Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal

22/04/2021

22/03/2021

One of our members, Stephen Greiff, had his letter to the Bucks Free Press about the Council's Climate Change strategy (or lack thereof) published this week. See the link and full text below:

"I wonder how many BFP readers are aware of Bucks Council’s new Climate Change Strategy? How many knew there was a questionnaire based ‘consultation’ last year? Or filled it in? How many are aware of the existence of Community Boards and Climate Change sub-committees of those Boards? My guess is that few are aware ...and even fewer are engaged. This morning, at the Transport Environment and Climate Change committee meeting [March 11], I asked Cllr Bill Chapple, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, how he would engage with and win the support from a truly representative sample of our County’s residents - not just the few who actively engage in local politics. I offered him the local government leading-practice and innovative solution of holding a Citizen’s Climate Assembly, as seen just up the A40 in Oxford, for example. I even offered to link him up with Oxford Council’s deputy Leader, who ran the assembly.

But Bill knows better. Despite the sad fact that far fewer than 50% of the registered electorate will vote in the upcoming elections, he still thinks that the council chamber genuinely represents our residents. He thinks the highly engaged, but very small number of public members of the Community Boards genuinely represent all residents, all strands of political opinion, all demographics and all points of view. It is such a shame that our council’s cabinet members are so resistant to adopting innovative ways of really speaking to all of the people they claim to represent. What are they afraid of? That they’ll be told that their plan goes neither fast enough nor far enough?"

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/yoursay/opinion/bfpcomment/19173972.drivers-large-vehicles---take-different-route-protect-historic-bridge/

24/11/2020

We are delighted to welcome Matthew Pennycook, Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich and Shadow Minister of State for Climate Change, to speak to Wycombe Labour.

The talk takes place on Tuesday 8th December at 7pm.

With the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow in 2021, and hot on the heels of the publication of Labour's demand for a £30bn Green Recovery stimulus package to create at least 400 thousand green new jobs, there's never been a better time to speak to Matthew!

If you would like to attend, comment below or send a DM and Stephen Greiff, our Policy Officer, will be in touch with Zoom details!

29/09/2020

Calling all Wycombe residents! As part of Buckinghamshire Council's plan to achieve net carbon zero in Buckinghamshire, it is currently working on a Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy for the county.

To help shape this strategy, the Council has launched a climate change and air quality survey aimed at residents across the county.

Please take the short survey (link below) to help the Council better understand local views here in Wycombe so that they can adequately address the environmental challenges and issues that affect our town.

https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/environment/ccaq-public-survey-2020

Deadline for responses is Friday 9 October.

Have your say on Your Voice Bucks

03/09/2020

We are delighted to announce that John McDonnell will talk to Wycombe Labour on the evening of 9th September.

John has been a powerful advocate for the green industrial revolution and the need to advance a radical program against climate change.

If you want to join the talk, contact Alex Down, Wycombe Labour's Political Training & Education Officer, on [email protected] and he will share the Zoom details with you.

✊🌲🌎

30/08/2020

A letter from one of our members was published today in the Bucks Free Press. The letter raises an important local environmental concern and also highlights the potential powers that a Town Council would have in Wycombe in being able to tackle green issues.

"Would Town Council stop smoke getting in your eyes?

During the lovely weather we have managed to enjoy walks into Kingwood and take in the fantastic landscape views towards the Flackwell Heath hills on the opposite side of the Rye Valley.

It was disappointing to witness a cloud of smoke (presumably from garden bonfires) slowly drifting down the Wye valley from Wycombe through the Marsh area and through Loudwater.

It is a pity that we need to live either on top of the valley hills or upwind in order to enjoy fresh air during these summer days.

Would a Wycombe Town Council have the ability or influence the prohibition of garden bonfires to protect both the quality of life and the health of the downwind residents living in the Wycombe valley areas?

D. Berry, Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal, Penn"

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/18683672.letters-fed-selfish-parking---decided-something-it/

03/08/2020

If you are a resident of Wycombe, you should be deeply concerned about the high levels of air pollution that exist in parts of our town. Of particular concern is Marlow Hill and the surrounding areas as they contain a number of schools.

There is a clear correlation between air quality and mortality and this is borne out by the figures released by Buckinghamshire Council which show that there were 234 deaths in our county in 2016 directly attributable to air pollution.

At a time when a respiratory pandemic in the form of COVID-19 is ripping through our country, there has never been a more important time to address the issue of the quality of the air that we breathe.

At the moment, the Environment Bill is currently at the debate stage in the House of Commons and has specific provisions relating to air quality targets.

In light of this, we have written to the MP for Wycombe, Steve Baker, calling for him to take a leading and progressive stance towards demanding that the UK sets the gold (World Health Organisation) standard when it comes to air quality targets.

That letter, which is in the link below, was sent to him on 29th June. We are still waiting for his response.

The following letter was sent to Wycombe MP Steve Baker, on behalf of Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal. Dear Mr. Baker, Re: Environment Bill 2019-20 I am writing to you on behalf of Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal (‘WLGND’) to voice our strong concerns regarding two elements of the Enviro...

28/07/2020

Yesterday, Buckinghamshire Council announced plans to develop a network of cycling and walking routes around High Wycombe. While it is still early days for the project, this is very encouraging news!

Cllr Nick Naylor, Cabinet Member for Transport, said "I know High Wycombe is hilly, but you still see many people cycling and walking, especially during lockdown in recent months. This is about making meaningful investment to provide an improved network and encourage more people to take up healthier means of travel".

The Council's Transport team have kicked off the project by launching a travel survey which can be found in the press release below.

They are asking for Wycombe residents to complete it. So, if you are a keen walker or cyclist, or would like to be able to walk or cycle more in and around Wycombe, please take the time to fill in the survey.

This is one of the the first encouraging steps towards a cleaner and greener Wycombe! 🙏🌲

Plans to develop a network of cycling and walking routes around High Wycombe take their first step today (Monday 27 July) with the launch of a travel survey to find out how people currently get around the area.

20/07/2020

Alex Down from Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal will be on Wycombe Sound (106.6FM) tomorrow at 10.30am talking to host Bob Johnson about what actions need to be taken to make Wycombe a cleaner, greener and more prosperous place to live. Be sure to tune in!

Radioplayer web player

13/07/2020

We are delighted to announce that Luke Pollard, the current Shadow Environment Secretary in Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet and Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, will talk to Wycombe Labour via Zoom on the evening of 23rd July.

Having served many roles on Labour’s Shadow Environment Team, Luke is expertly placed to speak about how Labour’s Green New Deal will play a critical role in rebuilding Britain’s economy post Covid-19.

Get in touch if you want to join the talk!