Glasgow City Council Elections Manifesto 2017 Scottish Green Party

POWER IN YOUR HANDS find it difficult to travel across the city because the transport system is fragmented. Many people suffer POWER from the pollution in the city centre streets, which contributes to Glasgow’s reduced life expectancy. We know that these inequalities IN YOUR affect every citizen in some way — we are all the poorer for them.

Local democracy should empower HANDS people – local views matter and their voices must be heard. The It is no accident that Glasgow has best way to create vibrant, safe been voted the world’s friendliest and inclusive neighbourhoods is city by many of its visitors. From for local communities to have the its people to its architecture, from power to make decisions, own local its culture to its history, Glasgow resources, and help themselves. But stands out as a city of warmth, trust in politicians and the political creativity and great experiences. system is low and many people Our city welcomes refugees, offers tell us they feel disenchanted and Contents glorious parks and green spaces for cynical, and they see the workings its residents, and has world-famous of democracy as remote and 2 Introduction 11 Homes for people, not for profit museums and arts venues. It has lacking accountability. They see • Providing affordable energy and 4 Cleaner transport that works for you a renowned industrial heritage, public money being spent in their tackling fuel poverty • Getting Glasgow moving • Greenspace, biodiversity and vibrant business sectors – such area, when they’ve had little or no as engineering, life sciences and animal welfare say over how that’s done, often 5 High quality education for every child digital and creative industries – and • Cutting waste resulting in poor choices being • Education • Warm, safe homes for all world-class universities. Glasgow is made. • Culture and sport accessible to all • Safer communities a city where generations of citizens • Empowering young people have struggled for better conditions Our Glasgow Green party 14 Make Care Fair 8 Power in your hands and equality for all. councillors will accept the • Good health for all Glaswegians • Revitalising local democracy • Affordable, nutritious food challenges that exist in Glasgow. We want to see Glasgow fulfil its • Delivering an economy for • Supporting older people We will work alongside local people everyone potential. Many people are locked for a more equal, healthier, safer • Funding and supporting out of the opportunities that our Glasgow where the environment is sustainable change city has to offer because their protected for all. community has been marginalised, because they have insufficient This manifesto complements the income, because they are disabled national Scottish Greens manifesto or they feel unsafe. Many people with a focus on Glasgow issues. 3 Cleaner transport that works for you High quality education for every child Greens will invest in transport that improves health and Greens will invest in more teachers and support staff to connects communities, with affordable Glasgow-owned help all children achieve their potential, ensure a broad electric bus services, as well as new cycle and walking curriculum within inclusive schools, and keep a janitor in routes throughout the city. each school.

Getting Glasgow moving • Campaign for implementation of Education • Support better staffing and more Crossrail to reconnect Glasgow’s coherent support for children with Moving around Glasgow doesn’t rail network. Education is at the heart of a additional support needs, as well need to be an unhealthy, frustrating, • Introduce low emission zones, with good society. It must remain the as for vulnerable and marginalised disjointed and dangerous experience. a traffic-free city centre as a long- responsibility of local authorities, groups so that we can not only Greens will work for a transport plan term aim who can support schools working avoid discrimination but actively that makes it “miles better” for people • Roll out of electric vehicle charging together as well as individually to meet promote equality. and all forms of transport: points and push adoption of electric the needs of Glasgow’s children and • Stand up for schooling that inspires vehicles in council fleet, buses and young people. Before and beyond young people, gives them practical • Safe cycling and walking routes, in taxis. school, education should be a right life skills, relates to issues they face separate from motor traffic; 10% not a privilege. Greens councillors will: in their local communities, and of transport budget to be spent on • Expand the Glasgow Car Club to cover the whole of Glasgow. builds understanding of real world walking and cycling. • Fight to fund local authorities for challenges and opportunities. • Spend money on maintaining • 20mph speed limit throughout more teachers and classroom existing roads and pavements, not • Commit to working across services residential areas. assistants, to replace staff who building new roads. to reduce the attainment gap; • Integrated and improved public worked on sharing and developing enhance the care experience transport with an easy to use good ideas between schools, and to for young people and help Glasgow “Oyster card”. ensure one janitor for every school. them with the transition to adult 4 5 SCOTTISH GREENS GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 SCOTTISH GREENS

