Gloucestershire County Council Badger Cull Scrutiny Task Group

If you live in Gloucestershire you can complete a survey that is being carried out by Gloucestershire County Council to look at the social and economic impact on residents following last years badger cull pilots in the County. 

Gloucestershire County Council has set up a scrutiny task group looking to establish the social and economic impact of the badger cull on Gloucestershire. The group would welcome contributions from those Gloucestershire residents affected by the cull in the form of responses to the questions below.

https://gloucestershire-consult.objective.co.uk/public/leisure/badger_cull_impact

Other related articles

Green Cllr Sarah Lunon will not sit on Badger Task Force, believing it to be a waste of time. 

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/news/10959410._/

Canvassing in Whiteshill with Iain McNicol

Today I have been canvassing in Whiteshill with Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol. 

We were also joined by Labour Stroud District Councillors David Drew and Roger Sanders, and County Councillor Lesley Williams. 

Canvassing in Ruscombe

I have been out in Ruscombe this evening canvassing for the upcoming District Elections. 

I was joined by Stroud District Councillors David Drew and Roger Sanders. 

Sharing my Kitchen Garden with the Wildlife

This weekend I have been preparing my kitchen garden for planting. After digging the plot I have planted 2 rows of potatoes and 2 rows of onions. The onions were kindly donated by my neighbour. 

I had a bit of a surprise when I took some of the weeds to our compost heap, when I lifted the old carpet that covers it I found a nest of about 15 slow worms. They looked a bit startled but I put the carpet back down and left them in peace. 

I usually grow my own tomatoes and cucumbers from seed in the greenhouse, but this year I am going to buy them from our Village Plant Sale that takes place on 11th May at the Village Shop. 

Gloucester Vegan Show

Today I Spent the day at Gloucester Vegan Show at The Guildhall. We were invited there to talk about The Wounded Badger Patrols. 

The event was really great with lots of stalls, food tasting, demonstrations and talks. 

I am a vegan and it was very interesting listening to the talks about the reasons to became vegan, animal welfare, questions on the  farming industry, and advice about food options. The Cooking demonstrations were fantastic and really inspiring. 

The other groups at the event included Sea Shepheard, Vervet Monkey Sanctuary,Dean Farm Trust, Mino Valley Farm Animal Sanctuary, and The Vegetarian Food Studio. 

Hundreds Turn Out For Gloucester's Anti Badger Cull March

My husband and I joined about 500 people at the Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting demonstration in Gloucester city centre on Saturday 19th May. 

Pilot culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset were aimed at limiting the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB).

Earlier this month Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the pilots would continue.

Organiser Carol Cook said the number of people who turned out to demonstrate shows "it is not acceptable for an industry to be killing our wildlife".

She said they were "sympathetic" towards farmers, but added that the "industry needs to look at its own practices" and improve "bio-security in the farmyards themselves" to stop the spread of the disease.

"It isn't us against the farmers at all - everyone can work together to stop this awful disease," she said.

Conservationist Ian Redmond said most badgers do not have the disease and culling is a "recipe for disaster, not for curing the disease".

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has stated that it can only support further pilot culls if effectiveness and humaneness improved and if there are independent monitors.

The BVA said it was also concerned that if culling in the pilot areas stops now there could be an increased risk of TB in cattle.

Here are some links to see videos from the March. 

-A film by Dianne Bartlett from the Glos Badger March featuring Stroud's Ian Redmond from The Born Free Foundation. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxKW00MceiRtzrt_5GNPi4g/videos

-Domanic Dyer's speech filmed by Ian Redmond. 

http://stroudcommunity.tv/dominic-dyer-addresses-badger-rally-gloucester/

Dangers To Cyclists And The Need For 20mph.

Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend my husband and I were cycling between Fairford and Lechlade when a van travelling over 50mph hit my husband and knocked him off his bike. 

After being taken to hospital by ambulance his injuries were confirmed as damage to his shoulder, arm, back and hand, so he was very lucky. 

It turns out that the road we were cycling along is notorious for accidents, but we were unaware of this as we were not familiar with the local area. We have been put off cycling on the roads for now, but this really highlights the need for road speed limits to be reduced. 

As a Parish Councillor of Whiteshill and Ruscombe we campaigned with Randwick Parish Council for many years to have the speed limit in the Ward reduced to 20mph, and last year this was introduced. 

I recently wrote a letter to the Stroud Life about this. 

"Dear Editor,
It is so good to see that Stroud may soon be getting a reduction in road speed limits to 20mph. 
As a Parish Councillor of Whiteshill and Ruscombe, ourselves and Randwick Parish Council, finally got a Ward wide 20 mph speed limit across Randwick, Whiteshill, and Ruscombe last year. It was not easy to get this introduced, and involved lots of work with County Council, Glos Highways and the support of local residents.
I noted that recent speed check showed that on average, motorist are driving slower through the ward but we still have a long way to go as people are still not used to what feels like an unnaturally slow speed.
With most residential roads in Stroud soon becoming 20mph this will encourage drivers to change their driving habits and I hope that this will continue as they drive up into our Villages.
Statistics show that lower speed limits reduce your chances of being killed if you are hit by a car, this has to be a good thing to pass on to the next generation and improve the areas we all live in."
 

At the moment, recent speed checks carried out over the last two weeks have shown that vehicles are still travelling too fast through the Village, but I hope that once other areas like Stroud and Cashes Green get 20mph speed limits too, drivers will become accustomed to driving slower everywhere.