Since its reopening under community ownership last April, The Star has been so much more than a pub. It became a lifeline for local residents, hosting not only great pub nights but also playgroups, refugee support initiatives, language classes, and creative workshops.

The closure of The Star underscores the urgent need for systemic change in how local economies are run. The Green Party is committed to reducing VAT for the hospitality sector to ease financial pressures on community-focused enterprises.

Greens also advocate for reforms that will let local councils have greater powers to control the level of business rates paid by socially essential businesses.

These policies aim to protect vital hubs like The Star from acute financial challenges that undo so much public good . This approach is proven to benefit local communities — and is enacted already in some European countries such as France.

To the entire Star team, we extend our heartfelt thanks for creating such a special place. Your work has left a lasting impact, and we stand in solidarity with you and the East Greenwich community during this difficult time.

— Greenwich Green Party

Photo credit: www.dover-kent.com

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We strongly oppose proposals that will hurt most those on the lowest incomes, such as cuts to children’s centres and local advice hubs.

Having reviewed the Labour Council’s budget proposals in detail, Greenwich Green Party challenges the Council to look to make alternative savings in these key areas:

reduce the number of consultants

There is a lot of room for achieving efficiencies in the use of consultants. It should be noted that consultants often approach the voluntary sector to give them contact with local people and ask for this for free, while charging the council substantial costs.

The council should: 

• Reduce the number of consultants employed to run online surveys that reach a limited number of people
• Use local voluntary services to reach local people through wider means
• Pay less and get more as well as supporting local voluntary sector

Make improvements to commissioning

The council has a lot of duplication in its commissioning of services, and often smaller grants are scrutinised in detail while the largest grants are left unaccountable.

The council could:

• Centralise commissioning to be more efficient and cost effective
• Ensure expertise is consistent in commissioning
• Develop monitoring that is proportionate to the funding given
• Ensure that there is less duplication of projects by having this central team
• Make projects such as Woolwich Works more transparent in its relation to the council

The council has recently carried out a consultation of the localvoluntary sector using consultants while Greenwich Advocacy for Voluntary Sector, our local CVS, the voluntary sector support agency is also doing a similar consultation. As they have a grant from Lottery this could have been done at no cost to Greenwich.

better ways of working

The council wastes a lot of money sending out information to the local parties that has already gone out through other channels, such as health services and the local community voluntary services (CVS).

The silo working of the departments means there is a lot of duplication that could be avoided and make savings. 

The council should:

• Rationalise their communications team
• Work better with partners in sharing information
• Ensure more meetings are accessible to the public so direct dialogue is possible

Raise community infrastructure levy

Greenwich has one of the lowest Infrastructure charges in London.

As Murky Depths pointed out, even with proposed increases “a developer can build a student tower in Greenwich town centre with views of the Thames or beside the O2 and a zone 2 tube station and pay just £95 per square metre, in Newham it’d be £189 per square metre, Tower Hamlets £447.31 psm, Haringey £265 psm and Lambeth £400 psqm.”

The council should:

• Implement a fair charge in line with other councils
• Stop delaying this change with more consultations

Recognise the importance of Green spaces

Our parks and green open spaces should be first and foremost places for people of all incomes and our local wildlife to relax and thrive.

The council should: 

• Make park maintenance the priority
• Cut events that lead to damage to local green spaces
• Stop using glyphosate to kill weeds (a contract that costs £397,350 for a 3 year contract) 

Prioritise vital services

It is crucial that we find better alternatives than cutting children’s centre and library budgets and front-line services that are making a real difference. It is particularly important that the Advice Hubs continue, as they are reaching people that don’t approach the council directly but who are oftenr desperate for help with debt, benefits and housing.

The council should:

• Make the cuts to vanity project top-up funding
• Do a better job of modelling the impact of savings achieved overall by investing in vital services, which will make clear why it is not cost-efficient to cut these

Greenwich Green Party accepts the difficulty of the challenge of local council cuts, but the current slate of proposals has room within it to make a bad situation less harmful by making better choices.

Although we do not subscribe to Conservative councillor Matt Hartley’s belief that the Council’s financial challenges can be addressed entirely through efficiencies, we do support his budget amendment (rejected by the council) to reduce communications spending and instead support the vital Advice Hubs and emergency support schemes. 

— Response written by Stacy Smith, Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, with input from local Green Party members.

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14 members of Greenwich & Bexley Green Party and Lewisham Green Party joined forces to deliver a survey. They spoke to residents, some who reported damp and mould in their flats and lack of remedial action by the council to maintain the estate. One resident was told they were a “low priority”.

