The Norwich Green

Largest Group Of Green Councillors In The Country

Norwich City Council has the largest group of Green Councillors in the country following the local elections on 4th May. The Greens made four gains in the City Council elections, giving them a total of nine seats. The City Council remains in no overall control, with the Greens now holding greater influence in policy and budget negotiations between the parties. The City Council election results have led several local and national journalists to state that the Green Party is in an increasingly strong position to win the Norwich South constituency at the next General Election.

Green Councillor Adrian Ramsay said: "We would like to thank everyone who voted Green in the local elections. Please see inside this newsletter for details of our campaigns since the election."

Political Make-Up of Norwich City Council (as at beginning of July 2006):

Labour:     16 seats
LibDems:     11 seats
Green Party:     9 seats
Conservatives:     2 seats

No overall control

Orbital Bus Changes

Green Councillor Janet Bearman writes:

Anti-Incineration Campaign Update

Green Party Councillors are working with members of NAIL (the Norfolk Against Incineration and Landfill campaign) to present the City and County Councils with alternative ways of tackling the problem of waste. In addition to investing in much better local recycling facilities, Green Councillors favour establishing a resource recovery park, where materials are separated for re-use and recycling. Proposals for such a park are being developed for Lowestoft, based on successful parks in California.

Green Councillors have consistently and actively opposed any plans for incineration of waste. If you would like to help NAIL campaign against County Council proposals to build an incinerator at Costessey to burn our waste, you can:

City Council Backs 20mph Limit Campaign

Norwich City Councillors have voted unanimously for the City Council to support a 20mph speed limit across all residential streets in Norwich. Green Party Councillors supported the proposals but argued that evidence should be taken from other parts of the country on how the lower speed limits can best be enforced. In order for the blanket 20mph limit to become a reality it needs the support of Norfolk County Council. Green County Councillors will be pushing the ruling Conservative Group at County Hall to back the proposals.

Councillor Rupert Read said: "This City Council vote is great news. It could result in Green Party policy being put into practice. A 20mph speed limit on all residential streets would improve road safety and air quality. It would also make pedestrians and cyclists safer. I know that residents on numerous roads in the city are campaigning for traffic calming measures but many are being kept waiting. A blanket 20mph limit could help us tackle road safety across the city more quickly."

Former LibDem Councillor Joins Green Party

Dawn Castle-Green, a former LibDem City Councillor, has joined the Green Party. Among the reasons for this move, Dawn cites the approach of the former LibDem administration at City Hall to tree management and to CityCare as well as its failure to oppose incineration and to introduce comprehensive recycling facilities. There are also now six former Norwich Labour Councillors actively supporting Norwich Green Party.

Early Green Policy Success

Green Party City Councillor Adrian Ramsay writes:

With the City Council in no overall control, the political parties spent time after the election negotiating policy priorities and discussing who will form the new administration. The Green Councillors suggested an all-party administration to reflect the mixed nature of the Council but neither Labour nor the LibDems were willing to participate in this. Labour, as the biggest party, put in a bid to form a minority administration and this was agreed. Before agreeing to not oppose this, the Green Councillors used our position to gain the following commitments for the City Council:

• Any increases in the funding for community wardens (Labour's key policy priority) to be at least matched with increased funding for recycling facilities.
   
• A 30% renewable energy requirement for new developments over 2,000 square metres (much stronger than the previous plan of 10% in developments over 10,000 square metres).
   
• Requiring an affordable housing quota in developments over 4 houses (rather than over 24).

These and other social and environmental policies still need to be taken further by the Council. There are many issues where Labour Councillors still do not agree with us and we will continue to campaign on these. For example, we believe that investment in road safety measures is a higher priority for Council funds than the £3 million being given to the Theatre Royal. However, I am pleased that the larger group of Green Councillors has made an early mark on Council policies.

Recycling Update

Residents frequently ask the Green Councillors where they can recycle tetrapaks, the waxed containers with metal linings that fruit juices often come in. These cannot be recycled with normal cardboard but the Mile Cross Household Waste Recycling Centre at Swanton Road has started a trial tetrapak recycling scheme. As it is a trial the scheme will only be made permanent if it is well-used. A variety of other materials can also be recycled at Swanton Road, including car and household batteries.

Comment Piece: Energy Policy

Green Party City Councillor Adrian Ramsay examines the options for our future energy needs and puts the case against nuclear power.

The world's reserves of oil and gas are becoming seriously depleted, with many analysts saying we have reached the peak of production. Furthermore, the increasing use of these fossil fuels is the biggest contributor to climate change. We are starting to see the effects of climate change, with flooding, hurricanes and other extreme weather patterns becoming more frequent in many countries. These effects will worsen if the burning of fossil fuels is not significantly reduced, and will have a devastating impact on low-lying East Anglia.

The first priority must be to reduce the amount of energy we use. Improved insulation in existing and new buildings would help cut energy use and reduce fuel bills. Furthermore, greening the economy to ensure that we are not importing goods that can be produced locally would create a massive energy saving and secure local jobs. Greens also favour a much greater use of small-scale renewable energy generation. Solar panels and mini-wind turbines for our homes should be promoted through the planning and taxation systems. Studies have shown that these options would create far more jobs than the alternatives.

The Green Party opposes Government plans for more nuclear power stations. They would provide a new target for potential terrorist attacks and generate more nuclear waste. This waste remains radioactive for thousands of years and no safe way of disposing of it has been found. Nuclear power also creates climate change emissions through industrial processes such as uranium mining and transportation. Furthermore, nuclear power is the most expensive option. In 2002 the Government had to bail out struggling nuclear generators British Energy to the tune of £12 billion, while the cost of storing our current nuclear waste is over £1000 for every person in the UK.

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