Liberal Democrat Manifesto South Hams District Council – The South Hams is unique and glorious place to live in It has landscape second to none and vibrant towns and local communities that make it very special However, dig below the surface and there are many very worrying underlying trends and sources of concern The serious lack of affordable housing and soaring rents are causing real hardship as well as damaging the local economy We have an ageing population with all the care and support needs that implies There are pockets of real deprivation as well as issues of rural isolation and loneliness Our local infrastructure is inadequate and not serving the needs of communities or the local economy The effects of climate change and biodiversity loss are already knocking at our door We need to deal with these fundamental issues effectively and urgently and work towards realisable vision of the South Hams as place with the best environment for people and for nature and which is resilient in the face of an increasingly uncertain future To deliver this vision we have developed ambitious and challenging policies that are presented in this manifesto as six major policy areas These policy areas are not independent but are designed to form part of coherent programme and each policy will contribute to our climate change and biodiversity loss agenda, and to the building of sustainable, resilient communities across the South Hams If the good people of South Hams give us control of the Council, we will immediately start the work of delivering the policies in this Manifesto over the next four years At the heart of this manifesto is the need to work in partnership with communities and to involve them in all aspects of the work of the Council and the journey ahead Note: To avoid clutter, many policies have bookmark link to further details in the imaginatively named ‘Further Policy Details’ section of this document Click on the ▶ symbol to view the details, then use the back button to return Page of Housing The provision of affordable and social housing will be priority We need to provide homes for our key workers, and for the many other residents that are struggling to find affordable places to live This applies to all ages but especially the young and the elderly We need these homes to allow our communities to thrive We will resist the building of any more market-value homes except where the need is properly established and there is community support Set up company to enable the Council to build houses without delay ▶ Review all existing capital projects to ensure the construction of council owned and housing association houses is key part of capital spending Review all land owned by the Council and assess its suitability for affordable council owned housing ▶ Invest in suitable property in our towns and villages to provide affordable and social rented accommodation ▶ Give priority to truly affordable and social rented housing by mandating these as high proportion of all new developments Ensure diverse mix of high quality accommodation of different types and tenures, so that everyone can find suitable home Support the delivery of specialist accommodation, including for older residents, in way that enables people to remain within their existing communities Work to ensure that all new developments are carbon neutral as far as is truly possible, including the build, their use as homes, and the infrastructure that serves them All new developments to be connected to the nearest town or village centre by segregated cycle routes and/or other means of carbon efficient transport All new homes built should be primary residence only ▶ Charge all holiday and second homes double council tax Employ innovative methods to deliver affordable and social housing ▶ Page of Environment Climate change and the degradation of our planet are the world’s greatest challenge Time is rapidly running out and we all must play our part As Local Authority we must provide the crucial leadership and resources necessary so that together with partners across the district we can effect the changes needed and build on the opportunities that greening our local economy presents Commit to investing £M per year to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss ▶ Set up Climate Change Working Group within the Council that will include representatives from community groups and organisations from across the district to help coordinate projects, allocate resources and to harness their expertise and energy Review the Council’s Climate Change action plan and develop an integrated plan with partners to reduce emissions and develop low emissions green economy ▶ Develop network of Electric Bicycle hubs across the District Add electric car charging points in car parks Add Photo Voltaic (PV) over all our car-parks ▶ Introduce incentives to decrease waste generation and encourage reuse of containers and other materials Work with communities to establish local composting schemes Support and encourage Local Nature Reserves ▶ Improve local bus services Work with partners to develop integrated schemes that provide affordable, reliable and efficient transport for rural areas Develop an integrated plan to encourage consumption of local produce and to significantly reduce food miles in the South Hams Work closely with our farming community to increase the availability of local produce, to encourage regenerative approach, to support farm shop initiatives and to help our farmers become an important anchor in local green economy Introduce an incentivised rating scheme of environmental sustainability for our tourism industry Support and encourage community energy production ▶ Protect our wildlife by working with partners and parishes across the district to create network of wildlife-corridors, and where necessary provide the means for wildlife to overcome man-made barriers, such as busy roads Work with partners to encourage tree planting across the district in both rural and urban settings Page of Work with businesses to reduce plastics pollution ▶ Work with DCC, partners and the public to reduce light pollution, which is disruptive to nocturnal animals and intrudes on our ability to enjoy the night sky With partners, establish Dark Sky sites across the district Discourage the use of glyphosate herbicide by providing service to Town and Parish Councils using alternative environmentally friendly technologies