Newsflash: Steering Group blog post to appear!!!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Attention Conservation Notice: This is a detailed post about how little information is ever released by officialdom without persistence persistence persistence.  It is not inspiring, but rather depressing; so is best left unread if you need to maintain illusions about Manchester’s preparedness for the challenges ahead.

In response to persistent requests from Manchester Climate Monthly, the Steering Group will be releasing answers to “some” questions about its new sub-group chairs, and perhaps – if we are very lucky – the “democratic” structures that are to be in place for its next conference in March (1) .  The website – manchesterclimate.com, has had a blogpostschequered history. After four blog posts in the month of January 2012, it then fell into complete silence, with posts being put up in August, October and December. This is despite the fact that the chair of the group, at the last meeting for which minutes have been released (Dec 2011) “suggested that in future Steering Group members could produce a live blog in order to improve MACF communication.” (2)

In early November 2012 an email circulated asking people to nominate themselves to be chairs of new subgroups.  The deadline was lasubgroupchairsfirstrequestte November, because they wanted to confirm all the chairs at the December full group meeting.

A couple of weeks later a rather plaintive follow-up email went out…

subgroupsadvert2nd26nov

 

 

Last week MCFly wrote to the person who sent the message out.  We asked –

could you please supply us with the names of the chairs of the five subgroups for

Buildings
Energy
Transport
Green and Blue
Sustainable Production and Consumption

and supply answers the following questions

a) were there any posts for which no applications were received?
b) if so, how was this dealt with, i.e. were specific people asked to nominate themselves after close of applications?
or if any posts are vacant, what actions are being taken to fill them?

c) for which of the five groups – if any – was there more than one applicant? In that case/those cases, what decision/election mechanism was used?

Further, what are the arrangements for the elections to the Steering Group due to be held at the Stakeholder Conference in March 2013.

yours sincerely

Marc Hudson

The reply came thus today

My apologies for the delay in getting back to you, but I do not officially return from maternity leave until later on this month.

As regards the questions detailed below, the process for the appointment of the chairs of the five subgroups is not yet complete.  Therefore I cannot supply you with the names at this point.

Best wishes,

[x]

Which was, we felt, somewhat unhelpful.  So we replied –

Thanks [x] for getting back to us.

The emails that were sent out asking people to apply for this stated that the intention was to ratify the selections at the December meeting.

The question still stands – were there posts for whom no candidate came forward? If so, which ones?

And the new questions are
a) what is the cause/are the causes for the delay?
b) what impact is this going to have on the plan for five “themed” meetings and the Stakeholder Conference in March

And to re-iterate the other question I sent through –

“Further, what are the arrangements for the elections to the Steering Group due to be held at the Stakeholder Conference in March 2013.”

All best wishes

Marc Hudson

Well, we know have had the following email from the chair of the Steering Group himself, Steve Connor.

Marc

[x] is still on maternity leave. I will attempt to answer some of these questions on the MACF blog.

We look forward, as I am sure you do, gentle readers, to the answers to “some” of these questions, in due course.

Marc Hudson
mcmonthly@gmail.com

(1) See here for more – or is it less – detail?
(2) Here’s a screengrab.

minutesdec2011

The irony is that the “request for agendas and action points” was from one of the MCFly editors.   The response from the Steering Group was not to post ANY minutes in 2012, despite having posted the 2010 and 2011 minutes.  That’ll teach us for asking, eh? This, apparently, is how democracy and transparency is done in Manchester…

Posted in Democratic deficit, Fun, humour | Tagged | Leave a comment

Letter on climate change the #Manchester Evening News didn’t publish

Posted on January 7, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Here’s a letter I sent in last Thursday about the Scrutiny Committee meeting on Tuesday 8th. Sadly it hasn’t made it in – but persistence is the name of the game when it comes to letters to the editor…

It was good to read that Greater Manchester councils are bulk-buying electricity and gas to help residents lower their fuel bills (MEN Jan 2nd “People power energy scheme which could save YOU hundreds”).  The other side of that coin though, is more energy-efficient houses, with better insulation.  This is supposed to be happening via the Coalition Government’s “Green Deal” to encourage retrofitting of domestic properties.  However, the Tories and Lib Dems are showing a complete lack of political will.  It is time that Manchester’s politicians and civil servants start thinking about a Plan B – how to ensure we help residents have warmer, safer and low-carbon houses without relying on unreliable central Government schemes.

