IMMINENT THREAT OF POISONING - A Heron seen here with Mallard Ducks on the pond in Lime Park on the 27th of September 2020. It is proposed by Latimer Developments Limited, to pass surface water drainage through this pond, despite the detrimental effect that bio accumulative poisoning is sure to have from pesticides used on the gardens of the 70 houses they intend building.

In 1997 suspected planning crime was reported to Sussex police, following a petition to Wealden District Council. There were 12 separate complaints from unrelated complainants, but this police force failed to investigate any of the reported crimes. Now some 23 years later, suspect planning consents are still flowing. It is alleged that this is one case where the planning officers have turned a blind eye to their duty to protect these birds - and of course the fish and flora of Lime Park. One thing is for sure, Sussex police are unlikely to investigate any matter concerning any Wealden planning officer, let alone tangle with the likes of the developers, or any person doing a deal with the developers. Even if fraud or conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, or indeed to kill these birds is involved. Killing a bird by poisoning is an imprison-able offence that affects the director of any company involved.

What is happening in England under the Conservatives and Boris Johnson (30-01-2021) with ever more unsustainable development being granted planning consents by (for example) Wealden District Council, is more or less exactly the opposite of what the Future Generations Act in Wales is designed to overcome. For that reason any Bill in England is likely to see fierce opposition, rather than the support it deserves. Though, if the UK is to pull through the present climate crisis, we do need legislation to instill a sense of urgency into lackluster local politicians. MP Caroline Lucas, sets out a compelling argument for change, in the hope of greening Britain, in support of the Climate Change Act 1998, that is not working to galvanize councils to change the way they think and act.

UK PROPOSAL

The “Wellbeing of Future Generations” Bill – a private members’ bill sponsored by crossbench peer Lord Bird and Green MP Caroline Lucas – returns to Parliament later this month for its second reading. If passed, the Bill would require legislation to set out its impacts on future generations, embedding the principle of intergenerational fairness into the practice of policy-making. For this reason, the Bill would be a welcome step towards addressing the problems of government short-termism and the neglect of younger and future generations that have been at the heart of IF’s mission.

The Bill also proposes the establishment of a Commissioner for Future Generations for the United Kingdom, following the example of Wales, which appointed the world’s first Future Generations Commissioner in 2016.

But what of the evidence to support the Bill’s measures? Perhaps the clearest evidence to draw on is Wales’s experience following the passage of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. Among the Act’s measures was the establishment of the world’s first Future Generations Commissioner, which the Bill currently before Parliament proposes to emulate at the UK level.

While it is difficult to gauge the short-term impact of legislation intended to prompt deeper, cultural change in policy-making, there is nevertheless evidence to support the effectiveness of Wales’s future generations legislation. Last year the Welsh Auditor General published its findings for the first five-year reporting period as to how far public bodies had applied principles set out in the 2015 legislation. It found that most public bodies reported having changed their process for setting well-being objectives to apply the sustainable development principle, though longer-term considerations in setting objectives remained underdeveloped.

Similarly, the Commissioner’s Future Generations Report 2020 found substantial evidence of progress on intergenerational action, with numerous public bodies demonstrating increased long-term considerations. However, the report also noted barriers to the effective implementation of long-term policy-making.

The implication of Wales’s first five years of the Future Generations Act is that legislation has the potential to greatly advance the cause of intergenerational fairness in policy-making. Even if Wales has far from solved the problem of intergenerational injustice, it has certainly taken steps in the right direction.

The Bill’s return to Parliament is all the more pertinent given a number of high-profile intergenerational fairness issues that the UK faces in 2021.

For one, the UK’s hosting of the COP26 climate summit in November will boost the profile of the climate crisis, and the UK government has already suggested that it is looking to lead international efforts on climate change with a string of policy announcements in late 2020. Embedding sustainability considerations into the way in which policy is made in the UK would provide a clear illustration of this commitment.

This year will also see attention shift towards the COVID-19 recovery. Throughout last year IF stressed the extent to which younger generations have been affected by the pandemic, with the educational and economic impacts on young people particularly pronounced. As the priority of the health impacts of coronavirus is displaced by its wider impacts over the course of the next year, issues of intergenerational fairness will become increasingly important.

The Bill already has support across the political spectrum: the MPs who have endorsed the legislation range from prominent left-wingers like Jeremy Corbyn and Rosena Allin-Khan, to influential Conservatives like Sir Graham Brady and the COVID vaccination minister Nadhim Zahawi. Expanding this support base will be crucial in raising the Bill’s profile and demonstrating to the government that intergenerational fairness is a cross-party cause that can no longer be neglected.

