Norwich Green Party News
- Peer joins Green councillors for election launch
Peer joins Green councillors for election launch
A manifesto for the 2024 local elections highlighting good quality housing for all, the need for the city council to get to grips with the basics, and creating a resilient city fit for the future is to be launched by Norwich Green Party with special guest and Green Party peer, Baroness Natalie Bennett on Friday.
Lucy Galvin, Green Party leader on Norwich city council, said:
“We want to see Norwich city council listening to residents and raising its game, to do the basics very well. More green councillors elected will help achieve this. We continue to call on the council to tackle out of control fly tipping, the huge housing repairs backlog, and build in action on the climate and nature to everything it does so that our city has a healthy future.”
“Our manifesto is all about leading the way to a resilient city – with homes for all, safe clean streets, and healthy nature. In Norwich, it’s a straight fight between Labour and the Greens; a vote for a Green councillor is a vote for someone who will listen and take action”.
- Norwich City Council slammed by Housing Ombudsman
Norwich City Council slammed by Housing Ombudsman
Greens propose new measures to counter severe mismanagement
Green councillors are proposing improvements to how residents contact the council in a wide-ranging motion to Norwich City Council’s full council meeting on 30th January 2024. The proposals also address serious issues in the council’s service to its social housing tenants.
In October 2023, the Housing Ombudsman named Norwich City Council as one of the worst social landlords in the country, with the council being found to be at fault in 100% of findings made in 2022-23.
And, in December 2023, the Housing Ombudsman were forced to make yet another ruling of severe maladministration against Norwich City Council, when a resident was hospitalised after repeated complaints about damp and mould which went without action from the council for nearly three years.
This damning report found that the council was failing in its duty to carry out basic damp and mould inspections, alongside failing to communicate with residents, not investigating complaints, and other major problems. The ombudsman ordered the council to pay out £1800 in compensation, and senior management at the council to apologise to the tenant. Reviews of council policies have also been ordered in response to this.
To ensure action is taken, Green councillors are proposing a list of measures to improve contact with the council and to try and prevent this record of maladministration. These measures include reopening the customer contact centre so that people can walk into City Hall and access services, simplifying letters from the council, allowing tenants to schedule their own repairs and ensuring that the council cannot close repairs cases when work has not been completed, or is not up to standard.
Cllr Alex Catt, Deputy Leader of the Green group at City Hall said: “Council tenants in my ward feel that they have been lied to by the council while fighting for basic housing repairs needed for their own health and safety. We need urgent action to improve the council’s communication with tenants so that people are not left in the dark when trying to get damp, mould or leaking roofs repaired. I hope that councillors of all parties will heed the warnings of the Housing Ombudsman and back the measures continued in this motion. “
Cllr Ash Haynes, Green Party councillor for Thorpe Hamlet said: “We absolutely cannot allow this situation to continue. We’ve highlighted simple, cost-effective measures the council can take to improve how it communicates with residents, saving time and money as well as bringing the service we provide back up to an acceptable level. If we delay fixing this, our tenants and residents will suffer.”
Notes:
- Housing Ombudsman list of landlords with high maladministration rates 22-23: Landlords with high maladministration rates 22-23 – Housing Ombudsman (housing-ombudsman.org.uk)
- Housing Ombudsman landlord report 22-23: Norwich City Council: Landlord-Report-Norwich-City-Council.pdf (housing-ombudsman.org.uk)
- Housing Ombudsman complaint ruling 202234907 for the case described above: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RJFox3_kbtXvfUlGBWvHEdjN_F7axt_L/view?usp=sharing
- Contacting the council and preventing maladministration motion to Norwich City Council, 30th January 2024: Document.ashx (norwich.gov.uk)
- How many phone calls to council does it take to change a lightbulb?
How many phone calls to the council does it take to change a lightbulb?
Council tenants have said that they are being left in the dark when it comes to reporting repairs in council housing, with broken lights and windows taking months to fix.
