Rodney Berman, talking about climate change in the city

Next Monday 16th Nov 7pm Rodney Berman is
"Among the speakers at the hearing at Cardiff City Hall on 16 November will be council leader Rodney Berman, talking about climate change in the city."
Should be interesting from the concrete eco crim who parks at the city hall door.
Conretes over Bute park, Rumney Rec, 100 acres green field for Junction 32 Business Park, sells school playing fields for building etc, wants a big burner, incinerator. Probably tell us he has changed his light bulbs. Lib Dem Jenny Wilmott MP says co mingled waste is better...haven't a clue!

Cardiff: 16 Nov, 7pm – Ferrier Hall, Cardiff City Hall
Speakers include: Charles Abani, Oxfam Regional Director for Southern Africa

Oxfam Climate Hearings claim to

.. bring the voices of those most affected by climate change direct to decision makers around the world at local, national, regional and international levels. From Aberystwyth to Zambia, Oxfam is organising events which will take testimony from people and turn their experiences into effective pressure.

From local villages to large-scale moments, the hearings will provide a platform for the people who are most vulnerable to climate change to place their experiences directly before those who can do something about it.

We are inviting people along to these public meetings where speakers will be giving their account of the impacts of climate change from their perspective. We are aiming to present both local and global stories, which we will record to put pressure on decision-makers at all levels of government – and at the crucial UN climate talks to be held in Copenhagen in December.

For more information please visit-
http://climatehearings.org/
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/campaign/climate_change/

http://local.stopclimatechaos.org/2009/cardiff-oxfam-climate-hearing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/8353391.stm

Plaid split on concreting over Rumney Rec!

With elections looming even Plaid Cymru Cllr Concrete McEvoys own party are disowning his actions and the enormous environmental damage he is inflicting on Cardiff and his complete disregard for citizens views. Cllr Conrete McEvoy being shocked at Franks differing views shows his complete lack of understanding of green issues. Cardiff Plaid Cymru Cllrs have supported and campaigned with the Lib Dems FOR Building on GREEN SPACE in Cardiff, such as Rumney Recreation Ground, School playing fields, Junction 33 Business Park (called in by WAG), Building a massive bridge and road into listed BUTE PARK, chopping down loads of park TREES for articulated lorries and ignoring a petition of 5,000 and endless demonstrations! See the latest pictures of the BUTE PARK destruction here http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com/ Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems have failed to listen to the people of Cardiff. The only party you can trust with Cardiff Green Space is the Green Party. Vote for a change next time Plaid ‘is at odds’ over school plan Nov 9 2009 by David James, South Wales Echo ONE half of Cardiff council’s ruling coalition executive is coming under pressure from several levels of their party over the controversial decision to build a new school on parkland. Plaid’s executive members on the Liberal Democrat/Plaid executive have been criticised by both local party workers and a regional Assembly Member over their backing for the plans in East Cardiff. Party workers in Llanrumney have put out leaflets pledging to campaign against the plan to close Rumney and Llanrumney High Schools and build a new secondary school on Rumney Recreation Ground. The activists are also campaigning in favour of a legal bid promoted by the Labour Party to thwart the plans by having the land designated as a village green. And in the latest blow to party unity, Plaid’s South Wales Central AM Chris Franks has written to Labour Education Minister Jane Hutt urging her to throw the council’s plans out. In a letter to Ms Hutt, Mr Franks highlighted the environmental, traffic and social arguments against the plans and the 94% vote in a local referendum against the plans. He said: “In view of the substantial and widespread opposition to the proposals, I would ask you to reject these particular proposals and ask Cardiff council to reconsider the future of secondary schools in Llanrumney and Rumney. “I would like to further discuss this issue with you to highlight residents’ objections.” Plaid’s group leader in Cardiff, Neil McEvoy, last night issued a group statement saying the council group was “shocked” by Mr Franks’ intervention. He said that this was the first time the group had heard from Mr Franks. He said: “Given that the Llanrumney deal has unanimous group support and was part negotiated by Plaid’s chief executive Gwenllian Lansdown, we feel that Chris has shown remarkably poor judgement by going public on this issue. “All parties have disagreements, but there is a process for this. There are issues on which we disagree with the Assembly coalition on, but up until now, we have been disciplined enough not to make public comment. The party matter will be dealt with internally as is proper and correct.” Jane Hutt is expected to release her decision on the proposals for Rumney and Llanrumney next month. !

New pics Cardiff Council Destruction Bute Park

Heritage Lottery Fund demanded this bridge as a condition of funding the 'restoration' of the park!

Not a very "rustic" looking BIG ROAD as we were told at planning and that CADW would agree because it was supposed to be scaled down???!
The New Road demanded by the heritage lottery fund! Onwards and concreting over this beautiful area of this LISTED PARK!

Heritage Lottery fund deceit

To Jennifer Stuart of the Heritage lottery fund

Three questions for you
1. I am still waiting for the "detailed conservation based study and analysis" that you were going to find for me in September. I am still waiting for it. Please send it asp.

You said that the

the overall proposal for the Park which includes
the elements which HLF is funding, was supported by a
detailed conservation based study and analysis which I would love to see and would ask you to send me a copy of that as soon as possible.


