Jackie Juno is a locally-sourced free-range organic performance poet, also artist and singer with The Invisible Opera Company of Tibet. She spent many years living close to the land as a traveller in the eighties and nineties, and now lives on the edge of Dartmoor with her rock-god guitarist husband and young daughter. She has had chicken pox three times.

RiverMouth sings finely crafted songs with soulful vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar. With irreverent lyrics, and guitar shenanigans including a loop pedal, expect the unexpected!

Moussa Kouyate is a master kora player (a form of West African harp), of Griot heritage, from Senegal, living and playing in Bristol.  He has played WOMAD, Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe et al.  He has pictures on facebook and his website kora.me.uk.

Exeter Latin American Dance is a group of Latin American women, who live and work in Exeter. One of their members, Maya Boother choreographs some very individual displays of Latin dance!

The Current dJAMbes, from East Devon, play African percussion, mainly djembes.  They meet regularly for workshops and jamming sessions.

Tickets cost £6 in advance (available from Paul Bennett on 01395 576847/ p.c.bennett18@btopenworld.com or Roberts hardware store on the Square, Ottery St Mary) or £7 on the door.

The Exe Factor  is organised by East Devon Green Party.

Warm Front has seen a dramatic decline in applications for help this year. In April to December 2011 there were 3355 applications in the South West a 68% fall from the 10,455 in 2011. The scheme was oversubscribed in 2010 but funding was cut by almost two thirds this year.[2]

The Warm Front scheme - which offers heating and insulation improvements to households living on low incomes - is expected to see up to a fifth of its £143 million worth of funding for this year going unclaimed.[1] This money could help up to 16,000 households in England struggling to afford their energy bills to cut their costs by a potential £650 per year.

A combination of factors are likely to have led to this fall in applications. The eligibility criteria were made stricter and the Government did not advertise the scheme as it was anticipated demand would again exceed supply. The milder winter weather may mean not as many people have been driven towards the scheme, but it is also seems that the number of advice organisations referring people to the scheme must have dropped significantly. They are likely to have been concerned people would end up not getting the grant given eligibility restrictions and the much smaller funding pot.

Along with Consumer Focus and National Energy Action the Greens are urging people to put in a claim now before the funding for this year ends on 31 March. People on certain income-related benefits and living in homes that are poorly insulated or do not have a working central heating system are eligible for Warm Front grants. Anyone who is eligible for Cold Weather Payments can claim the grant such as: older people receiving pension credit; families with a child under five and in receipt of Income Support, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance or income based Jobseeker's Allowance; and people with higher rate disability premiums.

Emma Pruen of the South West Green Party said
There are thousands in the South West living in fuel poverty, and we urge anyone who might be eligible to put in a claim now. With spiralling fuel prices we want to ensure all those who could get help making their homes warmer and cheaper to heat, do apply before the end of March deadline. Insulating your home will continue to benefit you long after the grants run out.

Full details of who can claim help under the Warm Front scheme and how to apply are available on Directgov - www.direct.gov.uk/warmfront People can apply for the scheme online, by post, or by phone on 0800 316 6004 (or textphone 0800 072 0156), Monday-Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm and Saturday 9.00-5.00pm.

Contact
Emma Pruen
South West Green Party Media Co-ordinator
07508 920583

Factfile
There are now likely to be almost 7 million households living in fuel poverty in the UK (Estimates on behalf of Consumer Focus using Centre for Sustainable Energy research). This is up from 5.5 million in 2009 (the latest official Government figures).
The average energy bill is now £1,289, which will fall to £1,258 after all the recent price cuts announced come into effect.

Notes
Warm Front is the only UK Government funded scheme to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. The Warm Front Grant applies in England only.

1. The total budget of £143m consists of £110m allocated to Warm Front and associated activities secured through the Spending Review 2010. Of this, £108m was directly allocated to Warm Front. In addition DECC allocated £25m to support the completion of outstanding work from 2010/11 with a further £10m allocated to Warm Front in 2011/12 from the Department of Health.

2. Funding for the Warm Front scheme in 2010-11 was £366m - almost three times the level of funding for this year 2011-12.