On Tuesday 8 January 2013 the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee of Manchester City Council will discuss a report on the Greater Manchester Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation.  The report (available on the Council’s website) is admirably clear. It is also honest in admitting that if the current plan goes through it is “likely to save 3,2450 tonnes of carbon,” (up to 2016)  which “pales into insignificance in relation to the 350,000 tonnes savings needed from the domestic sector by 2020.”

Hopefully committee members will ask for work to be done – perhaps by the University of Manchester or the Centre for Local Economic Strategies – to devise a plan for how the city can come up with a scheme that is fit for purpose and relies on the wealth and ingenuity of Greater Manchester.

In addition, the Scrutiny Committee will also discuss a report on the “refresh” of the Manchester Climate Change “Action Plan.  The meeting takes place from 2.00 pm, in Committee Room 11, Level 1, Manchester Town Hall. You do not have to book, and you do not need anyone’s permission to attend this meeting.  Manchester Climate Monthly will be reporting on the outcomes of this meeting

Marc Hudson
co-editor Manchester Climate Monthly

Posted in Climate Change Action Plan, Manchester City Council | Tagged , | 3 Comments

#Manchester #Climate Monthly #13, January 2013 out now!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

mcfly13coverWhat preparations have been made for the next “Stakeholder Conference” on climate change, 9 short weeks away?  What advice does MCFly’s new agony aunt, Miss Movements have to offer?  What do various eco-groups like Friends of the Earth, Carbon Coop and so on have planned for the year ahead?  What is “Democracy in the Making”?

All this and much more in the latest 8-page extravaganza that is Manchester Climate Monthly #13…

For reasons best known to itself, the scribd document can’t be embedded.

Click here to read MCFly without downloading!

Or read the jpgs of the pages.  NB We have fixed the foul-up on page one that lopped off a good three or four lines on the print edition.  Whoops…

mcflyjan2013cover2 mcflyjan2013page2 mcflyjan2013page3 mcflyjan2013page4 mcflyjan2013page5 mcflyjan2013page6 mcflyjan2013page7 mcflyjan2013page8

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#Manchester City Council in “useful IT networking/campaigning tool” shocker!!

Posted on January 5, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Manchester City Council has set up “Manchester Zoom.”

zoomIt’s “like a noticeboard for the city. Local groups and activities are listed in an easy-to-search format, where you can connect with people who share your interests, find meetings and see what’s happening in your community. If you have a group or activity you want to share, then just register and add it to the list, so people can find you too. You add the information about your own activities.”
“This is a non-profit website, administered by Manchester City Council. Its aim is to bring together people who share interests and want to find events and activities. It doesn’t, and won’t, carry advertising.”

And yes, in case you wonder, Manchester Climate Monthly has availed itself of the opportunity. We encourage community groups and campaigning groups to do likewise – networks increase in value more-or-less in line with the number of nodes, after all…

Posted in Campaign Update, Manchester City Council | Tagged | Leave a comment

#Manchester #climate Stakeholder Conference 2013 – beyond belief, beyond satire

Posted on January 4, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

UPDATE 7th January: The plot thickens!  We have just stumbled upon a blog post, dated 17th December, on the official Steering Group website that states unequivocally that some of these questions below have been debated and agreed already at the Steering Group’s December meeting! See foot of this email for that info.

Manchester Climate Monthly spoke to Steve Connor, Chair of the Steering Group  charged with overseeing Manchester’s Climate Change Action Plan.  We were primarily interested in the upcoming Stakeholder conference (1), due to take place during “Climate Week” this March.

MCFly: Who exactly is organising the stakeholder conference?
Connor: The Steering Group and Groundwork along with staff support from Manchester City Council and also volunteers. (2)

MCFly: Is it a whole day/half day event?
Connor: We’re not sure yet. There are some clashes that we need to avoid during Climate Week so it’s most likely to be at the beginning of the week but we haven’t decided anything yet. [The official manchesterclimate.com website has been saying – since before Christmas –  the conference would happen on Friday 8th March. The screengrab below is from Thurs 3rd January.]Screenshot from 2013-01-03 16:39:36

What is the venue?
No venue yet.

How will people sign up for it? Is it first come first served?
That hasn’t been decided yet.

When will these details be announced?
We’re working to make sure that people get 8 week’s notice which is what’s usually given for big events. (3)

Are any any fringe events being planned?
Yes, a call out for fringe events to organisations has been sent out and hoping to organise them along the five main themes of MACF- Buildings, Energy, Transport, Green & Blue Infrastructure, Sustainable Consumption & Production.

