Letter to the editor of The Comet - Improve access to nature and more for everyone
We, the Green Party candidates standing for election in May, would like to affirm our support for the Ramblers Manifesto as set out in the letter from Andrew Payne in last week’s Comet. We would also like to confirm our support for the “Save the Green Belt” and “Herts 20’s Plenty” campaign, more details can be found athttps://www.20splentyforherts.org/
We note with interest the letter titled “We need new politicians” from Paul Southwood. On this we absolutely agree and believe that Green politicians are those much needed new politicians. Find out more about each Green party candidate here: https://northherts.greenparty.org.uk/our-may-2022-candidates/
We all need councils to be held to account for their actions on Climate Change and the only way to really accomplish that is to have Green Party councillors. Stevenage Borough Council hosted a Citizens Panel for Climate Change in October 2020 and we are still awaiting the publication of the full report and for the recommendations in the executive summary to be implemented. Councillors from all three main parties have failed to chase this up – why give them another chance?
On transport we need a new way of thinking. Bus and train travel needs to become more attractive than going by car – where are the ideas from the current politicians? There have been comments in the past about the use of the cycleway system in Stevenage, and developing them elsewhere. What is being done to get more people to cycle? There are lockable bike parking hangars available from Stevenage Borough Council, but only one has been installed. There is a secure cycle parking area by the indoor Market, but no safe way to cycle to or from it, or signage to let you know where it is. Footpaths and cycle-ways need to be maintained all year round so people feel safe using them.
With the recent rise in the energy cap home insulation is now a matter of urgency for all. The better insulated a property is, the less energy is used to heat it and monthly living costs to the residents are reduced. The Council needs to ensure that its housing stock has the best insulation installed, and also needs to incentivise all landlords to ensure that everyone renting a property has high levels of insulation on their property. Residents who own their home may not be able to afford the initial insulating cost, thus we urgently need grants to be available for insulation work. Reducing energy usage helps us all break free from the shackles to fossil fuel providers.
Both North Herts District and Stevenage Borough Councils have net zero carbon targets by 2030, but where are the actions to achieve this? We need our councils to be proactive and help all of us to take decisions and act in our daily lives in a greener way: Reducing energy usage, reducing costs, and halting the ever-increasing rise in global temperatures. Last Friday 22nd April was Earth Day with a theme: “Invest in our planet” – will you invest in our planet with YOUR VOTE this 5th May elections?
Greens stand ready to serve the local community for the Common Good - Fairer, Greener, Communities
Jim Borcherds - your Stevenage Martin’s Wood, Green Party candidate
Deolinda Eltringham - your Hitchin Priory Ward, Green Party candidate
on behalf of North Herts & Stevenage Green Party