independence; increase free • Open up creative, cultural and Empowering young • Move council resources away from childcare provision; and harness sporting opportunities for all. short-term “intervention” towards professional expertise to ensure We’ll work to remove barriers for people long-term, sustainable, high-quality every child benefits from a high- marginalised groups to take part in youth work. We’ll work to create quality preschool education. the cultural and arts life of the city, Young people’s rights have been affordable, accessible places where • Support lifelong learning in the city and to keep access to museums eroded by Westminster Tories, with young people can gather. no access to housing benefit and no including digital learning, family free. • Advocate for and improve support living wage. In our city, young people learning, English for Speakers • Protect our cultural heritage and for young people’s mental health. are scapegoats for complex social of Other Languages, Gaelic and push for sustainable investment in problems; meanwhile youthwork • Support campaigns against other community-based adult sporting cultural venues and events, budgets have been squeezed and exploitative employment and the learning programmes that support including at the grassroots. injustice of zero-hours employment community involvement, enhance young people’s voices ignored in • Love our libraries! Greens will push decision-making. Green councillors for young people. employability and promote health for sustainable investment to make • Campaign for inclusive, consent- and well-being. will stand up for Glasgow’s young libraries vibrant, creative community people. based sex education, and increased hubs, free to use and full of diverse training for teachers to tackle Culture and sport learning opportunities for all • Ensure that Glasgow’s 144,000 homophobic, biphobic and accessible to all citizens. young people are valued and heard. transphobic bullying. • Space for making: we’ll push for We will work alongside young vacant council-owned shop fronts Our city has rich cultural, arts and people, pushing for meaningful to be available on short-term leases, sporting scenes — these are part of youth involvement in decision- and make it easier for creative making Glasgow a great place to making structures across council pop-ups to appear. live, work, visit, learn and play. But it’s services. essential that these opportunities are • Celebrate Glasgow’s growing protected, and open for everyone to cultural diversity and support take part. Greens will: opportunities to express it.

6 7 GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 SCOTTISH GREENS Power in your hands large employers, and far too many and using council’s purchasing Green councillors will push for decisions about people are left behind. Greens will power to buy goods and services Glasgow to be made in Glasgow, with more control work to improve peoples’ chances in locally wherever possible. over local finances and community involvement in the economy, and work to improve • Support household incomes with the jobs base of the city. budgets and planning. trial of Universal Basic Income, campaigning for a living wage of People in Glasgow’s economy £10 an hour by 2020, and access to affordable credit through support • Participation in economic decisions for credit unions. and allocation of funding, especially • The cost of childcare remains by women, disabled people, BME prohibitive for many who wish to communities and those with direct work and crippling for those who experience of poverty. do. We will work to increase access • Creating jobs in insulation of to affordable childcare. housing and of council buildings, cutting fuel poverty and council Stimulating Glasgow’s economy energy bills. • Community benefit clauses in Small and medium businesses play a council contracts to promote vital role in Glasgow’s economy. We worker representation and will support sustainable expansion in living wage, training and industries such as great quality food modern apprenticeships, and production, medical and life sciences, Revitalising local communities greater control over environmentally friendly working; common-good property and assets democracy in Scotland’s towns and cities. • Return the council to a more Greens stand for a revitalised local democratic committee system, democracy that acquires greater which ensures the voices of all powers then transfers those on parties are heard. to local people, supporting and • Review Glasgow’s Association of empowering communities so they can Local Energy Officers and private make a real difference. We will: providers, with a view to returning as many as possible to in-house • Campaign for greater community delivery and democratic control. control over how land is developed, through a planning system where the interests of communities Delivering an economy are powerful and equal to other interests in the planning process for everyone • Campaign nationally for a new While Glasgow is doing well as a city Common Good Act to give in many ways, it’s too dependent on

