Category: Blog

I was listening to Radio 4’s ‘Start the Week this morning. Stewart Brand, an American environmentalist from the 60s, was promoting his book in which he turns heretic in supporting the urban over-crowded shanty existence against the rural idyll of village life, and goes on to support nuclear power, and gm crops in Africa. It was good to hear views refreshingly well argued as opposed to the tired refrain from some of the more unworldly Green polemicists and their ilk.  Here’s a link to a 15 minute lecture from him. It’s well worth watching if only for the spectacular shots of the train going through the Bangkok Shanty. Mike Cordingley

Image src “David Keith, Stewart Brand, Joel Garreau” by New America, CC BY 2.0

Ombudsman slams Hammersmith & Fulham council as pregnant domestic violence victim is forced to sleep in park

When David Cameron went to Hammersmith & Fulham recently he told locals that “when I look at the record of what the Conservatives have done here in Hammersmith and Fulham, far from being embarrassed as the Conservative Leader, I’m proud of what they’re doing”.

Last Thursday the Local Government Ombudsman condemned Hammersmith and Fulham Council and determined it must pay compensation to a pregnant woman fleeing domestic violence, after Cameron’s ‘flagship’ local authority refused to provide her with support and temporary accommodation. The terrified woman was later found seeking shelter in a park.

This shocking tale would be of no interest to Stretford residents except that it highlights the true Tory future should we re-elect the nasty party. It serves as a reminder of the squalor and destitution that faced many in Thatcher’s Britain. For goodness sake we mustn’t let them back.

Mike Cordingley

Child poverty figures

One-club solutions are not the answer to child poverty

26 January 2010
The latest figures from Save the Children showing an increase in the number of the very poorest children will cause ministers concern. The charity itself acknowledges that budget measures since 2008 should have begun to turn the position round. But some children are especially at risk. Children who experience long-term ill health or disability, or who have a parent who is sick or disabled, children in larger families, children in lone parent families, children from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds, children whose parents don’t work – all face a disproportionately high risk of poverty.

Photo: north west labour

It’s that time of year again. Help us by telling us the roads and pavements that need attention in the Gorse Hill Ward.

Use the reply section

Why reward the deserter who remarries but penalise the parent who remains?

21 January 2010
The Tories’ costly proposal to offer a tax allowance for married couples has so much about it that’s just plain daft. There’s no evidence that tax breaks encourage the reluctant to the altar – yet the party that takes macho pride in how hard and fast it will cut the deficit is ready to waste money on a policy that doesn’t work.

Kate Green, our prospective parliamentary candidate attended a meeting with residents and developers on Wednesday night.

“It was a useful and well attended meeting. Whilst it was clear that these were ambitious plans, it remains that up to 16,000 people could be descending on Gorse Hill and the surrounding area late at night and in the early hours of the morning, creating havoc for residents. There are serious questions to be answered about adequate transport and crowd control as well
as concerns about noise nuisance and public order offences. But once again, the Council seems to be bending over backwards for big
business and ignoring residents’ worries about these issues”.

Kate Green

Following on so quickly with the council’s alarming disdain for the concerns of residents in connection with United’s hosting of stadium concerts, there’s a real worry that Trafford’s Conservatives once again neglect to impose any meaningful conditions if it goes ahead.

We understand that the above application is for an international class venue on the Quays not far from the Imperial War Museum. The proposal is from David Vincent’s Sankey group and from what we can gather, is not dissimilar to The Labyrinth project that was refused by Manchester’s licensing. is for a massive 24 hr live music venue.

Already I understand there’s been a concerted effort to oppose the proposal with a leaflet drop in Gorse Hill.

The Quays area is a mixed tourist/leisure and residential area these day, but beyond the theatre, it has a weak night-time economy. Given that it’s away from the established residential area, would it be so inappropriate to have a world class venue such as this in the Quay’s area?

The sheer scale of it means that dispersing that amount of people without disturbing the peace of residents on the Quays and throughout Gorse Hill and beyond becomes critical. I have grave doubts that it can be done, but even more worryingly, experience of Trafford’s Tories suggests that they’re unlikely to make any effort to even mitigate the disturbance.

The opinions of the Lowry Centre and Hotel together with other businesses like Media City will be also be critical. It’s especially important to me that we learn your views.

Mike Cordingley

Gorse Hill Councillor Dave Acton adds:

“I’m totally opposed to this proposal. People in this area have enough to put up with already with parking and traffic problems on match days at Manchester United and the cricket club. A 24 hours a day 365 days a year licence will create even more problems for local people in Gorse Hill and Longford. It’s absolutely unacceptable.”

 

Image source “Beehive Mill” by pedrik, CC BY 2.0