Manifesto

 

The Green Party in Staffordshire will work towards a sustainable, zero- carbon society by:

 

• Developing policies supporting science and what experts recommend, for instance in ‘Special Areas of Conservation’ in their endeavours to undertake essential work to protect what remains of vital habits such as Cannock Chase, to halt further decline in biodiversity, whilst also developing much needed policies and working with partners to expand and restore habitats and the wildlife they sustain

• Working to raise the ambition of Climate Change action plans and on Climate Change targets within the County Council and with other councils in Staffordshire to raise theirs

• Promoting solar and wind energy by encouraging district councils to identify suitable sites and encourage local energy schemes

• Working with the Environment Agency to develop a flood risk management strategy that takes account of realistic and worst-case scenarios under the most-recent Climate Change predictions. At the same time, work with the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to promote natural flood mitigation measures.

• Promoting training of local personnel in all aspects of new technologies required to meet the Climate Change challenge

• Undertaking a review of the contract with the private contractor to burn household waste and encouraging district councils to recycle 80% of all household waste.

Transport

 

• Promoting electrification of transport, including council vehicles and public transport

• Supporting schemes for community EV points and where parking is communal, EV points must be installed. 

• Increasing the monitoring of air quality especially near schools so that steps can be taken to minimise car use in identified areas. Encourage walking and cycling to school

• Increasing the number of cycle routes for leisure and developing commuter cycle ways so that the work force can cycle safely to work

• Develop amore ambitious plan to promote cycling - not just in those towns with railway stations as in the current plan

•  Linking railway stations, bus stations and cycle routes and enable easy transfer between them. Introduce bus cycle racks and increase the space for cycles on trains.

• Budgeting to improve road surfaces to make roads safer for all

• Seeking the views of residents regarding 'Twenty's Plenty' and making 20mph the default speed limit within a two mile radius of the town centre

• Promoting walking and pedestrian priority schemes

• Campaigning for greater transport connectivity with a regular and efficient service that will result in less dependency on cars particularly in rural areas and new developments

Social justice and local communities. The Green Party will build social justice and stronger communities by:

 

• Ensuring equality of access to the digital community so that all young people can learn and study at home and in school using tablets and laptops fit for purpose and using high speed broadband regardless of where they live

• Ensuring that productive partnerships are built between business and  education

• Taking action to support the most vulnerable in our communities by  recognising the skills of the key workers and care professionals who care for them and raising their status.

• Taking action to end zero hour contracts within social care and health and initiate an appropriately funded training and career structure leading to well - paid stable employment for care workers.

• Taking action to standardise the quality of care in all residential and nursing homes and enable more homes to be run directly by the County council offering security for residents and staff. 

We can do things differently.

The Green Party will: -

• Collaborate with neighbouring local authorities and other key delivery bodies on strategies and plans which ensure systems-wide transformation is coherent and supportive of Net Zero. This will include energy, transport, housing, infrastructure and skills and will enable us to work with our neighbouring local authorities to share skills, expertise, achieve economies of scale and deliver more effectively.

• Local area energy plans should be conducted at a scale larger than small district councils and with awareness of the wider energy assets in the region. 

• Develop Green Finance know-how. Private sector investment and Green Finance will be required to deliver the scale of the change needed. Local authority legal and finance teams, and project delivery teams will need to develop their knowledge of the finance industry. 

• Communicate and engage with local communities, businesses and partners on Net Zero so that a mandate for action is maintained. 

• Support community action with council engagement, providing information to those involved in real local decision making, businesses and other groups. Assess the skills needed locally to deliver the transition, developing green and low-carbon jobs and supporting a resilient recovery.

 

If you think Green. Vote Green.

 

 

Promoted by Stafford & Stone Green Party at 34 North Castle St, Stafford ST16 2EH