[Fleecewife]

Hi happyman I have just emailed you offline. Peter Titley who is the president of RBST is well involved now and has put out a press release (karen has copied it above or you can see it at www.rbst.org.uk) and sent a long email to the councillors, all very well written.  He is prepared to appear on TV and to come north for a meeting of supporters if we can get the decision deferred.  he would have come up for Tuesday but the public are not allowed to 'interject' at the meeting !!

The instant we know what decision the council has made, my OH and I will nip along to L&S at Lanark to find out when the sale is - they might already have booked it - or am I being overly cynical ?

[HappyHippy]

I don't think you're being cynical Juliet, they've not exactly given us reason to trust them before now 
I think even if we're not allowed to 'interject' that a good turnout of people opposed to the closure would at least make them HAVE to take notice. Especially as they are in breech of European Law (that's got to hold SOME weight ) Let's see how worried they are about their budget cuts given the threat of a whopping big fine from Brussles 
Friends of Palacerigg Rare Breeds now has it's own Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Palacerigg-Rare-Breeds/165094546865127?v=wall&ref=ts
We can link it to the website once it's up and running 
I really should go to bed now, mmmmm - we'll see lol!
Talk to you in the morning,
Karen x

[palacerigg]

who is all going to the meeting on tuesday ??

[happymanoftheworld]

I will be there - look for aged musician-looking person with glasses and a fawn baseball cap saying Strathaven Rare Breeds - although my website is Scottish Rare Breeds. 

[HappyHippy]

I'll be there ! Hopefully I can meet up with Juliet en-route  I'm quite tall, quite fat and have long brown hair and glasses (maybe I'll make a 'friends of Palacerigg' sign to take with us ? )
BUT
I notice from NLC's website this morning that there is no mention of a meeting on the 14th, but the 16th is mentioned  Have they changed the date again (or are they just keeping it hush hush ?)

Palacerigg - please don't think me cheeky (or nosey), but who are you ? Would you tell us your name please or pm me if you don't want to go public, just so we know who you are 

[happymanoftheworld]

Hi Happy - North Lanarkshire website http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=20160 gives you what you require.

[robert waddell]

we wont be there been to to many cooncil meetings in the past talk Shiite and decisions made before hand your sitting there fumming and cant say anything hope you are successful but if they have it earmarked for another use there will be money in the budget for that

[HappyHippy]

Just had a reply from Cllr Tom Johnston (SNP) Palacerigg is in his ward and is a place which he visits & enjoys.
I think the main point to take is that nothing final will be decided (allegedly ) and we still have time to put together a really strong case (and the more high profile people we can get on-board the better ) and bombard the labour councillors with emails, since they have more clout 
North Lanarkshire Council, we're ready for the fight - are you ? 

Dear Ms.  McKay,  I’ll be raising this at my SNP Group meeting. It’s  up to the group do decide on its overall budget proposals. We are just the Opposition,with 22 votes to the ruling Labour groups’s 40 (8 independents). While you would be allowed into the public gallery,your organisation will not be allowed to take part in the meeting – that is standard practice. I’m  afraid,too,that the budget cuts will be decided on a simple, general Ruling group package versus Opposition Group package.  I don’t  think individual items will be contested,though I may be wrong. Meeting lengths have recently been cut (despite SNP opposition to the move) to 4 hours under new Standing Orders.

Please note that the actual Budget Meeting for NLC will only come in February,after the Scottish Government budget in the same month.  This may allow you to mount a campaign in the ‘Cumbernauld News’ and elsewhere (local BBC and STV news sheets). You should keep it away from being tied to any political party: you have,in the end,to convince the Majority group.

There’s  a;ready been two articles in the Cumbernauld News and SNP List MSP Jamie hepburn has supported retention of the rare breeds.

[Fleecewife]

Okay I've started a new website for Friends of Palacerigg Rare Breeds
There's not a whole lot on there that you haven't already seen, but it's a start and OH will get some pics on tomorrow (the ones we have put on are temporary and from our own flocks)
Haven't done a blog yet.....
Please pass the link to anyone who is interested or needs to get in contact : www.palacerigg.weebly.com

Please also pass on any new info you have to me so we can get it on there for all to see - [email protected]   I could do with a better description of Palacerigg itself, or any good digital photos anyone has.

The beady eyed might notice that I have corrected the councillors email addresses which I had got wrong...
Thank you
Juliet

[HappyHippy]

I've put a link to the website on my facebook page and onto the "Friends of Palacerigg Rare Breeds" facebook page 

The petition has 865 signatures now, but we need more ! 

