Adrian Hollister

The Green Party today becomes the only political party to call for a state pension of £170 per week and a better future for older people in Britain. In addition to raising pensioners above the poverty line, the Greens are pledging to end the default retirement age, so that people have the freedom to go on working and contributing to society if they wish to, free from discrimination on the basis of age.

Darren Johnson put a great press release and quote out about the issues, saying:

"After a lifetime of hard work and contributing to society, pensioners deserve better than having to scrape by on an inadequate state pension. It's only fair that the basic state pension should be enough to live on - that is why Greens would make sure that all pensioners receive a non-means-tested £170 per week, as well as free social care for all who need it, as is currently offered in Scotland."

Age Concern and Help the Aged agree that our policies are right.

But this is a big increase - to £170 per week as a single rate and £300 for a couple. How it would be paid for:

There are roughly 12 million pensioners living in the UK and a further 1 million living abroad. Paying a single rate of £170 per week, and a couples rate of £300 per week, will cost £110bn per year. The current basic state pension, plus certain other specific pensioner benefits like Pensions Credits paid to those of pension age (which would become redundant if the basic pension rate was raised to the level we propose) costs £70bn. For the remaining £40 billion, we would abolish tax relief on pension contributions (£20 billion), and the national insurance rebate on employer and employee contributions to private pension schemes (£19 billion). The final £1 billion will come from increased income tax receipts from pensioners.

If you would like to know more please email Adrian Hollister using adrian@westberksgreens.org.uk or find my phone number on http://www.westberksgreens.org.uk

Adrian Hollister said, "as a fellow rambler I can recognise how important open public access for walkers anywhere they could go walking. I particularly agree that walkers should be placed at the top of the transport hierarchy gaining safe and secure priority at road intersections, in town's and public spaces."

Introduction
For 75 years throughout Britain, we have promoted walking and campaigned successfully for public access for walkers. We are Britain’s walking charity, making walking available to everyone through improving places for walking, as well as encouraging people to walk.

However, Britain today has increasing levels of political devolution and devolved powers. This means that we need politicians of all parties, whether located in Westminster, Cardiff, or Edinburgh, to support and work with us to contribute to a walking Britain.

As Britain’s walking charity we’re committed to ensuring access to all footpaths, the countryside, the coast, the town, and everywhere where people go walking. Over half a million participants walks with us every year on 28,000 walks. These walks are led by 12,000 volunteers. This work is at the heart of all that we do.

We’re also evolving and building on our achievements from the past 75 years. That’s why we’re doing new types of work including promoting walking for families and for people who currently don’t walk at all.

We deliver a wide variety of walking programmes across England, Scotland and Wales. Our walking programmes contribute to a wide range of political priorities such as: health, wellbeing, the rural economy, the environment and climate change.

In this General Election, we want candidates to commit to breaking down the barriers to walking with us. These are:

Physical Barriers: A good walking environment is a major motivator for walking whereas a poor walking environment acts as a deterrent to walking.

We want to see:
• Protection and improvement of public paths in England and Wales, as well as proper implementation of legislation for new path networks in Scotland
• Delivery of the coastal route, which became law last November, as fast as possible

Financial Barriers: There are big financial challenges facing the next Government, but the maintenance of green space, footpaths and open land to walk in, and the promotion of walking, is a low-cost way of delivering key public benefits.

We want to see:
• Linkage of Common Agricultural Policy subsidies which are better used for recreation and access provision
• Investment in walking schemes to benefit health, wellbeing, environment and the climate as part of the Olympic legacy

Cultural Barriers: Reverse the culture which constantly prioritises vehicle users whilst walkers get left behind. This culture and priority in both national and local government needs to be challenged if the benefits of walking are to be maximised

We want to see:
• Positioning of the walker at the top of the transport hierarchy; particularly giving greater priority to walkers at road intersections
• Strong action being taken against those who put walkers’ lives at risk through reckless driving

Legal Barriers: The law should be on the side of walking rather than making it harder for walkers

We want to see:
• Amended legislation which requires an independent review when there is an objection to orders to gate alleyways, which are used by people of foot
• The protection and promotion of public access, and green space to be made accessible, safe, and well-maintained, through use of the planning process in both town and country

The Guardian reports that Philip Hammond want's to kill of IT spend in government to save cash. "These include halting spending on new IT projects, and cancelling any underperforming contracts even if they are underway, as well as putting a brake on discretionary spending, clamping down on expenses, IT spending and similar areas."

This is the typical Tory bosh about saving money... they need to make vast number's of civil servant's redundant to make their figures work. If they also remove all of the IT systems that are automating the process of government they will need more people to keep the process running - either that or the few civil servants left will be working unsustainable hours keeping the wheels of government moving.

George Osborne looking down his nose at you oiks, at a press conference on 29 March 2010. Photo: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

This to me just shows what the Tories are: they represent an era that is at and end; their morals are questionable (Ashcroft etc); and their idea's are out of date. If they get in it will send us all back to the stone age with policies that will leave us a poodle to the United States.

More face panting again today, this time for Brightwalton School and their Egg Hunt day. I hope it raised lots of money for the school and I hope the kids enjoyed having their face painted!

Want to know if there is a Green Party candidate in your area? Head over to http://www.greensarecoming.org.uk/ and type in your post code.

As a candidate at the general election I believe that creating new woods and planting trees is a priority if we are to tackle challenges such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, wildlife loss, improving public health – both physical and mental – and shaping places where people want to live, work and spend their leisure time.

