Scottish Green Party

Moray Council Manifesto 2017

FAIR, LOCAL, DEMOCRATIC

- GREENGREENSMORAY

Fair, Local,

Democratic

- Green!The Scottish Green Party is standing Two

candidates for the Moray Council.

We offer a different approach to other Parties

asking for your votes. As Greens we start from

the local and build outward to our national

priorities.

This manifesto shows our priorities for Moray

Council and introduces our candidates. We

show what Green Councillors have achieved

elsewhere to empower and support local com-

munities.

Green MSPs achieved an extra £160 million for

local services by firm negotiations with the SNP

on the Scottish Budget - that’s almost an extra

£3 million more for Moray.

While there will still be challenging times ahead,

in practice this means that the worst of the

predicted service cuts and potential job losses

can be avoided, and the Council will have some

extra resources for vital capital investment.

Green councillors will make sure it’s spent

wisely - on our local priorities.

Our Priorities

for Moray

Electing our first Green Councillors

widens the debate and choices that

Councils makes - and helps make sure

the debate stays focused on the issues

that matter

A strong voice for green democracy can

steer the council to a better future for us

all.

We will work with all parties and inde-

pendents for OUR community.

Green Politics is about meeting human

needs in ways that protect our environ-

ment and improve our future.

Listening to the people who live and work

here, and where appropriate devolving power,

resources, and assests direct to communities;

Insulating and damp-proofing Council houses;

Increasing waste recycling - including com-

posting - and not charging for it;

Helping local businesses to flourish by work-

ing together and providing genuine support;

Keeping social workers and support workers

for children with additional support needs;

Building an efficient, coordinated, local and

regional transport system that sustains com-

munities, and better integrates bus services;

Prioritising pedestrians and cyclists in route

planning and design;

Protecting our marine environment, local

fishing industry, coastal communities and

tourism from Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers;

Protecting and enhancing our built heritage,

from our town and village halls to iconic build-

ings like Grant Lodge;

Moving away from developer led planning, and

giving communities the right to appeal;

Fighting against centralisation, and for more

powers - especially over Non-Domestic Rates

and Council Tax - to come to the Council;

Supporting locally-owned and managed com-

munity energy, broadband, and other infra-

structure services;

Encouraging Green Enterprise across all sec-

tors, but especially tourism;

Welcoming people from elsewhere in the

world - we need your skills and energy!

2 Introduction

4 Green Councillors in Action• Edinburgh• Glasgow• Aberdeenshire• Midlothian

5 Putting Power in Your Hands

6 Meet Your Candidates• James MacKessack-Leitch• Fabio Villani

8

Contact Details & Notes

3

Contents

• Stirling

Green Councillors in Action

There’s never been a Scottish Green Councillor in Moray, but across Scotland Green Councillors are active and making a difference in Five Scottish Councils. They keep the majority groupings on their toes and push for fairer, localised and greener outcomes, often acting as the balance of power. Here’s a flavour of what Green Councillors have achieved recently:

• Ensured no-one would be evicted for bedroom tax rent arrears • Championed action on empty homes • Played a leading role in extending participatory budgeting throughout the council • Secured commitment to phase out harmful weedkillers • Spearheaded action to protect common good property • Pushed for a Green City Deal for investment in a sustainable economy

• Improved outdoor spaces and sports centres with support for community gardens across the city. • Delivered a low carbon heating policy for Glasgow City Council - Green motion adopted by the Council. • Helped local businesses – supported the Byres Road Business Improvement District • Campaigned with community councillors for action on air pollution. • Developed a waste prevention, reuse and recycling for the Council, schools and social work centres.

• Delivered extra investment (£250,000) per year in walking and cycling. • Secured council support for re-opening the Dyce to Ellon railway as part of the Aberdeen City Region deal. • Made climate change now one of the council's overarching strategic priorities with Scotland’s first Council Carbon Budget.