Karin said: “In Talk Housing Autumn 2023 magazine the Council say they’ve approved a quarter of a billion pounds for improvements and in Full Council last December, local Green member Fiona Moore asked a question about using some of it to fight damp and mould.

The response given was that there was a new offer with ‘a new team and new resources’. But residents told me more recently that leaking pipes are causing damp, and their requests to resolve these serious issues have been ignored. I have asked the Council for clarification because it’s unacceptable that people with respiratory problems should have to wait so long.”

Greenwich member Anji Petersen was shocked to see loose trailing wires dangling in the hallways, chipped concrete lintels, ceiling leaks and ripped pigeon netting on the balconies.

“The estate is in a great location and has the potential to be a good place to live. But currently, it appears residents are neglected and forgotten. Everyone deserves a safe and attractive place to call home.”

If any Orchard Estate residents would like to get in touch, please email coordinator@greenwich.greenparty.org.uk

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This means that cargo bikes and e-bikes have nowhere reliable to cross the Thames east of Tower Bridge. Nor may ordinary people on bikes, unless they can carry them down and up the nearly-100 stairs at either end of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel.

The Green Party wants to make Silvertown Tunnel more friendly and accessible for people walking, cycling, and using public transport, aiming to tackle the challenges faced by those who travel in the area.

To share ideas, local activists met the Green Party candidate for Mayor of London, Zoë Garbett, at Greenwich Foot Tunnel to talk about making improvements to the area and making better use of Silvertown Tunnel. 

During their chat, the group spoke with a representative from PedalMe cycle couriers, who shared the difficulties they face with river crossings in our area. They pointed out that the Greenwich Foot Tunnel suffers frequently from maintenance issues, such as the lift often breaking down.

(By coincidence, the lift on the north side was broken when Zöe visited, and the south side lift actually broke while everyone was looking at it!) 

Because it lacks any cycling provision whatsoever, Silvertown Tunnel does nothing at all for sustainable businesses like cycle couriers. PedalMe stressed the need for better and more reliable solution to river crossings to be able to grow their business. 

Karin Tearle, from the Greenwich Green Party and running for the Greater London Assembly, talked to Zoë about the problems faced by people from different backgrounds in using Greenwich Foot Tunnel and the need for the alternatives.

“People young and old, and women especially, just cannot carry a heavy e-bike up the steps when the lifts break down. And wheelchair users just can’t rely on the lift. It’s really important for our city that new infrastructure addresses these issues and make things easier and fairer for everyone who wants to choose greener transport.”

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Greenwich and Bexley Green Party cautiously welcomes this policy in response to the chronic shortage of council homes, with a surplus of people languishing in temporary and emergency accommodation.

Although it’s a very large investment — above £50 million — we acknowledge that it is a reasonable action to take, given that the housing crisis is costing the council nearly £1 million per month in hotel rooms for temporary and emergency accommodation.

Greenwich and Bexley Green Party encourage reflection upon missed opportunities that could have alleviated this crisis. For example, had the council required a higher level of social housing from developers in recent years, or had made greater efforts to collect reasonable amounts of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies to invest in new social housing, then the problem would likely not have developed as much as it has.

Proactive measures in housing in the past could have reduced the impact of the housing shortage now.

While this purchase is welcome, buying houses from major developers does not by itself solve all housing issues in the borough.

In particular, it doesn’t directly tackle the issue of housing affordability within the private sector. The Green Party’s approach to affordability would involve measures to try to stabilise house prices and rents, ensuring a gradual and managed real-terms decline in house prices until they are below four times the average incomes and reachable for ordinary working people.

Moreover, buying properties from large developers on their terms means that the council may inadvertently compromise on its sustainability aspirations. By securing housing from major developments which are built to optimise profit margins, the council runs the risk of housing people in structures that are less environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable than they could be if they were built by the council themselves.

Putting pressure on developers to meet the highest Passivhaus standards for new homes remains a key milestone that this Labour-run council needs to achieve.

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The proposed alteration, nicknamed “the tax on love,” is set to come into effect in spring 2024. It will more than double the minimum income needed for UK residents to sponsor foreign spouses, increasing it from £18,600 to initially £29,000 per year.

Expressing her concerns, Karin Tearle said, “It’s shocking that this Conservative government plans to raise the salary threshold by so much. The Green Party strongly opposes this policy, as we believe it undermines the basic right of individuals to live with their loved ones.”

