Thank you for you letter asking for my views on local 'green' issues. Although I am busy canvassing I thought it important that I replied to the serious issues that you raised. The ward I hope to represent is North Downs West, a ward bounded by Lyminge, Sellindge, Hastingleigh and the south side of Stelling Minnis.

Dungeness and the Emergency Plan. I do not support a 'new build' at Dungeness Power Station. Far from it being so cheap as to not requiring metering, I seem to remember this being the story when the first NP station was switched on, I and my party believe the system has proven to be economically unviable. The waste problems make it environmentally unsustainable. The renewable energy route should be vigorously pursued: see below. In an area surrounded by nuclear plants I am aware that Shepway has an emergency contingency plan. However, I and my party do not believe that issuing potassium iodine pills to Shepway's residents is such a good idea, I do believe that the emergency contingency plan should include a speedy method of distribution should, God forbid, the need arise.

Renewable Energy is also something that I and my party are in favour of but, in this particular location there are environmentally sensitive issues. I would not like to see the North Downs become a wind farm, but would rather they were put off shore. There should be a national drive to encourage renewable energy production.

The GM foods issue is of particular importance in this area as it contains many areas of outstanding natural beauty. I and the national Lib Dem party have serious concerns about cross contamination between GM and non GM crops, a problem we believe that has been underestimated. My view of this is that I believe that field trials of GM crops pose serious hazards, especially as the evidence so far shows that contamination can occur over great distances, greater even than the current rules allow. I stand by Lib Dem national policy which requires greater isolation distances, and that there should be a 5 year moratorium on commercial exploitation of this technology.

Cycling routes in town and country are great ideas, however they can be expensive and my first aim would be to encourage 'walking buses' for children to get to school. In the mean time I and my colleagues would vigorously pursue our budgetary share of County funds for cycle ways to be built.
One extra point though, speeding in rural areas is a menace that is increasing significantly.
Many people drive with scant regard for other road users and walking, cycling, and horse riding in the country now means taking ones life in ones hands. I would like to see country areas having a 40 mph speed limit, such as that imposed with great success in the New Forest. I would also be fighting for traffic calming measures in the North Downs West ward, an issue raised in many of our publications over the years.

Operation Stack has a significantly detrimental affect on this ward and I am not in favour of the operation. However, large lorry parks in this area would be equally unpopular. There was a plan to build a lorry park near Stanford but that never materialised, there might well be considerable opposition to such a plan. A more practical answer would be, in my party's opinion, that certain trunk routes throughout Europe should be 'freeways' and any attempt to block them illegal. Likewise ports of entry, such as Calais, should be deemed 'freeway' areas so that blockades could be more easily prevented. I believe that HGVs are a 21st century fact of life and only national plans to create lorry carrying trains will rid our roads of these vehicles. In addition I and my party would support the subsidy of rail-freight.

Recycling. As a spinner and weaver I am in favour of natural products. I believe that Shepway is currently not doing enough to recycle the waste products our society creates. I do believe that government targets are based on weight rather than damage to environment so Shepway hits the 'target' with heavyweight waste such as garden waste, concrete, metal, and similar materials. Of course more should be done, again an infrastructure needs to be devised and the population needs to be aware of the implications of doing nothing. Recycling has been an issue highlighted in local Lib Dem publications for many years, and as such will be among the many issues that we intend to tackle when we regain control of Shepway Council and press for in the event that we do not.

I hope the above answers your interesting questions, they are matters of great importance and, whatever the result of the election on the 1 of May, will for the most part remain high on the local and national Liberal Democratic agenda. I hope that any media publicity that this reply generates will be of benefit to our cause and yours.
Yours sincerely
Bill Chitty.