Below is a letter sent to both Islington's local papers.
Unfortunately neither have seen fit to publish it while publishing blatant electioneering by the other parties.
As a regular user of the Regents Canal as it passes through Islington I am well aware of problems over how this resource is shared between the different users; as well as threats to the canal from new developments. These are issues that London Assembly member and Green mayoral candidate Jenny Jones commented on during her recent visit to the Regent's Canal in Islington. "The towpaths are a wonderful recreational asset, but everyone has a right to use them".
I believe that there are no easy solutions to sharing a narrow towpath that is a pleasant escape from traffic filled streets, but it is clearly unconconstructive to pit cyclists against pedestrians when the real issue is courteous versus discourteous behaviour, something that surely filters down from our roads.
If elected as a councillor, I would ensure that any planning application must guarantee full and free access to the canal for walkers, cyclists and traditional transport uses. The canal network is currently underused as a transport resource in London and it would be wrong for canalside development to impede this important aspect of the canal's role in our city. In addition such planning applications should recognise the urgent housing needs of the borough rather than solely the commercial interests of property developers.
Caroline Allen
Green Party by-election candidate for St Peter's
Friday, 29 July 2011
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Shoreditch Bark Dog Show
Canonbury Vets, where I work as Clinical Director, were proud to sponsor the Shoreditch Bark Dog Show.
We were there promoting preventative health care and responsible pet ownership.
The show was very well attended and we actually had to expand the size of the categories to prevent disappointment for all those who wanted to enter their dog.
It was a lot of fun and great to meet more of Islington and Hackney's lovely dogs and their owners.
Best Looking Boy, Best Looking Girl and Dog with the Waggiest Tail were the most popular categories and we heard some heart warming tails in the 'Best Rescue' category.
All dogs that took part took home a doggy bag provided by Canonbury Vets and prizes included a years supply of parasite treatment, a years supply of joint support treatment for 'best old-timer' and pamper packs. Owners also received gifts of champagne, chocolates (although of course not to be shared with the dogs as chocolate is toxic to them!) and a meal for two at the Waterhouse Restaurant.
Unfortunately anti-social behaviour involving dogs is on the increase but events like this demonstrate how owning a dog can be a really positive experience and also helps promote responsible pet ownership.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
The damage done by Labour's short sighted transport policies
FIGURES from the recently released Aphekon project show that 25 schools in Islington are near roads carrying 10,000 or more vehicles a day, a level leading European scientists to claim it could be responsible for up to 30 per cent of all new cases of asthma in children.
I hope this will spur the council to do something about the number of car journeys within the borough but I have my doubts, especially given comments directed at myself and others by Councillor Paul Smith as being people with “nothing better to do” when part of the campaign against the ludicrous Roamer parking scheme, which was designed to encourage increased car use. As an asthmatic I can imagine how scary it must be for a child to be struggling for breath, never mind the long-term potential for debilitation and even death.
Trying to reduce the level of car use in Islington and therefore the cases of asthma, respiratory and heart disease is a very worthwhile use of my time. I hope Cllr Smith will study this report carefully and belatedly come to the same opinion.
Caroline Allen
Islington Green Party
I hope this will spur the council to do something about the number of car journeys within the borough but I have my doubts, especially given comments directed at myself and others by Councillor Paul Smith as being people with “nothing better to do” when part of the campaign against the ludicrous Roamer parking scheme, which was designed to encourage increased car use. As an asthmatic I can imagine how scary it must be for a child to be struggling for breath, never mind the long-term potential for debilitation and even death.
Trying to reduce the level of car use in Islington and therefore the cases of asthma, respiratory and heart disease is a very worthwhile use of my time. I hope Cllr Smith will study this report carefully and belatedly come to the same opinion.
Caroline Allen
Islington Green Party
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
St Peter's by-election
I'm very pleased to have been selected as the Green Party candidate for the by-election in St Peter's ward in Islington on 11th August. I work in the ward and know the area very well.
My family are from Islington and I have lived here for some years, it is definitely home for me and I love the place, although of course I recognise its problems.
I know that as a Green councillor I would really make a difference. I'm inspired by what Katie Dawson achieved as a lone Green councillor in Islington. In just brief four years, from 2006-2010. Katie achieved an amazing amount to make the borough both greener and fairer – including:
• 20mph speed limit on all residential streets
• free sport for young people
• apprenticeship scheme for school leavers
• council-run repair service for everyday household goods
• funding for new allotments and new tree planting
• first Local Authority to have a policy for no net loss of permeable land – to reduce flood risk
• including plastics in doorstep recycling
• saving the Sobell Centre
• extra funding for home insulation and renewable energy installations
I'm inspired to continue this work and demonstrate that a Green councillor in the Town Hall really makes a difference.
The other parties will try and discount us, but we know we can win in Islington and elsewhere. The Green Party is growing very fast.
Think the Greens never win? Well:
130 local councillors nationally
Two London Assembly members
Two MEPs
Our MP, Caroline Lucas
Islington voters, who elected a Green councillor in 2006
And the people of Brighton, who elected a Green council this year
Beg to differ!
