ECONOMY

• Bringing money to where it’s needed

Re-structuring the tax system to redistribute money from rich corporations and individuals to fund high-quality public services and to improve quality of life for all.

Changes in employment regulations to require that all employees receive a genuine living wage, supporting families and pumping money into the economy from the bottom.

• Creating interesting local economies

Planning decisions would promote smaller-scale local businesses and sustainable leisure facilities, making use of ‘brown field’ land wherever possible.

Greater scrutiny on proposals for more large supermarkets and skyscrapers, and opposition to further expansion of Manchester Airport.

PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Positive intervention, not pointless retribution

Restorative approach, involving victims and communities, to be placed at the heart of responses to anti-social behaviour and crime, with no further expansion of prisons.

Support for preventative interventions such as Individual Support Orders, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and Community Mediation, and a full independent review of ASBOs to be commenced.

Introduction of true community policing, working with local people to solve problems.

 

 

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND EDUCATION

• High quality state schools for every child

Ensure sufficient capacity for neighbourhood based schools with comprehensive admission policies, ending entry selection for secondary schools and opposing ‘city academies’.

Work towards free school meals for all, ending the stigma and providing fresh local food.

End excessive pay rises for senior college staff, as at the Manchester College.

Support the continued expansion of university provision in Manchester, and opposition to tuition fees that bar many from higher education.

• The chance to have fun

An embargo on the selling off of school playing fields.

Safe high-quality play facilities to be provided in all localities.

More facilities and positive activities provided for children and teenagers, especially in the evenings and during school holidays.

TRANSPORT

• Making car use safer and fairer

Implement a Vision Zero strategy to reduce the number of deaths on our roads to zero.

Increase resident-only parking schemes, reducing commuter parking in residential areas.

• Improving public transport

Create a single, integrated public transport network to provide cheap, easy-to-use transport for the benefit of Manchester residents rather than to make profit.

• Promoting walking and cycling

Cycle lanes and walking routes to be extended and improved, and users kept safe from cars.

More secure cycle parking, particularly at stations, and work with transport providers to make it possible to bring bikes on buses and trams.

PLANNING AND HOUSING

• Affordable sustainable housing

Create more social housing, using existing "Empty Building Orders" to turn derelict buildings into high-quality, affordable homes.

Incorporation of renewable energy micro-generation into all new buildings and use of low-impact locally produced materials wherever possible.

• Green spaces for wellbeing and sustainability

Opposition to the destruction of green spaces by building and development, so that interesting green space can be provided within 1km of everyone’s home.

ENERGY AND THE GREEN NEW DEAL

• Reduce unsustainable demand for energy

Vastly reduce energy demand, including the introduction of a free insulation programme.

Large scale retrofitting programme for Manchester houses with state of the art efficiency and conservation measures, reducing bills and creating jobs.

Requirement for all new buildings to fulfil the highest possible energy efficiency standards.

Promoting a sustainable energy supply

Support local micro-generation of energy, aiming to reach a level of energy self-sufficiency as demonstrated in Guildford.

Ensure the procurement of electricity for all public and council buildings is from a green supplier.

FOOD

• Build capacity for producing food locally

Promote the health and environmental benefits of home grown food, by creating more communal gardens and allotments, and sponsor local box schemes and farmers markets.

Supply of food to council-run buildings to come from ethical and local sources, cooked on the premises and meat-free on Mondays, promoting health, wellbeing and sustainability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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