COUNTY COUNCIL FUNDING.  The Conservative Government has cut the central government grant to Devon by more than £13 million since 2011.  Green Councillors will lobby their MPs for a realistic level of funding for vital services including youth work, social care, libraries and buses.

CLIMATE CRISIS.  The County Council has set up a Climate Emergency Committee which has made recommendations but we need urgent action.  The money saving change of street lighting to LEDs and reducing brightness after 1 am needs to accelerate, and we need to actively encourage local businesses and residents to reduce their fossil fuel consumption.

SOCIAL CARE.  The social care of our vulnerable residents of all ages is a County Council responsibility for which the contribution from the Conservative Government has been significantly cut since 2011.  Many of the staff are paid too little to attract enough staff resulting in the need for expensive agency staff.  Private homes struggle to stay afloat on the funding from the County Council and there have been closures.  The Covid pandemic has shown how important it is to give these services the highest priority.

CLEAN AIR AND TRANSPORT.  The County Council has cut support to public transport over the last ten years causing the closure of many rural routes.  Local Authorities should take back control of bus services, as is happening in Manchester and has always been the case in London, restoring lost bus routes and opening new ones.  We would introduce Low Traffic Neighbour-hoods to reduce pollution and encourage more walking and cycling.  County Council vehicles need to be replaced with electric vehicles.

EDUCATION.  Children with special needs are a forgotten and under resourced group.  We are pleased that the service is to be brought back "in house" giving more flexibility and lower costs.   The academy system is more expensive than direct County Council provision and not necessarily better, as Ofsted reports show.  We would like to see Education more directly accountable to you the electors.  We must also ensure that all children in need have access to free school meals as hungry children cannot learn.

NATURE AND WATER QUALITY.  Pesticides and pollution are contributing to the depletion of our wild species.  Green Councillors would encourage policies that reduce run off into rivers and stop the use of such damaging pesticides as nicotinoids in order to protect biodiversity.  The River Torridge is polluted by excess sewage discharge and agriculture run off.  Phillip Dunne MP did present a private members bill, the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill, which would make sure companies stop raw sewage discharges into rivers, lakes and waterways in England.  He has withdrawn the bill in exchange for Government promises but we need to hold the Government's feet to the fire to carry these out.  Nationally, raw sewage was discharged into waterways 400,000 times.  It is an ecological disaster.

 

Many public services save more money than they cost by preventing social and health problems.  If you want a fairer and more equal society that puts people and planet before profits then