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

VOTE FOR THE GREEN PARTY

ONE WORLD ONE CHANCE – THERE IS NO PLANET ‘B’

The post Policy Statement appeared first on Torridge Green Party.

A vote for the Green Party in the county council elections will send a message that voters prioritise the climate emergency and the environment.

Will Douglas-Mann has lived with his family in Torridge for 25 years. Throughout his life he has campaigned for green causes. He has worked as a librarian, a qualified electrician and currently runs a tourism business.

If elected, Will pledges to put the environment at the centre of all policies including better public transport and energy efficient homes.

Will Douglas-Mann

The Green Party is campaigning to end the discharges of raw sewage into the river Torridge. The problem is becoming worse as new housing developments get linked to our aging sewage system. During heavy rainfall, Combined Sewage Overflow pipes (CSOs) automatically discharge raw sewage into local streams and rivers, including the Torridge. As climate change causes more frequent heavy rainfall events, the problem is getting worse. This is harmful to human health and wildlife.

Torrington

Ruth Funnell has lived in Torridge for eighteen years after moving from Teignmouth and has been active in the Green Party since 2005.  She is a retired mental health social worker and served for four years as a Torrington Town Councillor.

If elected the climate emergency and the ways the County Council can reduce its carbon footprint would be top of her agenda. She would also campaign for the restoration of the last ten years’ funding cuts to local schools which has damaged our children’s education.

Our libraries and youth services have also suffered from these cuts.

Her interests outside politics are swimming, choral singing, gardening organically and walking the dog on our wonderful Commons.

Ruth Funnell

Holsworthy

Cathrine has been active in the Green Party for many years and has lived in Great Torrington for 35 years.  Prior to retirement Cathrine’s work was in the housing sector working with tenants, homeless people and enabling affordable housing.

She has held a number of elected roles – Mayor of Torrington, District Councillor for Torrington and Town and Parish Councillor.  If elected the Climate Crisis would be top of her agenda, every effort should be made to reduce carbon in our atmosphere.  Huge and continuing cuts to local authorities has made them unable to provide much needed services especially to our vulnerable residents.

Cathrine loves organic gardening, reading and helping a local charity.

Catherine Simmons

Northam

Simon Mathers moved to Bideford in 2004 and his three sons all attended Bideford College.

He has been active in the sporting community, coaching and refereeing at Bideford Rugby Club.  He is also keen on coasteering.

Simon has been involved in surf lifesaving and surfs regularly at Westward Ho!

If elected he would be active in work to reduce plastic pollution around Devon’s coasts and, as a qualified teacher, would be actively campaigning for the restoration of funding to our schools.

Simon Mathers

Bideford West and Hartland

Keith Funnell has lived in Torridge since 1997. His career as a landscape architect has covered the public, private, voluntary and university sectors.  Much of this work has involved restoring land and landscapes damaged by human activity, with an emphasis on creating new wildlife habitats, and providing outdoor spaces to assist learning on school sites.

Keith advocates much greater and more urgent action on climate change and is committed to public ownership and control of essential services, including education and health.

He supports local groups with landscape advice and practical conservation work and enjoys triathlon, gardening, and his dog.

Keith Funnell

The post OUR CANDIDATES FOR THE DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2021 appeared first on Torridge Green Party.