Green Party Councillor News Spring 2023
Update from your Green Councillors
What have we been up to? Lots!
Highlights:
We have called for:
- A better, more reliable and cheaper bus service
- Better infrastructure for cycling and walking
- More engagement with residents in a whole set of ways
- Plans to clean up the Exe
We have proposed:
- An alternative budget which would have seen much-wanted investment in the City’s parks and infrastructure
- Developers of 'co living" be charged full developers fees and the money invested back in the City.
We have worked with residents to:
- Plant community flowerbeds and other green spaces
- Highlight unsafe crossings and explore ways to make them better
- Help residents gain access to community grants to improve their areas
- Resolve hundreds of issues for individual residents
We are championing collaborative working across the City and County Councils.
Tess has been appointed Deputy Lord Mayor of Exeter.
Read the full stories of what each Councillor has been busy doing for Exeter here:
Catherine Rees, Heavitree.
Collaboration is at the heart of our work. I’m currently working with the community builder for Heavitree, consulting with residents, bringing people together to hopefully transform the shared flowerbeds in Meadow Way into a beautiful space for the community. Also myself and Carol Bennett (Heavitree Green Cllr) came together with the leader of the Council and representatives from Live and Move, both from Exeter City Council and Devon County Council, sharing plans for improving the infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists in the city centre. We are aiming to create a green corridor running between Heavitree and Newtown and St Leonard’s. It was great to be working together in that collaborative way and exploring ways that the City Council and County Council can be working more closely together.
We have opposed Devon County Council’s proposed cuts to the Homelessness Prevention Fund. We have spoken in full Council against these cuts and responded to the consultation. I have been a member of the Homelessness Working party over the last 9 months, consulting with organisations working on the front line in Exeter and people with lived experience of homelessness helping to shape the strategy on homelessness for the City Council. It is essential that all organisations come together including the County Council to provide the funds because we know that early intervention is the way forward and if we don’t prioritise the most vulnerable in our society it will cost far more in the long run, as well as being a moral imperative.
We also continue to work hard to make sure that local residents’ voices are heard in Council and that members of the public are welcome because it is residents’ voices that should be central to our work. We have also been focusing on ways to ensure that the local ward grants are spent across Exeter, again making sure that local groups are given the opportunity to really make a difference in their area, in particular opportunities for the greening of Exeter. We have been linking up with community builders and local organisations across the City to help improve outcomes for residents across the City.
Carol Bennett, Heavitree.
As some of you might know I deal with a health condition which means that my mobility is often very constrained, as well as other daily challenges. Because it is difficult for me to walk around my ward visiting residents, we have come up with an alternative plan, which is working really well. Since January I have been hosting a weekly surgery every Thursday 2-4 pm at the Parklife cafe in Heavitree Pleasure Ground. The number of residents coming along is increasing all the time as word is spreading and I have really enjoyed connecting with residents in this way and being able to help all sorts of individuals. All Heavitree residents are welcome to discuss any issues or ideas about the ward – do drop in and say hi!
I have also been very involved with the campaign co-led by our Green candidate for Newtown and St Leonard’s Andy Ketchin for safer crossings around St. Sidwell’s Point, something which I know is a big issue for many of you. I have also written to Devon County Council asking for more community engagement and an information sharing event regarding proposals for The Heavitree Low Traffic Neighbourhood so that residents are more informed about proposals for our area.
Diana Moore, St David’s.
I coordinated an "alternative budget" opposing Labour’s proposed cuts. Our budget found £2m of investment for parks and open spaces and would reopen city centre public toilets, introduce lockable bike shelters and charging points, AND replace the much-needed Mallison Bridge. We also found money to reinstate the community grassroot grants programme, which Labour had slashed in their budget. The money was found without proposing any increase in borrowing.
While Labour refused to discuss our budget, we know that this work makes a difference, as Labour has now acted to find funds for Mallison Bridge and recommendations from our previous budgets have been taken up!
Our budget also included using £143,000 of unspent money to kickstart work to retrofit all the City's homes, not just Council houses as is currently happening.
Our group also challenged the proposed change in the levy on developers resulting in a social council committee to examine our objections. Our response to the proposals has challenged the very low rates proposed for so-called coliving bedsit developments - which are very profitable to build but contribute little to community infrastructure such as green spaces, walking & cycling routes and community centres. This is part of our campaign for decent affordable housing in the City, something which I know many of you are passionate about. I also sit on the Council Housing Advisory Board and in this role I continue to push to get Council house repairs done well and in a timely way.
Together with fellow Green Councillors and a helpful team of supporters we responded to the consultation on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan to make sure we put forward the best proposals possible for Exeter. If you would like to join us to help out with responses like this please get in touch!
Amy Sparling, St David’s
I have been busy working for Exeter trying to get a more reliable and affordable public transport system. Several of us met with Stagecoach and proposed a range of changes to their service which many of our residents have been writing to us about. We have proposed a £2 fare to cover the whole city beyond June, to reinstate the £1 add-on fare for children, half hour frequency at evenings and weekends, and more and improved bus priority measures. Stagecoach say they are listening to our suggestions! We can’t solve all of Exeter’s public transport problems but we hope we are making some progress.
Together with Diana and Tess I worked with Devon Wildlife Trust, St David’s community centre and residents to organise their successful sowing and planting day in St Bartholomew's Cemetery. This is a project to help support nature and reduce anti-social behaviour in the cemetery. We all had a lovely day digging, planting, chatting, making friends, and enjoying the lovely surroundings of the cemetery. And soon there will be lovely bulbs and wildflowers in the cemetery for everyone to enjoy!
Tess Read, St David’s.I am hugely passionate about wanting to clean up our rivers and waterways and I have been really excited that a motion I proposed at Council was passed! It states that we need to do more to protect the Exe and other waterways around the city. Because we got the motion passed this means the Council is requiring representatives from the National Farmers Union, South West Water and other organisations to come to the Council and answer questions at a committee about what they are doing to protect our rivers and canals and to discuss what more can be done. I have also got the Council to agree that we need someone with ecology expertise on the committee which governs the Exe to represent the interests of nature and ensure that a Green voice is always heard. As well as this I have been busy sorting out broken lights, getting potholes filled in and helping residents apply for community grants for wildflower planting.
I am also hugely looking forward to having just been nominated to be Deputy Lord Mayor of Exeter from May 2023-May 2024. If you have an event at which you would like Mayoral attendance then do please get in touch. I am really looking forward to meeting residents across the City at all sorts of events as well as representing this wonderful City of Exeter in ceremonial events when I will be dressed in the full City’s robes and regalia. I am currently negotiating with the Council for myself and my chain to be transported by bike or walking, rather than by car as has been the tradition. Watch this space for developments!
