Educationally sub-normal sub-editor at MEN?

It's usually the sub-editors who write the headlines to newspaper pieces.

So rather than blame John and Anne Nuttall for "Icy peaks mock global warming" (Saturday 28 Feb, page 4 of Weekend pullout) above their piece on walking along the Pennine* Way [it contains a straightforward account of where they walked and how you can follow them], I'd take a pop at the dominant sub.

The obvious question to ask is ; which part of "global warming" are you having trouble with?
Did the recent Australian heatwaves and subsequent bushfires happen on another planet?

The follow-up question would be: "Why did you need to inflict your scientifically illiterate prejudices loose in a newspaper which has editorialised on the importance of climate change action in the (distant) past?"

Buffoon.

* Not "Penine", as it originally appeared in this post (see comment 1 below)

P.S. Meeting up with my cartoonist friend Marc this morning, reminds me that he tackled this little-bit-of-local-snow-puts-paid-to-global-warming tosh in a cartoon last year.

MCFly 018- show me the money!

The Council Executive has tabled its budget for 2009/10, and its medium term financial strategy for three years. The next things that happen are that it goes to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee on February 23, and then to full council on March 4. There is no danger of it failing to pass, since Labour has a 2 to 1 majority over the Lib Dems in full council. The budget makes for fascinating reading.

On page 38 (of 166) we learn that the "Major corporate priorities" are “Waste and Recycling, Reflecting and managing the impact of the economic downturn, Children’s and Youth Services, Climate change /sustainability."

But kindly remove your thumbs from the cork of that bottle of 1990 Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam, because there's No New Money... “Specific provision for Climate Change / sustainability and Events was made in last years budget.”

Yes, that'd be the million quid that they still haven't spent from the infamous “Carbon Reduction of Innovation Fund” (see MCFly #6 passim ad nauseam). Sigh.

Update on AGMA's Environment Commission

MCFly has been reliably informed by AGMA bods that the Environment Commission's first meeting will now be on the 7th of April, NOT in 'February or early March' as they previously announced (see MCFly 17 for background info). By then, AGMA is hoping to have recruited the remaining 5 commissioners from areas such as business, academia, third sector, property and development, and communications. These 5 commissioners are being independently recruited and will be approved by the AGMA Chief Executive. Also overseeing the Environment Commission are six elected politicians, which brings the Environment Commission to a total of 11 commissioners.

The Environment Commission is part of a the Greater-Manchester attempt to streamline the response to climate change and to reduce any duplication of effort across council. The 'Environment Commission' is one of a total of seven commissions on areas such as 'Health', 'Economic Development, Employment and Skills', 'Housing and Infrastructure' and 'Public Protection'. All of the commission's will work across the region and report to the AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities).

MCFly 018- Social Clim(at)ing

MCFly's new gossip column!

Rumour reaches MCFly Towers that the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, young Ed Miliband- so fresh-faced that he still gets carded when he goes in his local boozer- will be heading up North sometime in the next month or so, to see how the provincials are coping with this climate change thingie.
So, there's a frantic scramble to shovel oodles of money out the door (it needed spending before the end of the financial year anyway). Then Ed, (who proclaimed the need for a grass-roots campaign to keep the government honest on climate change... the day before Plane Stupid shut down Stansted Airport!), can have his photo took in front of this or that funded wind turbine/CHP plant/cherubic tree-planting tot, and proclaim that HMG is Giving Us the Tools to Finish the Job.

And who will win the impending turf war within the AGMA commissions over climate change? The fingers-crossed punt is on the Environment Commission. The smart money is on the Economic Development, Skills and Employment Commission (the artists previously known as Manchester Enterprises, and producers of the mini-Stern, and purveyors of Carbon Trading schemes.) Of course, the really smart money is on shotguns, canned food and an island redoubt.

MCFly 018- Board Rigid?

This is from a new section we've got called "The Council Gritter"...

Board Rigid?

One outcome of the “Call to Action” report was an “Environmental Strategy Performance Board,” chaired by Sir Howard Bernstein (the Chief Executive Officer- top bureaucrat- of the Council). The Board is made up of [at least] 21 folks, mostly council officers, but also includes the Airport's top environment bod. It has already met twice and our saucy source says reports are being commissioned left right and centre, from both within the Council and also beyond into the private sector. MCFly don't know if it'll be able to get the minutes easily (we've asked sweetly) or with a bit of a tussle, but see them we shall. The ESPB might become an extremely effective tool for overcoming inertia and lack of co-ordination between council departments. Here's hoping...

But where's the oversight and transparency? As we asked in MCFly 16:

Who will be the external (outside of Greater Manchester) people on it be? Will these people be given access to all documentation, and the time and authority to audit/ask uncomfortable questions of the City Council's employees and elected members? Will the meetings of this Board be open to the public? Will the public be invited to give evidence to the Board?

MCFly has learnt that various individuals have been approached to be on some sort of “Environmental Strategy Advisory Board”. But would it be able to commission independent research, and have a secretariat that enabled it to hold the ESPB to account? If not, wouldn't they just be like non-executive directors at so many companies that have been hit by the credit crunch? Anyone worth asking is too smart to risk their reputation to be seen as a fig leaf or rubber stamp. If the Council is casting around for a model of how this all might work, they could do worse than look at what Sheffield has been up to- They've got a mixed board, and the minutes get published.http://tinyurl.com/dfmmmu

What's the plan-ning...

Last night about 30 people attended a rather good free event put on by "Planning Aid", a charity that aims to help community and voluntary groups understand (stay awake at the back) the planning system...

The event, entitled "Sustainability and the Built Environment" was at the Friends Meeting House, Mount St, and ran from 5.30 to 8pm. Care had been taken to create a good mix of people at each table, and volunteers were on hand to nudge the discussion if necessary and report back to the big group.

MCFly will let you know when the next such events are on.

Planning Aid's details are as follows.

North West Planning Aid
2nd Floor, Friars Court, Sibson Rd
Sale M33 7SF
t/f 0161 969 3672
nwco@planningaid.rtpi.org.uk
www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk

MCFly 018- MMU-ving Out

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has released its plans to build a new £70m campus in Hulme. The site - named Birley Fields - also aims to be the greenest campus in Britain.

It will replace sites in Didsbury and Rusholme and aims to bring together training facilities for 5,000 teachers, nurses, social workers and other public sector professionals. This plan has been formed after plans to expand the Didsbury site were met with hostility from local residents last year.

A master plan for the Hulme site will be published soon before a full of public consultation begins in the late spring. MMU's press release on the matter expressed how enthusiastic the council are about this proposal, with Council leader Sir Richard Leese saying "this substantial investment in the area, and commitment to its continuing regeneration, is particularly welcome given the recession."

Although it is claimed that the development will create jobs and services for residents in Hulme and neighbouring Moss Side, many residents will be angry to see one of their most valued green spaces disappear. The plans are particularly controversial with the Friends of Birley Fields who have campaigned for a long time to preserve the land.

Long-term member of the group Rob Squires explained that "the development is another form of economic growth and given current climate change issues all forms of economic growth should be stopped unless proven to be carbon neutral". Rob is doubtful that this development will be carbon neutral feels that the space should be used for "social and ecological purposes to the benefit of local residents, because even if the campus is green, it will still destroy the Birley Fields forever".