GreenViewS p r i n g 2 0 1 7The Green Par ty Newspaper for Nor wich

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Edited by Simeon Jackson and promoted by Phil Di Palma on behalf of Norwich Green

Party and Norwich Green Party candidates, all at 31 Kensington Place, Norwich, NR 1 3JE.

Norwich

Vote Green on 4th May

Norfolk County Council needsGreen Party representation

Labour aren’t standing upto the Tories…

Why are Labour proppingup the Tory agenda?

You may have seen recentLabour leaflets attacking Greens.Such negative campaigns do nothelp residents or deal with theissues that the people ofNorwich are facing. However,we feel it is important tochallenge the outright liespeddled in these leaflets.

We withdrew support forLabour’s George Nobbs asCounty Council leader becauseof his failure to protect theenvironment, and his supportfor Tory policies.

The Labour-UKIP-Lib Demcoalition on the County Counciloversaw massive cuts to socialservices by freezing council tax.Green councillors’ amendmentsto save important services werevoted down by Labour.

Additionally, Labour underGeorge Nobbs misled localresidents about the dangerousTory Devolution agenda,promoting false claims of itsbenefits for a year beforebacktracking.

Nationally, Labour MPs havepropped up the Torygovernment’s push for a “hardBrexit”, including terms whichthe public were previouslyassured would not be on thetable, and have supported therenewal of Trident, divertingfunds from starved publicservices, such as the NHS.

Greens, meanwhile…

…will not attack other partieswithout saying what we’redoing positively instead toimprove your neighbourhoodand community (see centrepages). If you would like to getinvolved or find out more aboutwhat your local candidate isdoing, please do not hesitate tocontact us (page 4).

Further massive road building threatensNorfolk’s environment. After the costly andunnecessary Northern Distributor Road, theCounty Council plans include extending theNDR across the River Wensum and otherschemes that would cost close to £1bn intotal. Greens are the only party challengingthese plans and calling for money to bespent instead on road safety, walking andcycling, and better public transport.

Greens are also campaigning for better airquality, reducing flood risk and increasingbiodiversity.

Green councillors talk to residentsfrequently and take up issues on theirbehalf.

We run local campaigns, like thecampaign to improve city centre access forthe disabled (see page 2), and many othersaffecting streets or neighbourhoods.

We’re also involved in many local groupsand regularly attend residents’ associationmeetings and other community events.

Greens oppose budget cuts that target themost vulnerable. We proposed changes tothe county council budget to protectservices, but our amendments wererejected.

We also want to protect the rights of EUcitizens after Brexit, and have asked thecouncil to provide help and support topeople affected.

We won't let those with power get awaywith bad decisions, whatever their party.Greens play active roles on all thecouncil’s committees, and hold theadministration to account when things gowrong.

Nationally, we aren’t afraid to oppose theinterests of big business when it threatensthe environment or vulnerable people.

Council seats won in Norwicharea at last County Council

elections in May 2013

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Labour Green Lib Dem Conservatives

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Greens are thesecond-strongest

party in Norwich atCounty Council

elections

We listen to you and

get things done

We stand up for those left

behind by government cuts We challenge those in power

We are the only party speaking

up for the environment

Green Party co-leaderJonathan Bartley cameto Norwich to supportour city centre accesscampaign.

County Hall, Norwich

2 facebook.com/NorwichGreenParty@NorwichGreensNews and campaigns

News in BriefThe Bedroom Tax has recentlybeen ruled as discriminatoryagainst people who require anextra room due to their or theirchildren’s disability. This is goodnews for the people affectedwho will now be able to gettheir needs met without beingunfairly charged for havingextra needs. However, theBedroom Tax still discriminatesagainst other tenants and thewhole policy needs to bescrapped.

Greens want to see Norwichmake use of smart street-lighting technology. NetworkedLED (light-emitting diode) streetlights allow running times andlight intensity to be varied.Besides meeting the needs ofresidents and saving energy,faulty lights can be identifiedinstantly and quickly fixed.

Schools across the country arenot being built with enoughoutdoor play areas for pupils.The Charles Darwin PrimarySchool, a recently opened freeschool in the heart of Norwich’sclubland district on Rose Lane, isIN a converted office blockwhich has no outdoor spaceapart from a small space thatwas previously used as theoffice’s car park. Their intentionis to expand to 420 pupils,meaning this small space justwon’t be big enough for them allto play. Greens have criticisedthe government’s short-sightedFree School programme.