The Green Party has long been calling for massive investment in renewable energy, leading to the creation of thousands of new green collar jobs.

Wave power has the potential to generate 27GW of power in the UK alone by 2050 - equivalent to the power generated from eight coal-fired power stations. There is currently only 3.4MW of marine energy installed capacity deployed in the UK.

Emma Pruen continues
The South West does not just have tidal power; it is also the sunniest region of the country. Yet last year the government devastated the solar industry, leading to the loss of hundreds of jobs, by slashing the feed in tariffs. What is more George Osborne has reneged on commitments to reduce our carbon emissions, promising to take them to EU levels rather than those agreed in the UK's Climate Change Act. [2]

Contact
Emma Pruen
Green Party South West Media Co-ordinator
07508 920583

Notes
1. The Pentland Orkney Wave Energy Resource (POWER) Ltd project was the only wave energy bid put forward by the Government to the European Investment Bank (EIB) for consideration in the first round of the EU's New Entrant Reserve (NER300) scheme - a fund worth around EUR4.5 billion to support carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable projects across the European Union.

2. Under the UK's Climate Change Act the government is currently legally committed to cutting emissions by 35 per cent by 2022 and 50 per cent by 2025. In contrast, the EU is only committed to cutting emissions 20 per cent by 2020, and while the UK and a number of other countries are lobbying Brussels for this target to be increased to 30 per cent several member states remain resistant to any change.

However 13 other EU member states have failed to get some 50m hen houses in order.

Yet the Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has said it does not plan to check imported egg products or products containing eggs. Instead the UK will be relying on a voluntary food industry ban to keep illegally produced eggs out of the country.

Emma Pruen, who sits on the National Executive of the Green Party and lives on a farm in Somerset said
It's outrageous that the EU ban on the sale of eggs from barren battery cages isn't being enforced, and that the UK Government has chosen to turn a blind eye to processed egg imports from non-compliant countries. There is already a legal requirement for proper supporting documentation of all egg and egg related products entering the UK, they just need to ask to see it. We also have a standard traceability procedure operating here and across Europe, so it is there is no reason whatsoever for the Government not to do the decent thing.

The British Egg Industry Council says
We're asking the government to conduct proper checks of imported eggs, egg products and products containing eggs entering UK ports, egg packing stations, processing plants, importers and wholesalers. Otherwise, UK consumers could be eating eggs from illegal battery hens and British egg producers will be seriously undermined, with the possible loss of thousands of jobs.

The Green Party would like to see the egg industry switch to entirely free-range systems, but welcomes introduction of the new ‘enriched' cages as an improvement on barren battery cages. The majority of British people think shops should stop selling cage eggs, or products containing them, even if it meant prices may go up, found the RSPCA in recent research.

Although as a nation we have all been buying more cage-free eggs, the majority of eggs we eat are hidden in foods such as cakes, quiche and mayonnaise, which do not have to be labelled.

Contact
To find out what the Greens are doing for you in the South West go to southwest.greenparty.org.uk
For more information of the Green Party animal welfare policies go to policy.greenparty.org.uk

The BEIC has launched a new website at www.legaleggs.com and is calling for food companies and the public to sign its pledge to support British egg producers and help keep illegal eggs out of the UK.
For a free guide to buying cage-free eggs and products that contain eggs go to www.rspca.org.uk/eggs

Emma Pruen
Green Party South West Media Co-ordinator
07508 920583
emmapruen@gmail.com
southwest.greenparty.org.uk

EDF Energy (developers of Hinckley Nuclear Power Station) have told South West Greens they will not extend the Warm Home Discount to all customers living in fuel poverty, in spite of a net income of £3.4bn last year.

Emma Pruen, who sits on the Green Party National Executive and lives in the South West said today
Please call your energy supplier and register for this grant before the money runs out, and remind your elderly friends and family to do so too.

It's fantastic that the Citizens Advice is coordinating an advice campaign to provide help and advice to cut their fuel bills and get all the financial support they are entitled to, but this means the grants will get used up very soon.

Living in a cold, damp home can lead to extremely poor health, and can exacerbate conditions such as respiratory and coronary problems, especially in older people, young children whose immune systems have not yet fully developed, and those with long term sickness and disabilities.