What is the total budget?
We haven’t finalised that yet.

Is there a “sponsoring organisation”? What efforts have been made to get sponsorship?
Not yet although a sub group of the Steering Group met in December to discuss details.

Who from the steering group has “oversight” of this?
There is no lead for the conference yet although a sub-group met before Xmas meet to discuss and I haven’t caught up with what was decided yet.

What is *different* this year than last year’s conference. I.e. if someone found it not worth their time last year, what is different about this year’s conference?
 Again, the sub-group is looking at these issues.

MCFly says:
We have been here before. This time last year (January 13th 2012) Manchester Climate Monthly broke the news of the date of the second (delayed-without-announcement-or-apology) “Stakeholder Climate Change Conference” for the Manchester Climate Action Plan. At that time there was also no venue, no theme, no “how-to-sign-up.” (4)

In the event, the conference was widely regarded as an omnishambles. Significant numbers of people left before the end, and the feedback – what little there was of it – was lukewarm to negative.

How did the Steering Group react? Did they start planning for the next year’s conference immediately, with a determination to help the city gain momentum, and to claw back squandered credibility? Did they choose a date? A venue? Establish a budget? Set up a working group to learn lessons and do outreach to ensure a wider range of attendees than 2012’s pale, male and stale turn out?

The questions may be rhetorical, but the answers – and their consequences – are deadly serious. The answers: No. No. No. No. No.  And no.

The 2013 is happening in nine weeks – either on a date to be decided or on Friday 8th, depending on whether you go with Mr Connor’s answers to us or what has been on the official website since before Christmas. Many public sector employees who want to attend will have very little annual leave left by then. The bulk of the attendees will environment-sector people, with a smattering of retirees and students. Wage slaves from outside the “green” sector will be very thin on the ground. Pale, male, stale, as the phrase taught us by someone goes.

Three and a half years after the Action Plan was agreed, a third of the way to the 2020 target, does ANYONE think this is acceptable, excusable?

Some questions arise from this farrago.

What has the Steering Group been DOING all this time? (Maybe they could publish the minutes of their meetings in 2012? After all, they promised to, and they managed this difficult feat in 2011 and 2010).

Do they give a damn about the group’s low (and steadily decreasing) reputation and profile?

Do members of this group – as individuals – ever wonder if continued membership of such an obviously non-functional group (dysfunctional would imply they were actually doing something) is a reputational risk?

Could they organise a piss-up in a brewery?

Those answers: Nowt? Seems not. Seems not. No.

Footnotes
(1) Interview conducted by telephone on Thursday 3rd January by MCFly co-editor Arwa Aburawa.
(2) Originally we thought this story was going to be about the Steering Group handing over responsibility for organising the “Stakeholder Conference” 2013 conference to the City Council. Why? Because we read it in an official council document. Given the catastrophe that was the last one, this was plausible. However turns out that the minute-taker of the Environmental Strategy Programme Board meeting in May 2012 got his or her facts wrong (though it should be noted that the minutes were approved at the next meeting, attended by the Council’s Head of Environmental Strategy, who sits on the Steering Group).espbminutesclaimingmcccontrol
(3) Please note – “we’re working towards” does not mean “there will definitely be …”
(4) In true Steering Group style, the how-to-sign-up conundrum was “solved” with a mistaken ‘first come first served’ announcement. This mistake was honoured (face needs to be saved, after all), leading to some people missing out while others signed up and then didn’t even show up.

According to Nicola Percival, a member of the Steering Group, writing several weeks before we contacted the Chair of the Group:

“A small sub-group has been created from Steering Group members to put together the conference, taking lessons learnt from last year and tailoring it to meet the needs of the City in 2013. They reported back their thoughts after their first meeting earlier this month, and after a healthy debate we agreed on a few key aspects – numbers of delegates, whether it should be a half or a full day, who it should be aimed at, and what the focus should be.  The focus of our 2013 conference will be “to inspire and stimulate to action”, and we are now tasked with identifying organisations to invite along – both organisations who are well along the road in this agenda, as well as those who are thinking about it but haven’t started yet and would benefit from a few pointers. ” (emphasis added)

Posted in Climate Change Action Plan, Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council, Upcoming Events | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Newsflash: #Manchester Council committee to discuss #climate change and energy issues, Tues 8th January, 2pm

Posted on January 3, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

On Tuesday 8 January 2013 the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee of Manchester City Council will discuss two report: one on the Manchester Climate Change “Action Plan (70 pages – see MCFly’s submission to the writers here), and another on the Greater Manchester Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (7 pages).