8 9 SCOTTISH GREENS GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 engineering and the low-carbon Funding and supporting Homes for people, not for profit energy industry. Retail and financial Greens will act to limit excessive rent increases, sustainable change services will always be important promote social housing in planning, champion parts of our economy, but Glasgow deserves an economic strategy with Glasgow Greens recognise that measures to reduce fuel poverty, and invest in a sustainable industrial core providing Glasgow needs more resources in services which tackle homelessness. good quality jobs in the real economy. order that all its citizens benefit. Scottish Greens have already protected • Support start-ups and an inclusive £17 million for Glasgow in the budget economy by tapping everyone’s settlement this coming year, and we potential. need to go further. We want to see • Support investment in fairer, more transparent and more local apprenticeships, colleges and ways of raising the money needed for universities. essential local services. We will: • Work for Glasgow to realise its potential as a global centre for • Campaign for reform of local renewable energy research and government finance so that local industry. Promote investment in authorities are able to raise up to research and innovation to support 50% of the money they spend, a low carbon future, instead of being dependent on Providing affordable energy water supplies and has no part to • Create a generation of community- central government. play in a sustainable energy policy. owned projects, and promote • Push for a local Vacant Land Tax, and tackling fuel poverty business models that deliver more which could bring in £25 million • Work with public sector partners such as co-operatives, social each year, while acting as an There is an abundance of highly and local businesses to build enterprise and fan-owned sports incentive to bring derelict land into talented people working in Glasgow’s commitment to energy-saving clubs, all designed to unlock productive use. energy sector. We want to see these measures. Invest in a council- community power. • Make responsible use of the ability skills flourish in a sustainable energy run renewable energy company to contribute to local energy • Empty council properties, such to raise council tax when necessary sector which contributes to a low generation, to bring down prices as vacant shopfronts, to be made to protect local services. carbon future. Green councillors and potentially earn additional more easily available for use as • Make Glasgow a more equal city support investment to provide income. short-term start-up business, by acting on the findings of social affordable energy supplied by clean, community or creative spaces. impact assessment tools looking at renewable means. • Develop training programmes in renewable technologies and home • Campaign to support credit unions poverty, gender, health and inequality. • Investment in better insulation, insulation in partnership with local and local banks to create a network • Lead a comprehensive inquiry into energy efficiency and the use of schools, housing associations and of accountable finance institutions. the costs of PFI / PPP, which would renewables for warmer homes with Glasgow City Building. Develop We will also explore whether examine options for cancellation or lower fuel bills – a “win-win” for and support “energy champions” to local currencies can encourage significant renegotiation of existing local residents and the climate. promote energy efficiency within all local trading activity to support contracts and ensure the council council services. independent retailers and small high adopts a strategy of direct public • Oppose any proposals for hydraulic street traders. financing of capital projects as the fracturing (fracking) or coal bed • Work to improve street lighting, norm. methane extraction in the city. This stair lighting and door entry risks irreversibly contaminating requirements and invest in LED and 10 11 SCOTTISH GREENS GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 SCOTTISH GREENS

