Policies for Manchester

Green, Left, Local: Manifesto of the Manchester Green Party (City Council elections, 3rd May 2012) 

This campaign takes place against a background of job losses and public service cuts. There is an alternative. The Green Party proposes a Green New Deal to generate jobs, build a sustainable low carbon economy, protect the environment and create more equal opportunities & rewards for everyone.  

Our Manchester Manifesto gives a commitment to fairness and providing decent and valued local services. It sets out to create new jobs and protect services, while giving particular priority to housing, children & young people, and transport. We appeal to everyone committed to a fair and just society, and especially to disillusioned Labour and Liberal Democrat voters in the City, to vote for local Green candidates in support of this policy programme.  

 
Our policy priorities for 2012 
 
Jobs 

- Promote a Manchester Green New Deal for new jobs across the city, not expansion at the Airport 
- Fully enforce the National Minimum Wage and campaign for a Manchester Living Wage 
- Control new developments to protect existing local jobs & independent businesses

- Resist job cuts in the public sector 
 
Housing 
 
- Provide warm homes by implementing a large-scale ‘retrofit’ home energy efficiency programme, and restore carbon efficiency requirements for new homes 
- Insist that private landlords improve properties to at least meet the Decent Homes Standard that applies within the social housing sector and to bring empty homes back into use 
- Balance building approvals to meet local housing need with protecting local green spaces, utilising brownfield sites wherever possible

- Use planning controls to ensure that all new homes are built to good space standards and meet Lifetime Homes requirements, and give priority to provision of quality affordable family accommodation 
 
Children & young people 

- Re-design streets and open spaces to include priority for diverse, safe & attractive spaces to play and meet 
- Implement a publicly funded & managed support service for all families with young children and, at a minimum, retain all Sure Start centres 
- Create ‘Neighbourhood School Forums’ to influence local priorities for primary & secondary education

- Encourage the development of new routes into employment with greater emphasis on high quality vocational training, apprenticeships and work experience 
 
Transport 
 
- Cut overall commuter motor traffic flows, and promote switch to electric car use 
- Cut public transport fares and introduce integrated & zoned ticketing

- Develop plans to further the extension of the tram network, particularly into areas of the city with poor rail links 
- Consult people across the city on schemes to change road traffic priorities in favour of walking & cycling.