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Headingley - The Issues
We believe that the best people to ask about how to deal with these problems are the people who live here. Unfortunately, the council’s system of government by executive or cabinet has made us feel even further from the people in power than we did before. The Community Involvement Team (CIT), set up in theory to bring democracy closer, covers three large wards (Headingley, Weetwood and Kirkstall) that have different problems and needs. The current plan is to make these areas even larger, so that the voters of Headingley will yet again find their issues lost in a sea of seemingly more urgent concerns of other areas. Why not have a local council for Headingley? What is wrong with the idea of democracy and representation working at this most vital of levels? The efforts of one community group to campaign for this level of government have not been widely supported by the Labour group, despite MP Harold Best’s open support for the idea. The LibDems won’t support it either – though they recommend other forms of community organisation – but why not the democratic kind? A town council in Headingley would not be able to close roads, control landlords and veto the opening of more fast food outlets at a stroke. It would, however, have a statutory right to review all planning applications, have a legitimate role in the consideration of Highways issues, and would be an ideal basis for the registering and monitoring of landlords in the area. It could raise some money to be spent on Headingley in ways decided by Headingley. It would have a line of communication to the police that they would have to take seriously. The Green Party believes in working locally, and thinking globally. It is possible to make a difference, but you need to see the results in your own community as well as in the wider world. Let us know if you think like us, whether or not you wish to join the party. We’ll work with anyone who shares our ideals! Lesley Jeffries |
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Views on the Iraq War The Green Party annual conference in September voted decisively to condemn what one delegate called "The Bush- Blair axis of war". The Greens have begun to lobby for a more long term approach, which avoids giving in to the climate of bloodlust and revenge which has settled on the USA and her allies since September 11th. Here are a few views that you might not have come across in the popular (sic) press:
The West has an absolute responsibility to follow through every avenue before pursuing war, and that means taking seriously Saddam's offer to unconditionally readmit UN weapons inspectors. That he has accepted the call for inspections, despite the Washington Post's evidence that inspectors have in the past been used to gather US intelligence, must not be ignored.” Dr. Caroline Lucas Green Party MEP
"The most recent report of the UN secretary general, in October 2001, says that the US and UK governments' blocking of $4bn of humanitarian supplies is by far the greatest constraint on the implementation of the oil-for-food programme. The report says that, in contrast, the Iraqi government's distribution of humanitarian supplies is fully satisfactory...The death of some 5-6,000 children a month is mostly due to contaminated water, lack of medicines and malnutrition. The US and UK governments' delayed clearance of equipment and materials is responsible for this tragedy, not Baghdad." From: http://www.johnpilger.com/
Wesley Clark, Former Nato supreme European commander
From:
www.cnduk.org
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Headingley Green Party's View We oppose Bush and Blair’s war. We find it incredible that our supposed centre-left leader is standing holster to holster with such a right-wing gung-ho President
of the USA. Whilst others such as the German SPD leader Gerhard Shroeder speak out, Blair and New Labour take on the role of embarrassing lap dogs. It is to his credit, that local Labour MP
Harold Best supported the recent mass demonstration in London against the war. If only the rest of his careerist party had his principles…..
More information: See: www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk/stopthewar/ or www.stopwar.org.uk or www.johnpilger.com |
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A great local success story ....
On the slope of Woodhouse Cliff, opposite
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, there is a largish patch of deserted land. Residents from Woodhouse and Meanwood had their allotments there, growing vegetables and flowers and spending their
spare time, but many of them moved away, dropped out or could not attend their plots for health reasons. The site got into disarray and the council officially closed it. In the past, areas
close to the site have been sold off for development i.e. housing. The fact that the council had closed the site led to fear amongst local residents that this site could be the next green
area to be lost to developers. A resident enquired about the site and after discussion with council employees they agreed to reopen the site only on the condition that 75% of the 36 plots were taken. Through a leafleting campaign in our local area we managed to accumulate the numbers needed. A number of local residents then formed the Bandstand Community Garden Association, with the intention of turning the site into a Community Garden.
Talking of allotments ….
The Headingley Network Community Association is circulating a copy of a letter sent out recently by Headingley councillors about the proposed selling of council allotment land at the bottom
of St Anne’s Road to developers. There is currently no planning application in, though there are fears about what WILL be proposed once the land is sold. The immediate action that is needed
is to tell the council that we don’t want our land sold! For more information on the Headingley Network – see
www.headingleynetwork.org.uk or phone Lesley on 2741011 – congratulations to all those concerned with organising “Celebrate
Headingley” in September – we look forward to more of these events in the future. |
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You
don’t have to be in Headingley for long to appreciate the main issues blighting the lives of all of us who live here:
The UN Children's Fund UNICEF estimates sanctions have played a part in the death of half a million
Iraqi children. This slaughter, out of sight of the TV cameras, must not be carried out in our name.
Among those now debating whether the Iraqi people should be cluster-bombed or not, incinerated or
not, you are unlikely to find the names of Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck, who have done the most to break through the propaganda. No one knows the potential human cost better than
they. As assistant secretary general of the UN, Halliday started the oil-for-food programme in Iraq. Von Sponeck was his successor. Eminent in their field of caring for other human beings,
they resigned their long UN careers, calling the embargo "genocide". Their last appearance in the press was in the Guardian last November, when they wrote:
A number of ideas were put forward by local residents. They included a Community Orchard,
Community Recreation Area, Community Vegetable Growing Scheme, Community Compost, Individual Plots, Ponds and other features to promote the attraction and diversity of wildlife. Much of the
work has been done collectively, often based around Action Days, and they have just enjoyed their first significant harvest. A great deal has been achieved on this beautiful site, but there
is still a huge amount to do. The group is trying to achieve ‘self-administration’- a move supported by the Green Party- and would welcome new members. The site is being managed along sound
ecological principles- encouraging wildlife, diversity and organic approaches to horticulture. If you would like to get involved please ring Peter on 2757523.