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This week's SchNEWS: http://www.schnews.org.uk/thisweek.htm
Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective
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WAKE UP! It’s yer rotten boroughs SchNEWS
Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective
ISSUE 270, FRIDAY 11th August, 2000
TOWN WHORES
"The New Local Government Network’s debate on the Government’s reform
programme and its implementation are vital to the cultural change we seek.
I know that the Network is committed to a brighter, more dynamic future for
local government."
Hilary Armstrong MP, Minister for Local Government.
Local government is the latest institution to be the subject of the New
Labour 'modernisation' agenda. And modern it certainly is, paving the way
for a small group of people to meet in secret to decide the day to day
running of a democratically elected organisation.
The Local Government Act, which became law last month, abolishes council
committees, and in its place we get the choice between either elected
mayors or council cabinets. Either way, they will be free to meet in
secret, with numerous loopholes to stop voters and journalists finding out
what they are up to. Mind you, the government has said that councils should
meet in the open when they make ‘key decisions’ But who chooses what is a
‘key decision’? Well, the Councils of course.
As journalist Nick Cohen points out "What we are seeing in short is a
return to the rule of closed local elites"
CAUGHT IN THE NETWORK
Pushing for the new law has been an alliance of New Labour politicians,
lobbyists and corporations, coming together under catchy title - the New
Local Government Network.
Now here’s a co-incidence. One of the main movers behind the Network is
Professor Paul Corrigan, who just happens to be romantically involved with
Hilary Armstrong, the Local Government Minister who pushed the legislation
through the Commons in the first place!
Still, why would corporations want to hand over cash to help pay for the
Networks’ plush conferences and glossy brochures ? Well, in return for
their cash these ‘corporate partners’ are promised articles in the Network
publications ‘circulated to over 15,000 leading local government
politicians and top managers’, platform seats at its conferences, and
‘informal discussions’ at ‘private briefings’ featuring ‘high profile
speakers and participants’.
Councillor Gerry Harrison from the Labour Campaign for Open Local
Government describes the Network as a ‘front organisation’ pushing ‘anti
democratic measures on behalf of private interests.’ While Green Party
Councillor Pete West describes how this new style of government has already
been working in Brighton: "Whereas before there were public committees, we
now have Executive Councillors making a lot of the day to day decisions in
private meetings with council officers. Access for the vast majority of
councillors is restricted and the press and public aren’t allowed in. This
means that there is a real lack of opportunity for people to influence and
scrutinise decisions. If we aren’t involved in the everyday running of the
council, it’s very difficult to follow the plot. I get the feeling that
removing the majority of councillors from the decision making process is
the first step in putting us out to pasture, as now the intention is to cut
the number of Councillors by a quarter."
The Local Government Act talks about councils promoting 'the social,
economic and environmental well-being of their communities'. More like the
well being of the corporations that have been behind the scenes pushing for
this legislation.
The Act will mean handing over great swathes of public services to
corporations. And the company executives will no doubt prefer cabinets and
mayors to the slow and often painfully revealing process of explaining
themselves before councillors, voters and journalists.
Brilliant! Instead of life before the Act, when small dodgy cliques of
councillors lined their back pockets and those of their mates, why not
instead line the pockets of big business. So that’s what New Labour calls
modern.
New Local Government Network, 2nd Floor, 42 Southwark Street, London, SE1
1UN Tel. 020 7357 0051 www.nlgn.org.uk
SOME CORPORATIONS BEHIND THE NETWORK
Capita ‘the outsourcing’* specialists who’ve been taking over housing
benefit services up and down the country. They told a parliamentary
committee on local government that it would be easier to negotiate
contracts 'without the hindrance of party politics on a day to day basis.'
They have also suggested ‘business and professional interests’ should be
co-opted onto cabinets and committees.
Nord Anglia who are busy behind the scenes pushing for more school services
to be privatised. (see SchNews 257) BT and Cable & Wireless Listening in on
the possibility that councils will start using call centres to deal with
enquires. Construction firm AMEC who are no doubt waiting in the wings
hoping to pick up the odd building contract under the Private Finance
Initiative.** Serviceteam and Onyx sniffing around for more council rubbish
collections. KPMG and Deloitte & Touche Accountancy firms wanting to cook
the books for their corporate mates.
SchNEWS VOCAB WATCH
* Outsourcing = privatisation
** Private Finance Initiative = privatisation
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The Exodus Free the Spirit Festival
The festival has been moved from the end of August to 8th-10th Sept, so
that the event can be licensed (but it’ll still go ahead even the license
isn’t granted). 01582 508936 But if you can’t wait that long, then get to
the Enigma in Ship Street, Brighton next Tuesday (15th) to see Exodus DJs
spinning their tunes at the SchQUALL book launch. Copies of the SchQUALL
book [SchNEWS] - issues 201-250 of SchNews, plus more in depth articles
from SQUALL, photos, cartoons and a contacts database of over 700
grassroots organisations - will be available for £7.00 (or from SchNews for
£8.50 inc. postage)
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CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK
For playing football. A 14 year old boy was arrested for riotous behaviour
and resisting arrest after going to play football with his friends on his
local green. The green in northern Belfast borders both loyalist and
nationalist housing estates. Since the beginning of the Orange marching
season local nationalist children have been too afraid to play on the green
and have been forced to play in the street behind a high iron railed fence.