Green Councillors in Mancroft are concerned over the amount of time it is taking for repairs to be completed in council estates, with some issues, such as streetlights not working for over 9 months, leading to residents feeling unsafe in the area, and concerns over anti-social behaviour.
Multiple residents and Green Councillors in the ward have been consistently contacting the council to arrange repairs to streetlights in the area around Haslips Close & Greyhound Opening since before May 2023, yet the council has so far failed to carry out the repairs.
While the Haslips Close area is part of the City Council’s flagship new social housing development, which the council is keen to note has won major national awards, the council is failing on the basics. Residents have said that repairs aren’t being carried out on-time, including broken windows and flooding issues taking over a year to repair.
Sally Reynolds, a resident of Greyhound Opening since 2019, said: “The worst thing is that the council doesn’t even acknowledge that I have been reporting the broken lights for months. It feels like local people are being left in the dark by the council, and unsafe in our neighbourhoods. It shouldn’t take months to repair some lights. The council should get on with it.”
Another resident, Marc Wernicke, said: “Seeing these light posts out of order for at least a year and a half now has been very frustrating. It adds to the perception of this newly built residential area already being in a state of decay and neglect. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the lack of lighting also makes the path feel unsafe particularly during the dark season.”
Councillor Amanda Fox said: “One call to the council should be enough for repairs to be carried out in a timely fashion, and residents should be informed of any reasons for delays to the completion of these repairs. Tenants tell me that they are going in circles when reporting issues and are being promised repairs that never come to fruition. This case is just one example of the wider problems residents are facing when it comes to resolving issues in their homes and neighbourhoods. How many calls should it take to change a lightbulb?”
- Petition launched to help homeless
Petition launched to help homeless people survive freezing winter conditions in city
Green councillors have discovered the council’s support for homeless people in bad weather is inadequate, and are demanding shelter is provided more often.
Investigations have revealed that the Norwich City Council procedure for offering emergency accommodation in extreme weather circumstances is out of date and puts lives at risk. The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) that the council currently uses is usually triggered if three consecutive nights of zero degrees or below are anticipated.
However, guidance for local authorities released in October 2023 by Homeless Link recommends a more common-sense, compassionate approach to the protocol, whereby shelter should be provided before freezing temperatures are reached, and that all types of extreme weather should be considered, including storms, gales and snow, which could be the difference between life and death.
Green councillors are asking Norwich City Council to update its policy by:
· Opening emergency shelters before temperatures reach freezing, in line with best practice recommendations, and not waiting for three days of below freezing temperatures
· Taking into account rain, wind, and snow when deciding when to open shelters, to keep bad weather from making streets deadly for those sleeping on them
· Investing in council-owned temporary accommodation so that we can bring more people in from the streets permanently
Residents are being urged to urgently sign a petition to Norwich City Council to ensure that all homeless people are given warm shelter to protect them from freezing on our streets this winter. This can be found here:
Councillor Amanda Fox, who works as a homeless person’s support worker, said: “It’s inhumane that it takes three nights of freezing temperatures to get homeless people into shelter. It’s unacceptable to leave a person outside in any extreme weather, for even one night. With the increased cost of living, any of us could find ourselves in this position, and it’s time for the council to update their policy and bring people safely indoors more often.”
Councillor Gary Champion, shadow cabinet member for communities and social inclusion, said: “Like many other residents of our fine city. I am concerned that we aren’t doing all that we can to prevent deaths on our streets in the depths of winter. I would also like to encourage people who see vulnerable individuals sleeping rough to contact Streetlink, who can help connect these individuals to local services. Alternatively, Pathways, the Norwich group of agencies that engage with rough sleepers, can also be contacted on 01603 980 799.”
Our petition comes after a letter in the Guardian newspaper, printed on 11th December, highlighting concerns about the treatment of homelessness in the city. The letter cited two personal accounts of individuals left at risk of dying on our streets in recent months, and how they were not treated in line with best practice by the authorities. This shows the urgent need for change in council policies.
