Hi members,
Green Party conference is almost here, but with a twist.
This year the Green Party of England and Wales will be hosting the first ever joint Congress between the Global Greens and the European Green Party. If you’ve thought about attending conference recently but not quite made it, this is the conference to come to.
Hosted at the ACC in Liverpool, it’s a great opportunity to not only experience a Green Party conference but also meet and see how other Green parties around the world do things. With a predicted attendance of over 2,000 this will probably be the largest gathering of Greens ever!
Book your accommodation and conference pass today!
I look forward to seeing you in Liverpool!
Best Wishes,
Louisa Greenbaum
Conferences and Events Co-ordinator
‘Affordable Housing’, where rent is pitched at 20% less than the open market rent, is, as we know, very offten not affordable for those residents in the New Forest, whose income level reflects average earnings of local people in the area. It is precisely those people who are essential to maintaining the fabriac, diversity, character and prosperity of village and rural life; to name but a few – Commoners, agricultural workers, forest workers, machine operators, self employed people, shop staff, builders, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, carers, hotel/ guest house staff, building and garden maintenance people, tree surgeons, log merchants etc.
As a Green Party Parish Councillor in Brockenhurst I have been promoting the idea that the cost of running a home is an intrinsic part of ‘affordability’. Rather an obvious statement one migh say and I would wholeheartedly agree qith that. It follows that if new ‘Affordable Housing’ if built to achieve a zero carbon level of performance it will be significantlt more affordable for a tenant. I have, therefore, proposed, when appropriate, at Parish Council meetings and at recent NFNPA Quadrant meetings that the NPNPA adopt the policy that all new ‘Affordable Housing’ is built to zero carbon standard. All very logical and a big ask! However, the idea has not been rejected outright and there is at least an acknowledgement that the idea has merit and an admission that the Building Research Establishment at Watford have examples of zero carbon houses, effectively bringing utility bills to a minimal level if not to an actual end. Can one imagine life without utility bills……..we surely need to!?
As a Parish Councillor in need support from my Green Party colleagues, talk to me, encourage me, inform me along the way as the story does not end here. I wonder if the Green Party might adopt the idea of zero carbon homes for ‘Affordable Housing’ as a national policy?
‘Affordable Housing’, where rent is pitched at 20% less than the open market rent is, as we know, very offten not affordable for those residents in the New Forest where income levels reflect average earnings of local people in the area. It is precisely those people who are essential to maintaining the fabric, diversity, character and prosperity of village and rural life; to name but a few – Commoners, agricultural workers, forest workers, machine operators, self employed people, shop staff, builders, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, carers, child care people, hotel/ guest house staff, building and garden maintenance people, tree surgeons, log merchants etc.
As a Green Party Parish Councillor in Brockenhurst I have been promoting the idea that the cost of running a home is an intrinsic part of ‘affordability’. Rather an obvious statement one migh say and I would wholeheartedly agree with that. It follows that if new ‘Affordable Housing’, built to achieve a zero carbon level of performance will be significantly more affordable for a tenant. I have, therefore, proposed at Parish Council meetings and at recent NFNPA Quadrant meetings that the NPNPA adopt the policy that all new ‘Affordable Housing’ is built to zero carbon standard. All very logical and a big ask! However, the idea has not been rejected outright and there is at least an acknowledgement that the idea has merit and an admission that the Building Research Establishment at Watford have examples of zero carbon houses, effectively bringing utility bills to a minimal level if not to an actual end. Can one imagine life without utility bills……..we surely need to!?
As a Parish Councillor I need support from my Green Party colleagues, talk to me, encourage me, inform me along the way as the story does not end here. I wonder if the Green Party might adopt the idea of zero carbon homes for ‘Affordable Housing’ as a national policy?