Basildon Green Party manifesto ahead of May 2 election

Ahead of the election on May 2, the Green Party has released a manifesto taking aim at the Tory administration’s roll-out of new bin collections as well as the deal to see Vue cinema take over the town’s empty cinema at the East Square development.

The party has insisted that “weekly collections are ideal” for residents and promised to “get council finances to a position where it can be afforded again”.

They also vow to collaborate with neighbouring authorities to explore the feasibility of a tram system connecting Basildon’s towns.

Eugene McCarthy, chair for the South West Essex Green Party, said: “Basildon is facing tough times, and it is clear the old parties Conservatives, Labour, and Independents have failed to deliver the needs of our communities.

“Instead of focusing on the essentials, they have all pursued reckless vanity projects that do little to make residents’ lives better. It is time for better.

“Our platform focuses on getting the basics done right: a Local Plan that sticks, a functioning bin system, and high streets with shops in them.

“Our policy platform won’t promise pie-in-the-sky plans we know we can’t implement. We have got to get a strong foundation built here in Basildon so we can prosper in years to come.”

The Green Party has also pledged to conduct “rigorous feasibility studies and risk assessments” for projects receiving significant council funding.

They say this is to “avoid wasting taxpayers’ money on unviable schemes like the £30m Basildon cinema”.

The party will also prioritise the redevelopment of abandoned land and brownfield sites for new housing and oppose inappropriate green belt development. There are also plans to trial a four-day work weeks for council staff, which they say has shown to increase overall productivity in other UK councils.

The Echo will be publishing manifestos or election commitments for all political parties in the run-up to the May 2 election.