Our vision for Cheshire West – good for residents, good for the climate
The starting point for any action of the Cheshire West and Chester Green Party is to respond to the concerns of residents in areas represented by a Green Councillor and to address those concerns in the most effective and most environmentally positive manner.
Our vision is to help make Cheshire West & Chester a leading Unitary Borough in England, tackling the climate emergency and protecting and improving our environment for all – with practical actions that reduce emissions and benefit Cheshire West residents in their day to day lives now and into the future.
The Green Party is quite unlike the other parties currently represented within the Council.
Having a Green in the room forces the Council to properly scrutinise and justify its decisions and policies – for example, in relation to the Whitby Hydrogen Village experiment and HYNET (fossil fuel hydrogen), this issue has not been publicly raised or discussed by any other Councillor during 2022 except by our Green Councillor. This policy silence was despite local residents’ strong views on the matter.
The Green Party is most definitely not a “single issue party”. Our country is facing crises around the cost of living, in our public services and in our climate. Nationally, at the Green Party, we have plans to improve everything that matters for individuals, communities and families. We’d be doing things differently to offer fair, green solutions that make life better:
- Having a fair, green approach to public services,
- Fair, green action on the cost of living, and a
- Fair, green approach to the climate crisis
For more detail on our national policies go to : https://vote.greenparty.org.uk/
What underpins our approach to policy areas related to the delivery of every Council Service is the principle of Social and Environmental Justice.
Here in Cheshire West, the Green Party is FOR………
>> Supporting the provision of the most energy efficient and truly affordable housing for rent right across Cheshire West and Chester, including in the smaller rural settlements, following the example of the recent excellent, award winning, scheme developed by Norwich City Council.
>> Encouraging the revitalisation of high streets across the Borough through the introduction of more sustainable town centre living, achieved through change of use and modification of existing urban commercial properties. Creating ‘lived in’ town centres, instead of just being commercial districts.
>> Supporting Rural parishes in the development of Community Land trusts to ensure that any new social housing built in those areas will continue to provide for the needs in each area for many generations, rather than simply being a commodity sold to the highest bidder.
>> Moving towards a truly joined up approach to ‘active travel’ across the Borough, prioritising safe routes for walking and cycling and easy-to-access public transport with common ticketing arrangements across Cheshire West. We would encourage the electrification of an extended shuttle service connecting Chester Railway Station to Bus Interchange and City Centre areas operating from earliest train to last train.
>> Ensuring private sector developers pay worthwhile contributions towards effective ‘active travel infrastructure’, not only within the new developments, but also to make meaningful contributions to connect new development areas to destinations in existing communities.
>> Supporting and encouraging Community owned renewable power generation, such as the proposed Cross-Border ‘YnNi Newydd Cyfyngedig’ (New Energy Ltd) solar power generation project situated to the Southwest of Chester.
>> Aiming to improve air quality in all areas where people live through various means, including planting schemes and average speed camera systems. Giving people easy access to information on air quality levels right across the Borough.
>> Supporting residents in all areas of Cheshire West and Chester to take effective community action to improve their neighbourhoods through the greening of underused spaces, benefiting wildlife and biodiversity through such measures as tree planting and turning highway verges into wildflower areas.
>> Working to improve the safety and accessibility of the street scene across the Borough, by making sure they are well lit and clear of obstructions such as overgrown vegetation, parked vehicles, unsafe surfacing and blocked drains.
>> Ensuring all children in our area can thrive. Working to support children with diverse needs and enable families to access the assistance and services they need for their best progression and development.
>> Working to develop appropriate supplementary planning rules that would support much improved environmental performance of new builds and housing improvements/extensions surpassing existing national control standards. This would ensure cheaper to run, healthier and more energy efficient homes for the future.
Cheshire West Greens are AGAINST………
>> The development of Cadent's Whitby Hydrogen Village experiment which forces residents in the trial area to take part with no option of opting out. The local council originally endorsed the trial without consulting local residents, or fully understanding the impact of the trial on residents and the environment. We welcome the recent development to hold a residents’ vote on the trial.
>> Building on green field sites for expensive ‘executive style’ housing for sale rather than building truly affordable and energy efficient homes for social rent, especially in rural communities which would enable those on lower incomes to remain in the area where they have grown up or have jobs.