Green councillors have previously raised concerns about inadequate supply of temporary accommodation in the city, and about how much it costs to provide low-quality accommodation.
- Norwich declares a housing crisis
Norwich declares a housing crisisRights of renters strengthened by motion to Norwich City Council.
Councillors at Norwich City Council have voted through a raft of measures to try and ease the housing crisis for private renters in a motion led by the Green Party, including:
- A commitment to licence all landlords in the city, asking them to agree to a code of conduct and minimum standards for all properties
- Introducing a clear system for tenants to report rogue landlords who have failed to meet these minimum standards
- Investing in an enforcement team responsible for inspecting and investigating landlords where serious hazards are reported
- A commitment to consult on increasing council tax for second homes in the city
- Arranging meetings with housing organisations like Shelter and Acorn to discuss how the council can work better to improve renting in the city
- Calling on the government and UK Labour Party to back national rent controls, an end of unfair evictions and invest significantly in local councils and the police to enforce against bad landlords
At the time of the motion being proposed, Home.co.uk listed average rents in Norwich at £1486.
Nationally, private renters pay a larger proportion of their income on housing than any other tenure. Meanwhile, a significantly higher proportion of privately rented homes are estimated to fail the decent homes standard which are minimum standards for the quality of a home.
Furthermore, private rented properties are the most likely to be deemed unsafe with category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety rating system, meaning hazards where there is a risk of the most serious harm, such as death, permanent paralysis, permanent loss of consciousness, loss of a limb or serious fractures.
Alex Catt, Deputy Leader of the Green Group at City Hall and Shadow Cabinet member for housing and safer communities said: “The Green led motion at City Hall stands up for renters, committing our Labour-led council to finally use its available powers to protect renters in Norwich from unsafe properties and mistreatment by their landlords. We hope that the council now works quickly to implement these measures and urgently sets up meeting with us and the relevant organisations to discuss how the council can improve renting in the city.”
Ash Haynes, Shadow Cabinet member for Housing and Safer Communities said, “This motion is great news for the renters of Norwich who deserve to have safe, secure and affordable places to live. Good landlords who are genuinely fair with their tenants will not mind signing up to a licence ensuring they are meeting these standards. While it is important that we call on the government to end no fault evictions and to put the proper funding into our councils and our court system to enable renters to enforce their rights, the measures in this motion are achievable locally and can be delivered by our council”
Acorn Norwich, a renters union in the city said, “ACORN Norwich welcomes the motion’s passing and the proposed measures. However, we urge the council to act fast and implement the policy they say they support. Whilst they deliberate, renters are left paying eye-watering prices for unsuitable housing with no means to report rogue landlords. The council needs to act decisively and invest in addressing the housing crisis that is swallowing up the city.”
- Greens ask council to look again at where it banks
Greens ask council to look again at where it banks – for the climate’s sake
Green councillors are calling for money to be shifted away from fossil fuel-funding banks in a motion to Norwich city council.
The motion to the full council meeting on 28th November asks that Norwich City Council takes a stance on the role that the banking sector plays in financing the climate crisis.
The motion, proposed by Cllr Hannah Hoechner and seconded by Cllr Gary Champion, asks that the Leader of the Council lobbies the government to review current procurement legislation so that Councils can, in future, choose their bank based on its climate record. The motion also asks the Council to signpost resources to Norwich residents that can help them find out about their bank’s record on climate and about switching to a climate-friendly alternative.
At present, Norwich City Council relies on Barclays for its banking operations, and so do all other Norfolk Councils. Barclays is Europe’s largest funder of fossil fuels. Over 100 people have signed a recently launched petition by Norwich Friends of the Earth asking that Councils stop banking with Barclays when their contracts are up for renewal next year.
Current procurement legislation does not allow local councils to take into account the makeup and associated carbon footprint of a bank’s investments when choosing their banking partner. This means councils are unable to take carbon reduction into account in any meaningful way when procuring banking services.
