough  electricity for 7000 local homes

• The landfill tax costs  £14 million a year to Bury tax payers - e.g. £ 250 a year for every resident
• Bury Council will start collecting food waste from October in the brown bins
• Viridor Laing has a 25 years contract with Bury Council
• Land fill tax is £56 per metric tonne and the " gate fee " for " rubbish " is £ 15 a tonne
• 200 lorries - average weight 15-20 tonnes - coming from all Councils within Greater Manchester - arrive at the site every day
• The large ditches where the waste in kept are capped with plastic sheeting to impede drainage and once filled, are covered with 2 metres of soil
• A falconer is used two or three times a week as an effective means of deterring seagulls 

 Members of Bury Green Party really enjoyed the experience. Highly recommended !

Bury Green party and our candidate for North Manor Glyn Heath fully supported Walmersley's residents campaign against the Council's plans to take the area known as "Gin Hall" out of the Green Belt. The original plan contained in the Council's Local Development Framework was to allow the area to be released for industrial and/or commercial development.

With no less than 412 residents registering their objections to the proposal, Bury Planning Department decided to revise the document.  The new version was published in February 2011 and was examined  by Inspector S.J Pratt at a Hearing on 12th and 13th May 2011.

At the Hearing, Jim Metcalfe - Bury's ex-Planning Officer - spoke on behalf of Walmersley's residents. He pointed out that no targetted consultation of local people had been carried to turn " Gin Hall " into industrial or commercial land. He also raised concerns that the Council had failed to undertake full community engagement as expected of the Council's own Statement of Community Involvement.

With threats of possible legal action from Peel Holdings Ltd and Wilton Estates due to their own concerns with the revised version of the Strategy,  Planning Officer Paul Allen took advice from the Council's legal department and the Chief Executive and decided  to withdraw the whole of the Core Strategy altogether.

As a result, the Council has requested of the Secretary of State direction with withdraw their submission. This was granted on 27th June 2011 by Bob Neil PM and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Comunities and Local Government Bob Neil MP. An amended plan is now being re-drafted by the Planning Department. It  will be submitted for public consultation between  November 2011 and  May 2012.

Bury Green Party will keep local residents and supporters informed of further developments with an update on this site and the next issue of our North Manor Newsletter.