Greens fight Dalton by-election

David Hargreaves is the Green Party candidate fighting a by-election in the Dalton ward of Kirklees Council. It will take place on 10 July 2008 and will be contested by six candidates.

David fought Almondbury in the May elections.

The by-election follows the resignation from Kirklees Council of Cllr Angela Ellam (Labour). Currently the Liberal Democrats hold the remaining two Dalton seats, one of which they narrowly won in the May elections by defeating senior Labour councillor Peter McBride. He is now the Labour candidate in the by-election.

Dalton ward includes Moldgreen, Rawthorpe, Kirkheaton and Bradley Mills.

For a summary of David's key issues see http://votewise.co.uk - click on Huddersfield on the map.

See a copy of David Hargreaves' Election Newsletter

See also Green Party 2008 Local Election Broadcast

Click here to watch the Webcast

......and David Davies' in the East Yorkshire by-election

Shan Oakes is the Green Party candidate in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election taking place on 10th July. The consituency covers the outer suburbs of Hull and stretches to the outskirts of Goole.

Shan, adopted already as one of the lead candidates for the 2009 European Elections, lives in the area and was adopted by a well attended meeting of the Hull & East Yorkshire Green Party.

This election was called following the resignation of the sitting MP who is fighting on on a civil liberties issue - 42 days detention. Shan Oakes also opposes 42 days detention without trial but is offering electors a real choice particularly to Labour and Lib Dem voters. Shan is also opposing the right wing views of David Davies on other civil liberty issues such as the death penalty, and on abortion.

01 July Click here to see Election Communication

Weekend of Action on Biofuels

Debate Friday 18th July

Huddersfield Climate Action Network has organised a debate on biofuels for Friday 18th July at the Methodist Mission, Lord Street starting at 7.00p.m. The panel will include Kenneth Richter, Biofuels national campaigner from Friends of the Earth and Alan Hanson from Bio UK Fuels, Sheffield- based producers of recycled biodiesel.

Demonstration Saturday 19th July
 
Huddersfield CAN cycle protest at the effect of biofuels on the world's poor with stalls and street theatre from 11.00 in Byram Street pedestrian area.

See Diary for details

Tesco Challenged on 620 Jobs Claim....

Responding to recent claims by Tesco that 620 jobs will be created as a result of their proposed Town Centre developments (lead story, Huddersfield Examiner, May 29), Cllr Graham Simpson said, "Before we cheer too loudly we need to take a balanced view with job losses considered too. To offset the promise of new jobs we should try to predict areas where job losses seem inevitable."

He suggested that some losses will take place in other food retailers, with a knock on effect in specialist shops such as fruit and vegetables, butchers, fishmongers and bakers. With the new Tesco planning an expanded range of merchandise, he suggested newsagents, florists, electrical and clothing stores should be added to this list - as well as people that smaller shops employ like shop fitters, trades people and business services.

"To complete the picture", said Cllr Simpson, "We should add that supermarkets employ fewer staff as a proportion of sales than independent grocers and specialist retailers. One key reason why Tesco is spectacularly successful for its investors is its ability to make profits by doing more business with relatively fewer people per £ of turnover. Overall there is a danger of a net loss of jobs and choice, as well as the profits going out of town."

....and on predictions of traffic overload

Increased traffic congestion will also have a knock-on effect on the efficient working of the town's economy - which may affect jobs in the longer term, says Kirklees Green Party.

Chas Ball, transport spokesperson said: "Tesco's promotions says it wants to "bring more people into town" but how will the additional traffic be accommodated? What sort of delays will be experienced at peak times? For example on Fridays and Saturdays, when shopping coincides with peak commuting, school-related traffic and sports events there will be a lot of competition for road space.

"Let us have the "demand management" initiatives Kirklees Council are committed to in principle, like park and ride, spelt out before the planning application is submitted. Until supermarkets - or their customers - pay something for parking there will be an inevitable disadvantage for town centre businesses. If 900 customers park free in Leeds Road for 2 hours, how many will struggle across 6 lanes of traffic with bags full of shopping from specialist shops in town?

"The feedback we are getting when people sign the petition against Tesco's proposals in their present form is that many do not share the assumption that a large new Tesco's will be so good for the town. An independent environmental and economic impact study is needed prior to considering a planning application".