Norwich - a finer city in 2020
The Green Party vision for Norwich is well-being for all city residents, in a thriving, sustainable local economy.
Norwich Green Party believes in sustainable development, which means meeting the city's social, economic and cultural needs without damaging its natural and historic environment. If elected to control the City Council, the Greens would set out to create a job-rich local economy, promote local democracy and minimise the city's carbon emissions. Excellent public transport, well-managed green spaces, good air quality, energy efficiency and a "zero waste" policy are important elements of this vision. For an idea of how our policies will look in practice, this is a sketch of what Norwich will look like in 2020. It assumes that the Green Party has been in control at City Hall for ten years, has significant influence at County Hall or in a Norwich unitary authority, has an MP representing at least one of the city's constituencies and an MEP for East Anglia.
The local economy
The City Council is encouraging a stronger local economy, for example by supporting weekly farmers' markets all over Norwich and small-scale wind and solar power schemes that provide power for their own localities and feed the national grid. Investment in locally generated renewable energy has created hundreds of jobs for the county. The Council has helped to create the Norwich and Norfolk Community Bank, which invests in small local businesses, especially those using environmentally-friendly technologies to reduce pollution and waste. The bank also supports micro-credit schemes throughout the city, making it easier for low income residents to take out loans.
Thanks to the City Council's policy of protecting and promoting Norwich's historic city centre, parts of the city that were neglected, such as St Augustine's Street, have become vibrant neighbourhoods combining housing, shops and small locally-run hotels for the many tourists who come to the city by train, wanting to see this lively, regenerated historic city. The Council does not allow the building of out-of-town supermarkets and shopping complexes that draw business away from the heart of the city, local centres and corner shops. Instead, the creative use of existing buildings, using environmentally-friendly renovation techniques, is encouraged.
Norwich has resisted the clone town Britain trend that once threatened the whole country. The local economy is rich in independent businesses selling locally-produced goods. Norwich has continued to expand the influence of its Fair Trade City status, meaning that many of the goods that are imported from poorer countries are ones for which the producers have been paid a fair wage.
Helping to put the brake on climate change
The City Council is committed to reducing its own carbon emissions, and its energy efficiency officers implement a strong climate change strategy. This ensures that Norwich is contributing to a world-wide effort to reduce carbon emissions and saves money that can be used to fund vital services. The Council routinely considers the climate impact of every decision it makes, as well as the financial impact.
City residents have access to free advice on how to reduce their own carbon emissions, for instance by improving insulation and installing photovoltaic solar panels.
Homes built to a high level of energy efficiency, and producing their own renewable energy, pay less in rates. Thanks partly to these policies, a rapidly growing number of houses in Norwich are now more or less energy self-sufficient.
All new developments, whether of housing, shops, factories or offices, are 'zero carbon', with state-of-the-art energy saving techniques and energy-efficient heating and lighting systems such as combined heat and power. Fifty per cent of their energy comes from renewable sources, such as biogas, and small-scale wind and solar power. Most of this is generated in Norfolk, which has greatly reduced the amount of energy wasted during transportation.
Fewer flights operate from Norwich International Airport than were expected a few years ago, because the airline industry now pays tax on aviation fuel and passengers, and there is a system of personal carbon allowances. These carbon allowances help to reduce emissions in a way that treats everyone equally, regardless of their income levels. At the national level, cash raised from the fuel tax has been used to improve the public transport infrastructure, reversing the trend of using air travel for domestic journeys. There are no night flights to disturb local residents, because of a strictly enforced ban. Through its libraries, the City Council offers tele- and video-conferencing facilities for hire by local businesses and individuals, which are helping to cut down the need for business travel.
Housing
All new housing developments have at least 50% affordable housing, with a focus on building low cost houses for families rather than expensive buy-to-let properties. Unoccupied homes and holiday homes no longer enjoy council tax rebates - a policy designed to encourage occupancy.
Thanks to successful campaigning by Norwich City Council and other local authorities across the country, the 'right to buy' scheme has been scrapped, and more funding is available from central government for social housing. This policy has been complemented by the lifting of government disincentives to building council houses. There is much more affordable social housing than there used to be in the city, a large proportion of which is council owned and democratically controlled, and all of which has very high energy efficiency standards – meaning that fuel poverty has been virtually eliminated.
Transport
Fewer people have to travel into the city now, because Norfolk's small towns and villages themselves have more jobs and better services. This is thanks to Green Party policies of promoting local businesses, encouraging community-based energy generation, and making sure that every community has basic services close at hand. As well as cutting road congestion and benefiting the environment, it means people have more leisure time.