“Foreign-born UK residents already face restrictions,” she continued. “They are unable to claim benefits and have to pay an NHS surcharge payment every year. The government’s approach is creating a hostile environment for all foreigners, harming our global reputation and causing pain in our community.”

The Green Party believes in a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their country of origin or financial status. We stand firmly against the proposed changes to the income threshold for foreign-born spouses or partners. 

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From The Murky Depths was the first to report about the struggles that families and the local community are facing to try and keep the nursery open. The nursery has had only six weeks’ notice to vacate their building even though they have all the permissions they need. This sudden closure would not only be bad news for the children, but also the valued staff who might lose their jobs.

Karin Tearle, the Green Party’s candidate for Greenwich & Lewisham in the Greater London Assembly election next year, is appalled by the sudden threat to this valued community resource.

”Major development projects such as the one in Royal Arsenal should have provided sufficient space for a nursery,” she said. “ I’m appalled this nursery is under threat of eviction just before Christmas. Childcare provision affecting dozens of children and parents shouldn’t be at the whim of landlords.”

“We need to make sure that housing development also comes with funding for facilities that benefit the local people that live there. Community Infrastructure Levy is a charge made to property developers to ensure some of their profits go back to facilities for the local area, but the current level of Community Infrastructure Levy rates in Greenwich are a gift for developers. Greenwich Council has some of the lowest rates in London and a recent Council review has not recommended raising them to the level they should be at.”

Greenwich Green Party is appealing for local residents to sign the petition to help put pressure on the landlord to change tack and keep the nursery in place.

The Green Party’s support for Under 1 Roof Nursery aligns with the Greens’ broader policy on childcare. Many parents are facing an impossible situation – they can’t afford not to work, but childcare costs are so high that they can’t afford to go to work. We want to see 35 hours of free childcare for all from the age of nine months so that every child gets the care they need and every parent can go to work if they want to.

You can read more about Green Party social policy at our policy website.

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Lorna Jane Russell’s resounding win — with twice the votes of her nearest rival — represents a steadfast defence of the seat previously held by Sian Berry AM, who resigned after many years of service as councillor to fight next year’s general election in Brighton Pavilion. Highgate has kept Green representation in its ward since Maya de Souza first made a breakthrough in 2006.

This victory is a testament to the unwavering efforts of grassroots supporters to keep a distinctive Green voice on Camden council. With two Labour councillors and our own Cllr. Russell sharing the responsibility for the ward, voters have agreed that having Green Party representation in the governance of the community is a positive — and rejected single party dominance.

Cllr. Russell’s journey from once being a Labour councillor and deputy mayor to her current role as Green Party councillor carries an echo of our local representative’s political journey. 

Karin Tearle, Greenwich and Lewisham Green Party Candidate for the Greater London Assembly (GLA) election next year, said

“I’m absolutely delighted Lorna won in Highgate. The fact she was a Labour councillor really resonates with me because I also was once a long-time Labour supporter and voter, but like Lorna I also got increasingly frustrated with the fact that majority Labour councils just don’t listen to local concerns.”

Like Cllr. Russell, Greenwich Green Party calls for greater emphasis on consulting residents within council decision-making, and providing effective opposition to single party dominance. 

Why not follow Lorna Jane Russell and Karin Tearle on X (formerly Twitter).

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For both the West and East Greenwich projects we support ‘Option A’ which would limit all through-traffic to essential vehicles and resident vehicles within specified areas (all addresses would remain accessible to residents at all times).

For too long both neighbourhoods have experienced excessive traffic, dangerous air pollution, and roads that are unsafe for children walking to school. Option A is a chance to tackle this across both areas and create safer, healthier and happier neighbourhoods.

In the East Greenwich proposals, Option B risks creating a funnel of traffic on Vanbrugh Hill that risks child safety, especially during journeys to and from school.

Greenwich Green Party believes these measures are important for child safety on our roads as much as they are about curbing air pollution. We are pleased to see that Greenwich Council is prioritising safety and has engaged with schools to encourage families to switch to walking, cycling and other active travel options.

We encourage Greenwich Council and local communities to work together to ensure that:

• The projects do not have a detrimental impact on disabled people, older adults and others with specific access needs
• The projects are constantly monitored and adapted to address any specific challenges, such as high traffic levels in neighbouring areas

We hope all residents and businesses will get behind these proposals. This will take an exciting step to make both East Greenwich and West Greenwich better places to live.