We all know the NHS is in crisis. Itneeds more funding, urgently. Butwe also need to end the expensivemarketisation and privatisationthat have been growing since the1990s, under both Tory and Labourgovernments. Private FinanceInitiative (PFI) contracts will end upcosting £307bn to pay off, whilerunning the NHS as a market alsocosts billions every year.

Greens are opposing so-calledSustainability and TransformationPlans (STPs), which aim to cut costsby moving care out of hospitalsand into the community but fail tooffer enough money to make thishappen.

The NHS Reinstatement Bill tabledby Green MP Caroline Lucas aimedto end privatisation and return theNHS to purely public provision. Butit did not make progress afterLabour refused to back it, sayingthey did not support a “furthermajor reorganisation of the NHS”.

Tory cuts to welfare and theirfailure to tackle health issues likeair pollution are also makingpeople ill. Prevention througheducation, active lifestyles andbetter access to healthy food, alongwith a fairer economy, would makeus healthier and reduce pressure onthe NHS.

>> www.keepourNHSpublic.com

Larry Sanders, Green Party health spokesperson and brotherof US Senator Bernie Sanders, speaks at a Save Our NHSdemo in Norwich in February.

Standing up forthe

Wensum Ward candidate Richard Edwards at the SaveOur NHS demo in February.

Greens want a city that is accessible to all,

including those with disabilities

Norwich claims to be a fine and faircity, but for many people withdisabilities, it is not verywelcoming, and even excludessome people. Recent changes totraffic layout take some gettingused to for everyone, but more so ifyour mobility or sight are impaired.

To try to make sure the councildoes not exclude people, Greenshave been campaigning for thecouncil to include disabled peoplemore meaningfully in the way itredesigns streets and public spaces.Greens insist on involving disabledpeople early in the design stage,rather than fighting for everycrossing after it's been removed.

To make this more likely, GreenParty councillors asked thecouncil’s Scrutiny Committee toconsider the issues, including'access walks' with officers andcouncillors to identify specificproblems and look for solutions.The City Council also agreed aGreen Party motion calling for aStreet Charter for Norwich,establishing the rights of disabledpeople and principles that must beconsidered as part of streetchanges.

Helping disabledpeople getaround the city

31 Kensington Place, Norwich, NR1 3JEnorwich.greenparty.org.uk 3Candidates and events

Tim Jones,Nelson Ward candidate

Fully Seasoned Hardwood

LOGS£50 half/£80 full load delivered

Tel: (01603) 811686

Your Green Party candidates

Wherever you live in Norwich, youcan vote for a Green candidate inthis year’s County Councilelections on 4th May. Our full listof candidates is:

Bowthorpe - Nannette Youssef

Catton Grove - Tony Park

Crome - Judith Ford

Eaton - Jane Saunders

Lakenham - Paul Neale

Mancroft - Martin Schmierer

Mile Cross - Lisa Shaw

Nelson - Tim Jones

Sewell - Ian Chapman

Thorpe Hamlet - Lesley Grahame

Town Close - Phil Di Palma

University - Lewis Martin

Wensum - Richard Edwards

>> read their profiles atnorwich.greenparty.org.uk

Green Party EventsThe Green Party are holding some public events in thecoming months. We would love to see you there!

Saturday 13th May 7-11pm: Ceilidh at the Belvedere Centre,Belvoir Street, NR2 3AZ.

Friday 19 May doors open 5:30pm: A Basic Income for AllCitizens: An Idea Whose Time Has Come? Venue: UnitedReformed Church, Princes Street, NR3 1AZ. Main speaker isProfessor Guy Standing of University of London and co-founder of the international Basic Income Earth Networkwho is currently on a book tour of the UK. Doors open at5.30pm for refreshments before the talk starts at 6:15pm.

Citizen's Income: An ideawhose time has come?Household incomes have becomeinsecure with the growth of part-time,low paid jobs and zero-hours contracts.The unconditional payment of a basicincome to all citizens could provideeconomic security and encourage self-reliance. A citizen's income wouldenable people to work more paid hours,start businesses, study, act as carers andvolunteer without fear of means-testing.The idea is a long-standing Green Partypolicy, and it is now becoming morepopular, with trials taking place in theNetherlands and Finland.

Why I’m standing for the Green Party in the2017 Norfolk County Council Election

“A Green County Council would invest in energy efficiency andrenewables to provide good jobs, warm homes and sustainabletransport.

