Responding to the “planning overhaul” announced today by government, Green Party Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay, said:

“This new planning framework from Government fails to tackle the housing crisis head on and instead panders yet further to the interests of private developers whose main interest is lining their pockets.

By pitting what’s happening as a binary battle between builders and blockers, the government has insulted local communities and local government, all of whom desperately want affordable homes and fully understand the importance of balancing that with the need for food, nature and local energy.

Instead, the Government should be going head to head with the developers who are fixated on one thing only – maximising their profits by building yet more executive unaffordable homes at the expense of council homes for social rent and more affordable homes to buy.  That means being tougher with developers over requiring a higher proportion of genuinely affordable and homes to rent and to buy as part of new developments. Equally developers must be made to honour real commitments to invest in local services that housebuilding does put additional pressure on.

This all can be done and still reverse the disastrous decline in biodiversity and protect local democracy. But this has to be done with communities, including through strengthening the role of neighbourhood plans, not imposed onto them by profit driven developers.

And Ministers should be taking this opportunity to look in the round at the housing crisis, and prioritising funds for increasing supply and ending right to buy, alongside building the right homes in the right place and the right price.

As it stands, this planning framework confirms many of the fears of those who not only want to protect this country’s degraded nature. We are not on course to meet most of the legally-binding nature recovery targets we have signed up to and this Planning Framework makes it even less likely we will hit them. This is more than a missed opportunity, it’s a dereliction of duty. We can and we must tackle both the housing crisis and the nature crisis. This new NPPF currently does neither.

The Government isn’t only bringing more and more land into its definition of ‘grey belt’ which can be built on, it is removing any local democratic say in the process. The deputy prime minister’s claim that this will remove “chaos and subjectiveness” from the system doesn’t wash. People have the right to have a say over major changes to their local community. This is local democracy in action.”

12 December 2024 / 12 December 2024 by Green Party

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Responding to last week’s “milestones” speech by the Prime Minister, Green Party Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay, said, 

“These milestones aren’t a clear route to real change. Today’s listicle, while pointing in the right direction on a handful of issues, is missing the wholesale ambition and drive that a government elected on a change agenda needs. 

We have a country reeling from severe flooding and facing more storms this weekend, a country where people are struggling to heat their homes this winter, and a country worried about finding the school places and doctor appointments that those they love need. 

Instead of listing out a few priorities, suggesting that these will be delivered at the expense of other important issues, we wanted today to see a gear change in this government where they accept that we need to ask the very richest to pay more tax so we could properly fund all our frontline public services.”

The post Starmer’s milestones not a route to real change, say Greens appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

Recognising and celebrating the voluntary sector

From the Isle of Thanet News:

Thanet council’s Cabinet members have accepted a report by a working group of councillors aimed at improving the authority’s relationship with the isle’s many and varied voluntary and community organisations.

The report was produced by a working party chaired by Green Party Councillor Tricia Austin.

Its original job was to look at how the council could help groups bring more grant funding into Thanet; however, during discussions with officials, voluntary sector representatives and other bodies, the group found it needed to go wider than this.

The report outlined both good and bad feedback from voluntary sector leaders on working with the council. It concluded with 12 recommendations on how the council could improve its relationship with the sector, plus five further areas for future consideration.

Immediate recommendations included setting up a voluntary sector forum, simplifying language and paperwork, recognising and making best use of skills and knowledge in the sector and identifying a lead officer contact for VCS groups.

The report also proposed key actions with no staffing or financial implications, centred on the council’s attitude and approach, such as building equal partnerships and committing to openness and transparency

Report author Cllr Tricia Austin said: “I’m delighted that Cabinet has supported our recommendations and recognised the need for us to learn from our mistakes as well as our successes.

“We are particularly pleased that a voluntary sector forum and a named contact officer for the VCS will be established immediately.

“We all rely heavily on the hard work of our voluntary sector to provide support to our most vulnerable citizens and to enhance our quality of life in Thanet – so it is vital that as a council we do everything we can to facilitate, recognise and celebrate their work and be a reliable, strong and supportive partner.”

The report can be found at: External Grant Funding Review Working Party Report Final Version .docx – Google Docs

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Poll finds majority want to prosecute polluters

Nobody really wants to swim through sewage so the result of a new poll is not a big surprise. But the huge majority of 83% in favour of legal action against polluting water companies shows the power of public feeling.

More than 8 in 10 Britons support the  setting of legally binding targets to reduce the amount of sewage spilled into waterways according to the latest Ipsos poll for the Financial Times.

More and more people are realising the scale of the of the sewage scandal, of how the privatised water companies looted the water industry, sinking the water companies under huge debts, paying out vast dividends while allowing vital infrastructure to collapse. In 2023 there were 464,056 sewage spills , according to the Environment Agency, a 54% increase on the previous year.