The city and its outskirts are well covered by reliable, frequent and reasonably priced bus routes, achieved through a Quality Bus Contract that gives the Council power over bus routes, fares and timetables. The Northern Distributor Road was never built, safeguarding biodiversity and the historic environment in the areas it had threatened, and saving money that was used to improve the public transport system instead.
The city is safe and pleasant for walkers and cyclists, thanks to increased pedestrianisation, a major investment in pedestrian crossings and a 20 mph limit throughout the city's residential areas. A network of cycle routes makes it easy to get across the city without confronting dangerous traffic. Many residents have given up their cars and have joined local car clubs, hiring a car when they really need one. The Council provides free parking spaces for cars run on renewable energy, such as electric or bio-fuel powered vehicles.
Local democracy
Area committees make decisions in open meetings about issues affecting their own part of town. This means that ward councillors have more influence over what happens in the areas they represent than used to be the case. The new system enables them to be more responsive to their constituents than in the past. They consult voters when making important decisions; for instance, there is rigorous local consultation on licensing applications. The new style of participatory democracy means that residents can attend and speak at the area committee meetings, submit petitions in order to trigger referenda on key issues, and take part in participatory budgeting exercises at area and city levels. As a result of all these changes, residents feel they have a voice in decisions, rather than being marginalised from them.
Quality of life
The City Council strives to promote environmental sustainability and social justice in all its planning decisions, encouraging a wide range of accessible shops and services in all localities. Norwich's streets are 'green' and pleasant; wherever street layouts allow it, trees have been planted, and they are well managed. Because of this and the big reduction in traffic, streets are safer and more pleasant for adults and children.
Playing fields and other green spaces are protected from development, and there are full-time wardens to keep an eye on them, which has cut vandalism and improved community safety. There is an allotment for everyone who wants one, and the Council supports 'Grow Your Own' groups for allotment holders all over the city. Many Norwich residents are growing their own organic fruit and vegetables, reducing their food bills, getting more exercise, improving their families' diet and enhancing local biodiversity. Birds, butterflies, wild flowers and other local wildlife are flourishing in gardens and green spaces, thanks to the protection and enhancement of vital wildlife habitats and waterways.
Thanks partly to its savings from energy efficiency, the Council has been able to invest in sports facilities, such as a skate-park in the city centre, and support community sports clubs and teams. Sports centres, playing fields, pools and gyms are reasonably priced. As a result, more children and young people are involved in sport, with benefits for their health and positive impacts on behaviour. Together with investment in city warden teams, community policing and a policy of promptly repairing any damage, this has helped to curb crime and anti-social behaviour. Late-night drinking licences are regularly reviewed, and are withdrawn if they give rise to disorder.
Waste management
There is a comprehensive recycling scheme covering the whole of Norwich, and the City Council implements a strict "zero waste" policy in its own operations. Back in 2009, the City built a resource recovery park, supplemented by small anaerobic digestion plants and biomass facilities. Very little waste now goes into landfill sites and the City Council has ruled out any incineration of Norwich's waste. In summary, the amount of waste produced is low, it is recycled wherever possible and any residual waste is treated in an environmentally-friendly way, recovering reusable materials and composting organic matter. At national level, Green Party MPs have succeeded in getting the government to enact effective waste-reduction policies, for instance drastically reducing the numbers of plastic carrier bags used by shops.
Thanks in part to legislation initiated by the Green Party in 2010, the Council is able to support an extensive network of centres for repairing and recycling vehicles, tools and other equipment, and hiring them out at low prices. They provide jobs as well as helping to reduce Norwich's ecological footprint.
Waste collections and other Council services that used to be privatised have been brought back under the council's Control and are more responsive and accountable.
The Wider Context
The City Council is working for the whole East of England region to be developed in a sustainable manner. The aim is to avoid the problems that accompany unrestrained growth, such as massive housing expansion, the degradation of natural resources, transport congestion, high crime rates, social tensions and poor quality of life.
The Green Party's national campaign to improve central government funding to local authorities has been successful. In the new system, the council tax has been replaced by local taxes that reflect income. Green Party MPs have also secured a change in national policy, so that a locally set and collected Land Value Tax, payable by landowners, has replaced national business rates. These important changes make it possible to deliver high quality local services without placing too heavy a burden on council tax payers.
Since 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol expired, the international community has agreed to combat climate change through a system of personal carbon allowances. This has provided the City Council with a big incentive for reducing its own carbon emissions and helping residents to reduce theirs. Norwich's efforts are helping the UK to reach its 2030 target of reducing carbon emissions to 15% of the 1990 level, necessary to prevent catastrophic global warming.
In 2020, Norwich has positioned itself as a role-model for other cities. It is showing the world that using resources more wisely means an improved quality of life for everyone. |