These two reports are now available for download here (MCC website).

Over the coming days, Manchester Climate Monthly will be analysing the reports and getting comments from various individuals and organisations. If you have opinions (especially ones based on having actually read one or both the reports!) please share them in the comments box under this post or other related posts.

neighbourhoods scrutiny 2012 spotters card-page1The Neighbourhood Scrutiny Committee is made up of 15 councillors. Its “focus is on the services that are based in local areas that have an impact on communities. It is our role to ensure that they are being run in the best interests of the residents who use them. These services include those that are vital to the effective running of a city, such as waste and planning, but also those that bring benefits to residents who access them such as culture, leisure and libraries. Our key priority is ensuring that the views of local people are influencing those making the decisions that affect them and that services are being run to benefit residents.” It is chaired by Councillor Basil Curley (Labour) of Charlestown ward.  MCFly made a “spotters guide”, which you can see alongside this post.
The meeting takes place from 2.00 pm, in Committee Room 11, Level 1, Manchester Town Hall (aka “Castle Grayskull”) [googlemap]

You do NOT have to book, and you do NOT need anyone’s permission to attend this meeting.

Posted in Climate Change Action Plan, Democratic deficit, Energy, humour, Manchester City Council, Upcoming Events | Tagged | Leave a comment

PMT #01: Please write to the Chair of TfGM about how consultations are publicised

Posted on January 2, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Please join other MCFly readers in taking a quick action on public transport and democratic accountability.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is “the organisation responsible for implementing local transport policy … responsible for investing your money in improving transport services and facilities, supporting the largest regional economy outside London.”

On Christmas Eve they released a press release about their next meeting, a consultation on Budget priorities for 2013/14. The press release invites people to attend a public meeting on … Thursday 3rd January. (See MCFly story here.)

This is NOT, we feel, (and we hope you do too!) how consultations should be run.  Whether or not you have any specific opinion on the TfGM budget for 2013/4, there is a principle at stake here.

We would like you to write a polite email to the chair of TfGM, Councillor Andrew Fender, at his email address cllr.a.fender@manchester.gov.uk

tfggm2jan2013Please ask him to ensure that  future press releases and announcements of meetings are put out at least four weeks in advance.  You might also suggest that they keep their web page about consultations a bit more up-to-date (see the screen grab from 2/1/13 to the right).

Please cc us into any email you send, and fwd us any answer you get back!

If you are interested to see if any of your councillors is on the TfGM committee (there are 33 members from the ten local authorities) you can check out the membership here.

PMT??  Stands for “Practical MCFly Tasks.”  Every Wednesday we are going to ask readers to do something (usually something simple and quick, but occasionally a bit more complex and a bit longer).  That “something” might be “publicise the latest issue of MCFly on facebook” or it might be “respond to this consultation” or it might be something else.  If your group has something that you’d like to see in this slot, email us at mcmonthly@gmail.com

“MCFly: giving you PMT every week of the year.”

Posted in PMT, Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Off Topic: Arabian Nights by #Manchester Library Theatre (@The_Lowry) is a “must-see”

Posted on January 1, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

The phrase “must-see” gets overused. This show is, however, a must-see. You can book your tickets here. It closes on Saturday January 12th, so get your skates on.

It’s hard to know where to begin with a show this good. So I’ll start with the “set up”; everything is peachy in the kingdom until the King sees his Queen playing away from home. He has her executed and then marries a new young woman from his kingdom every night…  and orders her execution the following morning. This goes on for years, as he takes his revenge on women in general.  Shaharazad, the daughter of the King’s vizier (lieutenant), begs her father to marry her to the king. He is, naturally, lukewarm on the idea, not realising that she has a plan.  To save her own neck – and the necks of other women who would surely follow her – she will tell a beguiling tale and leave her one-man audience wanting more. Can she do it?

