Home • News

Greens demand action on energy saving and Social Services at County Hall

19 February 2008 - The Green Party Group on Norfolk County Council today presented its alternative budget at the County Hall budget meeting. The Greens demanded action to tackle climate change and proposed to increase spending on Social Services to protect Norfolk's most vulnerable people.

At the same time the Greens promised a rise in Council Tax of no more than 3.65 per cent, funded partly by abandoning the Northern Distributor Road project.

In its budget proposals the Green Party called for:

• A new 'Environment and Climate Change' department at County Hall to be headed by a senior officer and tasked to cut the authority's carbon emissions at 5 per cent per year and to save millions in future years on energy costs. (£1.1M)
• Energy saving budgets for each of the four largest departments with a budget bonus in each year that they make more 5 per cent annual cut in carbon emissions. (£3.5M)
• A multi-million pound capital project to develop a Council energy network based on (new, cheaper) photovoltaics and on-site renewable energies. (£1.75M)
• An additional £2M to be spent in social services in four key areas:
• 30 more places in special education schools. (£0.5M)
• early intervention and prevention for at risk children. (£0.5M)
• a restorative justice programme to help prevent young people getting involved in crime. (£0.5M)
• a new programme to help the elderly be more part of the community. (£0.5M)
• Improved bus services into rural areas with money to extend the dial-a-bus scheme and to enable town dwellers to access the country at weekends for walks and leisure. (£0.2M)
• A 'Make Norfolk's Road Safer' campaign with eco-driving aimed at young people and businesses. (£50K)

The Green Party budget achieves all of the above and sets a lower 3.65 per cent Council Tax rate, a Band D Council Tax of £1,090.53, by:

• Abandoning the Northern Distributor Road (NDR) project that is eating millions of taxpayers money each year and may never be built. (£1.75M saving 2008/09)
• Making efficiencies to the road maintenance programme by prioritising safety. (£2M saving 2008/09)
• Making efficiencies in all departments via a 1 per cent top-slice.

Councillor Chris Hull said: "We are addressing the needs of Norfolk's most vulnerable people by increasing social services spending by £2M, and addressing the root causes of suffering across the country. We create 30 new special school places to ensure needs are met in Yarmouth and Norwich. We are providing more funding for early intervention and restorative justice approaches with young people. We want to see more older people remain in their own communities, and propose funding for new neighbourhood cohesion projects - which would bring people closer together in their own communities."

Councillor Andrew Boswell said: "Yet again, the Conservatives have made no provision for tackling climate change whilst energy costs soar. Our budget tackles both issues head on by establishing a new Environmental and Climate Department to spearhead creating the council's own renewable energy and making energy efficiencies and savings across the board. Our budget will protect Council taxpayers and the environment for the future."

The Green Party alternative budget was voted down by the other parties at County Hall but Green County Councillors will continue to push for the ideas in it to be adopted.