Welsh students who go to university in 2012-13 will therefore be paying the same in real terms as students who go to university in this academic year, i.e. £3290, plus living costs. This is a huge relief from the appalling increases facing English students, but it is long way short of what the Green Party would provide.

Under a Green Government there would be no student loans as there would be no tuition fees and living costs would be met by Citizens Income. In the short term we will reintroduce student grants to meet living costs. Higher Education is essential in developing a civilized society. Education should be treated as a process and not a product. It should enable a democratisation of knowledge and skills which are available to anyone who wants to study for a degree regardless of their age or background.

How do we pay for all this and the rest of our progressive programme? Check out our election manifesto details of how we would manage the economy to make this all possible AND reduce the deficit in a manageable way.

Today sees an Opposition Day debate on school sports funding and then tuition fees (1). Labour leader Ed Milliband has put forward what the Greens regard as a weak motion (2) calling on the government to publish its education plans in detail and expressing concern over student debt. The Green Party leader, together with MPs from the Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties, has tabled an amendment (3) spelling out a much tougher critique of the government, noting Labour’s role in introducing tuition fees in the first place, and calling on Lib Dem MPs to honour their pledge to oppose rises in tuition fees.

Caroline Lucas commented this afternoon from her constituency, where she was taking part in a student-led protest against tuition fees and education cuts:

“Given that 90% of MPs went to university, mostly without having to pay tuition fees, it’s completely unacceptable that the Tories and Lib Dems are getting away with this.”

“Liberal Democrats are breaking the promises that helped them get elected, and meanwhile Labour is failing to provide the real challenge the country wants to see.”

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_phillips_creative_houses_from_reclaimed_stuff.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2010-11-30&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

Watch now:
http://www.ted.com/talks/birke_baehr_what_s_wrong_with_our_food_system.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2010-11-30&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

What these women share isn’t just political ambition; it’s also their conviction that the environment is the electoral issue of the future. Economy down? Create green jobs. Worried about feeding a resource-hungry world? Time to innovate new green technologies. “We have vision and think long term, but we apply our political beliefs in concrete reforms,” Künast said in August.

Someday sooner than you think, they might get the chance. Isn’t that right, Delyth?!

Wales is split into 5 regions for the second vote, South Wales Central includes Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and Rhondda Cynon Taf. Greens received 6.4% across the Region the last time an election was held using proportional representation, during the 2009 European elections with 8% across Cardiff. Based on previous results 7-8% of the vote is needed to elect the first Green AM in South Wales Central.

Jake Griffiths, Wales Green Party Leader and prospective Assembly Member, said; “This poll gives recognition to the work we have been doing locally and shows us on course to elect our first Assembly Members in May. Greens in the Welsh Assembly would be joining Caroline Lucas, who was elected as Britain’s first Green MP in this years General Election, and Green colleagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the European Parliament.”

He continued “Green AMs are needed to challenge the devastating cuts to public services being imposed by Westminster and to get Wales onto the path for a low-carbon economy. Our policies would create jobs to beat the recession as well as tackling climate change, and these ideas must be heard in the Assembly chamber if we hope for them to become reality. Caroline Lucas, our first MP has already made her place in asking difficult questions that MPs from the old parties shy away from. Green AMs would continue this tradition in truly holding the Welsh Government to account.”

He concluded by appealing for those considering voting Labour to back the Green Party on the regional ballot:

“Labour have never elected a regional AM in South Wales Central since they win most constituencies, over 70,000 wasted Labour regional votes were cast in 2007, if just a small fraction of these switch to the Greens we will elect our first AMs. Electing a Green is also likely to deprive the ConDem parties of an extra Assembly Member.”

First of all, thanks to those that responded to the email re the small problem with the next meeting. I had half a dozen responses which raises a couple of issues.

Firstly, those that did not respond did not return a ‘Read Receipt’ either, so I do not know if they are getting my emails or not. Can I therefore please ask for a response or a Read Receipt so that I can amend my records and use other means of communication if this is not getting through.

Secondly those six responses split themselves evenly over the three options presented! I have therefore come up with a compromise that I hope is agreeable, even though it was not one of the options previously presented!

I have booked the Haywain Function Room for Tuesday 21st December, from 7.30pm. I am hoping that Neil will be on holidays and available on a Tuesday on this occasion. Those that I see to speak to have said this suits them ok, so I hope as many as possible will be able to come, despite the proximity to Christmas. I promise to get a round in! The provisional agenda is below.

Many thanks,

Andy Chyba
Bridgend Green Party
Blog: https://bridgendgreens.wordpress.com/
Mobile: 078 1066 3241
Email: greens@chyba.go-plus.net

1. 1. Welcome and Introductions
   2. Apologies for Absence
   3. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
   4. Officers’ reports
   5. Blog articles
   6. Discussion points: WAG campaign / Bettws campaign / Topic for next meeting
   7. Any Other Business
   8. Date of Next Meeting

Making a stand through direct action and occupation is not easy and we respect and support those students and campaigners who have done so in South Wales and across the UK.

Over the past 13 years students have been let down by Labour on education and tuition fees. Now, at the hands of the Con Dem Government, they face further, deep cuts and a sharp rise to tuition fees.

We, the Green Party in South Wales West and nationally, oppose the cuts to higher education and to public services. We firmly and strongly believe that the education system should be publicly funded and tuition fees scrapped.

The way out of recession is not with cuts, deregulation and privatisation but with investment, job creation and the more efficient use of natural resources.

We are proud to stand alongside those Welsh students and pupils who marched peacefully two weeks ago on the NUS/UCU demo in London, and who this week marched for their rights, and then undertook the occupation in Wales.

Good luck in your endeavours and in solidarity for a truly fair economy and just society.

Signed:

Keith M Ross
Huw Evans
Delyth Miller
Andy Chyba

Green Party Assembly Candidates
South Wales West

It is worthy of our support. Click on the link and follow the take action suggestions – it is easy enough.

http://www.co-operativecampaigns.co.uk/toxicfuels/

P.S. If you haven’t already done so, think about transferring your bank account to the the Co-operative. As well as being a rare ethical bank, the staff in Bridgend branch are fab.

Wales Green Party (WGP) Notes (the bad news):
1. That 50,000 students marched in London on 10 November opposing tuition fee rises and higher education cuts
2. The Browne Review called for tuition fees to be uncapped and all public funding contribution towards courses to be ended
3. The Government has announced plans for tuition fees of up to £9000 with almost all public funding to end.
4. A report from the Higher Education Policy Institute found that the Government’s proposals would not save any money and would result 80% of graduates paying more than under the current system.

WGP Believes (the sensible news):
1. Higher education is a public good and should be funded by the state
2. That we should applaud the students who marched, leading the fightback against the cuts and we support the next day of action on the 24th November.
3. That WAG should resist higher university fees in Wales

WGP Resolves (the GOOD news):
1. That the Leader will write to WAG asking that fees not rise in Wales.
2. That Green AMs will vote against higher university fees in Wales.