There are only nine actors, but between them they play over a hundred characters (there are some very fast costume changes!), with humour, pathos, verve and real physical flair. As Shaharazad Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi shines, but everyone else (Paul Barnhill, Mark Carlisle, Emilio Doorgasingh, Kezrena James, Jo Mousley, Tachia Newall, Mitesh Soni and Claire Storey) has their chances to show their talents, and on every occasion they grab the opportunity.  Many familiar stories – Ali Baba,  Sinbad the Sailor and others – are here, alongside less familiar ones, from a script by theatre director and playwright Dominic Cooke. There is greed, stupidity, love, despair, fart gags, laughter and much much else.

Kudos too, obviously to the musician (Arun Ghosh) the director (Amy Leach), the designer (Hayley Leach) and everyone else who made this show well, brilliant and a … “must-see”. Did I mention that it closes on Saturday January 12th, and that you can – should – book tickets now?

Here’s the trailer…

Marc Hudson
mcmonthly@gmail.com

PS And thanks to the manager at the matinee performance we went to, who found us new seats away from a child too young to be in the audience!

See another review here
And others still here.

Token Climate Bit
So, it’s a show about redemption for previous senseless crimes, and a climate activist might ask “Where are the story-tellers with the guts and guile of Shaharazad?”
But of course, the “decider” in 1001 nights is unitary. He is an undisputed king – as he has decided to be a monster, so he can decide not to be. There is no executioners’ union complaining that they’ve taken on new staff to deal with increasing demand caused by his hacking off of heads, and that they will be thrown into poverty if Shaharazad’s “meddling” is successful. There is no funeral service association petitioning for the new death rates to be maintained…

The king, here, can change his ways, his dominion over all he sees still intact. Homo sapiens sapiens? Not so much…

BTW – we are not going to make a habit of “Off Topic” posts! Here is our (new) policy on ’em.

Posted in Off Topic | Leave a comment

“Fracking probably safe”, says government report

Posted on January 1, 2013 by manchesterclimatemonthly

From the wonderful satirical fortnightly, Private Eye. You can subscribe to it here.
frackingprobablysafeprivateeye-2

Posted in Energy, humour | Tagged , | Leave a comment

#Manchester #climate nuggets December 31st 2012

Posted on December 31, 2012 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Hi all,

next week sees the launch of a new and we-hope-you-think improved Manchester Climate Monthly.  Well, a slight rejig.  Okay, the same old mix of tpyos, calendars, interviews, reviews etc….  And an agony aunt column, a monthly “movement-building” page and so on.

“MCFly- giving you PMT every week of the year.”

One of our New Year’s Resolutions is to give busy people something specific and not-too-time-consuming to do.  Every Wednesday – starting on Weds 2nd January – we will publish a short(ish) and eminently do-able thing that folks can do around “green”/social justice/resourcefulness/democracy issues in Manchester.

Arwa Aburawa and Marc Hudson

Coming up this week

Thursday 3, 10.30am – 1pm The Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC) is holding its annual Budget Briefing for 2013/14 in the Banqueting Room of Manchester Town Hall. To reserve a place at the briefing, please email budgetupdate@tfgm.com or telephone 0161 244 1000.

Stories you may have missed on the MCFly website

Things to read

Manchester-based
202020 Vision – make Manchester a City fit for Cycling

Things to read while the algae grows in your fur

Time to Face the Facts: Our Level of Consumption is Pathological (George Monbiot)

http://www.alternet.org/environment/time-face-facts-our-level-consumption-pathological

Permaculture Helps Us Remember Who We Are (from YES! magazine)

Climate Risks Have Been Underestimated for the Last 20 Years
Daily Climate / By Glenn Scherer
“We’re underestimating the fact that climate change is rearing its head,” said Kevin Trenberth, head of the climate analysis section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and a lead author of key sections of the 2001 and 2007 IPCC reports. “And we’re underestimating the role of humans, and this means we’re underestimating what it means for the future and what we should be planning for.”

Food Glorious Food?
In the early spring of 2012, U.S. farmers were on their way to planting some 96 million acres in corn, the most in 75 years. A warm early spring got the crop off to a great start. Analysts were predicting the largest corn harvest on record.

The United States is the leading producer and exporter of corn, the world’s feedgrain. At home, corn accounts for four-fifths of the U.S. grain harvest. Internationally, the U.S. corn crop exceeds China’s rice and wheat harvests combined. Among the big three grains – corn, wheat, and rice – corn is now the leader, with production well above that of wheat and nearly double that of rice.

The corn plant is as sensitive as it is productive. Thirsty and fast-growing, it is vulnerable to both extreme heat and drought. At elevated temperatures, the corn plant, which is normally so productive, goes into thermal shock.

 

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