Protecting Nature

ELECTED GREEN COUNCILLORS WILL:

  • Continue to lead the way in relation to the City’s policies on the natural environment, taking a ‘natural capital’ approach
  • Support biodiversity by protecting, enhancing and creating a wide range of habitats
  • Protect all Oxford’s green spaces – parks, meadows, woodland, rivers. End building on valued greenfield sites & flood plains.
  • Link habitats by green corridors to allow wildlife to move around
  • Enhance green spaces and facilitate access to nature – vital for improving residents’ lives; plants, wildlife and green spaces bring direct benefits to residents – from street trees providing shade, through open spaces helping with flood mitigation, to the benefits to physical and mental well-being
  • Implement more tree planting and tree preservation orders, and promote green roofs on buildings, and planting in pedestrianised areas
  • Work with wildlife organisations to improve conditions for wildlife to thrive
  • Support allotments and projects such as the City Farm and the Lye Valley Nature Reserve; these, and projects such as insect-friendly planting of verges and community orchards, benefit both people and wildlife
  • Support the creation of a new national nature reserve to the northeast of Oxford taking in Otmoor and Bernwood Forest

My Policies

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Action on the Cost of Living

Massive increases in energy prices, food costs and rents has left many unable to make ends meet. Whilst the causes of the cost-of-living crisis are many and varied, the Council could be doing more to support those in need.

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Affordable Housing & Lower Rents

Oxford has the least affordable housing in the UK. We believe that access to affordable, secure and decent housing is a human right, not a privilege. Nobody should be left homeless or have insecure accommodation.

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Reduced Traffic and Safer Streets

While transport is primarily the responsibility of the County, the City Council is a consultee and should be playing a key role in delivering planning solutions that reduce the need to travel. Public consultation needs to be improved.

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ZERO CARBON and PROTECTING NATURE

There is a climate and ecological emergency. Under pressure from the Greens, the Council has committed to go ‘net zero’ by 2030 and is working with others to make the whole City ‘net zero’ by 2040. But progress is slow.

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STANDING UP FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

Oxford is a wonderfully diverse City with about a third of residents born outside of the UK, with almost half of adults identifying as non ‘white British’, a well-established LGBT community and active faith groups.

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Healthier Communities

When it comes to health, Oxfordshire is a two-tier County. Most enjoy above average wellbeing but Oxford also includes six wards which are amongst the most deprived in England. In these areas, death from preventable causes, self-harm and obesity are above average.

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Protecting Nature

All species on Planet Earth are the life support for all others. Greens have long warned of the threat posed by the loss of species – a threat parallel with climate change. We need to do more locally to protect our flora and fauna.

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FOCUS ON CYCLE SAFETY

We hear a lot of talk about the ‘road transport hierarchy’ but time after time the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are given a low priority.

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