Green budget proposal

6th March 2009

The Green Party has put forward proposals for the city's budget for
2009/10 which focus on saving Council jobs and creating employment in the city.

The Greens' main budget proposal is to introduce a "Green New Deal" for
Sheffield, which would bring business opportunities and hundreds of jobs
in manufacturing; transport; the building and refurbishment of homes;
local food growing and distribution networks; and the repair, re-use and
recycling of waste.

The Greens also want the Council to give its officers the choice of
taking voluntary short time work. Money saved from the redundancy fundwill be sent on saving jobs in libraries and in City Centre Security. The
Greens would create posts for park wardens and an additional allotment
officer.

Other Green proposals include cutting fuel bills by extending the
Affordable Warmth scheme to include "hard to treat" homes and making
improvements to District Heating schemes;

Finally, they propose to reduce the cost permits in permit parking zones by 50% for residents and businesses.

Cllr Creasy said, we have shown how to avoid job losses and create business opportunities in projects which will also reduce costs for householders. World leaders are talking about a New Deal to see us through this recession. Sheffield can and should lead the way at local level."

ENDS