From rent controls to publicly owned buses – Scottish Greens launch 2022 local election manifesto

The Scottish Green Party has today launched its manifesto for the 2022 local elections. Under the banner of ‘think global, act local’, the manifesto emphasises a desire to bring issues of climate and social justice to the delivery of local public services.

Key commitments in the manifesto include:

• Pushing councils to divest from fossil fuels, nuclear weapons and the arms trade
• Bringing local bus services into public ownership
• Making schools LGBTIQA+ inclusive
• Bringing care workers’ wages in line with NHS staff
• Implementing rent controls at a local level
• Ensuring all councils have a zero-waste plan by 2025
• Reviewing local authority processes for dealing with sexual harassment in schools
• Insourcing care at home and care home services “where appropriate”
• Providing free bus travel for refugees and asylum seekers

Speaking ahead of the launch, Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater said,

We are working for Scotland in government, tackling the climate emergency and the cost of living through things like free bus travel for young people and doubling the Scottish Child Payment.

Now, with record investment in nature restoration, recycling and active travel, and the biggest teacher recruitment drive in 15 years, we need more councillors to deliver this work in our communities.

This can only be done if you give your Scottish Greens candidate your first preference vote, which is why we are asking voters to Think Global and Act Local on May 5th.

All local council seats are up for election in Scotland this year, with the Greens hopeful of making gains. The Scottish Greens currently have 17 seats in local councils, making them the fifth largest party in Scottish local government.

The Scottish Greens’ manifesto can be read in full here.