• Abolished music tuition fees in schools – a Green amendment to the Budget 2015/16 was accepted by SNP/Independent administration in return for accepting other measures in the budget. The fees are being phased out over two years. • Delivered a strong anti-TTIP motion passed by Midlothian Council – a Green amendment to weak motion proposed by the SNP was accepted and the amended motion passed. • Persuaded the council to ensure superfast broadband is installed in new developments, introduce of webcast meetings, and investigate ways it can generate renewable energy and offer lower prices to local residents.

• Won the first phase of a campaign to protect the Park of Keir greenbelt against a celebrity backed execu-tive housing and sports development • Won concessions in the Local Development Plan to protect the greenbelt • Worked with Dunblane businesses to successfully resist an out of town supermarket • Championed the successful roll out of cycle training in the majority Stirling Schools • Committed the Council to support the Unison Ethical Care Charter • Led the case for investment in low energy street lighting, renewable energy, a social enterprise strategy and school meal improvements.

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Edinburgh

Glasgow

Aberdeenshire

Midlothian

Stirling

We can do so much more with more Green councillors!

A strong voice for green democracy can steer the council

towards a better future for everyone.

In Moray Council, it’s about putting Power in your Hands -

by Protecting Services, Connecting People, Creating Homes

Real Communities not Dormitory Ghettos:

Who can afford to live in the place they grew up? We want more social rented housing that is energy efficient and helps our towns & villages to thrive as places to live and work together. Jobs and apprentice-ships in building GOOD homes. Supporting rural communities and our local towns. Fighting damp and fuel poverty - bad for health, and it’s bad for the economy if you need to spend a third of your income on fuel bills.

More and Better Public Transport:

Without decent and reliable buses, our smaller towns and villages will wither and die. We want more and better public transport, more & better walking & cycling routes – for health, for safety, to support those without cars AS WELL AS the obvious environmental benefits.

Better Community Care:

Too many older people are frightened for their future, as more and more care facilities are closed and cen-tralised. We want sufficient social care, with well-trained carers coming to people's homes and in their own communities, meeting their needs and keeping families together.

Better Education for all ages:

Are schools really preparing youngsters for the future? Is closing smaller schools a death knell for commu-nities? - while schools in Elgin are fit to bursting! We want stronger towns and villages - wherever practical, we like to see education close to where we live, that kids can walk or cycle to, and that’s relevant to children’s lives; with more support for those who struggle.

A new approach to Waste:

We want far less waste produced, much more take-back and wise local reuse of ‘waste’; more local sharing of resources & materials for all to use; and much improved recycling (not incineration). There are jobs and businesses to be made in our communities. We support the reintroduction of returnable deposits on bottles and the donating of ‘waste’ food to food banks etc.

More local democracy:

We’ll demand more not less local democracy to put local communities at the heart of local decision-making. Centralised council services and fewer councillors reduces engagement and leads to poor results. We want more powers and funding delegated directly to communities. We will work to localise the delivery of services - and will fight to retain local control of Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

Planning for the Future:

We all know climate change is here; and we want a robust and strategic approach to help communities adapt to more extreme weather, flooding, sea level rises, and impacts on forestry and farming, so that we are ready and prepared - not scared and merely reacting to disasters.

What’s in our food:

Do you trust what you’re eating? Growing more of our own food (eg in allotments and community gardens) is healthy and saves money. Helping local growers sell their food to local shops, local schools, health services and so on helps to build strong and vibrant local economies - where the money stays local and isn’t siphoned off for distant profits.

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Green Councillors will seek out opportunities to work together

across Moray, political divides, and with neighbouring Councils.

James MacKessack-Leitch -

Heldon & Laich

Sweeping changes are coming to Moray Council, and my aim is to push for a transformation in thinking about how the Council goes about its daily business, with a particular focus on planning for the long term future.

In a rapidly changing country we need a stable and effective local council that reflects the values and beliefs of the community and acts in their best interest – and councillors who are focussed on local issues, not distracted by national debates.

We need to help build a sustainable local economy, not by pandering to big developers or throwing public money away on ill-conceived projects and short term solutions, but by engaging with our local businesses and third sector organisations who could play a much bigger role given the right support and opportunities.

