Election Pledge: Building Stronger Communities in Poplar and Limehouse

If elected, I will;

• Organise a permanent ‘Green Assembly’ for Poplar and Limehouse made up of delegates from the institutions (schools, faith institutions, residents and voluntary associations, traders and business groups) with firm roots in the diverse neighbourhoods of Poplar and Limehouse.
• This ‘Green Assembly’ will be organised in sub groups of shared interests in the various challenges and opportunities of this constituency – genuinely affordable housing; LW jobs; clean air; street safety; welcoming new neighbours, democracy and participation.
• Work with the Police, Residents Groups and Tower Hamlets Council to ensure our streets are safer, lights are brighter and anti-social behaviour is tackled.
• Seek an Alliance with the business community at Canary Wharf to provide mentors and substantial funding through a new ‘Green Opportunities’ Fund for Youth and Social Clubs for the young people and children of this constituency.
• Encourage the active growth of the Community Sponsorship of Refugees by local groups in the constituency as evidence of our good neighbourliness for others in worst circumstances than ourselves.

The Green Party will;

• Increase central government funding to local councils by £10 billion a year. This funding, combined with the local council revenue raising, will improve council frontline services.
• Give Councils access to additional £3 billion a year Climate Adaption Funds. Bids from Councils like Tower Hamlets facing threats ion flooding etc by climate change and other disadvantages like heigh levels of poverty will be prioritised from the Fund.
• Expand powers of councils to prevent land banking through mechanisms including charging developers who sit on land where permission has been granted or using compulsory purchase powers to accelerate appropriate development where it has stalled.
• Provide an extra £4.5 billion a year to fund councils to provide free social care to people over 65 who need support in their own home (as in Scotland since 2001).
• Support councils to further democratise their own processes including introducing participatory democracy, allowing residents to form their own panels and assemblies to directly input into council decision making.