Grimsby's MP Candidates views on Peaks Parkway

While you are here Viccy can you clear up some of your party's policies.

Sure, and you can browse any other policy which interests you here:   http://www.policy.greenparty.org.uk  

1. Can you explain Citzens Income and what that policy means.

The idea that everyone gets a basic payment as a right of citizenship.  It removes the admin costs and poverty trap of the current benefits system.  The Green leader Natalie Bennett got a right shellacking on the Politics Show a couple weeks ago about it, as she didn't have the figures to hand, as the fully costed manifesto isn't out until March.   My understanding it that it's a fair idea, needs a lot of consultation to develop to avoid unintended consequences.  Given the money available, it's necer going to be some sort of "luxury life for doing nothing."    There's something about universal benefits keeping the country together.  Those who earn too much to need them are paying them back in tax anyhow so they needn't feel bad.   Conversely, if support is only given to the poor it creates hate and division.  An example is of the stereotypes we get from the right wing media of people on benefits, when many people on benefits are working and the actual beneficiary is their employer who has low pay subsidised.  Happy to discuss again when I've seen the costings.

2. What would be the new restrictions be for motorists regarding speed, tax and road works.

Motorists are also residents, parents, they breathe the air and they cycle or walk.   Green transport policy is about accessible local services and moving goods around in as low a carbon way as possible and improving air quality.    Why low carbon?   Because the fossil fuels are going to get hellishly expensive, and unless the world reduces carbon emissions, things are just going to get.. hellish.    We in the UK need to play our part in reducing global emissions.  

So yes, expect the polluter pays principle to act here.   Expect speed limits for safety and efficiency and higher tax on gas guzzling vehicles.   Expect the heirarchy of cycling, pedestrians, public transport, low emission vehicles followed by traditional vehicles and aeroplanes to apply.   However, at the same time we would improve public transport, improve road safety (like they have in Brighton and cut the road accident rate)   we need to make these choices easy and feasible, rather than giving anyone an excuse to say they are being taxed for a high carbon mode of transport without having the option to change to a lower one.   Green policy is all about the easy and feasible choice also becoming the green choice.

A relevant local angle is that charging up electric vehicles is a good use for wind generated electricity on windy nights when demand is low on the grid.  This improves the economics of wind farms.

Another way I would explain this is that climate change and peak oil represent a sharp bend in the road.   Greens are suggesting ways to steer safely round it and other parties are denying the bend exists at all.

3. Would your party really legalise cocaine and heroin.

In short, not before a Royal Commission had looked at the issue.   Legalise cannabis now, and then look carefully at the situation with all other drugs.   (I would suggest they get "the scientist who was sacked" Prof David Nutt to chair it.)     The war on drugs has failed and we need a new approach.  It costs us a fortune to police, yet the prisons are full of drugs!    Illegal addictive drugs just create a pyramid scheme of crime, funding bad things here and abroad.   We don't want to encourage drug taking, but we understand it has always gone on and will always go on.  It needs to go on in the safest manner possible.  Which means - free drug testing e.g. at nightclubs, chemist shops; bring in minimum pricing for alcohol and no advertising; maintenance prescriptions to help addicted people stay clear of crime; and keeping the smoking ban in enclosed places.

4. What are your party's plans on air travel.
See 2.
The introduction of tradable carbon quotas brings fairness into a system which is otherwise looking like rationing by price.  When you buy fossil fuel, you debit your TCQ.   If you are stingy, you can sell the excess.  If you are profiliate and fancy a weekend shopping in New York, you need to top up.   (Not Green Party policy, but I vote Tesco to run this as the Nectar Card seems to work OK.)

5. Do you think the people of Brighton and Hove are happy with your party, how safe is that bubble.

I think the Labour and Conservative opposition have done everything they can to make it fail and to publicise every problem they can.  I think Caroline Lucas will remain as MP, but I am unsure on the council.   They have, despite the odds, delivered 3/4 of their manifesto pledges.  This includes 500 empty homes brought back into use, paying the living wage (£7.85p/h) for all council staff and getting 80 private businesses in the city to do the same.   A 40% pay cut for the council chief executive, bringing the ratio between lowest and highest paid council employee to less than 1:10.   No Bedroom Tax Evictions (can you name a Labour council with the same?)    More here http://www.brightonhovegreens.org/achievements/

Quoted from psgmariner

Swoon. I like her.

She from The Nunny isn't she? A hot, socialist who's not afraid to have a pint in the Tavern. I'm shallow, but she is already well ahead of the current incumbent.

Thank you for getting back so quickly Vicky.

1. The benefits system hasn't been working as it should for decades now and I agree you are right, it is going to take a lot of consultation but even having in your manifesto I believe would still be too soon, it needs over hauling by all party's in agreement.

