Norwich City Council Elections, Thursday 1 May 2008
Green Party Manifesto Summary
Everywhere more and more people are realising the importance of tackling manmade climate change. People are looking to vote for political parties that don't just talk about the issue, but that will actually take the steps that are necessary if we want to provide a tolerable future (indeed a better future) for generations to come. Green Councillors in Norwich are already making an impact on the City Council's approach to reducing energy use and promoting renewable energy.
Candidates and councillors in Norwich Green Party want to initiate a real dialogue with the public about council policies. We want an open Council. We want to bridge the gap between council officers, councillors and citizens and ensure decisions are taken in a transparent and accountable way. A Green Council would:
- Set up area committees with local budgets, where ward councillors have real power to influence what happens in their areas (whether they are from the ruling party or not) and where local people can come along and have their say.
- Improve community engagement and provide 'neighbourhood plans' that everyone can see and contribute to.
- Bring the services run by CityCare back 'in house' so that councillors can have more influence in ensuring that these services are run to the satisfaction of residents.
It should be a basic human right that everyone has decent housing. Council homes are crucial to this aim. Greens want to ensure they are properly maintained and keep them in public ownership. We want everyone to enjoy an excellent service and we need to be tough on enforcement for those that don't stick to the terms of their tenancy because of the effect this has on neighbours and future tenants. A Green Council would:
- Inspect all Council homes and gardens annually, and ensure necessary support is provided for their upkeep.
- Set up a specialised Void Property Team to deal with the problem of empty homes.
- Build all new social housing in Norwich to a high environmental standard to help tackle fuel poverty and stop dangerous climate change (we would build to 'code for sustainable homes' level 4, reaching level 5 by 2012 and level 6 by 2016)
- Require all new developments to include a high proportion of affordable housing (up to 50 per cent).
Norwich and the greater Norwich area could see massive development over the next twenty years with a Government target for 33,000 new homes. Greens believe that this level of housing growth is not sustainable and would have a devastating effect on the Norfolk countryside - by paving over a lot of it! With the Government failing to provide the money needed to fund the infrastructure necessary for this level of housing growth, the City Council should challenge the housing targets set. For any new developments that are built, a Green Council would:
- Ensure energy efficiency and resource conservation statements are required for all new planning applications.
- Prevent development on land with high levels of flood risk and land that is important wildlife habitat, such as immediately next to the riverbank.
- Seek to set a tax for developers who delay in building on land after being given planning permission.
We would continue to invest in a truly comprehensive recycling scheme and would move the City towards Zero Waste. After the current roll-out of recycling facilities across the city is complete, many further improvements are still needed. A Green Council would:
- Introduce doorstep collections of food waste, batteries and tetrapaks, in addition to the materials currently being collected (paper, glass, cans and - once new waste and recycling system is spread across the city - plastic bottles).
- Support the reuse, repair and recycling of materials through a Resource Recovery Park.
- Oppose all plans for incineration of waste.
Due to the energy and initiative of local people Norwich has a vibrant local economy with a high proportion of local and independent businesses. These help give Norwich a distinctive character and help ensure that local producers are supported. A Green Council would seek to enhance this area of the economy by:
- Drawing up a 'Maximise Local' plan and supporting and expanding the 'Buy Local' campaign.
- Considering factors such as local produce when allocating new market and street stalls.
- Establishing more farmers' markets.
Anti Social Behaviour and vandalism are major problems for many Norwich residents. We will continue to work closely with PCSOs and Community Wardens in tackling the problems and encourage residents to participate in the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panels, which set the community policing priorities for each area of the city. A Green Council would:
- Set up more friends groups for parks and allotment associations, to engage residents in the running of them.
- Increase the number of allotment plots available in Norwich by bringing all of the unused 'un-lettable' plots back into use.
- Ensure that trees are only ever felled as a last resort, introduce the regular management of all trees on public land and ensure that any trees that are felled are replaced the following planting season.
We want to provide reliable and sustainable transport to help reduce carbon emissions and avoid the social exclusion of those who don't have access to a car. Green Councillors will push for:
- Reintroducing Council control over bus services to reduce fares and make routes reliable.
- Making Westlegate and St Augustine's Street free from motorised transport to help create a cleaner and more pleasant and safe living, shopping and working environment.
- Rapid investment in a 'Norwich Cycle Network'.
- Road safety, including 20mph speed limits on residential streets, as a top funding priority.
Transport, waste disposal, education, social services and other important services are currently under the control of the County Council. The Green Party supports unitary status for Norwich so that decisions about these services are taken by councillors who are elected by Norwich residents and not the rural Conservatives who run County Hall. This election is likely to be the last one to the current City Council. Green City and County Councillors will work to ensure that the principles outlined in this manifesto are built into the development of the new unitary council from the outset.
At the 2007 local elections the Green Party was just one vote in one ward away from becoming the second party on the Council! This year, on 1st May, you can make a difference by voting Green and electing more Green Councillors to help build a Greener city.
[ To offer help with Norwich Green Party's election campaign, or if you have any questions, please contact us on (01603) 611909 or enquiries@norwichgreenparty.org. Wherever you live in the country, consider visiting us to help out!]
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