Thursday, July 21, 2005

We must build more houses


We must build more homes
Attempts by a Conservative-dominated South East England Regional Assembly (Seera) to stop a democratically-elected Government plan to tackle the housing crisis is disgraceful (Oxford Mail, July 15).
While such a decision to limit house building in the area might please such selfish minority interest groups as the CPRE (Campaign for the Preservation of Real Estate Values), they will not be thanked by the two million people seeking homes in the region over the next decade.
As a result of this politically motivated decision, essential services like the National Health Service, schools and the Post Office will find it harder to find enough staff.
Nor will employees welcome the assembly's decision, as their quality of life will be threatened as they are forced to spend increasing amounts of time away from their families, stuck in traffic jams on the way to work.
This bad decision by the assembly is just another example of just how out of touch the Conservative Party is with the electorate.
Fortunately, this vote by the assembly is not binding on John Prescott's plans for the South East, and the region will get the new housing it so desperately needs.
NICHOLAS NEWMAN
Editor, www.Oxfordprospect.co.uk

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

The challenge facing us all

The challenge facing us all
Congratulations to the hundreds of Oxford people, young and old, who have backed the Make Poverty History campaign.
And well done to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for taking the issues of poverty and climate change head on.
Our world has never been richer, but every week 200,000 children under five die of preventable diseases.
Our planet is getting warmer because of greenhouse gases, but George Bush pretends it is not happening. Climate change will hit the poorest people, especially in Africa, hardest of all.
We desperately need action now, not just on debt and aid but on fairer trade and tackling Aids.
We need substantial cuts in greenhouse gases and much more investment in renewable energy.
Poverty and global warming, like slavery and apartheid, can be made history.
It is up to Blair and Bush. And it is also up to us. What Oxford people do and say makes a difference.
That is why all parties on Oxford City Council have campaigned on these issues. Giving money, buying fair trade coffee, using public transport and insulating our homes all helps.
The Oxford residents I talk to want action on climate and poverty.
If the Group of Eight national leaders in Gleneagles are not listening, they too will very quickly become history. John Tanner (Councillor), Portfolio holder for Ă˜the environment, Oxford City Council