2. Electric public transport generated by solar power and wind turbines is a great idea.  However we are taxed to the hilt in this country, road tax, fuel duty so you are going to cripple families trying to earn a living or destroying their social lives by stopping them using their car.

We buy in a lot of electricity from France's nuclear power station but they off load their carbon emissions on to us, how are you going to sort out the UK's energy crisis, the other party's knew about this 20 years ago and not enough has been done.

3. What makes you think that a legalised drugs won't have the same effects on crime.

4.  I just see this as another tax on families who save all year to go on holiday and your party hits them in their spending money.

5.  3/4 delivered of manifesto I would say is higher than most and you are always going to get sniping from other parties, especially when you don't deliver all your manifesto pledges  

This is a very interesting debate!

There's quite a few points that I would like to add.

Why is Great Coates now so out of favour? Is it cost?

I've spent hours on Google Maps looking for another possible site, but can't find one, so it must be Peakes Parkway or nothing.

No matter where it ends up there will be protests, & I can understand the reasons for not wanting it, but the stadium has to be put somewhere, or let the club die.

Docks would be a preferential site, but again cost & availability rules it out.

Peakes Parkway should have been a duel carriageway. I can't think of another place where a main road into a town centre is a single lane. Well done N.E. Lincs planners on that one, you've done us proud.

The big issue for this site will be access/egress onto Peakes. It will be chaos. I spent 40 mins getting out of Scunny's ground, & can only see it being the same unless there is some major restructuring of the junctions & road.

The argument for it being next to a station doesn't hold water. This only applies to cities where they have a local rail network. We only have a single line in/out with 4 stations. As mentioned, the cost of rail travel in prohibitive, & I can't see that changing any time soon. Car travel is here to stay so we must make allowances for it, sorry to the Greens, but that is how it is.

When it comes down to it, there isn't an alternative, other than no football club at all. Everyone agrees that can't happen, so this scheme is the only hope we have of GTFC surviving & prospering.

My big hope is that the council are more sympathetic to the needs of the club, & don't get sucked in by all the counter arguments against, & let it die on its feet, like they did last time at Great Coates. They need to grow a backbone & consider the arguments for & against & make a decision rather than debate it (literally) to death.

I will not hold my breath.

Quoted from jock dock tower

Would they use the new stadium as a stalag ffs? This is a debate about whether or not we should / should not move to a new ground, not as to whether or not we'd be puppy feed for Putin?

Would it really matter if the Green Party said:  "Build it on Peaks Parkway asap"?

It's their other policies that people really look at and why they hardly get any votes, so their view is practically pointless in terms of a debate on whether a new stadium is built on Peaks Parkway or not.

I'm all in favor of a new stadium being built, whether it's Peaks Parkway or anywhere else.  I've spent hours and hours trying to gather new stadium signatures, but when it comes down to voting, their is more to look at than just who is going to say: "Yes" or "No" to a new stadium.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Dear Vicky,

We have needed a new stadium for years,

After years and years and expensive studies and planning,

The only site that ticks all the boxes is Peakes Parkway,

Forget about Freeman St and the multi storey flats they have been studied and ruled out,

Please do not come on here and try and force your views on us,

No offence intended but you will have no clout when these plans are passed.

Pete,
You can't have a topic asking for the politicians views then slag them off because they have a differing opinion to yours. I think it is very courageous of them to participate in this debate, particularly in this forum that Fenty has chickened out.
You  have also chosen not to live in the area so your views are pointless - leave this for the locals to debate

Steve Beasant Lib Dem PPC for Great Grimsby and Councillor for the East Marsh enters the fray....

Taken from:
http://stevebeasant.4mp.org.uk.....-views/#page-content

GRIMSBY TOWN FC, PROPOSED NEW STADIUM – MY VIEWS
by Steve Beasant on February 22, 2015
Many people have been asking about my views on Grimsby Town Football Club’s proposed new football ground, and I have decided to place my opinion on record.

I have taken an interest in Grimsby Town for many years, but in recent decades I have only been the occasional visitor. I first started going to see Town in the early 1960s, when the Grimsby Boys Brigade often carried out a collection at the ground at half-time and that is how I became ‘hooked’ on football.

I saw the team go through all of the dark years, dropping down into the old Division Four and then in the late 60s – I became a permanent fixture at the ground, particularly when Laurie McMenemy became manager in the period 1971-73. During the season 1972-1973 I only missed one match home and away and that was an away game at Wrexham, owing to my sister’s wedding.

