What if Carwyn says "carry on dumping"?
We're in limbo at the moment, it seems, as we await Carwyn Jones's decision to revoke or not. Individuals, groups and politicians are putting pressure on him, so we'll see which way he jumps.
This gives us a chance to start discussing the next step. Of course if Carwyn decides to revoke or discontinue, then the onus passes on to the Assembly and Wrexham Council to stop Murkey Waste from dumping immediately.
But what if he decides to permit dumping?
To quote the Proclaimers - "What do you do when democracy fails you?"
You consider your options and take action.
Some people may lose heart and give up at this point. It's been a long fight for some protesters, who kept the fight going when all looked lost. But there are also a lot of people, some not able to attend the meetings and pickets for various reasons, who want to fight on and win this campaign.
Action can mean many things: You can take action to replace the politicians who failed you but in the short term we also have to take action to ensure that Mersey Waste is not allowed to continue dumping.
So far our focus has been on the politicians in the Guildhall and Assembly, who had it within their powers to act on our behalf. If they fail, our focus should switch to the people who make decisions at Murkey Waste.
Peaceful and imaginative protests should be the way in which we fight the vested interests who benefit from the tipping - the Merseyside councils and Murky Waste Holdings.
There are other avenues of protest of course. Jill Evans MEP successfully petitioned the European Parliament to close the Nantygwyddon tip in the Rhondda because of the affect it had on local people's health. But this could take months if not years and we must fight in the here and now.
What do you think?
Send a comment and let's discuss the way forward.
posted by hafod @ 7:21 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Hi,
Stop spending cash on on fat cat barristers who do feck all and with money collected to date open and equip a small office,buy a photo-copier and start getting stuff through letterboxes.
Extend the campaign to all other landfills in the area including Llewynenion and commence a more radical stance on the whole environmental issue and expose the disgraceful activities of Wrexham Planning department,whilst highlighting the way we have been let down by most local and national politicians.
The idea behind an office resource is to start printing and to get stuff through letterboxes arranging at least one mass picket outside the landfill every week.
We must stop the lorries getting in and mass paeceful demos' are best for this.But the only way we will get mass pickets is by leafletting Ruabon and Johnstown and other areas,for this we must have office facilities.
Some members of the group have used the Labour party facilities at Martyn Jones's office.This is bad practice,we should be independent of any political party,especially New Labour whose exist entirley to serve big business at the expense of everything else.
The protest is about fighting big business not embracing the politicians who support it.
Also allocate specific tasks to members of the group which would involve investigating the local planning department and meticulously investigating everything that has ever been produced in relation to the Landfill.The email published elswhere here serves to prove that for what ever reasons the Wrexham Planning Dept have broken rules and stretched points.
The worst possible thing we can do is beleive that Wrexham planning and legal department know what they are doing...most of the time they dont.
To Recap
1)Create our own office to act as a focal point for leaflet creation and fund raising activities.
2) Get leaflets through doors arrange weekly mass pickets outside the site.
3)Start a proper investigation of Wrexham planning department.I think that would unearth quite a lot of interesting stuff.
Any one else got any more suggestions?
Watcher.
That sounds like a plan! Thanks Watcher.
It's disappointing that the barrister hasn't yet come back with an opinion - for that money I expect something more than a snail's pace.
For me, this has always been about more than just Hafod so I'd agree with a broader strategy.
Wrexham council officers tried to bully councillors into accepting the landfill - I think we should turn the spotlight on them. It was obvious during the campaign against the incinerator that big business knows how to bully or win over (I won't say bribe - I can't prove it) officers.
We can demand information on consultants and how much they cost us and we should be asking councillors who are supportive to dig deeper.
I'm not convinced about the need for an office - it's dead money that could be used for printing and publicity. People throughout the borough need to know what's happening to our waste.
I'd be more cynical about using Martyn Jones's facilities - we pay for them through taxes so they're ours by rights. I do, however, share your views on New Labour and big business (aka Blair's donors).
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