At today’s Manchester City Council meeting, Greens backed a motion calling for more resources from GMP to investigate and enforce problems with off-road vehicles, including the creation of a specialist unit.

The Greens’ amendment, which was accepted by the council, also called on GMP to broaden its use of data when determining the areas worst affected by these vehicles, such as allowing police officer reporting as well as feedback from stakeholders.

Cllr Rob Nunney, Green councillor for Woodhouse Park in Wythenshawe, who proposed the amendment, said: “Anti-social off-road vehicles are indeed a scourge, and one that needs immediate and effective action to prevent the loss of even more lives.

“From my meetings with police, I know that their resources for the whole of Greater Manchester to tackle this issue are extremely limited. However, there is far too much onus on the public to report off-road bikes. The police should proactively gather intelligence and act on information from partners, such as what councillors are telling them. 

“For years residents have been telling me that someone will get killed, and that they fear for the safety of their children. We want to redress this unfairness by calling on GMP to broaden their sources of data when choosing the areas most in need of action.”

There has been an increase in the use of electronic bikes in Manchester in recent years, which Greens welcome as part of a wider move towards active travel. 

However, many bikes are not legally compliant or are used in a way that puts pedestrians in danger. GMP’s main initiative to tackle this issue, Operation Hurricane, is only being deployed in five of Greater Manchester’s boroughs, not including the city of Manchester itself. 

While Greens believe that GMP can make better use of data to be more efficient in tackling off-road vehicles, we also recognise that police forces need more funding overall.

“For GMP to have the sufficient resources needed to tackle such a humungous issue, they need money,” Cllr Nunney added.

“Only the Labour government has the power to give GMP the funding that it needs by taxing the very rich so that public services are sufficiently funded by those with the broadest shoulders, instead of business as usual.”

At today’s meeting, Greens also supported motions seeking to close the viability loophole in affordable housing, and calling on the council to better understand and tackle anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism in Manchester.

Anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism has increased significantly in recent years, particularly as a result of the ongoing genocide in Palestine. 

Cllr Astrid Johnson, deputy leader of the Greens on Manchester City Council, said: “Developers avoid building affordable housing not because they are bad actors by default, but because the system structurally rewards them for doing so. Profit motives, weak enforcement, and complex loopholes make it rational behaviour at the cost of all of us.”

Cllr Anastasia Wiest, leader of the Greens on Manchester City Council, added: “The censoring of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and political statements has been frankly shocking, and flies in the face of our most fundamental British values of democracy and freedom of expression.

“Adopting a definition of anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism would show our commitment to the 15,028 members of the Arab community in Manchester. It would provide a reference point for their experience, and show that we are serious about being a city of sanctuary where everyone is respected and valued.”

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Notes to editors: 

The Green Party is an opposition party on Manchester City Council with three councillors. The leader of the Green group on the council is Cllr Anastasia Wiest. The deputy leader is Cllr Astrid Johnson.

The three Green councillors on the council are Cllr Anastasia Wiest, Cllr Astrid Johnson, and Cllr Rob Nunney. All three represent the ward of Woodhouse Park.

Manchester City Council is formed of 87 Labour members, three Greens, four Liberal Democrats, one Worker’s Party member, and one independent.

Cllrs Wiest and Johnson can be available for interview upon request. 

For further information, please contact Chris Ogden at press@manchester.greenparty.org.uk.

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At today’s Manchester City Council meeting, Greens proposed an amendment to a Labour motion which called for the city to ‘remain at the forefront of social and affordable housing delivery’.

The amendment, rejected by Labour, called on the council to make 30% of new homes built in developments over 10 units available to residents on social rent, that this be enforced by section 106 obligations, and to ensure that all new developments are climate- and nature-friendly.

These recommendations have previously been made by Social Homes for Manchester, a community coalition which aims to increase the number of social homes created in Manchester by 2030 in an environmentally sustainable way.

Cllr Anastasia Wiest, leader of the Green Party on Manchester City Council and proposer of the amendment, said: “Social Homes for Manchester is a genuinely place-based and community-led effort. As councillors, it is our responsibility to be listening to them, taking their advice on board and putting it into action.

“Labour’s motion referred to ‘social and affordable homes’ but we know that these terms are not interchangeable. “Affordable” homes are still not affordable to many, as they can cost up to 80% of local market rent. We need more social homes.”

Rented housing is considered ‘affordable’ if it costs no more than 80% of local market rent. Social rent, meanwhile, is often set at around 50% to 60% of local market rent.

31 Manchester councillors previously pledged their support for Social Homes for Manchester’s campaign, including the Executive Member for Housing and Development, Cllr Gavin White.

While the Greens’ amendment was lost, they supported Labour’s motion and will now hold the Labour council and government to account on their promises to build more social and affordable homes.

“Of course, we supported Labour’s motion as we do need to see more social and affordable housing,” Cllr Wiest added. “What we were doing was adding tangible targets to make it a stronger motion.