In 1974, I decided to take up refereeing and refereed for just over ten years – officiating in Junior League Matches, Grimsby Saturday League, Sunday League, Lindsey Sunday League and Lincolnshire League. I also refereed many local cup finals some of which took place on the ‘hallowed turf’, Blundell Park, ran the line in a number of pre-season Grimsby Town Football Matches (both home and away), and one of my last matches was to run the line at John Fraser’s Testimonial Game at Blundell Park in 1983.

Still to this day, the first football result that I look for is Grimsby Towns, and often when I am out and about knocking on doors I will be watching my news feed for highlights of Grimsby’s match.

Even in the days when I use to travel around England, looking at the grounds of other football clubs – I always thought that Blundell Park was in urgent need of modernisation or rebuilding – the work that’s taken place since was only a ‘stop gap’.

I can understand the frustration of fans and the people connected with the club.

I was elected to represent the East Marsh Ward in 2003, and sat on the Planning Committee the last time that a Planning Application was discussed – I voted in favour. It was good planning application but that project never saw the ‘light of day’.

And we are now where we are, unfortunately! My own view is that Grimsby Town Football Club cannot indefinitely continue at Blundell Park. However, for me as an elected member it would be unwise of me to comment on this website about the arguments of the present application – I do not want to prejudice any future decision (who knows after May, I just might be a member of the Planning Committee).

There are two reasons why I don’t want to commit myself – we have not yet seen the deposited Planning Application – only proposed ideas in the Grimsby Telegraph. Secondly, members who serve on the Planning Committee or indeed any other member should keep an open mind about a planning application until the day of the Planning Committee – they need to hear all of the arguments both for and against.

If, however, I was to be elected to Parliament I would fully support the Football Club in working on the very best outcome for ALL residents of Great Grimsby – many of whom are Grimsby Town Fans.

Also, I am sure that everyone will agree that this matter needs a speedy resolution for those residents who live nearby and those who are involved in the project.

I hope this answers some of the questions that have been posed to me in the recent days, and I hope people will respect my impartiality and trust that the Planning Process will come to correct decision in the end.

Does he need any help in getting off that fence?

Quoted from VickyDunnGreen

Hello folks.
I'm Vicky Dunn, the Green Party PPC for Grimsby.    At risk of being unpopular, I told the truth as I see it.  I've come on here rather than Twitter because 140 characters is a bit limiting.

I think Peaks Parkway is the wrong site for a new stadium + shops/supermarket + housing.   There is no place anywhere in the area for another out of town shopping development, and I believe we should consolidate the shops in the town centres.    As for housing, what the town really needs is affordable housing not the expensive variety.  The recent news that the Birds  Eye site and the old Western School site may be set for housing is welcome.

I do think a very close by rail link is needed for easy transfer of away fans to the stadium.  As I've been informed on Twitter, few fans currently travel by train, but I believe that will and must change over the next 20 years.

The local residents are very unhappy, and I have been told (I am trying to gather more information) that the postal questionaires about the issue mysteriously missed Weelsby Avenue out!   As for the allotments, the occupancy rate was a lot higher than 50% before this saga began.   I love my allotment (OK, cue hippy remarks now) which is on another site, but if I'd had one on that site I'd be seriously considering giving it up. Allotments are a really important community facility, and I believe they will  become more important in coming years.  We shouldn't get rid of any, and if the council/community groups can bid for funds to extend the number and diversity of people growing their own food, then that is an important thing.  It's important for physical and mental health, provides space for wildlife, and has no food miles or packaging involved.   That's why I believe the allotments are an important piece in this puzzle.

Lastly, does anyone have any information on whether, if the Freeman St flats came down, that site would be suitable in size?  I've met some of the residents there and seen their heartfelt misery at the prospect of being evicted and I hope a solution (repeal of bedroom tax to solve underoccupany?) can be found.  BUT, if those flats come down it seems a better site for transport, for shops, and for affordable housing and a Stadium if it would fit.  I'd welcome more information on this.

Yours,
Vicky Dunn, Green Party PPC for Grimsby.

Hello Vicky

Thanks for taking the time to respond and putting some wholesome comments to the forum. I personally like most fans of GTFC have become totally fed up with the way this new stadium has been handled by various Councils and Political Parties since it first came up for debate way back in the late 80s. I just want some honesty and by coming on here and putting yourself up to debate you will have gained plenty of respect from the likes of myself who otherwise may not have heard of the Greens

He's not sitting on the fence as you put it, he's on the planning committee that will be looking into granting planning permission. If he says he is in favour then he has declared his intentions without looking at the facts first. That would exclude him from the process of granting permission on this case.

It is better to keep someone like him on the committee who understands the needs of the club, rather than speaking out in favour & disqualifying himself from the process, & being replaced by someone who doesn't like football & hasn't a clue of the implications.

This is what happened last time, the blue rinse brigade refused planning permission for the Great Coates site. The rest as they say is history.