Changing the way we plan, in particular how we build housing, can have drastic impacts. While our urban schools are full to bursting, some of our rural schools are fighting to stay open - building a few more houses, properly and sensitively, in rural areas where communities are fragile could ensure not just future of the primary school, but also the shop, pub, village amenities - and keep the bus route viable. At the same time we can reduce the stress on, and competition for, resources in our larger settlements.

But there are more big challenges, and opportunities, coming down the road that the Council needs to show leadership on. The route of the new A96 is likely to be decided in the next few years - it could be a blessing or a curse, and I’ll push the Council to step up to get the best for Moray.

I’ll also keep fighting centralisation, and encourage devolution of powers. In particular I’m keen to see the full return of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates to local control, and accountability. But there’s so much more - devolution of the Crown Estate could be transformational for Moray - and I’ll keep my eye firmly on returning real power and decison-making to our communities in Heldon and Laich, and across Moray.

These ongoing budget and service issues, and a lack of leadership and long term planning at Moray Council mean that the need for a strong, clear, but constructive voice, is more important than ever.

I know I can be that voice, bringing the fresh perspective and ideas that the Council so badly needs, but I’m also keen to work collaboratively, not just within the Council, but with individuals and groups across the area, to ensure that together we are all planning for our long term prosperity.

I’d take a fresh viewpoint into the Council Chamber having grown up on the family farm at Alves, and with experience of working in both the private and public sector, with a background focussing on rural development.

I’m currently the Vice-Chair of a local community trust, and have been active supporting a number of community issues – including playing a role in the successful campaign to scrap the proposed Elgin Western Link Road, and the fight against proposed Ship-to-Ship Oil transfers in the Moray Firth.

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Fabio Villani - Forres

Local Authorities across Scotland are facing unprecedented challenges, trying to meet increasing demands and expecta-tions with ever-diminishing resources. The customary response of continuing to raise charges and cut services will not be enough to meet those challenges.

At the same time, people are rightly demanding more con-trol over what happens in their lives and in their communi-ties. New laws, like the Community Empowerment Act, are providing more opportunities than ever for people to take power into their own hands.

We need a Council willing to work with others to join the dots between these challenges and opportunities. A Council willing to invest public resources to support community-led activities, and to remove the many barriers stopping people from taking more control over their lives and over the wellbeing of their communities.

The communities of Moray have already demonstrated that we are willing and able to come together to take control of assets and services. In the Forres area alone, community groups are already successfully managing woodlands, gardens, historic buildings and cultural events, as well as services for children, young people and the elderly.

Having lived in the Forres area for over 34 years, with a work and volunteering experience spanning the private, public and third (charitable) sectors, I have a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing us.

As an active member of our local community I have demonstrated my own ability to bring people together to set up and develop a range of successful community groups and projects, including a community woodlands trust and a community development trust.

Above all, we need principled Councillors who can work with people of all political persuasions for the benefit of all.

In my current role of manager of a small Moray charity I help communities to have a stronger voice in deci-sion-making, and support people from very different backgrounds to work together for the benefit of Moray. As a volunteer, I currently serve on the Board of two Forres community organisations.

In both my paid and voluntary roles I have demonstrated my ability to work with public sector officers at all levels and with Councillors from across the political spectrum. While we may not always have agreed with

each other’s views, we have been able to set aside our differences and work together for the common good.

I hope you will allow me to demonstrate that I can take the same collaborative and inclu-sive approach to the role of Councillor.

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Get In TouchKeep up to date with the Local Election Campaign:

All our candidates contact details can be found via our website and social

media accounts.

For further information and Media Enquires please contact:

James MacKessack-Leitch

Moray Greens Convenor

moray@higreens.org

07766 057 009

Notes

This is a complementary document to the Scottish Greens Council Elections

Manifesto 2017, and both should be read together.

The Scottish Greens Council Elections Manifesto 2017 can be found here:

greens.scot/power-in-your-hands

Published and Promoted by James MacKessack-Leitch, on behalf of the Scottish Green Party, both at, Carden, Alves, Elgin, Moray, IV30 8UP.

moray@higreens.org@

/MorayGreens

@MorayGreens

www.higreens.org GREENSMORAY