Cllr Hoechner said: “Norwich City Council declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ and committed to reaching NetZero by 2030, and yet, we continue to hand over citizens’ money to Europe’s dirtiest bank. Barclays is Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels and the only major British bank not to have taken any steps to restrict investments in new oil and gas. Individuals can send Barclays a message and switch to a more ethical bank. Councils should also have the right to do so.”
Cllr Champion said:“Norwich City Council should be showing leadership on the issue of climate change and should not be investing money with banks that harm the environment. We need much better accountability for how our money is being used to make sure it is being invested for good and can help ensure we have a planet that is habitable today and into the future.”
Since the Paris Agreement was signed, the world’s 60 biggest banks have poured over $US 5.5 trillion into fossil fuel industries. Barclays has been Europe’s largest funder of fossil fuels for seven years running. From 2016-2022, it has given over £150bn to companies active across the fossil fuel life cycle. That is over ten times more than its competitors NatWest (just over £13bn) and Lloyds (just under £12bn), the other two banks currently providing banking services to local governments in the UK. Barclays is also the only major British bank not to have taken any steps to restrict investments in new oil and gas. In the period from 2016-2022, it has given over
£44bn to companies expanding fossil fuel exploitation, locking in future emissions. Unlike most other UK high street banks, Barclays continues to fund even the most polluting of fossil fuels, including offshore oil and arctic oil and gas.A range of campaign resources are available to people interested in finding out more about their bank’s climate record, and about switching to a more ethical bank, such as:
- Switch It Green,
- Make My Money Matter,
- Bank.Green.
- WE NEED MORE COUNCIL HOMES FOR THOSE ON THE STREETS
We need more COUNCIL homes for those on the streets
One family forced to move into a single room in Ipswich by Norwich council
As we see more and more vulnerable people sleeping on the streets, your Green councillors have been calling for more action from our Labour-run city council.
Greens believe everyone is entitled to a safe, secure place to stay. Work by Green councillors revealed that the council has spent
£2.3 million over the last 5 years on sub-standard private accommodation, due to the lack of suitable council-owned accommodation for those at risk of homelessness.
Councillor Alex Catt said “People facing homelessness deserve security and a decent place to live that will not require them to move away from work and family. We need more council-owned temporary accommodation to improve standards for those in need and also deliver these services in a cost-effective ways“
- SEWAGE DUMP FILLS RIVER WENSUM
Sewage dumping is filling the River Wensum
Greens are leading the fight against water companies dumping raw sewage
Recently Cllr Gary Champion and Cllr Gillian Francis brought a motion to the council that focused on how the River Wensum, which meanders its way through our fine city, needs a higher level of protection.
However,
n 2022, raw human sewage was dumped into the river for a total of 292 hours. Norwich is at the heart of an area of ecological importance, the majority of which is built up of designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and therefore the water quality of our river has a direct impact on the sustainability of this environment and downstream to the Norfolk coast.We all enjoy our rivers and seas, especially during the Summertime. In NR3 we are lucky to have Andersons Meadow, a space where people
from across the area and flock to, looking to be near the running water and surrounded by the green space. Spaces like this are under threat.
- Green councillors call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to illegal occupation in Palestine.
The Green Party Groups on Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council call for an immediate ceasefire to end the violence, and an end to the illegal occupation in Palestine.
The awful attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October were acts of brutal violence, and the hostages must be released unconditionally; at the same time, military actions that break international law should not be justified.
The current bloodshed, which must be seen within a context of decades of violence and injustice, must come to an end.
Over 700 civilians are being killed every day, including one child every ten minutes. The dire humanitarian situation is clearly intolerable, and an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian relief efforts are essential to protect the lives of innocent people.
Many of our residents have been reaching out to us as councillors to ask us to condemn the unacceptable violence sadly unfolding in the region. We are deeply concerned that neither the UK government nor the national and local leadership of the Labour Party have joined international calls for a ceasefire.