As part of Big Energy Week there will be events up and down the country where people can get practical advice on how they could spend less on heating their home. In addition advice will be available from Citizens Advice Bureaux and online at www.bigenergyweek.org.uk.

If you are looking for ways to save money on your energy bills now visit adviceguide.org.uk/index/fuel_costs_and_saving_money.

For more information and interviews please contact

Emma Pruen
Press Officer, South West Green Party
07508 920583
emmapruen@gmail.com
southwest.greenparty.org.uk

Notes
'One-sixth of families in the South West are suffering from fuel poverty' from Consumerfocus.org - A ‘now cast' of Fuel Poverty in 2010 by the Centre for Sustainable Energy.
'Fuel poverty' is defined as any household paying more than 10% of household income on energy bills.

I regret the disruption to hard pushed families, especially working mothers like myself, however there is overwhelming evidence that the current pension scheme is affordable and fair as opposed to the unfair government proposals.

Unison members voted in favour of joining the ‘day of action' with a 78% majority. Unison joins around 20 other unions in strikes around the country next Wednesday. [1]

Caroline Lucas, MP, Leader of the Green Party stated
This is really about piling the UK's debt burden onto the people who did the least to create it. Teachers are being expected to pay 50% more in pension contributions, work longer and get less pension when they retire.

I believe that fair pensions are worth fighting for, so I will be joining the picket lines in solidarity with my constituents who have been abandoned by the other main Westminster parties."I regret the disruption caused by industrial action and feel confident that union leaders will only resort to the strike option in special circumstances. But if public sector employees continue to feel that the Government is not listening and the need for action remains, then the Greens will lend support and solidarity.

The changes will see public sector pensions based on an average salary as opposed to being based on a final salary, which is the current practice. The unions call the package "a long way from a position where we have offers on the table which might prove acceptable.

Notes
[1] Unison Southwest will be holding a march in Taunton and are assembling at Canal Road at 12.00pm. The Bristol Anti Cuts alliance is joining local unions to march in Bristol on 30 November and will be assembling on College Green at 11am.

Councillor Pavey is now one of 15 new 'Recycling Champions' on the town and parish councils in East Devon with responsibility to promote reducing waste through re-use, repairing and recycling rather than disposing of our waste in landfill.[1]

The new Champions will get together in November to discuss how they can make a difference to the recycling picture in East Devon and also how they can help get messages to their community if waste collections are hit by snow and ice as they were last December and January.

Councillor Pavey says
Apart from the problem of finding suitable landfill sites, Devon County Council has to pay a huge amount in landfill tax, so throwing away our rubbish really must be the last option.

Councillor Pavey added
The weekly doorstep collection programme is going well in Honiton and now people are eager to see it extended to cardboard and plastics which will hopefully be rolled out in the next year or so if the trial in Beer is successful. In the meantime Tesco has a skip for both paper and cardboard and you can take all your washed plastic food tubs to Sutton Barton, which is not ideal but is an option not too far away and means you do not have to put plastic containers into your landfill bin.

There are also clothes banks and a plastic bag deposit point at Tesco, a place to donate unwanted shoes outside the sports shop in town, you can drop off used print cartridges at Dimonds and several opticians will take your old glasses and recycle them.

Read more on Sharon's blog - www.sharonpavey.org

CONTACT
Cllr Sharon Pavey
Honiton Town Council
www.sharonpavey.org

NOTES
[1] Defra stats show that EDDC has the 6th lowest 'residual household waste per household' (kg/ household) in England at 353kg. Also Devon as a county has the highest recycling rate at 55%.

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party recently called on disaffected Liberal Democrats to look to the Greens, saying
I have a special message for those Lib Dem supporters who are beginning to despair of the path their leadership has taken them down. If you became involved in politics to serve your local community, to protect the environment, or to challenge inequality, then join us.

The report shows when asked if voting were compulsory, 7% of those asked would vote Green, where only 6% would vote Lib Dem. The same question indicated a decrease in support for the Conservative Party, with 15% choosing Labour compared to 13% saying they would probably vote Conservative.

