PEOPLE FIRST.

More from that very wet Saturday 1st October Glasgow. The weather didn't dampen their spirits, nor their anger.

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THERE IS A BETTER WAY!!!

Help Build the STUC Demonstration Against the Cuts

Wednesday 17th August -

7pm - STUC building, 333 Woodlands Rd. Glasgow.

Speakers:

Dave Moxham (Deputy General Secretary Scottish Trade Union Congress)

Graeme Kirkpatrick (Deputy President National Union of Students Scotland)

Mhairi McAlpine (Campaigner and Coalition of Resistance Activist)

Hi,
        The STUC has organised a demonstration against the cuts on the 1st of October under the slogan

PeopleFirst: There is a Better Way.
         

SOLIDARITY.

       This is a chance to mobilize the whole of Scottish society against the austerity agenda. And the demonstration takes place in the context of a new financial crisis, riots breaking out across cities in England, and the prospect of serious coordinated strike action against the government in the Autumn. There could not be a more important time to bring everyone together.

         It is absolutely vital that we all make sure that this is one of the biggest demonstrations in Scotlands history. To that end Coalition of Resistance in Glasgow has organized a mobilizingmeeting to build support for the march this Wednesday 17th August. Please come along and join the discussion. This is an opportunity to bring together people from many different backgrounds to discuss how we can all build this demonstration into the biggest protest Scotland has ever seen.

Yours, Peter Ramand

(secretary, Coalition of Resistance | Glasgow)

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GLASGOW MAFIA STRIKE AGAIN.

Subject: North Kelvin Meadow.

       “Time is running out to save an award winning community green space in Glasgow’s West End from Developers”.

        North Kelvin Meadow, a well used and supported green-space in the heart of Glasgow’s West End is now the subject of a planning application to build 115 flats, which if successful, will mark the end of this well loved community initiative.

       The developer New City Vision Ltd (NCV) chosen by Glasgow City Council has now kicked off their drive to gain planning permission for their housing development by holding two public meetings allowing the community to comment on their design. However the fundamental question of whether any housing development is right for this green space will not be up for discussion (1). They expect their main planning application to go in by March 2011.

      Even after two and half years of hard work by the community, GCC have chosen “to carry on regardless with the sale process” and to bulldoze North Kelvin Meadow. They have never consulted with the local people about what should happen to this land. Local people have been looking after this land in the absence of any management by the Council. And this work has been recognized for two years in a row with an award from Beautiful Scotland. They have cleared dumped rubbish off the land, regularly pick up litter, run a community composting service, and have set up community allotments so that local residents can grow fruit and veg. This green space is in constant use by dog walkers, children, and others who appreciate it as a

wild park. They would like to extend their work to provide a permanent resource for the benefit of the whole community. The development by New City Vision will destroy this work and ensure there is one less public resource for the people of North Kelvinside.

     *Douglas Peacock Chairman North Kelvin Meadow Campaign:*

      “This planning application if successful will result in a Meadow and community Allotment being bulldozed, 100s of trees being cut down and a successful award winning community initiative ceasing. Thats not a great legacy to leave the next generation to say the least! This land has never been built on and always used for the local community and that should continue.”

     “Glasgow City Council are out of step on what people are looking for on this issue, this is backed up by the number of politicians voicing their support plus 1000 people to date have signed the petition, that and the overwhelming support from local people asking that this green space not be built on.”

      *SNP Depute Leader Nicola Sturgeon* has recently mentioned, in Dec 2010, the plight of North Kelvin Meadow: http://www.snp.org/node/17556

*Notes*

       1. A pre planning application was recently introduced by the Scottish Government to help communities, understand and get up to speed with what a developer is planning in their area prior to its main application for planning consent. This period last 12 weeks. North Kelvin Meadow is one of the first in Glasgow to be in this new process. Crucially though people aren’t being asked, and have *never* been officially asked, what they like to happen to this land. This pre planning consultation is mainly about what should happen to the small amount of open space which currently is shown as a small roundabout within the housing complex e.g. should it be grass, trees, seating, BBQ area, tarmac etc?

      2 *North Kelvin Meadow web site* http://www.northkelvinmeadow.com/ for further information email northkelvinmeadow@gmail.com  

     3. *Images for publication* available for download and use from  http://www.flickr.com/groups/northkelvinmeadow/
     4. *New City Vision Ltd* http://www.cloustonstreet.co.uk/
 
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