Clare Sutton told the crowd: “Incredible to see so many people here today. If this really does go ahead, we know what impacts we’re looking at on our local communities – not least in my ward, Rodwell & Wyke.

“The Impact on our local economy and on the very air we breathe. No wonder we’re angry. We’re angry that Portland Port would even consider bringing this monstrosity to our community. We’re angry that Power Fuel, with their no doubt astronomical legal bill, have so far won the day. And I am angry that a government ostensibly committed to tackling climate change removed the moratorium on building new incinerators within weeks of entering office, and then gave this one the green light.

“Incinerating household waste is now the dirtiest way the UK generates power, producing the same amount of greenhouse gases per unit of energy as coal, which the UK abandoned last month. There are many ills in our world, but climate change is the one which affects every single one of us. Those living in Valencia or Athens or Ethiopia know first hand what’s coming our way. And if you’re my age, you know it’s your children and your grandchildren that are going to bear the brunt of this.

“Locally we have fought so hard. Many of us spoke at the Dorset Council planning hearing, and at the appeal. Hundreds of us have made multiple submissions, written to MPs, or donated money to the extraordinary Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign.

“And thousands of us have signed petitions or shared posts on social media. But the truth is, there aren’t many tools left in the box. We all hope the new incinerator legal challenge succeeds, and that the Environment Agency doesn’t grant a permit. And we must – we must – petition the new government to immediately introduce a moratorium on granting new licenses and allowing those in place to proceed – before it is too late. Too late for us. Too late for Corby. Too late for Wisbech. Too late for towns up and down the UK.

“The positive note. Hard to come by, aren’t they? What we do have is a united front. We’re united in saying no to the incinerator – and we’ll keep on saying no as long as there remains any hope that we can win. Thank you.”

Jon Orrell followed on: “Thank you for that welcome. It’s great to see so many people here today, to show the strength of feeling from our towns. We’re meant to live in a democracy, but does this feel like a democracy? No! I went with my fellow councillors, and also the doctors of Weymouth, to the planning enquiry and to the appeal. And we stood united to say no to this for the sake of our patients, for the sake of our constituents. This is an absolute disaster and it should not happen.

“So, like Clare, I’ll do some positives, then I’m going to do some negatives. There are things to which we can say yes. To clean safe seas, we say yes. To clean air to breathe, we say yes. To our children’s future, we say yes.

“And there are things to which we have to say no. The doctors of the town, we say no. The councils of these towns, we say no. The people of these towns, we say no. For private profit and filth, we say no.

“To nature, burned for wealth, we say no. All together: we say no. We say no. We say no.”

The post Cllrs Clare Sutton and Jon Orrell address hundreds at Stop Portland Waste Incinerator protest appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

The wonderful flowers and tubs on Wesley Street, Melcombe Regis are the work of local residents themselves. They have done a great job brightening up the scene.

They were at risk of losing this through a lack of insurance.

As part of a charity called Transition Towns, local Green Councillor Jon Orrell was able to help secure insurance. The street went on to win a Civic Society award.

Jon said: “They deserve praise for this.”

The post Jon Orrell secured insurance for flowers in Wesley Street, Melcombe Regis, which went on to win Civic Society award appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

As Councillor Jon Orrell (Melcombe Regis) says: “It is easy to see what is bad. The test is to do something about it.

The Lantern on Ranelagh Road has been helping homeless and vulnerable people for decades. Lately Jon Orrell has joined the board as a trustee.

Jon says: “The Lantern is going from strength to strength. Houses are being bought for people who are rebuilding their lives. A new venture has seen the NHS invest in mental health treatments at Hope House by St John’s
church.

Jon is also involved in the board of We are Weymouth as the town council link.

Jon has also sat on the Health and People Scrutiny Board in Dorchester. Jon says: “I can use my GP experience here to defend local services.”

The post Jon Orrell sits on boards supporting homeless and vulnerable people, local businesses, and health scrutiny appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Melcombe Regis Green Councillor Jon Orrell says: “It has been good to see that the permission I gained for the change of use for the precious St John’s Gardens has reaped benefits over the last few years.

“This oasis of green now has a corner used by local groups who engage with people with learning needs. The fruits (and veg) of their labours are wonderful to see.

“We are limited in parkland in Melcombe, but there are opportunities to join others at Tumbledown Farm on the other side of Radipole Lake.

“Activity in the outdoors is good for individual health and exercise, the food grown is nutritious and it’s great for cutting carbon emissions.”

The post Change of use of St John’s Gardens, Melcombe Regis, obtained by Jon Orrell, reaps benefits appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Here is the new footpath and cycleway that runs by B&Q in Weymouth. It used to be narrow and messy.