Contact
Emma Pruen
Press Officer, South West Green Party
07508 920583

www.emmapruen.com
@GreenEmma

The Warm Home Discount scheme gives payments of £120 to vulnerable fuel poor families; however EDF has capped the amount of families it will help to just 40,000 across the country.

British Gas has bowed to pressure from consumer champions Consumer Focus, to extend its Warm Home Discount to all customers living in fuel poverty. The South West Green Party have today asked French state-owned EDF Energy, developers of the Hinckley C Nuclear Power reactors, to do the same.

Fuel poverty is defined as any household paying more than 10% of household income on energy bills.

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party and co chair of Parliament's Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Group said
Householders are increasingly concerned about the rising cost involved of heating their homes. Many are turning their heating off in an attempt to stay out of debt-risking their health and wellbeing. Living in a cold, damp home can lead to extremely poor health, and can exacerbate conditions such as respiratory and coronary problems, especially in older people, young children whose immune systems have not yet fully developed, and those with long term sickness and disabilities.

Around 6.3million families nationally, are classed as fuel poor after annual energy bills have jumped by an average of £500 in the last five years. And despite record profits of £30 billion received by the big six energy suppliers in the UK over the same period, it is the consumer that is paying the heavy price for the countries incoherent, unaffordable and often misleading energy policies.

The South West is more vulnerable to fuel poverty than other areas of the country, with the highest proportion of elderly people in England; who are more susceptible to cold temperatures and less likely to afford electricity and heating bills price hikes. The South West also has the largest proportion of rural and remote areas. Lacking in funding in the past has meant that 76% of isolated dwellings in the South West are without access to gas. This figure drops to 54% in the rural South East, and to just 5% across the country's urban areas. This means many rural households rely on the more expensive oil, pushing them deeper in to the fuel poverty trap.

More than half a million low-income pensioners will receive the £120 rebate this winter automatically, but other eligible households with young families will miss out because of caps imposed by energy firms. EDF energy currently say they will only supply up to 40,000 of their customers with the rebate, even if more are eligible.

South West Green Party is putting pressure on other companies such as EDF to follow the example and offer the rebate to all ‘fuel poor' families and households and not run the scheme on a ‘first-come-first-serve' basis.
Warm home grants are available to a variety of low income groups. To check eligibility consumers need to get in touch with their energy supplier. The Green Party also recommend checking to see if money can be saved by switching suppliers. They can compare gas and electricity prices at energyhelpline.com or by calling 0800 074 074.

Contact
Emma Pruen
Press Officer, South West Green Party
07508 920583
emmapruen@gmail.com

Notes
[1] Consumerfocus.org - A ‘now cast' of Fuel Poverty in 2010 by the Centre for Sustainable Energy

1. Tax the rich
2. Close all tax havens & loopholes, worldwide
3. Quantitative Easing to go preferentially to the Green Bank, to support a Green New Deal
4. End the private banks' monopoly on issuing money through debt
5. Rein in the corporations
6. Regulate the money markets
7. Impose a Tobin Tax on financial transactions, and earmark it for poverty projects
8. Reform the credit ratings agencies
9. Impose limits on salary ratio of lowest/highest remuneration
10. Introduce a Green Wage Subsidy
11. Cancel Trident and reduce military spending worldwide
12. Provide enough affordable housing

Says Richard
Clearly, this is just a beginning, and there are literally hundreds of other reforms needed, but these are what we need to address the deficit and the recession.

All are very welcome at the camp on College Green. Any time is good to drop by to bring food (vegetables are best), chat and offer support. There are general assemblied for planning at 1pm and 6 pm every day.

Sharon says
This is the first time Natasha has cycled anywhere near this distance but we stopped along the way to take in the amazing scenery. We saw herons, cormorants and lots of beautiful swans which made us think even more about why we support the Green Party and why more Green councillors, MPs and MEPs will make a huge difference to our communities.

The Green Party already have MEPs representing London and the South East and a Green MP in Westminster. The support for Green policies have been steadily increasing in the South West putting the Greens in line for a breakthrough win in 2014.

Sharon Pavey is the regional fundraiser for the South West Green Party and has plans for many more fun family-oriented events as well as a South West Green Cookbook coming out in time for Christmas.