Review possible use of Foamstream, unit cost ~£k Planning & Enforcement Over recent years the planning and enforcement function of the Council has left lot to be desired Applicants have experienced unacceptable delays and enforcement issues not being progressed in timely manner It is clear these services need more resources At the same time our Joint Local Plan (JLP) will be reviewed during This is a great opportunity to improve our delivery of affordable and environmentally sustainable housing It will also allow us to lay down our strategic approach to economic development in the South Hams We will not hesitate to challenge central government diktats that harm our local communities Boost the numbers of planning officers, including enforcement, tree and landscape officers and work to improve retention of staff in these key posts Introduce full life-cycle carbon cost assessment to include the potential for the reuse of materials in the determination of planning applications All new builds to be carbon neutral in respect of the build, energy and infrastructure ▶ All applications will be required to demonstrate an increase net biodiversity ▶ ‘Primary residency’ to be part of the planning rules for the whole South Hams implemented through changes to the Joint Local Plan ▶ Remove all thresholds when assessing applications for affordable housing Enforce strict adherence to s and planning conditions, especially on large developments Where sites are allocated in the Joint Local Plan, we will seek for these to be developed by local agents and developers with proven track record and which can deliver the affordable and social housing we need We will challenge the unreasonable and damaging housing targets imposed by central government on the Council and its partners in the Joint Local Plan Page of Town Centres and the Economy We are lucky to have four vibrant market towns in the South Hams We also have a number of smaller but equally important community centres including Salcombe and South Brent Our objective is to support the local economy, strengthen the opportunities for small and innovate businesses and community enterprises, and help build the skills for the green economy, as well as enabling more sustainable travel options for commuting and leisure We also recognise the enormous pressures arising from the cost of living crisis and we commit to spending Council funds wisely and to minimise any increases in Council tax Create business focused forum through which the Council can work in partnership with all sectors as well as Town and Parish Councils to provide a coordinated approach to creating thriving and sustainable local economy Continue to support expansion of high-speed internet throughout the South Hams Town centre car parking charges will be reviewed to ensure they are in line with the needs of businesses and the community and the need to reduce the use of cars This will be part of Travel Plan Recognise the importance of public toilets and review the provision Keep our current public toilets open and make them all free to use Support our local leisure and community centres Protect sites (like Baltic Wharf) from unnecessary and damaging developments and change of use and ensure they are used to build local sustainable economy for the benefit of all Ensure that projects that have demonstrated community support and benefits, such as the Totnes ATMOS project, are fully backed by the Council and may be progressed by the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders The Council's Capital Investment strategies to be based on investment in local community projects and businesses ▶ Support our local high streets in towns and villages through investment Provide incentives for local start-up businesses Work to build local green sustainable economy ▶ Create Council owned company for property and ground maintenance Page of Local Democracy and Governance The direction of the Council needs to be set by elected members The role of officers is to implement the wishes of its members The Council has many hard-working and talented officers but the current Scheme of Delegation means officers are not properly held to account by members All decisions concerning capital projects and other strategic matters will in future be taken by elected councillors and there will be better oversight of all projects We will also ensure there is full and ongoing dialogue with Town and Parish Councils, and community organisations, to ensure we work in partnership with local communities from inception to completion of all projects We will introduce changes to the Council’s Constitution to ensure elected members are able to properly and effectively deliver this mandate and can respond to the wishes of the residents which the Council is there to serve ▶ Create Town & Parish Council forum to inform strategy and investment in our communities We will work closely with partners and ensure their expertise and local knowledge informs decisions Democracy will not end at the ballot box but will be the beginning of dialogue with our communities and their representatives Strengthen the team of ‘Localities Officers’ that have huge variety of roles from monitoring public bins and toilets to assessing homes that have applied for funds to adapt them for resident’s disability Localities Officers are out in our communities everyday doing essential work and need better systems and resources Review the entire capital and investment program ▶ Review our waste collection and recycling scheme and involve our Town and Parish Councils in deciding the way ahead Ensure there is regular and uniform street sweeping and litter picking service for all our towns and villages Improve the Planning and Enforcement services ▶ Devolve assets, including car parks, to relevant Town & Parish Councils ▶ Create community/social enterprise support and development hub with dedicated officers Work with schools and youth organisations to give young people voice so that they feel more included in the discussions leading to decisions that affect them Review all in-house IT systems ▶ Review the decision to have no receptionist at Follaton House Page of ▶ Health, Wellbeing, Protection and Support The health and wellbeing of all, young and old, and especially the most vulnerable, is paramount Much like the need for all policies to take into account climate change and biodiversity loss, all polices