Sunday 27 December 2009

Millennium Commission agrees to meet - we need your help!

The Millennium Commission have responded to our freedom of information request - they state that they cannot provide us with documents as it would take two and a half days to find them all. They have instead offered to meet us! Hurray!

This meeting will take place on Jan 14th at their offices in Leeds - This is our chance to have our say!

We Love The Earth Centre campaigners now ask for your help, we would like to voice everyones concerns and questions at this meeting and ask you to email us with your thoughts.

The Millennium Commission say they put 36 million into the project that eventually ran to a reported 114 million pounds, we are going to ask them to revisit their responsibilities as a commission and to help us revive this valuable resource for the community and the wider world.

The next public meeting is to be held on Jan 19th at 7pm at The Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare Club - all are welcome lets work together and reclaim reuse recycle!

Freedom of Information Response 2

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

Contact: Trish Wood

Tel: (01302) 736916

Fax: (01302) 737362

Email: FOI@doncaster.gov.uk

Website: www.doncaster.gov.uk

Date: 23rd December 2009

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 1st December 2009 for

information about the Earth Centre. Please find below Doncaster Council’s response to the questions you have raised.


1. Most recent details of any quarry expansion plans in the Borough of Doncaster

Notice under Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 - REFUSAL TO

DISCLOSE INFORMATION

The council has decided to refuse to disclose the information you have asked for under

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This law allows us to refuse to disclose information through the Freedom of Information

Act process which is “reasonably accessible through another route”. This is called an

“exemption”.

Why does the exemption apply in this case?

All information regarding Planning applications for quarry expansions and the

Development Plan (the Doncaster Unitary Development Plan), which contains policies

on quarries within the Minerals chapter and within Appendix 12, are within the public

domain. For your information, you can find information regarding planning applications

on the Council’s Public Access for Planning web page. You can see details of current

applications, monitor the progress of applications, submit comments on current

planning applications and search a constantly updated list of applications received and

decisions issued each week.

From 1st September 2009, you can view all documents and plans accompanying

planning applications and decision notices issued by using the View Associated

Documents tab.

Please use the link below to view details of applications:-

http://local.doncaster.gov.uk/PublicAccess/default.aspx

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

Please use the link below to view Decision Notices issued before 1st September 2009:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/developm

ent_control/planning_information/Planning_Applications_Decision_Notices_Issued_200

9.asp

In addition, planning applications from 1979 to 2003 can be viewed on microfiche, To

make an appointment, please telephone TSI Local Searches on 01302 734864/734940

or email tsi@doncaster.gov.uk.

Application case files from 2004 to 1st September 2009 are available to view in paper

form at the offices of Development and Planning at the address at the bottom of this

letter. To make an appointment to view paper files, please telephone 01302 734859.

You can also find information regarding the Doncaster UDP on the Council's website.

Please use the link below to view the UDP:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/our_plans/

Doncaster_UDP_Document.asp

The Doncaster Local Development Framework will also contain policies regarding

quarries. The documents that have been published to date can be viewed on the

Council's website. Please use the link below to view the LDF pages:-

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Living_in_Doncaster/Neighbourhoods/Planning/Local_Dev

elopment_Framework/Local_Development_Framework.asp


2. Details of Earth Centre Ownership

Doncaster Council is the freehold owner of the land.


3. Details of DMBC agreements to maintain the Earth Centre for educational purposes

There are no agreements.


4. Details of all documents held by DMBC with regard to the Earth Centre

To answer this question properly, the Council would require more specific details of

what type of documents you are referring to. If you would like to submit a further FOI

request with specific details of the documents you require, we will consider your request

further.

Reviewing any decisions made:

You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing

to:

Freedom of Information Officer

Council House

Floor 2

College Road

Doncaster

DN1 3DA

Doncaster Council

Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE

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

Trish Wood

FOI Lead Officer

Regeneration Department

Saturday 19 December 2009

positive community in action!


Much fun was had last sunday at The Earth Centre. Many people made light work of our bender building for a better world, everyone got stuck in and the result- a lovely willow and hazel shelter.







A BIG THANKYOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND HELPED

Our community bender is for all to enjoy and we welcome anyone to add to our creation and to come along any sunday to join in the fun.



JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BIG TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

We love the earth centre community was formed as a direct response to the derelict Earth Centre, we share a common interest in seeing the space returned to the people as a community resource, environment and skill share centre and eco village.

Our next public meeting is on tuesday 19th January 2010 at 7pm at the Denaby and Cadeby Miners Welfare Club. All are welcome.

We would like you to share your ideas about the future of the Earth Centre and together as a community we can revive this great space!

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Thankyou to all who contributed to a great first meeting

We love the earth centre group thanks everyone that made it to the meeting and those who contributed even though they could not be there. The meeting was really inspiring for those of us who began this campaign and it is appreciated that we're not alone and people are trying. There is an obvious strength of the community in the area and people have genuine concern for their environment and its inhabitants.

The follow up meeting has been arranged for 19th Jan again at 7pm at the Denaby & Cadeby Main Miners Welfare Club (thankyou to the club for having us)

The next meeting will cover ideas and proposals, forming a group and planning positive community actions. All are welcome we look forward to seeing you.

x

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Bender building this Sunday at 1pm - all are welcome


Hello,

This sunday 13th dec at 1pm we're going to be constructing a communal area next to the entrance of the earth centre, its gonna be lots of fun bending wood and mucking in to create a cosmic shelter for all. Meet at the welcome point and bring some sticks!



This is a warm up and welcome event leading up to the public meeting to reclaim the earth centre on tuesday 15th dec at Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare. The meeting has been organised by the people for the people in response to the misuse of public funds and neglectful way that the council and the millenium commission handled the earth centre and its many resources. We will reclaim the land and our rights to decide our own futures!

Directions to the Public meeting:
Nearest Train station is a ten minute walk - Conisbrough one stop away from Doncaster
Denaby & Cadeby Miners Welfare
Tickhill Square, Denaby Main, Doncaster DN12 4AW
01709 862 157


Also the Consibrough Train stop is just outside the Earth Centre so come on down!