2. On your website you state that you are not funding the bridge.However, on the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council confirming that:- “the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration ProjectExecut_E_07_09_11_A_rep_R-2.pdf. Therefore you are deliberately misleading the public by stating
you are not funding the bridge but you are insisting it will be built. Please will you change this as what you are saying is not the truth! More details below. ***

HLF pagehttp://search.hlf.org.uk/English/GrantsDatabase/grantsproject?applicationID=24617

3. What exactly are you funding? Are you funding the NEW PATH/roadways and turning circle? The chopping down of trees?

***CARDIFF COUNCIL CYNGOR CAERDYDD
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING: 11 SEPTEMBER 2007
CARDIFF CASTLE AND ITS PARKLANDS - BUTE PARK
PROPOSED NEW ACCESS BRIDGE
REPORT OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR AGENDA ITEM: 16
PORTFOLIO: SPORT, LEISURE & CULTURE
6. On the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council
confirming that:-
“the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration Project. “Accordingly Cardiff County Council will be required to demonstrate a firm commitment to the bridge and provide a construction start date as part of its Phase 2 application to The Heritage Lottery Fund. Without this HLF will not be in a position to commit its funding to the Bute Park Restoration works”.

7. Following the Stage 1 approval, a Stage 2 bid will be submitted in October
2007 and subject to satisfactorily meeting the commitments and
requirements of the HLF then confirmation of approval of the Stage 2 bid is
expected in spring 2008. Without this commitment and construction start
date from the Council by October 2007 there can be no Stage 2 bid to HLF.

12. The new bridge will also significantly improve access into Blackweir Playing
Fields and thereby enable this attractive parkland to be brought into greater
use for a range of activities and major events. If built by July 2008 this would
greatly assist in the planning and support for the 2008 National Eisteddfod
when 700 caravans will need to be accommodated for the event.
Consequences
22. The provision of a new vehicular and pedestrian access bridge will satisfy the requirements of the HLF and enable the full grant to be considered as
part of the Stage 2 Bid and if successful awarded in the spring of 2008. The
new bridge, if built if completed this financial year, would greatly support
future major events in the Park, the first of these being the RHS Show 2008
and the National Eisteddfod 2008.

Bute Park trees for the chop

Councillor Chain Saw Nigel Howells said the felling of 21 trees marks is part of the multi-million-pound Bute Park Restoration Project! Oh yeah! Such utter rubbish. Remember the tree felling of a so called 'diseased' tree just happened to be where they were building the bridge and was the excuse for having started work before planning permission. Cardiff Green spaces are not safe in the hands of this Fib dem/Plaid lies Council whose total disregard for our trees and the people of cardiff opinions is shameful. Why is there not a cheep from CADW?

Bute Park trees cut Nov 05 2009

DEAD and dying trees in the city’s Bute Park are set to be cut down as part of a controversial council project.Read

Nov 5 2009 by Abby Alford, South Wales Echo

DEAD and dying trees in the city’s Bute Park are set to be cut down as part of a controversial council project. Authority bosses have stressed the work is essential for safety reasons?

Professor Kevin Morgan, chairman of the organisation fighting to preserve Cardiff’s parks, said he is sceptical about any claim by the council that it is acting in the spirit of conservation.

“When it comes to managing green spaces, Cardiff council will need to earn the trust of the public, a resource it has recklessly squandered by its treatment of Bute Park in particular,” he said.

“If officers and councillors want to see what truly green cities are doing with their parks, they should consult the city of Nantes in France, which happens to be one of the cities with which Cardiff is twinned.

“Until it emulates the likes of Nantes, the people of Cardiff will judge the council by its deeds not its words.”

Campaigners fight on for Cardiff’s parks

Nov 4 2009 by Emily Woodrow, South Wales Echo

great article says it all..the fight goes on!

The Bute Parks Alliance used a meeting in Rhiwbina to raise opposition to the work the council is carrying out to build a £1.4m lorry bridge into the parklands and expand the roadways.CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect Cardiff’s much-loved Grade I-listed central parklands last night tried to rally support across the city.

Professor Kevin Morgan, who chairs the organisation, told the meeting in the Bethany Baptist Church the campaigners would not give up.

He said: “Our parks are wonderful, but they have one fatal flaw – they have no voice. Consequently, they are open to abuse from successive councils who see the citizens’ parkland as cheap land for development. Our aim is to keep the plight of our green space in the public eye – permanently.”

Cardiff council is already carrying out work to prepare the way for the bridge and the widening and raising of the paths in the park.

Prof Morgan said: “It was in 1920 that the process of development and erosion began in Cardiff’s green spaces, but it is in the last 10 years that the pace has really changed.

“The thing which galvanised most of us into action was the council’s decisions about Bute Park. More than a third of our central parkland has been lost to development already.

“It’s a case of death by a thousand cuts – a huge and ugly new bridge, raised on concrete pillars, is being constructed in Bute Park, disfiguring what was once a beautiful woodland belt, and Cardiff council has further controversial plans for a turning circle, road enlargement and commercialisation of the nursery.

“Furthermore, the vast WJEC building at the northern end of Llandaff Fields dominates that section of parkland, marring the view of Llandaff Cathedral – and is yet another example of inappropriate development.”

The meeting, which was held by independent councillors Jayne Cowan, Adrian Robson and Brian Jones, also addressed another motion – to protect Cardiff’s green spaces.

Councillor Robson said the reason for holding it was because parks and green spaces in Cardiff were under threat from developments and changes and they wanted to protect them.

Coun Cowan added: “There’s a groundswell of public concern about the loss of open spaces throughout the city and the meeting gave us an important opportunity to listen to views and discuss the way forward.”

A vote was held on how to protect the city’s open spaces, asking people to agree or disagree on the following statements:

Bute Park should remain for the enjoyment of the people and no further building or development (with the exception of emergency safety work) should be undertaken.

All green spaces in Rhiwbina need to be protected from development.

Both proposals received 100% support for protection.

One member of the public added: “Every incursion is something which can’t be taken back. It will affect our children and grandchildren and will never ever be reversed.”