OUR SOCIETY

COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING

The last 10 years of Tory austerity have been devastating for communities. The pandemic has recently made these inequalities worse. We believe that community projects which patch up failings in government policy should be supported and rewarded, rather than being allowed to burn out. We also believe that people in communities know what’s best for their community, and so should be at the centre of future decision-making.


Green Councillors will work to;

  • Support community projects which were established in the pandemic, to keep them going and to expand. The problems created by the pandemic continue, so it’s important to keep these groups running. They need support to prevent their volunteers burning out, and to find long-term solutions to keep them viable for as long as they’re needed.

  • Prepare the Highlands for the Cooperation Agreement’s Community Wealth Building Bill, which will prioritise a people-centred approach to local economic development, redirecting wealth back into the local economy, and decentralising control and benefits into the hands of local people.

  • Support more local social enterprises; maximise community benefits through spending; increase fair work practises; grow the social, ecological and economic value from land and property; ensure that flows of investment work for local people.

  • Support and strengthen Community Councils who do an amazing amount of unpaid work. We will make sure they are properly funded, having costs such as insurance covered, and are more accountable to the communities they represent.

  • Help communities to run, own or have more say over their local community infrastructure such as buildings, parks and sports facilities.

  • Make ethical policies a condition of any Council-funded support. Council should use public money to reward good behaviour such as paying the Living Wage and taking environmental responsibility.

  • Welcome refugees and asylum seekers into the Highlands and ensure they have the support services they need and are able to use their skills to contribute to society.

ART, CULTURE, SPORT

The Arts and culture reflect and define how communities see themselves. A vibrant arts scene benefits tourism and is a vital tool in keeping young people in the Highlands. In a time of economic difficulty it is all too easy to cut spending on arts provision, but it is essential that we do not fall into this trap.


Good sports facilities are essential to improving the health of our citizens.


Green Councillors will work to:

  • Support increased funding into the arts

  • Encourage young people to become involved in drawing up an events strategy, designed to improve the Highlands as a place for young people

  • Continue to encourage the interest in and growth of Gaelic

  • Improve sports facilities, ensure they are not all centralised in a few locations, and that they are conveniently sited for public transport

  • Support community-led festivals