light-dimming technology, which • Promote the welfare of animals in • Review customer service system limit excessive rent rises in areas with will produce more light for less the city by encouraging responsible and support for householders, very high rents. Continue to campaign energy. pet ownership and support for local to ensure that they are provided for greater rent controls and against animal shelters. with accurate and up-to-date benefit changes that severely restrict Greenspace, biodiversity information on any missed bins. The housing benefit for many single Cutting waste customer service system should people and vulnerable groups. and animal welfare be focused on solving the root • Work to ensure that Glasgow A city where resources are creatively cause of customer complaints and City Council meets its statutory Glasgow has green spaces that make conserved and reused to minimise move to a “getting it right first time” responsibilities to accommodate a vital contribution to the quality of waste – in other words, a city with a approach. people who are homeless and life in the city. Our gardens, parks, sustainable, joined up local approach ensure that an effective community rivers, roadside verges and even that helps people and planet. Warm, safe homes for all homelessness service is developed. the railway embankments are a rich habitat for biodiversity, and provide an • Support a council-run Zero Waste A warm, safe home is a basic Safer communities abundance of wildlife in every local Strategy for Glasgow, drawing on best requirement for living. It improves community. Green councillors support practice from around the country and health, decreases fuel costs, and good We all want to live in safer, fairer, effective stewardship of our city’s abroad. Glasgow will sign up to the housing promotes strong communities. thriving communities. Greens are natural resources, to leave a legacy of Zero Waste Scotland charter. This is not yet available to all working for a fairer, more equal clean air, abundant woodland, vibrant • Enhance doorstep service, including Glaswegians. Green councillors will: Glasgow, because in more equal urban green spaces and plentiful in tenements, to enable residents societies there is less crime. We will: wildlife. to reduce landfill, support reuse, • Campaign for more homes of and recycle easily. Improvements good quality, which are sustainable, • Carefully scrutinise new reforms • Support the development of to information and support for affordable and meet the needs of and support Glasgow’s move to more community greenspaces householders, including leaflets our communities. Support new approaches which prioritise crime throughout Glasgow, reducing and online information in different developments that achieve this, prevention. environmental inequalities, languages. Clear information and challenge those which will not. improving people’s health and • Support the work of Victim and displays in residential properties, Set ambitious targets to bring more giving communities greater control Witness Support in Glasgow, work the use of community competitions empty homes back into use. over the management of valued to support people with convictions and door-to-door advice would • Call for increased resources open spaces. in the community and the families help to increase recycling rates. for the council to use their full of prisoners. • Protect and enhance our green • Support public sector partners enforcement powers against corridors — the rivers, parks, and • Work with residents’ groups, the and local businesses to reduce those private landlords who rent open spaces — that provide the police, the third sector and Safer waste production and increase the out substandard or overcrowded “green lungs” of Glasgow. Glasgow Group with methods number of small scale recycling accommodation, or refuse to carry proven to reduce crime and • Support birds and other wildlife sites around the city for a wide out repairs. reoffending. within Glasgow by development of range of recyclables. • Challenge housing developers to a Biodiversity Action Plan. • Support work which tackles the • Campaign for a Deposit Return build housing which is fully accessible causes of crime, including mental • Support a comprehensive approach Scheme for drinks bottles where and which, in the context of an health services, anti-poverty work to protection, management, a small deposit paid when buying ageing population, enables people to and homelessness support services. planned replacement and additional cans or bottles is refunded when live at home for as long as possible. planting of trees across the city. • Support work to prevent domestic empty containers are returned. • Use new powers as they come in to violence and hate crimes. 12 13 GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS MANIFESTO 2017 SCOTTISH GREENS Make Care Fair Green councillors will ensure health and social care services local and community growing and people of all ages play a positive role eating, including the conversion of in society. are properly planned and funded, aim to bring paid care council-owned land to small farms, under direct council control, and support unpaid carers. orchards and allotments. • Celebrate and support the • Campaign for local sourcing of contribution of older people in high-quality food for use in public volunteering and in the social and services such as hospitals and cultural life of Glasgow. schools. • Support resources for advice and • Support the Glasgow Food Policy financial health check-ups to help Partnership be given more power to older people make the most of develop Glasgow as a sustainable their money, secure the best energy food city. tariffs and make it easier to access bank accounts. • Provide practical and financial Supporting older people support for kinship and foster care families. Our ageing society is a challenge but • Support investment in our health should also be something that we and social care partnerships, celebrate. Glasgow can adapt to these transforming primary care and shifting demographics and ensure we increasing the numbers of GPs, all retain our independence as we get nurses and social workers working older. More Green voices in the City in our communities. Chambers would work hard to bring and making sure there are the right Good health for all about an inclusive culture where more services for our older population Glaswegians and an increasingly ethnically diverse population. The more equal a city, the healthier its citizens are likely to be. Green councillors will prioritise: Affordable, nutritious food

• Working with local communities, Access to good food should be a health workers and researchers to fundamental human right. To make make all Council policies aim to sufficient, affordable, nutritious food improve health. which is vital for good health and • Campaigning for an improved wellbeing more available, Green financial settlement for health and councillors will: social care services. • Fighting for social care to be a • Promote solutions to lack of access face-to-face service rather than a to food that are based on improving bureaucratic one. income and equality rather than reliance on foodbanks. • Keeping Lightburn hospital open • Campaign for more resources for 14 POWER IN YOUR HANDS

Promoted by Gordon Menzies on behalf of the Scottish Green Party, both at 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6NG. Published onlilne at https://greens.scot/