At a loyalist ‘funday’ on the green, nationalist residents were warned that
if they set foot in the field they would be arrested. But finding the field
empty in the evening a handful of teenagers decided to have a game of
football, within minutes they were confronted by an angry violent crowd.
The mother of the 14 year old boy arrived later to find him being beaten up
by six RUC officers.
Inside SchNEWS
On 4th August 1999, Sarah Thomas, a young black student was arrested for
‘acting suspiciously’. She was taken to Stoke Newington Police Station,
where she collapsed and stopped breathing. Sarah was taken to hospital, but
never recovered consciousness and died two days later. Call us cynical, but
the fact that no reasonable explanation for her death has been put forward,
combined with the fact that Stoke Newington Police Station has the highest
rate of death in custody, unlawful arrest and violence against those
arrested - especially involving black and ethnic minority people - and you
begin to wonder just who was actually ‘acting suspiciously’. Surely not the
boys in blue? The two plain clothes dicks involved in Sarah’s arrest have
not been suspended, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) are still
conducting an investigation. Friends of Sarah want an independent
investigation, not just another cover-up of a death in custody. Justice for
Sarah Thomas Campaign, c/o 14 Chardmore Road, London N16 6JD. Tel 020 8806
0742. * The family of Roger Sylvester, who also died in police custody in
equally suspicious circumstances last January (SchNEWS 199), are holding a
rally next Thurs (17th) on the anniversary of Roger’s birthday. Meet
outside the Home Office, 50 Queen Ann’s Gate SW1, 2-4 pm, and dress in
black. Roger Sylvester Justice Campaign 07931 970442 www.rsjc.org.uk
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S.O.S Mayday
Recently two people, Ashley Warder and Paul Revell were sent down for the
Mayday demos (see SchNEWS 258). Ashley was sentenced to a year and Paul got
18 months, both for violent disorder. Ashley’s 'brush' with the law started
on April 31st after he had being visiting friends on a traveller site in
Streatham, London , which had been under surveillance for the week leading
up to Mayday. Driving away in his mobile home he was pulled by no less than
three cop cars. They first reckoned he had been speeding, then after
smashing his back light with a truncheon said his light was out! Finally
after all this failed they proceeded to 'search' Ashley’s truck/home for
drugs. This consisted of basically destroying his gaff, smashing his TV,
tipping over a kitchen unit and kicking in a chest of drawers. After this
'meticulous and scientific' search in which nothing was found the pigs let
him go saying ominously "We’ll see you tomorrow". The next day Ashley,
dressed in a monk’s robe, ended up stuck in Trafalgar Square with lots of
other people, surrounded by irate riot cops. After trying to leave and then
being stopped he threw a plastic bottle in frustration. He was then jumped
on, beaten around the head by the thugs in blue and then arrested. The
charge was violent disorder, rather than the lesser charge of threatening
behaviour or affray, because Ashley was with more than two people and
according to the boys in blue caused members of the public to fear for
their safety. There were several hundred people in Trafalgar Square that
afternoon and they were all in fear of their safety- from the advancing
lines of riot cops. Letters and cards to Ashley Ward FR5464 and Paul
Revell, FR 5599 who are both @ HMP Wandsworth, PO Box 757,Heathfield Road,
Wandsworth, London, SW18 3HS.
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SchNEWS in brief
American cops had a busy time arresting and beating up people at last
week’s Republician Convention in Philadelphia. Nearly 430 were nicked and
reports from people who spent time in jail talk of everything from having
ankles tied to wrists behind their backs for 14 hours, beatings with
truncheons, gloves soaked in pepper spray being rubbed into faces - and
much worse. One man John Sellers an active member of the Ruckus Society had
his bail originally set at $1,000,000! www.indymedia.org
* This Saturday (12th) protest by the only genetic test site in Wales. Meet
outside Sealand Farm, Flintshire, North Wales 2pm. * The following Saturday
(19) Doncaster Committee against GM are holding a demo against a genetic
test field site in Armthorpe, Doncaster. Meet 11am Armthorpe Community
Centre. 01302 531762. * On 16 August 1819, 11 people were killed outside St
Peter’s Fields, Manchester at a protest demanding radical reform of the
government. In remembrance of those killed, and as a protest against the
new Terrorism Act there is a Mad Hatter’s Teaparty, on Thurs 17th August,
4.30pm, St. Peter’s Square (outside Central Library). Bring some banners,
instruments, appropriate dress. Info 0161 226 6814
teaparty@nematode.freeserve.co.uk * For all you seriously organised people,
the 2001 Housmans Peace Diary
is out now. Cheques payable to Housmans for £6.95 (inc p&p) from 5
Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX * Don’t forget 10-13 August is the Bristol
International Balloon Fiesta a great day out if you want to see flying
replica Coca-Cola bottles or other blatant flying commercials
www.bristolfiesta.co.uk For an up to date list of party and protest dates
go to the SchNEWS website
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Pushed About
Mums in Camden fed up with being forced to collapse their pushchairs on
buses, held an impromptu protest, when a bus driver of a low floor bus
refused to move the bus until a mum either folded her pushchair or got off.
