Investigation into BCC’s ‘Green Investment Funding’ makes disappointing reading

• Apr. 2 by Natalie Eccleshall (2)

Investigations into the proposed use for allocated ‘green funds‘, unveil Birmingham City Council’s planned funds for proposed High Speed Rail Network‘, and that attempts to build ‘wind farms’ have been shoved onto the back-burner.

Since Alistair Darling’s 2010 Budget announcement last week, there has been much speculation and hope amongst environmentalists that the proposed £2 billion ‘green’ investment bank, will be used wisely.

It was the Labour party’s ‘stress’ that the money must go towards their commitment to ‘supporting manufacturing and boosting regional economies’.

High Speed Rail receives funding

However, a recent investigation by Birmingham Recycled has unearthed that Birmingham City Council plans to use the money for the erection of the new proposed ‘High Speed Rail Network’, that is due to link the ‘West Midlands with almost anywhere in the UK including Manchester, Scotland and potentially even Paris’.

The project has been received by an uproar from environmentalists nationwide as the £30billion project is planned to go straight through the planned site of the new Birmingham City University campus, as well as linking the old Curzon Street railway station in the City Centre.

It will also create a link between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill stations, straight through a number a registered ‘green belt‘ areas.

This has provoked members of Birmingham’s thriving environmental groups, igniting anger and protest at how this money is to be spent for supposedly ‘green uses’.

Voice of ‘greeninbrum‘, on social networking site ‘Twitter’, Chris says:

‘If it is true, that’s a travesty of green funding. I propose building railways on all motorways – the heavy lifting has already been done!’

On attempting to contact the council on this matter, James Robertson, Green Party candidate for Ladywood attempted to discover what was being said by Birmingham City Council officials on the proposed usage of the money, but no no avail:

‘No further insight into how the money is to be spent: lots of firm opinions backed up by eloquent passion… but no hard data!’

Planned building of wind farms is ‘overlooked’

The shocking news, follows that of the planned ‘wind farms’ erection in Birmingham (which are also supposed to be funded by ‘green investment’) are falling short of their deadline ‘because local planning authorities are holding up the process’, according to leading body BWEA.

BWEA The British Wind Energy Association chief executive Maria McCaffery said:

‘In common with most other English regions, the progress made in the West Midlands is disappointing.’

These are most disappointing findings for a City that prides itself on its recently acquired ‘Fairtrade Town‘ status. However, it seems that it’s efforts in some ‘green areas’ are not as strong in others.

Birmingham City Council refused to comment on their reported ‘lack of effort’ in striving to meet the wind farm deadlines.

This makes poor reading for the City, as the planned wind farms would be no doubt a welcomed usage of the green investment, however it remains for the time being on the council’s ‘back burner’.