For more information contact Sharon.
sdpavey@gmail.com
www.sharonpavey.org
southwest.greenparty.org.uk

The debating society, which is the oldest society in the University, is hosting this debate just days after the announcement of the Weightman Report in to the Fukushima disaster was released. The report claims 'no fundamental safety weaknesses' in UK nuclear facilities[1] and itself was released days after tests on 300,000 children in Japan began amid fears of thyroid abnormalities.[2]

Of the Weightman report Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion MP and Green Party Leader said
The Government's Weightman report, rushed out today in a Written Statement offering little chance for Parliamentary scrutiny, will do little to reassure the British public that the nuclear industry can be trusted to power our energy future.[3]

Keith Taylor MEP is a long standing campaigner against nuclear proliferation and for safety measures regarding waste and increasing life spans of nuclear power facilities, as a Green in the European parliament asks questions about safety measures and with the European Free Alliance ordered and supported a report on Nuclear Waste Management.

Friday's debate on nuclear safety promises to be an interesting and contested debate, Audaye Elesedy a co-defender of the Motion in the debate and Chair of Exeter Green Party said

The nuclear debate seems to be in an interminable struggle to reach a conclusion. I think that's because it isn't just one question to be answered; it's a web of questions and answers that provoke us to challenge ourselves on many assumptions about the way we live and, to an extent, why we live that way. It is deeply political, expressly scientific and provokingly personal the conclusions as a result carry significant impact.

NOTES
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15256981
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15234787
3. http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/rushed-out-report-will-do-little-to-address-nuclear-fears-after-fukushima1.html

More details here - https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161628107261957

Emily McIvor, South West Green Party Co-ordinator says
Fracking is potentially very dangerous, which is why it has been stopped by stopped by a number of American states and banned in France. Without an immediate moratorium, Devon and Dorset, which also sit on underground shale gas, could be next.

In the US, explosions, spills, and toxic pollution of air and water have been reported to the authorities, and there have been calls to outlaw the practice made around the world. [1]

Caroline Lucas MP and Michael Meacher MP have initiated an Early Day Motion in Parliament to halt all fracking until a full and detailed scientific analysis of its impacts can be carried out. (2)

Lucas says
The government's position on shale gas is incoherent and hinges on a 'wait-and-see' approach. When I quizzed DECC back in June about the extraction of shale gas, the contradictory responses I received from Charles Hendry exposed gaping holes in policy.

In responding to a second question about the potential effect on the renewables industry and UK carbon targets, Hendry admitted that shale gas was not yet commercially proven in the UK and that there were too many 'large uncertainties to allow us to assess those impacts.

Launching the Green Party's national campaign against fracking at their autumn conference in Sheffield, Philip Mitchell, Chair of the Blackpool and Fylde Green Party, said
The first true European shale gas fracking operation at Weeton,[3] outside Blackpool, has been suspected of causing two earth tremors[4]. These left local residents feeling anxious and angry, but perhaps even worse are the accounts I have witnessed from some residents of long and terrible episodes of breathlessness coinciding with the fracking.

Occurrences such as these have been linked to fracking in the US as well. (5)

Information obtained from the Environment Agency suggests that much more caution needs to be taken, with chemicals used in the fracking fluid being harmful to skin, eyes and aquatic life. (6)

It's time for an immediate halt and a complete re-think of the government's approach to these energy resources.

Emma Pruen
South West Green Party Acting Media Co-ordinator
internalcommunications@greenparty.org.uk
07508 920583
@GreenEmma

NOTES
1) Evidence from Professor Jennifer Foulk - http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/naturalgas-draftregs-hearingtranscript022411eve.pdf

2) http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/2159

3) http://www.lucas.com.au//static/File/ASX2010-2011/DrillingActivityUpdate101207.pdf

4) http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/earthquakes/BlackpoolMay2011.html

5) http://naturalgasforeurope.com/natural-gas-fracking-drilling-health.htm

6) Cuadrilla said last January that there is no need for a moratorium and that the company is "confident that no issues will occur in our activity in the north-west of England which would cause any local or national concerns on which to base the introduction of a moratorium on on-shore drilling activity." It supported this statement by saying that the chemicals used in its "fracking fluid" included: "a friction reducing compound commonly found in contact lenses, cosmetic face creams and in soil sealant at construction sites, a weak hydrochloric acid, and a biocide used at this very low concentration."