I will promote the creation of new native woods and trees by:

1. Committing to working for the expansion of native woodland cover throughout the duration of the next Parliament.

2. Contacting my party leader and asking them to adopt the Woodland Trust’s manifesto as a basis for expanding, enhancing and protecting the natural environment.

3. Ensuring that native woods and trees are high on the agenda at the election by publicising my support for the Woodland Trust’s manifesto.

Adrian Hollister said, "Maintaining an environment that supports our natural wildlife, plant diversity and the health and wellbeing of the people in our communities is essential for sustainability."

It was a fascinating hustings today at Downe House School. The questions were very good, showing the diversity of background and depth of intellect in the audience. The interesting and different thing to me though was within the panel. Tory, Lib Dem, Labour and Green Party represented. It was interesting to see how three of the four on the panel, myself (Green), Labour and Lib Dems were all interested in discussing the issues directly, praising policies where appropriate even from other parties; but it was the Tory boy who alone attacked at every opportunity at least one of the other panel members. It's as though he had something to hide and by not answering the questions directly and providing a controversial and confrontational answer that somehow he was 'winning' points. I felt a little embarrassed for him at times as I don't think he realised that everyone else was talking 'co-operative politics' and he alone was in the old school of 'confrontational politics'.

To me this seems to sum up the Tory offering - old fashioned and perhaps even school bullies for whom self and wealth is more important than friends, community and well being.

So, Richard Benyon, I do hope that you have an opportunity to grow up; move out from your school boy ways; and perhaps learn to be a better and selfless person.

With five pubs closing every day across the country, Adrian Hollister the PPC for West Berkshire Green Party has given full support to CAMRA's Beer Drinkers and Pub Goers Charter.

The Charter aims to halt the decline of a great British institution that is often the heart and soul of rural and local areas. Each closure has a devastating effect on local economies, causing job losses and depriving communities of the £80,000 that each pub injects.

In line with long-established Green Party policies on local sustainability that aim to increase local investment and the circulation of local finance - thus encouraging social enterprise and cohesion, the three Green PPCs welcome CAMRA's efforts to:

- Promote the interests of Britain's pub goers
- Champion well-run community pubs
- Rebalance alcohol taxation to support beer and pubs
- Reform the beer tie to deliver a fair deal for consumers
- Support the role of well-run pubs as solutions to alcohol misuse

Adrian said: "I am proud to be in a community with an award winning local pub (Chaddleworth) and can see the vitally important contribution to local sustainability and social cohesion. I fully support CAMRA's commitments to protect these institutions, and encourage all other Green PPCs to do the same."

ENDS

Notes:

CAMRA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-led consumer group with a growing membership of over 110,000 individuals.

The full Charter can be found at: www.camra.org.uk/charter

Green Party policies to increase local investment and the circulation of local finance within the community include the development of democratically accountable Community Banks, designed to encourage
local people to invest in local economic activity.

On Tuesday 16th March CAMRA and the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group met for public debate in Parliament on "Who Will Save the Pub?"

For further information please contact:

Adrian Hollister
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate West Berkshire

Gave the Disco 300TDI a service today. This is the first service since rebuilding the engine and by the thick and lumpy oil coming out I should have done it earlier. Decided to use just cheapo 15/40W engine oil (value branded) and see how it goes. Sump plug was a little tight, but other than that everything went ok. Because I run on old veggie oil I change the fuel filter at every service (and even in between services) and it was a good job too - quite a few bits in there caused by my less that perfect filtering techniques on the waste veggie oil plus I ran out a few weeks back pulling loadsa crud down the line and into the filter. Finished off with a good spray round of light oil to arrest some of the rust and a cetane booster in the fuel tank for a bit more go. Seemed much quieter on the journey home from the field. Next items are the gearbox/transfer box oil levels, FTC2203 in the gearbox yolk and all round greasing.

Had a great walk to Wayland Smithy today with the dogs and family. It's such a great walk from the White Horse hill especially on such a nice dry afternoon. Wind is a bit chilly though. You can find more about Wayland Smithy from Wikipedia or from the National Trust site. Don't forget if your a National Trust member your parking is free.

My youngest seems to have had a reaction to the MMR - covered from head to toe in what look like measles or perhaps allergy spots and bright red cheeks. Decided to call NHS direct this morning, who answered very promptly, but they didn't seem too interested - suggesting that it was likely to be an allergic reaction to the MRR jab. Given the side effects reported to the jab and the whole host of other things it could be I would have hoped for a more comprehensive check. We were not asked for example to check the spots with a glass etc. So it's off to the pharmacist as recommended by NHS direct to see what they recommend to reduce the allergic reaction. I hope this advise is good and appropriate.



If you need to contact NHS Direct you can find their web site here. Other good resources include the BBC (for example measles and allergy).

"I had the great privilege to send my daughter to the Buzzin Brass workshop at Trinity School in Newbury on Saturday 6th March. Run by Berkshire Maestros the kids played five new arrangements starting increasing in complexity, played a few games, sang a few songs and won a few prizes for answering questions correctly. All of the teachers demonstrated new instruments and their obvious skills both with the kids and with the instruments they were playing. At the end of the event there was a concert from all of the kids to the parents which was a resounding success. Please pass on my many thanks for the event and I strongly recommend that anyone interested in music for their kids should get in contact with the Berkshire Maestros on 0118 9012370 or email johnwatts@berkshiremaestros.org.uk.

Adrian Hollister
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for West Berkshire"

Also see the Berkshire Maestros web site.