Manchester City Council Executive Meeting: Masters of Illusion at work

At least 50 members of the public  attended the Manchester City Council Executive meeting yesterday. They were mainly campaigners and supporters of local services from Withington, Levenshulme and Miles Platting hoping to have change council minds about the closure of swimming pools and libraries in those areas.

3 speakers from the public were allowed in defence of those facilities and they spoke well, the effectiveness of the Withington campaign and work of Councillor Chris Paul  were noted.

The initial response from Council to keep the pools open were met with cheers. These quickly changed to shouts from the public area once more details were revealed.

• Only the pools were considered in this apparent change of heart.
•  The Withington pool (which had the most vigorous campaign and the most active campaigning Councillor (Paul)) would be the most likely facility to remain open. The Levenshulme and Miles Platting pools have ‘less viable business plans’.
•  All the pools to be saved from closure would have find a way to fund running costs for two years, until the new facilities are built otherwise all bets are off.

All decisions would be considered as part of the current and ongoing consultation.

Most of the campaigners left after that but strangely enough, despite the long list on the Exec agenda, the committee ended soon afterwards, without any substantive examination of any of these areas.

Despite the victory tweets and Facebook updates, presumably mainly from Labour supporters, the campaigners impromptu gathering was a more sober affair. The acknowledgement that they had a very temporary reprieve and recognition that the e Council offer could be considered a ‘divide and rule’ tactic led to a resolve that the separate local campaigns should coordinate and work together where they can.

It was good to see all the support for local services. It was good to see Green Party supporters there. It was good to see Alexandra Park put forth from the public area.

But stepping back and looking again, its clear that moving the Council, even temporarily, has only been possible with the combination of organised public pressure AND an active, willing councillor onside.

The Council seems unwilling to have any meaningful public discussion of the budget cuts its proposing for the city, even within its own forums. The council’s agenda included its Budget Strategic Response, how the newly combined Adult and Child Services department will work, the overall Neighbourhood strategy which includes parks, pools and libraries. All completely sidestepped.

The Executive meeting was a fantastic display of political illusion. Not only did the important elements on the agenda disappear, even the commitment to keep the pools open appears to be ‘close-up magic’.

Levenshulme activists were not impressed, commenting to the Withington protesters they had seen this trick before. Manchester City Council promised to keep their baths open until the new facility is built as a result of their 2011 campaign.

There are reports now that Levenshulme Labour councillors will vote against budget cuts.

We will wait and we will see.

Read Full Article >>

Save Alexandra Park Campaign event Saturday 9th February

Several Green Party members were amongst the approximately 100 supporters that were at the Save Alexander Park Trees campaign event on Saturday 9^th February.

The speakers, covered by the press included MP Gerald Kaufman and Marc Hudson. Hudson, co-editor of the Manchester Climate Monthly website and paper urged the campaign to keep focus.

Several supporters talked about their activities in the week. Carl, a local wood and stone sculptor talked about his conversation with Westfield, the contractors felling the trees. Apparently the timber and chipping were already sold before the felling began.

Perhaps this is another reason the Council is  not prepared to speak to campaigners. Its not a good reason. In the meantime the campaign’s online petition has reached over 3800.

Check out the campaign’s website for latest news.

Read Full Article >>

"A Graveyard of Trees"

Its been an important week for Alexandra Park.

Manchester City Council stepped up the felling of trees and in response the ‘Save Alex Park Trees’ (SAPT) campaigners mobilised to having a physical presence. There is currently a small tented group resident.

Though SAPT , supported by 100s of local residents have managed to halt most of the felling, most people who got to the park were shocked and angry about what they saw. This Green Party member had similar feelings.

It was commented that the park had become ‘a graveyard of trees’.

Some of the images and video of the week are below. They are from the area called ‘Sycamore Avenue’ (running along the Claremont Road side of park). It’s gone now.

Residents filmed the footage below just after the felling began.

There is though a significant area of trees that is still being protected by campaigners and they need your help to do so.

To get further information and to help, you can contact organisers on their website.

Images from http://savealexandraparkstrees.wordpress.com/ and individual contributions. 

Read Full Article >>

Alex Park protesters take to trees to stop “Felling Vandalism"

A plan by Manchester City Council to fell over 400 healthy trees and destroy over three acres of wildlife habitat are being condemned by Whalley Range residents. The fellings planned as part of a £4.6 M series of changes to the popular Alexandra Park in Moss Side have led to protests.

Chrissy Lowe of the Save Alexandra Parks Trees campaign said "This action by the council is completely unjustified and deliberately ignores the wishes of local residents. The Council has misled the public about both
the extent and reason for felling the trees and park users regard this as an act of municipal vandalism by a council hell-bent on riding roughshod over the local residents."

The intended changes to Alexandra Park also include controversial plans to fell many much loved mature trees to make way for tennis courts despite the fact that existing courts in the park are unused and there are already
9 tennis clubs within a mile.

"Yesterday felling began and we were able to slow things down by taking to the trees. We will continue our peaceful but firm resistance to Council actions today and we urge anyone who is able to come down and support us.  The Council also failed in its statutory duty to consult local residents. We are confident that this doesn't fulfil their legal requirements and could be grounds for judicial review." says Ian Brewer also of the campaign.

Manchester Green Party Chair Deyika Nzeribe commented “The campaign group has done everything right. They got over 2000 signatures asking for the plans to be reconsidered, they got local experts to show how the councils plans could be altered to preserve trees and they have been in dialogue with both the Council and funders the Lottery every step of the way. They have been completely ignored.

To draw a parallel, last week Manchester City Council made a great show of how unfair the cuts to local budgets were and how the government were ignoring them. The council are acting in exactly the same way as the government to this local issue.”

Anyone concerned about the Council's plans is urged to contact the Save Alexandra Parks Trees Group. A similar plan to fell 476 in Whalley Range was abandoned a year ago following a public outcry.

To get involved contact

Ian Brewer and Chrissy Lowe

savealexandraparkstrees@hotmail.com

07757639668

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Alexandra-Park-Trees/405847552830652?fref=ts

http://savealexandraparkstrees.wordpress.com/

Read Full Article >>