WHO PAYS FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY SUBSTANDARD ROADS? - Who is paying out for all the damage to our cars and will our insurance premiums rise because of diverted funds. Will the Government pay the insurance costs of accidents caused by potholes. Surely, the present policies and politicians not working toward a sustainable future, are the cause of the problem. It's generational madness, allowing such deterioration - and expecting our children to pick up the tab.

If your car had no MOT you would not be insured. It follows that if the road you are using is not up to standard, that those responsible for the routine maintenance are vicariously liable. In the case of the pictures on this page that would be Eastbourne Borough Council, Wealden District Council and East Sussex County Council - or whichever combination responsible for highways is applicable.

THE ACT

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 2) (Welsh: Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau'r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015) is an Act of the National Assembly for Wales that was given royal assent on 29 April 2015; it came into force in April 2016.

This statute set out seven well-being goals: i) a prosperous Wales, ii) a resilient Wales, iii) a healthier Wales, iv) a more equal Wales, v) a Wales of cohesive communities, vi) a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language and vii) a globally responsible Wales.

A 'sustainable development principle' comprising five aspects is intended to assist in the delivery of the Act's goals and actions; i) long-term thinking, ii) prevention, iii) integration, iv) collaboration and v) involvement.

The sustainable development principle

(1) In this Act, any reference to a public body doing something “in accordance with the sustainable development principle” means that the body must act in a manner which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

(2) In order to act in that manner, a public body must take account of the following things —

(a) the importance of balancing short term needs with the need to safeguard the ability to meet long term needs, especially where things done to meet short term needs may have detrimental long term effect;

(b) the need to take an integrated approach, by considering how —
(i) the body’s well-being objectives may impact upon each of the well-being goals;
(ii) the body’s well-being objectives impact upon each other or upon other public bodies’ objectives, in particular where steps taken by the body may contribute to meeting one objective but may be detrimental to meeting another;

(c) the importance of involving other persons with an interest in achieving the well-being goals and of ensuring those persons reflect the diversity of the population of -
(i) Wales (where the body exercises functions in relation to the whole of Wales), or
(ii) the part of Wales in relation to which the body exercises functions;

(d) how acting in collaboration with any other person (or how different parts of the body acting together) could assist the body to meet its well-being objectives, or assist another body to meet its objectives;

(e) how deploying resources to prevent problems occurring or getting worse may contribute to meeting the body’s well-being objectives, or another body’s objectives.

CONTACTS

Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Market Chambers
5-7 St Mary's Street
Cardiff CF10 1AT

Tel: 02921 677 400
Email: contactus@futuregenerations.wales

SEPTEMBER 17 2020 - Shit handling pipes, installation at Shit Creek, Herstmonceux, the field adjacent is to be built on with 70 houses flushing excrement down a network of pipes that could spring leaks at any time. But, of even more concern is the pollution from the surface run off of pesticides from 70 gardens and garages, through Lime Pond. In that Southern Water are providing the infrastructure to make that pollution a reality, they may be held to be vicariously liable or part of a conspiracy to kill wild animals. If any of the soil pipes from the proposed houses were to leak into the pond and kill any animal, they would be criminally liable for sure. It seems that this installation proceeded without conditions having been met by Latimer Developments, with Southern Water helping the property developers to undermine the due process. In our book that qualifies as a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, contrary to duties imposed by the Fraud Act 2006. We are following this case and the injustices alleged, such as violating the peaceful enjoyment of the adjacent property. This may well be a criminal offence, but could equally be the subject of a Judicial Review.

LINKS & REFERENCE

https://cnduk.org/cnds-lockdown-seminars/
https://www.if.org.uk/2021/01/15/time-for-a-future-generations-act/

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2015/2/contents/enacted

https://www.futuregenerations.wales
https://gov.wales/well-being-future-generations-wales-act-2015-guidance

COUNTRYSIDE ABOMINATION & HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS - If you buy one of these (proposed) houses, not only will you be adding to global warming, but you could be letting yourself in for many years of litigation, not least of which is the potential to be charged under groundwater contamination laws. At least 40% of the houses shown are in a direct line to poison the only working well in the village - Lime Well - in the lower left of the picture. The developers will also fall foul of the Human Rights Act 1998, for interfering with the peaceful enjoyment of a water supply.