Protecting Our Countryside from Overdevelopment
Many people are rightly worried about overdevelopment and the huge new towns planned for West Tey and near to Wivenhoe. In 2012 the Conservative led coalition government introduced a National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which created a presumption in favour of development. It is a developers' charter which skews the planning system in favour of developers and prevents local people from stopping unwanted urban sprawl. It is the current Conservative government that is imposing unreasonable development targets on local councils such as Colchester and Tendring.
The Green Party Manifesto 2017 pledges to:
- repeal the National Planning Policy Framework completely
- end the presumption in favour of development
- put planning back in the hands of local people
- provide strong protection for the Green Belt
- stop fracking
- abolish HS2 and spend the money on existing rail lines
- introduce a Clean Air Act and an Environmental Protection Act
Locally I will continue to oppose the developments at West Tey and Wivenhoe.
Stopping the Dementia Tax
People work hard throughout their lives to pay off their mortgages and build a home. Most people with children hope to leave most of what they have worked for to their children and grandchildren, including the family home. Currently over 75% of over 65s in the UK are home owners and the average price of a home is £280,000.
The Conservative Party's new proposals on social care funding open up every person's primary property to seizure upon death to cover care costs, even if the care was provided in the property and not in a residential home.
The Conservative manifesto proposals will only protect £100,000 for you to leave to your children or grandchildren in such circumstances which is less than half the cost of an average family home. Make no mistake, whatever the backtracking, Theresa May wants to stop you leaving your primary property to your children if you need social care in your later years.
The Green Party will not introduce these proposals.
Small Businesses First
The Green Party believes in small local businesses and a vibrant local economy. If elected, I will campaign and lobby for:
- better and cheaper parking facilities in central Colchester
- lower business taxes for small businesses. Make the large corporations pay more.
- a Brexit deal which still enables small businesses to trade with Europe easily
- recognition and encouragement of our street traders
- lower rents for businesses in the town centre
Crime
The Conservative and coalition governments have cut police numbers by 20,000 since 2010. As Home Secretary, Theresa May broke her pledge to protect the police budget in real terms. Crime affects us all, yet very few of us can afford to live in gated communities or to hire private security firms. We need more police officers in Colchester to cope with weekend policing in particular. If elected, I would lobby and campaign for:
- increased funding for Colchester police and more officers
- a zero tolerance approach to drug dealers coming to our town from London
- increased officer patrols in central Colchester on Friday & Saturday nights
Guarantee a Home For Ex-Service Personnel
It is completely unacceptable that someone who has fought for their country should end up on the streets. Yet across the UK, one in ten of rough sleepers are ex-service personnel, 1000 in London alone. That is why I will, if elected, be lobbying and campaigning for a law to guarantee all ex-service personnel, as well as all those aged under 21, a home by law. Local councils will be forced to house them and central government forced to fund it.
If you like what you read, please lend me your vote on June 8th
HELP ME TO GET THINGS DONE
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