Last year was officially the second wettest year across the UK, the Met Office have revealed. Only slightly less than in 2000, the wettest. Four of the five wettest years on record occurred in the last twelve years. According to the Met, the UK is following the global trend in increased frequency of extreme weather events, as predicted in climate change models. The Met office predicts that extreme weather events are likely to get more common in future years.

It's been revealed that the Co-op has a deal with Atos, the company that seems keen to help the government drive the sick and disabled back to work, when they eventually manage to provide any that is.  It may well be that the deal was done before Atos achieved notoriety, but will the Co-op pledge to extricate themselves from contracting with Atos as soon as legally possible?

At the well-attended November Coffee House, Molly Scott Cato (Leader of the Green Group on SDC and lead candidate for the Euro elections) and Sarah Lunnon (Green County Councillor) debated this topic with David Drew (Labour District Cllr and Parliamentary candidate) and Geoff Wheeler (Leader, SDC).

Stroud District Green Party's newsletter for Stroud Town residents went through 5,000 letter boxes in late November/early December. Items featured the work of the Green Party's Town, District & County councillors.

Green Party researcher Chris Harmer has demonstrated that it is possible to exceed 80% recycling. His project for a 2 person household, involved weighing all their waste over an 8 week period.  Chris put 33.8 kgs in his black recycling bag (48.2%); composted or fed to animals 23.16 kgs of food waste (33.4%), leaving just 12.78kgs for his residual waste black sack (18.4%).  A projected annual residual waste weight of 83 kgs for 2 people replicated across the County would mean less than 25,000 tons pa for the dreaded Mass Burn Incinerator.

2 minute surveys commenced on Saturday 1st September, seeking Farmhill & Paganhill residents' views on County Council issues.  Completed on 20th October.  Results given below.  The ward will join the other 5 Town wards in the new Stroud Central Division, which comes into force at the May 2013 CC election.  The on-line survey option is now closed:

Chris Cox, MD of New Earth Solutions, has asked County Council Waste Champion, Stan Waddington to ‘cease repeating incorrect statements about New Earth’s activities’ and ‘retract the incorrect statements’.  He refers specifically to the operation and performance of the facility at Avonmouth.

While local Labour people express support for anti-cuts groups and anti NHS privatisation, nationally Labour is more identified with Coalition policies.  Trade Unions are beginning to question why they meet Labour’s bills.

On this site in September 2011 we reported Green Party Economic Spokesperson Molly Scott Cato's proposal that Stroud District Council (SDC) issue bonds to raise cash for its council housing buyout.  SDC were too timid but George Osborne clearly thinks it a great idea.  Of course the small print may mean no control for the investor over the kind of infrastructure being funded.  So we say, local is still a great and better idea.