Since the industry was privatised in thre Tory fire sale of public assets more than 30 years ago investors have withdrawn £85.2bn from 10 water and sewage firms in England and Wales, analysis by the University of Greenwich suggests. That is £85.2 that has gone into investors ‘pockets’ rather being invested in the water industry we all  depend on.

Public services owned by the public for the public

The Green Party is the only party to pledge to return the water industry to public ownership. as Green Party candidate Steve Roberts put it, “Privatisation has failed. Dividends are paid to shareholders while infrastructure is run into the ground, we all know how privatisation of the water companies worked out. The Green Party is committed to the public ownership of public services, so they are run to serve us all, rather than to increase the wealth of shareholders.”

vote hope. vote change. vote green.

The post Majority want to use the law to stop the sewage. appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

Steve Roberts lives in Broadstairs where he is a town councillor.  He began his career as a nurse and now works as a trainer in social care.

why you should vote for steve

“I’m Steve. I’ve lived in Broadstairs for over 9 years. I love Thanet, the beaches, the character and resilience of the community.  It’s a wonderful place but has many challenges. As your MP I’d work hard to address those and fight for what matters to Thanet and the country.

As a longstanding health and social care professional, I’m passionate about rebuilding an NHS free at point of delivery, defending it from creeping privatisation and joining it up properly with social care. The Green Party has just released its policy on the NHS and it’s transformational.

The Green Party believes should be public services in public hands – so I’d work to bring privatised companies back into public ownership, so profits can go into infrastructure and better services and not into shareholders’ pockets. This would stop water companies dumping sewage in our seas and only the Greens have the courage to commit to this.

I’d push for affordable, secure and comfortable homes for everyone – and it’s Green Party policy to insulate all new builds and retrofit insulation to older homes so we can keep bills down and reduce carbon emissions.

Fourteen years of Tory austerity have left this country in a parlous state, everything is in disrepair from health to education to the potholes in the roads. Greens oppose austerity as it only creates a declining spiral. We believe we must invest to thrive. We’d make corporations pay their fair share of tax, levy a 1% wealth tax on billionaires and tax unearned income from assets at the same rate as income tax.

Now isn’t the time for compromise. For real hope and real change vote Green.”

VOTE HOPE. VOTE CHANGE. VOTE GREEN.

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CLICK THE LINK HERE TO SEE THE FULL MANIFESTO.  OUR BLUEPRINT FOR A FAIRER, GREENER FUTURE.

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsey, the co-leaders of the Green Party of England and Wales introduced the party’s 2024 manifesto with this message.

“Millions of people in our country are feeling insecure and deeply worried about the future.

We live in one of the richest countries on the planet, yet nurses are using food banks, our children’s schools are crumbling, a roof over our heads is all too often unaffordable, and hospital and dentist appointments are like gold dust.

Meanwhile, the climate emergency continues to accelerate. Scientists warn that we are currently on track for global temperatures to rise by at least 2.5°C, far beyond levels at which humanity can safely survive.

Our promise to you is that all this can change. We can create a greener, fairer country together – one in which we are all safer, happier and more fulfilled.

It will take MPs prepared to make brave, principled choices on your behalf. And it will take the kinds of policies set out in this manifesto, for which elected Green MPs will fight hard every single day for you.

Voting Green on 4th July is your way of showing you believe a fairer, greener world is possible – and is worth fighting for.”

The post Green Party Manifesto 2024 appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

Across the country one of the biggest issues, if not the biggest, is the state of the National Health Service.  “Our NHS is at breaking point following 14 years of underfunding.” said Green Co-Leader Adrian Ramsey, “Patients are stuck in hospital corridors, people can’t see their GP or NHS dentist when they need to and staff are severely overstretched.

“Greens believe passionately in the NHS and we are the only party to be honest with the public that it’s going to cost money to nurse the NHS back to health after 14 years of Conservative damage.

“Not just by shifting a small pot around, but by asking the very richest in our society to pay a modest amount more in tax to fund the investment we need to nurse the NHS back to health.

“Our plans are credible, deliverable and fully funded.

“With the political will and a fairer, greener tax system we can offer real hope and real change for the NHS we all treasure.

“With more Greens in the next Parliament we will press the new government to take the action needed to restore our NHS.”

Heart breaking decline

Costed and funded

The full details of the funding for the plans will be presented in the Green Manifesto but speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme Adrian outlined the key ideas.  Firstly a “modest”wealth tax aimed at millionaires and billionaires, second a windfall tax on the vast profits currently being made by fossil fuels corporations and thirdly a change to capital gains tax to bring the tax paid on earnings from assets in to line with the tax paid on earnings from work.  The Greens estimate that these measures could bring in £50 billion by the end of the next parliament. Read the full press release HERE.

The post Green Plans to Nurse the NHS appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

First Climate Case Victory

A group of Swiss female climate activists, mostly in their seventies, have won the first ever climate case victory in the European Court of Human Rights.

In a landmark decision, the court has ruled that weak government climate policies violate citizens’ fundamental human rights. The court said Switzerland’s efforts to meet its emission reduction targets had been woefully inadequate.