Juliet, here's some info which you could use (taken from NLC's website )

Set in the hills to the south-east of Cumbernauld, Palacerigg Country Park is well signposted from the town centre road network. It is less than half an hour's drive from Glasgow, Motherwell, Stirling or Falkirk. Established in the early 1970's, Palacerigg has been developed around the objectives of conservation, environmental education and countryside recreation. More than 40 hectares of what was once a bleak upland farm have been planted with hundreds of thousands of native trees and shrubs.

This new, sheltered environment provides a sanctuary for wildlife including thriving populations of roe deer, badger, fox and hare as well as sparrowhawk, kestrel, long-eared and short-eared owl.

Rare breeds collection

Palacerigg's animal collection is unique in Central Scotland and provides an opportunity to see many rare breeds in addition to other friendly farm animals. Rare breeds include Eriskay ponies, North Ronaldsay and Boreray sheep, Shetland and white park cattle, Bagot and Guernsey goats, Tamworth pigs and Scots grey and Scots dumpy poultry. Many of these animals are registered with the appropriate breed society enabling us to make a positive contribution to the breed's survival.

Palacerigg's animal keepers are on duty every day of the year and every effort is taken to keep livestock in a manner promoting natural behaviour and quality of life.

Attractions in the countryside

Visit the park centre with displays, interpretative panels and exhibition area, hire the lecture theatre, or longhouses, if you wish.

Explore the nature trails and places of historic interest, including evidence of fireclay mining at Glencryan and peat cutting at Gobhar

Climb to the heights of the treetop walkway and enjoy the bird's-eye view of buds, branches and leaves.

300 hectares of grassland, moorland, woodland and ponds ensure a haven for wildlife, providing breeding sites and places of refuge

[HappyHippy]

Is there anyone in the Cumbernauld area who would be prepared to talk to the newspapers ? I've spoken to Neil McGrory this morning, but he's looking for more people's opinions. He has asked me to share his contact details -

 Neil McGrory, Senior Reporter - Cumbernauld News Tel: 01236 725578
Please get in touch with him folks !

I've had a response from Karen Gillon's PA, to say that she's now aware of the situation and has taken it up with the Scottish Ministers and NLC - hooray !

[Fleecewife]

Ah - Monday morning and it's all moving at last - well done !!

More about the meeting of NLC tomorrow.  The advice now is for us not to go to the morning meeting as it will be over in minutes - everything will be referred forward to the main council meeting at 2.

If anyone is going who I haven't emailed privately, we thought we would meet up for lunch before the meeting , so please contact me or Karen.

Waitng for details of how to submit the petition but sounds like it might have to 'have a report produced' on it before they can consider it.  Still, please please get more people to sign up so we can push it to over a thousand signatures. They need to know we're out here.

Thank you everyone.

[doganjo]

We're at 902 now - have just boosted it by posting on my FB my status and removed my 'friends lock' so it will go worldwide.

[Fergie]

Is there anyone in the Cumbernauld area who would be prepared to talk to the newspapers ? I've spoken to Neil McGrory this morning, but he's looking for more people's opinions. He has asked me to share his contact details -

 Neil McGrory, Senior Reporter - Cumbernauld News Tel: 01236 725578
Please get in touch with him folks !

I've had a response from Karen Gillon's PA, to say that she's now aware of the situation and has taken it up with the Scottish Ministers and NLC - hooray !

Thanks Karen,

I spoke to Neil McGrory (after he emailed me) and basically just backed up what you had already told him.  He would like to be kept in touch with developments.  He thought I lived in his catchment area, but I don't - I'm nearer Wishaw, which has it's own local paper.

I'm afraid I already know the process of Council meetings, and as previously mentioned, although the public are allowed to listen to meetings, they may not take part.  However, lobbying councillors beforehand is fine!

The instant we know what decision the council has made, my OH and I will nip along to L&S at Lanark to find out when the sale is - they might already have booked it - or am I being overly cynical ?

Juliet - I don't think you're being cynical at all.  This sounds like a good idea.

Cheers,

John

[Fleecewife]

Hi John - well, we've certainly done a lot of lobbying of councillors.  They'll have a new lot to read from me with their morning porage !

Just had an email from Cllr Johnston saying, amongst other things "The SNP group will oppose any sell-off of the rare breeds at Palacerigg ---You will have to lobby the ruling group (labour)-- Labour hold 40 of the 70 seats on the council"  This was after the SNP group had their meeting this afternoon.

Encouraging