A Green voice in the room challenges the business-as-usual politicalparties to stand up for our shared environment, and for people leftbehind by cuts in education, care and local transport.”

Lesley Grahame, Thorpe Hamlet Ward candidate

“I'm standing because the other parties on Norfolk County Council areall too similar, all too often. They support the same anti-environmentalpolicies like throwing money at the NDR and usually the same level ofausterity too, even when you'd expect and hope for them to bechallenging it. A Green voice on the council will provide a genuinealternative to the policies that are harming our country and our city.”

Martin Schmierer, Mancroft Ward candidate

“I am standing for the County Council elections because I believe in afairly funded state education system, not a divided world whereacademies & free schools have freedoms denied to the localcomprehensive. Green councillors want a good school in every localcommunity, not just for those who can afford to use the private sector.”

Phil Di Palma, Town Close Ward candidate

Transportrevolution requiredThere are set to be further roadworks and traffic changesthroughout 2017, with more than£3m worth of further changesearmarked for roads around the city.

The Green Party has questioned thenecessity and design of some ofthese measures, and is concernedthat they will not benefit motorists,pedestrians or cyclists.

Similarly the Green Party hasconsistently condemned thedecision to spend approximately£200million on the NorthernDistributor Road to the North ofNorwich.

Instead the Green Party would liketo see genuine action to make publictransport cheaper and walking andcycling easier across Norwich. Thiswould include buses being broughtback into council control and moremoney being spent on schemes tohelp pedestrians.

“I am standing because I want to see more investment in publictransport across the city. Norwich deserves a better bus and railnetwork to connect it both to the rest of the county and to the rest ofthe UK. At the same time we will also continue our work to tackle airpollution that is killing people in Norwich prematurely each year.”

4 facebook.com/NorwichGreenParty@NorwichGreens

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Election and volunteering

Norfolk County Council Election:What you need to know

The county council election is on Thursday4th May 2017. Make sure the date is inyour diary, and that you’re going to beable to vote.

If you will be away on polling day, or justwant peace of mind in case you’re busythat day, you can apply for a postal vote.Visit www.norwich.gov.uk to download aform. The deadline to apply for a postalvote is 5pm on Tuesday 18th April.

Can YOU help Norwich GreenParty win this year?

I'd like to help by:

□ Voting Green at the County Council election on May 4th

□ Displaying a window poster

□ Having a posterboard in my garden

□ Helping put up posterboards

□ Delivering some leaflets in my area

□ Campaigning with us to help get Greens elected

□ Office tasks (e.g. envelope stuffing or telephoning volunteers)

□ Making a donation (cheques payable to 'Norwich Green Party')

□ Joining the Green Party

Please leave a voicemail on 01603 611909, emailvolunteers@norwichgreenparty.org or fill in this form and return toNorwich Green Party, 31 Kensington Place, Norwich NR1 3JE.

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone:

Email:

This information will be stored by The Green Party of England and Wales and NorwichGreen Party for the purposes of Green Party local and national campaigning.

Would you like a posteror posterboard?

Can you help uscampaign?

Could you deliver someleaflets for us?

01603 611909volunteers@norwichgreenparty.org

Contacting yourelected GreensYou can contact your councillor byphone or by email or make anarrangement for them to visit. Seenorwich.greenparty.org.uk/councillorsfor contact details or telephone01603 212969 for our City Hallgroup office.

If you would prefer to meet inperson, we hold monthly surgeriesfrom 6 - 7pm on the firstWednesday of each month at theBelvedere Centre, Belvoir Street,NR2 3AZ.

Register to vote if you aren’t already on theelectoral register. For more information, go towww.gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline toregister is Thursday 13th April.

All EU citizens living in the UK can vote inlocal elections, as can commonwealthcitizens. Make your voice heard!

Thanks to our out-going councillors!

Norwich Green Party wants tothank all the councillors who arefinishing their term of office inMay 2017. Whether they haveserved for 4 years or much longer,the influence of Greens at Countyand City Halls has far, faroutweighed their numbers.

Green Party activists have workedcountless hours to ensure thatNorwich benefits from being one ofa select few locations where Greensare represented on local councils.But it’s not easy. Winning seats forsmall parties under our first-past-the-post electoral system is a majorstruggle and we have to workmuch harder than the biggerparties to ensure our distinctivevoice is heard.

Inspired by Green MP CarolineLucas, your local Green councillorshave worked hard to get Greenpolicies into Norfolk CountyCouncil over the last 12 years, andwe wish the very best for theirsuccessors.