Mums on the bus rose up in solidarity and staged a sit in on the bus until
the local copper arrived. London Buses has a policy that pushchairs must be
folded before boarding. I wonder how many of them has had to fold up
pushchairs with toddlers in tow and their weekly shopping between their
teeth. Keep up the resistance.
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IRAQ DIE-IN
On Monday (7th), 300 protesters gathered in Whitehall to protest 10 years
of sanctions against Iraq, which have resulted in the deaths of over half a
million Iraqi children due to starvation and disease (SchNEWS 235). 90
people 'died' on the doorstep of the Foreign Office, bringing traffic to a
standstill. Four people were arrested for highway obstruction. After
occupying Whitehall for 90 minutes the group held a minute’s silence and
laid a wreath at the Cenotaph.
* Meanwhile in Washington, 114 of 500 protesters were arrested for
trespassing on the steps of the White House. * Two former UN Humanitarian
Co-ordinators, Denis Halliday and Hans Van Sponeck, have resigned in
protest at the effect sanctions are having on ordinary people. As Halliday
said, "We are in the process of destroying an entire society. It is as
simple and terrifying as that. It is illegal and immoral." * Voices in the
Wilderness break the sanctions by taking medical supplies to Iraqi
children. 01865 243232 www.nonviolence.org/vitw
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Positive SchNEWS
We know it’s still summer and too soon to think about the gloomy months of
winter and the new school term, yet how about getting things off to a good
start by setting up a walking school bus?
Parents at schools in Maidenhead and St Albans, fed up with the constant
congested traffic and pollution at school times, took matters into their
own hands and set up the walking bus. It allows groups of children to walk
to school together in safety under the supervision of adults who act as
drivers and conductors. Like a normal bus, the walking bus stops at certain
places on the route to school. Why not set up a similar scheme and help the
environment, children’s health and also save money!
Friends of the Earth, Maidenhead: 01628 782651
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ROAD WAGE
For those of you who naively thought that once a road was finished, it
stopped costing money, think again. That old fave the M11-link road in East
London was budgeted at £150m when it was first started 7 years ago. By
September 1999 that had risen to £340m, and the ‘latest forecast’ this June
was at £430m, even though it was completed 2 years before! Yes, W.S.
Atkins’ consultancy fees are still rising because they are delaying
negoiations. .Send your estimate of the final cost to be entered in the
SchNEWS sweepstake.
Meanwhile Walmart are getting in on the act of developing what’s left of
greenspace in the area, with plans to build a superstore on land by Leyton
tube station. Walmart have bribed the council with a million quid, who will
use the cash to complete the Leyton ‘Relief’ Road. Then the whole of the
area’s traffic problems will be solved....(er, maybe not)
Work is due to start soon with and plans are afoot to squat two empty
properties properties on route. Please contact STORRM at Hornbeam
Environmental Centre, 458 Hoe Street, Leyton Green, London E17 9AH 0208 558
5527
* Celebrate Lughnasadh (Old Lammas Day) with the New Lammas Lands Defence
Committee on Leyton Marsh, Sunday 13th August 3-6pm. Meet by Parish
Boundary (black poplar trees) behind Lea Valley Ice Rink near Sandy Lane
(path alongside river).
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...and finally...
If you’re miserable, have no friends and can’t sleep the good news is that
you are more likely to be rich and successful, according to a recent report
by the American Psychological Association. The findings from a study of US
stockbrokers found that those who suffered the greatest levels of anxiety
and depression and got the least sleep were the most successful. An
alternative conclusion could be that that money don’t make you happy-
surely not! The report goes on to look at the personalities of politicians
and concludes what we’d all guessed, to get to the top politicians need to
be egotistical, stubborn and disagreeable, and economical with the truth
(i.e. a liar). Many of history’s most favourite politicians were also
highly disorganised which proves that SchNEWS could yet go down in history.
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disclaimer SchNEWS warns all citizenry not to be subject to the slavery of
big biz and puppet politicos, but to vote with their feet (literally). Honest .
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Cor-blimley-they’re-practically-giving-them-away book offer SchNEWS Round
issues 51 - 100 £5 inc SchNEWS Annual issues 101 - 150 £5 inc. SchNEWS
Survival Guide issues 151 - 200 and a whole lot more £6 + £1.20 postage (US
Postage £4.00 for individual books, £13 for all four). In the UK you can
get the fist three for £15 inc. postage. And finally.... The Schquall book
at only £8.00 inc postage. In addition to 50 issues of SchNEWS, each book
contains articles, photos, cartoons, a 'yellow pages' list of contacts,
comedy etc. All the above books are available from the Brighton Peace
Centre, saving postage yer tight gits.
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Last updated 11th August 2000 @nti copyright - information for action -
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