However, safety information on their chemicals, provided by the Environment Agency, suggests that much more caution is needs to taken than Cuadrilla's claims suggested.

For example, if FR-40 (CESI Chemicals) - a blend of chemicals including polyacrylamide typically used at 0.075% - comes in contact with your eyes, you are required to wash them with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes.

The FR-40 safety sheet gives no information on environmental hazard - many frack fluids are harmful to aquatic life, and streams and rivers have been left polluted with dozens of different species killed due to spillages, waste disposal and illicit dumping into streams and rivers.

As well:

• Stimlube-W (CESI Chemicals) This is a polymer which may be used as an alternative to FR-40. Very similar information as FR-40..
• Hydrochloric Acid Safety sheet says:"very hazardous in case of eye contact and skin contact"
• Ucarcide (the Dow Chemical Company) 0.005%. The active ingredient is gluteraldehyde, which has been a main cause of occupational asthma in hospitals. The Environment Agency has said that its use has not been necessary.

At midday, after a minute's silence, 206 yellow balloons with nuclear hazard signs were released into a blue sky, representing the number of days since the Japanese nuclear disaster. Some carried as far away as Gloucestershire in a matter of hours, showing how quickly radiation could spread in the event of an accident at the plant.

The core message given out by the protest was that a new nuclear power station at Hinkley would bring even greater danger to the South West and - especially after Germany 's decision to phase out nuclear - is simply not needed to keep the lights on.

See full report at http://www.stopnewnuclear.org.uk/node/177

While it seems unlikely that Osborne will succeed in diluting our national emissions targets, today's downgrading of ambition on climate change poses a serious threat to the UK's credibility; accepting that we need an international agreement to tackle climate change, while at the same time casting doubt on our climate targets for the years to come, sends a damaging and inconsistent message to other nations and to the business community that this Government will not prioritise the green industries of the future.

CONTACT
Melissa Freeman
Senior Parliamentary Press Officer
Office of Caroline Lucas MP
melissa.freeman@parliament.uk

The party raised over £200 raffling off a huge hamper of green goodies donated by Dorset Cereals, Alpro Soya, Burts Chips, Lane's Health, Branscombe Vale Brewery, Divine Chocolate, Rude Health, Rowse Honey, Ecover, Clipper Teas and the Cornish Sea Salt Co.

The next event is a sponsored bike ride along the river in Exeter on Saturday 8 October open to members and non-members, and a green cookbook has been compiled by regional fundraiser and Green councillor for Honiton, Sharon Pavey.

Sharon says
The cookbook features amazing vegetarian and vegan recipes from our members across the region. We are just adding a section on our favourite cafes and restaurants in the south-west then it's off to print in time to make it into Christmas stockings!

The Green Party has witnessed a huge increase in membership in the region over the past couple of years and only narrowly missed out on gaining a seat in the European Parliament at the last elections in 2009.

Emily McIvor, the Green Party's regional coordinator commented
Greens are needed more than ever at EU level as budget cuts hit and business interests lobby for relaxation of regulations. Green MEPs are campaigning for a ‘Green New Deal' to tackle climate change and boost the economy by raising environmental standards, protecting public services and preserving natural resources. Green reforms to EU industry, energy and agriculture policies are desperately needed to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy; sending a south-west Green Party MEP to Brussels in 2014 is the best way to achieve that goal.

Contact
Sharon Pavey
07740973990

To sign the petition, go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2642

Contact
Gerald Hartley
Stroud Green Party
01452 724000

Tim Hunt, the report's co-author, said
At a time when the Government is implementing the biggest cuts to public spending in living memory, the Government should demand that companies being awarded contracts should not be allowed to also make use of tax havens.

Caroline Lucas MP, the leader of the Green Party, said
It is completely unacceptable that the Government is paying no regard to the social and environmental records of the companies who are being awarded contracts to run our public services, and it completely undermines their rhetoric about aspiring to be the greenest Government.

Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said
The still ongoing fiasco at Southern Cross showed the world what can happen to both taxpayers' money and those dependent on public services - like the elderly and vulnerable - when public services are left to unregulated businesses hidden behind offshore tax havens. These services shouldn't be hived off in the first place, and they certainly shouldn't be hived off to any company not resident in the UK and not paying its proper share of tax to the UK Government.

Richard Murphy, from the Tax Justice Network, said
These findings are troubling, but seem to form part of a pattern that now appears deliberate. We're seeing taxpayers' money now being captured by private corporations who are using it for the benefit of a few in society at a cost to the great many ordinary people who're paying the price through reduced services, benefits and even healthcare, and all at the cost of increased tax.

The report suggest that some of biggest names in the outsourcing industry such BUPA and Capita, are managing their finances in such a way that they may be actively avoiding paying tax here in the UK. Ironically, this June Capita was awarded a £100 million contract by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to crackdown on vehicle tax and insurance evasion!

The report surveyed 20 of the biggest companies being awarded Government contracts. The list of companies surveyed was compiled from information provided by the union Unison and the Cabinet Office.

Sharon says
I spent some of my childhood in Darlington so when I heard about all the work that has been done on sustainable travel there over the past seven years, I took the opportunity to find out more in order to bring some practical ideas back to Honiton.

As a keen cyclist herself, local Green Party co-ordinator Sharon would like to see the opportunities for cycling developed in Honiton in order to cut car journeys and congestion, reduce harmful emissions and improve health. Sharon continues
I was interested to find out that 34% of car journeys in Darlington had the potential to be made using alternative transport or walking/cycling. It makes you wonder what that figure is here in Honiton which is a much smaller town with shorter distances from the outskirts into the centre.

Darlington had less than 1% of children cycling to school in 2004 and now seven years on, 8% of children cycle to school (the national average is just 2%).

Sharon adds
Apparently, two out of three trips we make are less than 5 miles so there is a lot of potential to walk or cycle, but people do need safe routes, support and encouragement. Darlington was fortunate to obtain funding to allow them to run a bike hire scheme, develop a massive network of safe, marked routes, produce maps and guides, hold a cycling festival, and work constructively with schools and employers.

Research also shows that improvements to sustainable travel can increase turnover in the high street by 5-15% because people who travel to the shops on foot, by bicycle or public transport perhaps surprisingly tend to spend more per head than those who travel by car.

Cycling is one of the easiest ways to fit exercise into your daily routine because it's also a form of transport and can burn up to a staggering 650 calories in one hour. It is the third most popular recreational activity in the UK, with an estimated 3.1 million people cycling each month.

Inspired by her meeting in County Durham, Sharon is now talking with transport officers at East Devon District Council and Devon County Council to find out what plans they have to develop sustainable transport in the county and will be reporting back her findings to Honiton Town Council in due course.

Contact
Sharon Pavey
sdpavey@gmail.com
07740 973990

Caroline Lucas MP says
Rail passengers in this country already pay some of the highest fares in Europe, and under successive governments, we've seen public transport fares increase while services have failed to improve.

Trains are absolutely crucial to our economy, for creating a greener and more sustainable transport network, and for reducing inequality through improving the mobility of those on lower incomes. Yet for many, travelling by train has already become an expensive luxury. The Government must urgently recognise that these relentless price hikes are having a serious effect on people's quality of life, and focus investment now to deliver affordable train travel for all.

Meanwhile, Stagecoach rail revenues including the franchises South West Trains and East Midlands Trains rose in the 12 months to June 2011 by 4.2% to £1bn while operating profits increased by 16% to £48.4 million.[2]

If you want to get involved in the campaign for better public transport, including 'Fair Fares Now' visit http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/fairfares/ and sign the petition calling for an end to excessive price increases on our railways.

NOTES

1. http://www.atoc.org/media-centre/latest-press-releases/train-companies-respond-to-july-inflation-rate-and-fare-rises-100612
2. http://www.rail.co/2011/06/29/stagecoach-group-reports-a-jump-in-profits/