Melcombe Regis Green Councillor Jon Orrell worked with Public Health and other partners to redevelop this area, and preserve the old railway lines that are part of our history.

Jon said: “I am keen to see the rich past of our town celebrated whilst also making it safe to walk and cycle.

“I support the planting of new trees. They are attractive and keep the streets cooled in heatwaves. Mental health is helped by being able to see trees.”

The post Jon Orrell helped redevelop footpath and cycleway by Weymouth’s B&Q appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Jon said: “This is not fair on our town. The Conservative controlled Dorset Council cabinet needs to change its
mind.”

Meanwhile, the town council is working on a new plan for the coming decade. One part concerns building on
two small car parks.

Jon Orrell said: “I do not support this in the absence of much better bus links and joining up with the train station.”

The post “This is not fair on our town”: Jon Orrell opposes higher car parking charges for Weymouth than for other towns – and proposed loss of car parks appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Across the Wessex Water area from the Dorset coast to the Bristol area, the BBC identified 68 sites where sewage may have been illegally discharged last year. Wessex Water disputes much of the data.

Jon was quoted in the Echo: “It’s shocking that they’re dropping sewage on dry days, we were led to believe that it may be a problem with storm surge, but it turns out that they are putting it out on dry days as well.

“We need water regulators to come down on them like a ton of bricks – they shouldn’t be able to get away with it.

“It’s not on really, we are paying them to treat sewage and they are not treating it.

“Weymouth beach has always been well known to be safe for family bathing, it’s our selling point.”

The post Cllr Jon Orrell: Indications of illegal Wessex Water sewage discharges “shocking” appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Yet by allowing an oil rig to drill off the Jurassic Coast the Government has shown that though it is prepared to talk the climate talk it is unprepared to follow through with positive action.

Green Party Councillor Dr Jon Orrell said “It is clear that arresting climate chaos means keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Prospecting for more is madness and shows the folly of this governing party; seeking short term profit for the few and causing long term devastation for the many. They are happy to allow oil exploration, but would not support a windfarm in the same waters.”

West & South Dorset Green Party members are in full support of those campaigning against the drilling. The coalition of many campaign groups includes Save Our Shores Bournemouth, Global Justice Bournemouth, Extinction Rebellion and South East Dorset Green Party. This coalition is concerned about the impact on the coast and marine life, pointing out that any accident could “devastate” the coast.

“All of us living in Dorset recognise the importance of the sea and coastline to the local economy. No activity should be countenanced which might jeopardise the reputation of the Jurassic Coast as a clean and beautiful destination.” added Councillor Orrell.

Photo: Mick Gisbourne

The post Jon Orrell: Jurassic Coast drilling shows Government energy policy is leading us towards climate chaos appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

The post New talks to be held on pollution in Boot Hill, Weymouth appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

However, questions over the way our railways are best operated and for whose benefit were raised.

Dr Jon Orrell, Green Party member and rail user expressed a number of concerns over the current rail service. “As you may know, we would like to see the end to the Great British Train Robbery, and see private profiteering franchises phased out, returning the railways to public ownership over time,” Jon informed Department for Transport rep Jaz. Jon sited the East Coast mainline as a good example of how a publicly owned train service had achieved highest passenger satisfaction rates and returned over £1 billion to the Treasury.

However, within the framework of a privatised railway, key considerations for the upcoming Weymouth-Waterloo rail franchise competition included rail fares and speed of service.

“Prices are going up and up, average rail fares have increased 25% in the past 10 years, whilst the speed of the service between Weymouth and Waterloo has not improved for over 100 years highlighted Jon. “This equation does not provide good value for money”.

Passenger safety was another issue raised by local member Russ Parrett, such as concerns for over-crowding on trains and the importance of ‘Keeping the Guard on the Train’. When asked if there were specific criteria for train staffing, the Rail Executive rep suggested there are guidelines but no regulatory necessity. “It’s concerning that a rail company could win the franchise by being the cheapest service provider if they remove guards from the trains (which some rail companies have suggested), but at real cost to passenger safety, security and confidence?” asked Caz Dennett.

The 20-minute long consultation produced several positive ideas from the local Greens, some which Jaz described as “valuable and innovative”. These included improving journey times through an “express service” to London once an hour at required times, measures to prevent further fare rises and increase % profits rail companies re-invest in services and guaranteeing adequate levels of train and station staff.

Overall, the service through to London currently offered by South West Trains was felt to be reasonable. However, the Green Party team advised the service provided by Great Western Railway between Weymouth and Bristol is absurdly slow (average speed of 27 MPH), unacceptably over-crowded and frequently unreliable. This service does not fall into the South Western Franchise Competition, but will be due for bid in the next few years.

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