Finally, we urge elected Councillors to show leadership and advocate for the benefits of the proposals fully and honestly. At the moment officials and campaigners experience hostility from anti-traffic reduction campaigners who are unrepresentative of the local population. Proactive leadership can stop the debate being forced onto the defensive by angry voices, which have been boosted by the Conservative government’s recent rhetoric. 

The post Response to East Greenwich and West Greenwich neighbourhood management project — Stage 2 consultation appeared first on Greenwich and Bexley Green Party.

This is Greenwich and Bexley Green Party’s official response to Greenwich Council’s consultation upon proposed changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Our Response

The suggested Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charges are too low and do not strike the right balance between viability and local infrastructure needs.

The Royal Borough has seen sustained growth in housing prices of over 25% since the last CIL Review in 2015 (see figure 2.13.1 of the council’s viability assessment).

Much of this increase has been driven by significant amounts of very expensive housing in riverside parts of the Borough.

The Council’s proposal recovers only 1.5% of the sale price for community investment

The viability assessment shows sales value per square foot reaching between £800 and £900 per square foot across the riverside areas of Greenwich Creekside, East Greenwich, Peninsula and Woolwich Arsenal.[^1]

Converting to square metres for convenience (1 sq. m = 10.7639 sq. ft.) this is a value of over £9000 per square metre in riverside parts of the Royal Borough. The Council’s suggested new Zone 1 Residential CIL rate of £150 per metre in these riverside areas is simply inadequate given the scale of profits that property developers are making in these places. 

The suggested CIL rate also underestimates the level of community need for infrastructure investment. Riverside areas have seen very high rates of development in recent years, but this has not been matched by adequate investment in the community.

Local residents have faced many years of sustained disruption and squeezed infrastructure. Parks and recreational areas have not been invested in and disability, older adults’ and youth services have been overstretched. We anticipate further strain on community infrastructure, because more developments are planned in these areas over the next five years (especially in Greenwich Creekside along Deptford Creek, Morden Wharf at East Greenwich and in Greenwich Peninsula).  

Greenwich and Bexley Green Party believe a higher rate of CIL should be instituted and collected across a wider area of the Borough:

• We propose that a more appropriate balance between viability and community need could be struck in riverside areas by a ‘Zone 1a’ Residential CIL rate of £250 per square metre. This should apply in Greenwich Park, Greenwich Creekside, East Greenwich, Peninsula and Woolwich Arsenal wards. It would ensure a CIL rate to sales value ratio of around 1:10, which is a reasonable benchmark figure used elsewhere in London. 
• We propose that the Charlton Village and Riverside ward be moved to Zone 1. This anticipates the scale of riverside housing growth expected there.
• We propose that Abbey Wood be moved to Zone 1. The impact of the Elizabeth Line station and the associated housing growth needs to be taken into account in collecting CIL rates. 

The comparatively low level of CIL collected by Greenwich can be seen clearly in the following chart:

The Council has no proposal for adjusting CIL rates on other land uses

It is disappointing to see no change proposed to student accommodation, hotel supermarkets and superstores and retail warehousing CIL rates.

The value of land in Greenwich for these purposes has increased considerably since 2015 because of general housing price growth, the introduction of the Elizabeth Line and the development of the Silvertown Tunnel for HGV transportation.

CIL rates should be uplifted in these categories. This will strike a better balance between the increased profit made by these land uses and the impacts of the increased associated activity on local residents.

For example, the epidemic of new retail warehouses that are planned around Peninsula ward to take advantage of the Silvertown Tunnel will result in much more disruption for local residents: worsened air pollution, increased traffic, increased noise levels. CIL should be increased to pay for mitigation measures to address this.

• We propose that the ‘all other uses’ CIL category be split into a ‘high impact other use’ category with increased CIL rates and a ‘low impact other use’ category with flat CIL rates. This will help promote sustainable local businesses, while ensuring that compensation is secured where land is used in ways that do not contribute to achieving the council’s own environmental transformation goals. Example of high impact uses would include large car parks, lorry parks and high-emission industrial and retail activities, including fast food takeaway businesses relying on motor vehicle transport. The ‘high impact other use’ category would also reflect the increased impact on local residents.

The Council has allowed the gap between community infrastructure and new development to become a chasm

Overall, the CIL charging review should be seen in the context of a decade when the Royal Borough has failed to review its CIL rates in a timely manner.

Failing to recover proportionate CIL has resulted in gap between new development and the necessary mitigatory infrastructure widening in communities across the Borough.

Ambitious measures must be introduced as swiftly as possible to urgently close this gap, so that residents can enjoy the health, sustainable transport, youth and green infrastructure facilities they deserve.

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