Week of farce ends with lawyers banning councillors from the vote!

A chaotic week inside the council ends with lawyers banning councillors for having discussed the issue they are to vote upon. Following officials refusal to talk about the issues, and news of financial chaos the week ends with local councillors told that because they have talked about the tram they can't vote on it.

A week of farce ends with lawyers banning councillors from voting

Dated: 17-09-2010

IT’S OBVIOUS THE COUNCIL’S LAWYER IS RUNNING EVERYTHING NOW—NOT THE COUNCILLORS.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE –

 

  • The Council solicitor is having more and more influence on the battle by residents to have their case heard fairly.

 

  • At a vital TIE meeting on Tuesday the solicitor has decided not to allow democracy to be done or seen to be done.

 

 

  • For good measure he has also stopped the city centre councillors from voting on it as well.

 

  • Who is the Council solicitor, when did we vote him or her, or them, in?

 

 

 

There is obviously a place for legal advice to

Council block questions residents walk out

Dated: 14-09-2010

COUNCIL’S VIEW ON AIR POLLUTION – We don’t think it matters much it’s only ‘aspirational’.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE –

 

  • At the first of three  ‘meet the people’ exercises in Edinburgh; Council officers admit the problem with air pollution from traffic exceeding Scottish, EU and UK levels --- but dismiss it by saying the levels are only ‘aspirational’.

 

  • Not only are TIE and the City Council saying pollution doesn’t matter at existing levels -------- they are not concerned that their own actions are creating even higher levels.

 

 

  • Their own figuresshow 134,500 households

10-Release-Residents-walk-out-from-meeting

A meeting billed as a chance for open debate and straight talking is turned into a farce by Council Officers refusing to talk about issues and attempting to speak only on topics they have decided upon.

Press Release-6-Post SEPA seminar 09-09-2010

Press release after residents attended to observe a day long seminar by and for Air Quality Experts at Victoria Quay in Edinburgh at which the size of the issue, and disenchantment of experts, became clear.

SEPA Urban air quality seminar

Dated 09-09-2010

Headlines from SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) hosted conference of Air Quality Council Officers, Consultants and Transport Planning experts held in Edinburgh.

 

  • More people die each year in the UK because of causes attributable to poor air quality than died in the whole of the Blitz---50,000.

 

  • The gain in life expectancy through reducing traffic pollution is around 4 times in life expectancy terms than the gain in reducing passive smoking.

 

  • Remember all the fuss about passive smoking and the smoking bans?

The Council's Buried Figures 24-08-2010

Edinburgh Trams--- good for the residents and Council taxpayers OR tourists?

 

 

PRESS RELEASE –

Residents worried about the troubled Edinburgh tram system have found figures buried in a consultants report TO the council that showed that in 2003 the council were told by their own experts that from the start vast numbers of homes across the whole of Edinburgh would be worse off in terms of pollution, noise and traffic congestion BECAUSE of the tram becoming operational.

 

  • TIE were told at the start by their own expert consultants that 134,000 homes would be worse off by 2026 - compared

Press Release 3- The Council's Buried Figures

Press release sent about buried pollution figures in official report 24-08-2010

City of Edinburgh Council hear of unforseen pollution effects due to Tram project

PRESS RELEASE –WITH PICTURE POSSIBILITIES

Edinburgh Council to hear today (actual date Tuesday 27th,  July) about unforeseen toxic traffic pollution threats caused by new City Tram scheme posing a threat to families.

 

  • Health threats from toxic traffic pollutants
  • Threat improperly understood by Councillors
  • Residents face health implications
  • Potential for EU fines in the millions for breaching air quality levels.
  • Not only residents facing pollutants threat-- many more schools now on roads taking displaced traffic

 

Edinburgh residents have won the right to make a presentation to councillors

STAG 2003 pollution comparison table

The table in the 2003 STAG foundation report on Tram feasibility (skip the rest of the text if you like, and click link below this text) showing the comparisons in the pollution expected, comparing the single variable 'With Tram' to 'No tram'.

  • (Note the wording in the summary actually compares households enjoying  'Better' AND 'Unchanged' air quality, as a result of the (at that time) proposed, tram project to 'Worse' only-- We believe 'Worse' should rightly be directly compared to 'Better' off' only.

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