will be required to ensure they promote fairness, equality, and access for all Supporting our local leisure and community centres Protecting green spaces and increasing tree preservation orders Supporting the construction of cycle paths and traffic free cycle routes Playparks and other assets should belong to their communities Work with volunteer and community groups in partnership Work to tackle poverty ▶ Support Dartmoor National Park and the Dartmoor Preservation Society in its campaign to restore the right to camp on the moor End of our manifesto Page of Further Policy Details This section contains additional notes on the manifesto policies listed above It provides extra details The ▶ symbols in the manifesto link directly to the relevant part of this section Housing Back to manifesto Housing policies ▶ The average house price in the South Hams has increased by % in the last years According to ONS - Affordability data, and the ratio of lower quartile house price (£,) to lower quartile gross earnings (£,) is now is now , which makes the South Hams member of the worst % local authorities for affordability in England and Wales Affordable housing is defined in the Nation Planning Policy Framework as homes that are % lower than the local average prices However, mortgage lenders are unlikely to lend more than times earnings So given gross income of £,, this implies a borrowing limit of £, for lower quartile earner and an unrealistic deposit of £, on £, house The average savings of lower quartile earner are £, The overall average is £, The rented sector is therefore hugely important and the South Hams is classified by central government as being High Affordability Pressure Area, which is where the difference between the average social rents and private rents is £ per week or more We need truly affordable homes and social housing with mix of tenure types to address these fundamental issues Local Housing Company Set up Local Housing Company through which the Council will seek to rebuild a stock of social housing/accommodation Reason: The district needs mix of truly affordable housing and social housing The Council needs to rebuild its stock of social housing across the district so that it is provided close to where it is needed It is currently very difficult to do this directly as a Council as may then need to operate Housing Revenue Account (HRA) if the stock increased beyond the limit and which comes with raft of onerous regulations The Council is Registered Provider (RP) which presents further issues not least being proposed legislation to extend the Right to Buy to RPs Sales would result in receipts, but these are rarely sufficient and means the Council is on treadmill The proposed company seeks to avoid these burdens and would allow the Council to once again hold stable and increasing stock of social housing as it used to prior to when it was all sold off Page of Review of all land owned by SHDC There will be detailed review of all land owned by SHDC along with its other fixed assets SHDC currently owns plots of land of varying size totalling Ha (See also Local Democracy section below) Reason: We need to be able to provide accommodation where it is needed and to build portfolio of properties that is guided by need but cannot be met by new builds or other means Furthermore, in / the Council was in receipt of £M from the government’s Community Housing Fund Much of this was spent on land which has not been effectively deployed and either needs to be disposed of or used Some will be suitable for affordable housing a Ropewalk, Kingsbridge Use the Ropewalk site in Kingsbridge to build mix of truly affordable homes and Council owned social housing Reason: This site is owned by the Council and so does not have acquisition costs and should be used to address the lack of affordable/social housing and to create a flagship of how such site can be developed without introducing market-value housing Property Acquisitions The Council needs to acquire suitable properties as they become available, including flats over shops and other small properties Reason: We need to be able to provide affordable homes where it is needed without resorting to new builds Primary Residency Through the use of restrictive covenants and or s planning agreements, both of which run with the title of property and are legally enforceable, we would seek to ensure that all new developments are for primary residence only (See House of Commons Library paper that outlines and provides examples ) Reason: To reduce the number of homes being built or sold on, as buy-to-lets or second-homes, and to make homes more readily available to local people Explore Innovative Delivery Evaluate the many alternative ways of delivering truly affordable homes through modular houses, -D printed houses, caravan park homes and other means, and deploy as appropriate Reason: The need for affordable housing is urgent Modern techniques can greatly reduce the build time, significantly reduce costs and deliver very energy efficient homes Page of Environment Back to manifesto Environment policies ▶ There is lot of jargon associated with climate change and the environment The one that is used lot here is eCO This is simply the equivalent carbon dioxide that would have the same global warming potential as mix of greenhouses gasses that might include CO, methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases Some gases have a higher global warming potential than others and this is measured by considering their greenhouse effect and their persistence Methane has much higher greenhouse effect than CO but very much shorter half-life (although as its concentration in the atmosphere rises, so does its half-life … which is why it is so important to act now to reduce methane emissions) Financial Budget Commitment There will be an annual budget allocation of at least £M or % of the Council's annual budget earmarked for Climate Change and Biodiversity projects This fund will be managed by Climate Change and Biodiversity Committee, which will also include representatives from local organisations and experts Reason: There are many things the Council can and should be doing We need to involve partners across the district to build coherent programme that will deliver the change that is now so urgent Review of the Council's Climate Change Action Plan Reason: It currently fails to begin to address the enormity of