“What good is Labour’s word if many of their councillors pledged to support these targets, but wouldn’t take action to bring them about?”

At today’s council meeting, Greens also backed Labour and Lib Dem calls to bring assets into community ownership and work with agencies and contractors to help communities recover from the recent River Mersey floods.

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Notes to editors: 

The Green Party is an opposition party on Manchester City Council with three councillors. The leader of the Green group on the council is Cllr Anastasia Wiest. The deputy leader is Cllr Astrid Johnson.

The three Green councillors on the council are Cllr Anastasia Wiest, Cllr Astrid Johnson, and Cllr Rob Nunney. All three represent the ward of Woodhouse Park.

Manchester City Council is formed of 87 Labour members, three Greens, four Liberal Democrats, one Worker’s Party member, and one independent.

Cllrs Wiest and Johnson can be available for interview upon request. 

For further information, please contact Chris Ogden at press@manchester.greenparty.org.uk.

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The Green Party has urged Labour to set out a more positive vision for Manchester’s future as the Conservatives conclude their conference in the city today.

The Greens successfully managed to pass an amendment to Labour’s motion calling for an immediate general election, specifically highlighting the Tories’ recent rollback of climate policies.

Speaking for the amendment, Green councillors outlined their proposed priorities for the future, including better public transport, building safer, more energy-efficient homes, and creating a comprehensive plan for green jobs and skills.

Cllr Astrid Johnson, leader of the Green Party on Manchester City Council, said: “We know that the climate and nature crisis affects all, but particularly children and especially those from poor and low-income families. The Government’s net-zero rollback is economic and environmental vandalism, and unforgivable.

“But would it not be more productive to lay out a positive vision for the future? Would a positive vision for change not make a change of government more likely?

“Let’s stop the negativity and whining about the past, but show ambition and create some hope. Let’s work together for a brighter and healthier future, for us and our children.”

Demonstrating this vision, Greens also successfully passed a motion to expand Manchester City Council’s use of selective licensing, which aims to improve conditions for renters by requiring all private landlords in designated areas to license their rented properties.

The motion aimed to build on the 13 selective licensing schemes and mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) that the council already has.

By passing the motion, the council has committed to liaise with the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to extend the city’s ability to selectively license its private rented stock. Greens urged Labour to commit to licensing more than 20% of that stock.

Cllr Ekua Bayunu, deputy leader of the Greens on Manchester City Council and proposer of the motion, said: “We can no longer afford to let housing be a profit-making business for the few. Ratepayers’ money is lining the pockets of rogue landlords with a very poor service in return.

“Of course we need to build more homes for social renters, and more homes for affordable purchase. However, we also need to ensure that every home that is offered for rent in Manchester is safe, warm, free from damp and mould, and secure for every tenant. Perhaps then the council can say that its strategy is working.”

Cllr Anastasia Wiest, Green councillor in Woodhouse Park and seconder of the motion, said: “As a young person who has only lived in private sector rented accommodation in Manchester, I can vouch for the low quality of some properties.

“Besides improving the standards of living for the people of Manchester, an expansion of selective licensing would also be an opportunity to engage more with landlords around retrofitting their properties, with 84,000 homes needing to be retrofitted.

“This could play an important role in helping to increase the energy efficiency of our housing stock, which is absolutely necessary if we are serious about meeting our goal of making Manchester net-zero by 2038.”

Along with supporting Labour’s motion to make Manchester a ‘Co-operative Council’, Greens at today’s council meeting also put forward a motion against the Tory government’s proposed closure of staffed ticket offices.

The council committed to expressing its support for those taking action to oppose these measures. However, Greens left the meeting disappointed as Labour’s amendment of the motion significantly watered it down.

Cllr Rob Nunney, Green councillor in Woodhouse Park and seconder of the motion, said: “In 2020 transport made up 35% of Manchester’s direct greenhouse gas emissions, the majority from on-road vehicles. Rail travel will be crucial in reducing our emissions and avoiding the worst of what climate breakdown can unleash.

“Therefore everything possible must be done to make rail travel easier, cheaper and the preferred choice over flying and driving. Closing ticket offices is a regressive step which will hinder the most vulnerable people accessing public transport.”

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Notes to editors: 

The Green Party is the joint opposition party on Manchester City Council with four councillors. The Green group leader is Cllr Astrid Johnson. The deputy leader is Cllr Ekua Bayunu.

The four Green councillors on the council are Cllr Astrid Johnson, Cllr Anastasia Wiest and Cllr Rob Nunney, who represent the ward of Woodhouse Park, and Cllr Ekua Bayunu who has a seat in Hulme.

Manchester City Council is formed of 88 Labour members, four Greens, and four Liberal Democrats. 

Cllr Astrid Johnson will be available for interview upon request. 

For further information, please contact Chris Ogden at press@manchester.greenparty.org.uk.

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