It is the first time the powerful court has ruled on global warming.

We can’t believe it

“We still can’t really believe it. We keep asking our lawyers, ‘is that right?’ Rosemarie Wydler-Walti, one of the leaders of the Swiss women, told Reuters news agency. “And they tell us it’s the most you could have had. The biggest victory possible.”

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg joined activists celebrating at the court in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

“This is only the beginning of climate litigation,” said Ms Thunberg. “This means that we have to fight even more, since this is only the beginning. Because in a climate emergency, everything is at stake.”

The ruling is binding and can trickle down to influence the law in 46 countries in Europe including the UK.

Switzerland failed to comply with its duties

The Court ruled that Switzerland had “failed to comply with its duties under the Convention concerning climate change” and that it had violated the right to respect for private and family life.

It also found that “there had been critical gaps” in the country’s policies to tackle climate change including failing to quantify reductions in greenhouse gases – those gases that warm Earth’s atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas.

The post It’s Official: Climate Inaction Violates Human Rights! appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

The ‘Stop Burning Trees Coalition’ took to the streets this week (5th March) outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to demand an end to government funding for electricity generation by tree burning polluters.

Biomass energy generation has been touted as a green way of generating electricity from waste wood products. In practice it is anything but sustainable. Some years ago, an Ofgem Audit found that Discovery Park Commercial Biomass was burning wood harvested from old growth forests in Latvia and Estonia.

A recent Panorama programme has exposed this behaviour in the commercial biomass industry. Drax, which runs Britain’s biggest power station and  receives billions of pounds in green energy subsidies from UK taxpayers, is cutting down environmentally-important forests to produce wood pellets which are then classed as renewable. The BBC discovered that some of the wood comes from primary forests in Canada that have taken thousands of years to develop.

Absolutely insane

Ecologist Michelle Connolly said “It’s really a shame that British taxpayers are funding this destruction with their money. Logging natural forests and converting them into pellets to be burned for electricity, that is absolutely insane”.

Drax has already received £6bn in green energy subsidies, and is to receive even more to build a carbon capture and sequestration plant. If these sums had been instead used to build solar and wind farms these would have produced far more electricity for much less CO2 generation, and in the process reduce our electricity bills and improve our energy security.

The case for small scale biomass

Small scale biomass clearly has its place on farms, where extracting excess wood through good woodland management can both increase biodiversity of woodland, extract quality timber and use the remaining wood for biomass. Even better is to leave the remaining wood to decompose and add to the soil biome and mycorrhizal life of the woodland,  creating life for a diverse range of species in wood habitat piles.

Farmers with woodland could actually gain by using additional wood cuttings to create biochar (a charcoal-like wood product). Crumbled and put into the soil biochar increases soil carbon sequestration and improves soil structure and vitality.

The Green response

The Green Party supports and encourages practices like these that look at the whole solution for the benefit of people, biodiversity and the planet’s health, rather than provide public money to industries hiding behind the fig-leaf of greenwashing.

Steve Roberts, Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Thanet East commented that ‘It is shocking that timber from old growth forest is not only being burned to create energy, it is being shipped to Kent and burned on our doorstep. It is disgraceful that this practice has been funded by the UK government’.

When will the three main parties finally admit their support of Commercial Biomass was wrong?

The post Stop Burning Trees! Why burning wood to generate electricity is not sustainable. appeared first on Thanet Green Party.

Green campaigner Sarah Jarman is standing in the by-election on 14th March for a seat on Westgate Town Council.

“I was born and bred in Westgate,” says Sarah, “I love living here and want to see the town and its vibrant community realise their full potential.”

“I believe, and have always believed, that Westgate is a wonderful town, but there is always room for improvement.”

“If I’m elected these areas would be my focus:

• Expanding the work that Cllr Mike Garner, Cllr Abi Smith and other Green colleagues have been doing with the Westgate & Garlinge Action Group and others to fight indiscriminate building on greenfield sites around the town.
• Supporting Westgate Library and Community Centre and fighting any proposals to reduce the vital services they provide our community.
• Building up our sense of community in Westgate, and particularly working to find opportunities for different generations to meet and share their ideas.
• Helping to hold Southern Water to account for their shockingly poor service and their continuing pollution of our seas.
• Reducing the amount of litter and dog poo on our pavements!

Community roots

“I left Westgate when I was 18 and after a brief period living abroad, returned over 30 years ago to raise my children here by the sea. Westgate is where they all grew up, attended local schools and I now also have a grandchild who is about to start at the same school in September.

Until recently I was my elderly Mum’s carer, but since she died last year I’ve been determined to put my time to good use. I’m now in the process of becoming an Age UK volunteer and, with your support, hoping to become a Town Councillor.”

Contact Sarah

“I have listed my priorities but what are yours? What are you passionate about for Westgate? If you have ideas and opinions about ways we can improve our town, I’d be keen to hear from you. You can contact me at greensarahjarman@gmail.com

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