The Gaza ceasefire call has the backing of the United Nations, humanitarian aid agencies, three quarters of the British public, and an overwhelming number of countries, including Ireland and France. In this country, hundreds of thousands have been out on the streets peacefully calling for an end to the violence.
The long absence of meaningful political dialogue and of a peace process to end the illegal occupation has created a vacuum, which has been filled by those who offer violence as a solution. We call on all parties to push for an internationally arbitrated once-and-for-all settlement that fully ends the occupation of Palestinian territories, in accordance with the requirements of international law, that culminates in a two-state solution.
We also express our solidarity with everyone in Norwich affected by the ongoing violence, and condemn all forms of racism, including anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia. We hope that the other political groups at Norwich City Council will do the same and back our calls for a ceasefire.
Since the start of this conflict, Green Party councillors in Norwich have been raising this issue as a matter of urgency at Norwich City Council, calling on the Labour leadership of the council to publicly support a ceasefire in Palestine. To this date, we have submitted three questions to the leadership and proposed a motion in support of a ceasefire. All but one question (specifically regarding the choice to light up City Hall with the flag of Israel) were rejected, meaning they cannot be heard or debated.
- Norwich City Council placed on list of worst landlords in the country by Housing Watchdog.
Norwich City Council placed on list of worst landlords in the country by Housing Watchdog.
Urgent overhaul demanded by Greens.
The Green Party is calling for an urgent review into Norwich City Council’s management of council homes across the city after a damning report from the Housing Ombudsman found the council to be among the worst performing landlords in the country.
In a report published last month, the Housing Ombudsman urged the council to make improvements and for the Cabinet Member responsible for this area to carry out a review, after finding a 100% maladministration rate in the findings made in 2022-23, the highest of any council in the country, compared to a national average of 55%.
In every single finding, the council was forced to pay out for their failure to handle complaints from tenants across the city.
The Social Housing Regulations Act, which will come into effect early next year, introduces higher standards for landlords like Norwich City Council, and will give the watchdog powers to dish out unlimited fines to those landlords found breaching these rules. This will put Norwich City Council at significant financial risk if it continues on this path.
Alex Catt, Deputy Leader of the Green Group at City Hall said, “This report mirrors the reality that tenants face on the ground here in Norwich. Countless council tenants come to us for help feeling as though the council is completely ignoring them whether it is damp and mould, a lack of basic amenities, pests or general household repairs.”
“The Council is sitting on its hands while its housing stock is crumbling around them, with residents facing the brunt. We echo the concerns raised by the Housing Ombudsman and are demanding urgent action to resolve these issues so that tenants can feel warm, secure and safe in their homes.”
Ash Haynes, Shadow Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety for the Green Party said, “Green councillors across the city regularly take on cases from mistreated council tenants and fight to get them the repairs they need. Meanwhile we have been calling for an overhaul to the housing repairs reporting system to prevent tenants falling through the cracks. We urge the Labour administration to look at this again.”
Andrea Waldron, a resident on Gertrude Road who has had multiple serious issues during her tenancy with Norwich City Council said, “It shouldn’t be this difficult to be a council tenant. Since moving in, the issues have been endless and have put a huge strain on my physical and mental health.”
“Whether it is a shower that doesn’t work properly, damp and mould spreading in my property, the lack of extractor fans where they are needed, anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood or other basic repairs, I am ignored by this council. At one point they even uncapped a live gas pipe in my garden. My emails do not get replies, my complaints are brushed off, contractors either don’t show up or give you no notice and through all of this, the most basic issues take months to get sorted, usually only by contacting a councillor.”
“Over the last couple of months, being ignored by the council has meant our drain has been blocked to the point that raw sewage seeped outside and through my walls, holes in my walls and pipes have meant that rats have gotten in yet again, leaving urine and faeces around my home while destroying food I can’t afford to replace. I am at breaking point and they don’t seem to care”.
