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| Some of Harrow Green Party's council election candidates |
Harrow
Green Party – 2018 Local elections
5 key
priorities:
Harrow Green Party is proud to claim to
be one of the most ethnically diverse branches in the country. In addition we
have an equal split of both male and female candidates standing and we also
have a disabled candidate who has been selected as one of the 30 under 30 Green
Party national members to lead the party of the future.
1. Affordable and well
planned housing
Harrow needs to have a
coherent strategy to deal with accommodating its residents. Not only does the
council need to provide fit for purpose houses and flats but also an
infrastructure that can meet the needs of the residents, young and old. This
includes enough affordable housing, schools, medical facilities, leisure facilities
such as parks, shops and traffic management including parking. The Green Party
would review all elements to ensure that the solutions chosen meet the needs of
Harrow's residents. Specific examples to review include the proposed building
project at Byron Park, which will reduce the amount of greenery in the only
park in the Marlborough ward, as well as the development at the old Kodak site,
with the impact on transport and air quality. We would also look to build more
than the required minimum number of affordable homes.
2. An effective waste
management strategy
Other parties are either
singing the praises or bemoaning the current state of Harrow's waste management
including the use of wheelie bins and fly tipping. Harrow borough has dropped below
previous highs of recycling. Harrow Green Party see the problems as being
symptoms of a broken waste management strategy. The council and its residents
need to better manage how waste is produced, collected and disposed of. We
believe what is needed is a coherent approach that brings together various
elements such as education and reductions in the costs of dealing with all our
waste, including garden waste, with the aim of removing the extra charge for
using brown bins. In addition, better waste management would reduce the weekend
queues at the Forward Drive recycling centre, with the knock on benefits of
easier access to the Leisure centre and surrounding areas, reduced air
pollution and less vermin.
3. Harrow - A safe and
happy borough to live and work in
Our borough has been hit
hard by the reductions in policing. Crime has become more visible, with a
murder outside the old police station in Wealdstone and a machete attack at
Harrow & Wealdstone station just being a couple of examples. Changes in the
approach to local policing due partly to financial cuts imposed by central
government are leading to a lack of visible policing. The proposed Tri-borough
consolidation will lead to further reductions of Harrow's police
infrastructure. In addition, a lack of 'bobbies on the beat' means a lack of
understanding of local issues and slower response times, which all leads to a
reduction in crimes being resolved. We want to work with the Met police and the
Mayor of London to see officers dedicated to each ward in the borough,
developing a more personal relationship with residents, allowing them to be
more approachable. However, it is not just the police that can improve public
safety, Transport for London can ensure that tube stations are manned for
longer periods.
4. A transport system
that works and supports a healthier environment
There
are growing concerns with regards to the numbers of cars driving in the
borough, especially at rush hour. This causes long traffic jams along major
roads and drivers resorting to using smaller roads to get around them. This has
a knock on effect in terms of road safety. For example the queues on
Wealdstone High St force cars down Masons Ave and Byron Road. Badly placed
speed bumps and either a lack of or inappropriately placed zebra crossings can
lead to increased risks of people getting injured. These risks are increased
further at the start and end of the school day, with badly parked vehicles. Not
only are there risks of accidents but also increased air pollution from idling engines.
Pedestrians are even at risk on the pavement, thanks to the increase in the
amount of people cycling on the pavement. Air ambulances landing in Byron
park is not a sight we want to see. Harrow Green party councillors will
look to improve local public transport facilities to aid the move away from car
ownership. Lifts at local tube stations such as Stanmore, will make the
services more accessible. Our approach will look to resolve these issues,
working with TFL to implement cost-effective solutions.
5. Standing up for the
rights of all people (including foreign nationals)
The
Green Party has a clear position on keeping a strong relationship with the EU,
post Brexit. However, there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen to
EU nationals living in the UK. The Green Party is keen to see a second
referendum that will give people the opportunity to either accept or reject the
proposed solution(s) as to how things will work after we have left the EU.
Harrow has one of the most diverse populations in the UK, leading to lots of
benefits. What is apparently lacking is any way of supporting all the EU
citizens living and working in the borough, who add to the vibrancy and culture
of Harrow. We need to ensure that these people are fairly treated during and
after Brexit processes are implemented. We need to remove the 'Hostile
environment' that has been set up by the current government to deal with
immigration. People adding value to Harrow must be supported and protected, no
matter where they are from, as long as they are eligible to live in the
borough.
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