Every Green vote is a vote for a positive alternative. I won't descend to the politics of blame that paralyses our council all to often, that doesn't help the residents of St Peter's or the wider Islington.
My family are from Islington and I have lived here for some years, it is definitely home for me and I love the place, although of course I recognise its problems.
I know that as a Green councillor I would really make a difference. I'm inspired by what Katie Dawson achieved as a lone Green councillor in Islington. In just brief four years, from 2006-2010. Katie achieved an amazing amount to make the borough both greener and fairer – including:
• 20mph speed limit on all residential streets
• free sport for young people
• apprenticeship scheme for school leavers
• council-run repair service for everyday household goods
• funding for new allotments and new tree planting
• first Local Authority to have a policy for no net loss of permeable land – to reduce flood risk
• including plastics in doorstep recycling
• saving the Sobell Centre
• extra funding for home insulation and renewable energy installations
I'm inspired to continue this work and demonstrate that a Green councillor in the Town Hall really makes a difference.
The other parties will try and discount us, but we know we can win in Islington and elsewhere. The Green Party is growing very fast.
Think the Greens never win? Well:
130 local councillors nationally
Two London Assembly members
Two MEPs
Our MP, Caroline Lucas
Islington voters, who elected a Green councillor in 2006
And the people of Brighton, who elected a Green council this year
Beg to differ!
Every Green vote is a vote for a positive alternative. I won't descend to the politics of blame that paralyses our council all to often, that doesn't help the residents of St Peter's or the wider Islington.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Protecting Wildlife
Today I was honoured to speak at the League Against Cruel Sport's Symposium on Wildlife Protection.
http://www.league.org.uk/
It is clear from the mnay fascinating presentations that the legislation in this area is far too complicated, making it easy to find loopholes and there are also significant problems with enforcement; more resources are required.
I spoke on the subject of valuing wildlife; should we try and place a monetary value on wildlife as the
UK National Ecosystem Assessment has attempted to do, or does this approach lead to the commidification of wildlife and nature. In the Green Party we believe in the intrinsic value of nature and I explained why I think the idea of giving it a monetary value is a very dangerous one.
As a vet I know that there is a well proven link between people who are abusive to animals and people who are abusive to humans and this was a theme picked up by others during the day. In the Green Party we believe that valuing wildlife for its own intrinsic value is a sign of a compassionate and empathetic individual and society. We reject the commodification of our natural world and also recognise that if we are to tackle the issues such as habitat loss and climate change that seriously threaten wildlife we need to go further and reject our culture of rampant consumerism, where we are valued for what we buy rather than our own intrinsic value. This planet's natural resources are not limitless and they are not there for our use alone.
Clearly there will be many challenges in this field in the coming days and months, the decision on a badger cull grumbles on, hunting with hounds may well be back on the agenda and biodiversity and habitat lost are happening at a worrying rate. I look forward to working with the League and the other charities represented today to do everything we can to protect wildlife.
http://www.league.org.uk/
It is clear from the mnay fascinating presentations that the legislation in this area is far too complicated, making it easy to find loopholes and there are also significant problems with enforcement; more resources are required.
I spoke on the subject of valuing wildlife; should we try and place a monetary value on wildlife as the
UK National Ecosystem Assessment has attempted to do, or does this approach lead to the commidification of wildlife and nature. In the Green Party we believe in the intrinsic value of nature and I explained why I think the idea of giving it a monetary value is a very dangerous one.
As a vet I know that there is a well proven link between people who are abusive to animals and people who are abusive to humans and this was a theme picked up by others during the day. In the Green Party we believe that valuing wildlife for its own intrinsic value is a sign of a compassionate and empathetic individual and society. We reject the commodification of our natural world and also recognise that if we are to tackle the issues such as habitat loss and climate change that seriously threaten wildlife we need to go further and reject our culture of rampant consumerism, where we are valued for what we buy rather than our own intrinsic value. This planet's natural resources are not limitless and they are not there for our use alone.
Clearly there will be many challenges in this field in the coming days and months, the decision on a badger cull grumbles on, hunting with hounds may well be back on the agenda and biodiversity and habitat lost are happening at a worrying rate. I look forward to working with the League and the other charities represented today to do everything we can to protect wildlife.
Friday, 1 July 2011
Support for Food Growing
Leave space to grow
Published in Islington Tribune : 1 July, 2011
• I WAS really pleased to see the children of Highbury Grove and Canonbury schools enjoying the opportunity to grow food at school.
By encouraging them to try new foods, especially fruit and vegetables, food growing provides physical activity and has a positive effect on mental health, helping children develop confidence.
While there are lots of good examples of food-growing projects in Islington’s schools I would be interested to know how the Islington Food Strategy Action Plan 2010-2013 is coming along, with its targets of creating more food-growing space.
I would think that all the new developments springing up would be a perfect place to be asking for food-growing space and other green initiatives.
Sadly, this does not seem to be the case. I hope it is something the council would consider inserting into planning briefs.
CAROLINE ALLEN
Islington Green Party
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)