Doncaster Climate hearing - fri 27th nov - lets make some noise

This is pure genius nice one! Doncaster Climate hearing this coming friday meeting details can be found here - http://www.doncastercvs.org.uk/events/eventsitem/120

hope to see as many people there as possible this is a great opportunity the mayor has held private meetings this week about the earth centre our calls for a public meeting have been denied so together we will hold our own details will be announced soon

following letter courtesy of a nice green man.....

Hi,

I am a resident of Doncaster who will, hopefully, be attending the Doncaster Climate Hearing in Bentley on Fri 27th November.

I would like to take the opportunity to put forward a proposal regarding Doncaster's former 'Earth Centre'.

The Earth Centre was originally conceived as ‘an exhibition of sustainable development practices and an international centre for related research and education’. Unfortunately it lost its way and closed down five years ago even though its fortunes had finally begun to change for the better. The site is still home to some of the most advanced sustainable technology currently available (near silent wind turbines, an advanced 'living machine' sanitation system, solar canopy, extensive allotments & forest gardens, etc.), but it is currently being used by a corporate 'war-games' company.

I would like to propose that the former 'Earth Centre' should become the UK's 'National Climate Change Centre'.The location is central to the rest of the UK and a highly sustainable infrastructure already exists. I feel that the Earth Centre should once again be seen as an international research and education facility with 'Climate Change' as its central remit. The main building could be be used for research and development, whereas some of the grounds, gardens and the former shop could be handed over to local community to encourage the development of grass-roots climate change initiatives. - I do have a number of other ideas which can be discussed further if Oxfam decide that they may be able to help :-)

Oxfam could invite other major Climate Change charities to support the proposal and North Doncaster MP - and local climate hero - Ed Miliband could liaise with Doncaster Council to save the site from the developers. The fact that the buildings and resources already exist means that a conglomeration of charities could assume joint management of the centre at greatly reduced costs to all involved - as long as the political willpower exists.

Friday's meeting would seem to provide a unique and opportune moment to put this proposal to the people who can help bring it to fruition. Together lets put the idea forward?

and the freedom of information response (typical)

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 30 October 2009 for information
about the Earth Centre. Please find below Doncaster Council’s response to the questions
you have raised.

1. I would like to know the deadline date for submitting proposals to the DMBC
regarding use of the Earth Centre site.
The Council has not formally invited proposals from interested parties for the Earth Centre and hence a deadline has not yet been set.

2. I would like to know the details of any proposals already submitted regarding the
Earth Centre site.
The Council has received expressions of interest from a number of parties but as stated above the council has not formally invited proposals.

3. I would like to see a copy of the agreement between the Millennium Commission
and DMBC regarding the transfer of ownership of the Earth Centre site.
There was no transfer of ownership to the Millennium Commission. The Council was and still is the freehold owner and granted leases to the Earth Centre; when the EarthCentre entered receivership the leases were disclaimed and vested back to the
Council.

I hope that this information is useful to you.
Reviewing any decisions made:
You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing
to:
Doncaster Council
Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE
Freedom of Information Manager
Council House
Floor 2
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA
e-mail: FOIAppeals@doncaster.gov.uk
You can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about our compliance or
otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Please contact the Commissioner
for details on how to do this – Telephone: 01625 545700, Address: Information
Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Website:
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
Yours sincerely

although the questions could have been worded better this response is just what we expected our intentions are to shed truth on the obligations of the council to maintain the site for educational purposes we urge you to ask more questions everyone is entitled and the truth will out!