The Greens have today launched their City Election Manifesto promising to deliver a ‘Green New Deal’ for Oxford.
The Greens currently have three City Councillors, elected last year in the East Oxford Wards of St. Mary’s and Donnington, and narrowly missed winning seats in Marston, Holywell, Osney and St Thomas – and a second seat in Donnington – which they are hopeful of picking up this year in addition to retaining the single seat in St. Mary’s Ward which is up for re-election.
Lead candidates (in alphabetical order):
- Emily Kerr – St. Mary’s
- Alistair Morris – Marston
- Lois Muddiman – Osney and St. Thomas
- Rosie Rawle – Donnington
- Dianne Regisford – Holywell
Greens point to the recent budget (Feb 2022) where Labour voted down a Green amendment that would have led to a further £13m investment in local renewable energy (Labour decided instead to speculate on commercial property) and a £450,000 hardship fund to help vulnerable residents with the cost of living crisis.
In their 2022 Manifesto, the Greens are also calling for:
- An expansion in affordable, zero carbon housing
- The establishment of an Oxford Living Rent
- More joined-up thinking on cycle safety
- City planning to be informed by the concept of a 15-minute City – see https://www.15minutecity.com/
- More funding to go to addressing inequalities within the City
- Investment in local renewables and local energy contracts to cut bills
- Tougher climate change targets with a more concerted effort to reduce emissions
- Better protection of the City’s green spaces
Says Green Group Leader, Cllr Chris Jarvis (who is not up for re-election this year):
“We need less ‘greenwash’ from the Labour-run City Council and more progress on delivering a better deal for Oxford’s residents. We have some of the least affordable housing and rents in the UK, persistent homelessness, huge health and social inequalities, rising poverty, inadequate action on tackling climate change and eroding green spaces. Although the City Council are not responsible for transport – which is a County Council function – they have not done a good job of holding the County to account on transport issues with poor consultation and have a terrible record on cyclist safety.”