what we face and needs radical surgery so that it provides clear path with measurable targets revised Action Plan will include but will not be limited to: Targeted Home Insulation Loan and Grant Programme to reduce domestic energy consumption by % Domestic carbon emissions account for about % of the total Properly insulated homes are therefore essential to reduce emissions and to reduce energy costs However, recent study (the Energy Crisis Report) suggests that to reduce emissions by % would cost £M, which is way beyond the resources of SHDC So we need to target the most vulnerable and look at how to get the best affordable efficiency gains from the , properties identified in the report by:  creating comprehensive list of properties to target, with eCO reduction assessment and funding eligibility Work with local partners and share resources like infrared cameras etc  promoting encouraging and helping with Energy Company Obligation - ECO , which will help those on qualifying benefits;  encouraging and supporting Energy Company Obligation - LA FLEX , which will help those on low incomes but not on benefits;  engage with the Energy Redress Fund to ensure all those who are eligible receive help; Page of  encouraging Lendology claims, which will help those who can afford low interest loan;  building register of private landlords and working with them to ensure all rented accommodation is EPC band or above Energy usage reduction linked to Council Tax Reduction Incentives Better insulation will reduce the demand for energy but there is also need to reduce demand by lowering heating levels and encouraging the 'heat the body not the building' approach Those eligible for CTR will be able to apply for help; for instance for free locally made eco-friendly Hooded Blanket Traffic Reduction Plan Commercial and private travel accounts for +% of local emissions The move to electric vehicles (EV) will take time and require huge investment Devon County Council is planning to provide charge points across Devon by , as well as gullies in pavements to allow on-street charging However, the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders (SMMT) says we will need to million Chargepoints by Based on population, this means , in Devon and , in the South Hams It is hoped the private sector will fill this very large gap in the next years, but there are many challenges, not least the availability of batteries, the capacity of the grid, and the availability of green power So, alongside the move to EV we need to considerably reduce the number and length of journeys, by:  Working with groups and DCC to promote active travel and to develop walking and cycle routes and to make bids for Active Travel Grants  Improving public transport availability by working with local providers to develop sustainable strategies; multi-function usage, demand-led services, integrated booking systems, etc  With partners develop car sharing and load sharing schemes based on a modern booking and reward systems that will also allow complex journey patterns  Providing range of incentive schemes  Helping establish car clubs  Reducing workplace parking and encourage public/shared commuter schemes  Targeting the need to reduce journeys through an integrated, well designed scheme that addresses the complex causes of traffic volumes on our roads comprehensive plan to build sustainable local Green Economy Driving down eCO emissions is big challenge Keeping them down is just as big a challenge We need to established local economy which has minimal carbon cost (zero or net zero) and one that protects and enhances the environment green economy is one that by definition delivers this There are many models on how to achieve green economy and we will work with partners like the Exeter University Page of Centre for Circular Economy However, it is clear that controlling, directing and managing growth is central to creating green economy It is also necessary to create the right conditions and infrastructure:  Encourage investment in the renewable energy sector including the skills to support and maintain Build on the Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) initiative which will create many skilled green jobs and opportunities (see Baltic Wharf )  Work with partners to ensure the district has the cross-section of skills to increase the efficiency of homes, install and maintain PVs, install and maintain EV charge points, etc  Encourage and support the re-use and re-purposing of items and to promote the ideals of Circular Economy where ever possible  Work to overhaul the Joint Local Plan (JLP) so that all developments are carbon neutral, both during development and once occupied, and to ensure that any new housing development is addressing local need by applying covenant, and that there is fully appraised biodiversity threshold reached The current formula of requiring net gain in biodiversity is flawed and there needs to be a minimum threshold that applies to all sites unless there are exceptional reasons not to  Work with partners to ensure there are climate-cafe/drop-in centres in every town in the South Hams and to use these to engage with residents and businesses on how they can meet the challenges of Climate Change and Biodiversity loss and to establish an on-going dialogue with the public on what the Council is or should be doing Install PV over Car Parks Installing solar PV panels over car park is cheaper and more effective than installing on rooftops The Council owns car parks, many of which could have solar panels installed over the parking bays to generate power for EV charge points and for local businesses and households where possible The following calculation demonstrates the potential and assumes only % of the , parking bays will be suitable (possibly due to shade from buildings or trees) Number of parking bays: / = The standard size of parking bay is m m = m So total available area of , m It is general accepted that the peak output from square metre solar panel is Wp giving ~ kWp overall Then using the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System we get an annual figure of ~ MWh, which according to Ofgen, is enough to power approximately homes Local Energy Production Local energy production can take many forms and include mix of technologies:  Local community solar farms (Power Allotments)  Local community owned on-shore wind turbines  Mini hydroelectric (