The Green Party believes the proposed cuts are based on ideology, not necessity, and are deeply unfair. They say they will particularly impact on those least able to cope, the young, families, and those on low incomes, including many elderly.

In particular the Party is calling on councillors to reject cuts that are proposed to sports development work and play work, to the arts and festivals, to community involvement and consultation and to front line jobs that are needed to maintain good quality services.

Exeter Green Party is calling for a raft of alternative measures they say could protect services by utilising council assets to generate and increase revenue. In the short term the Party proposes a 10% increase in city centre parking charges to prevent damaging cuts. Andrew Bell, Exeter Green Party policy officer said:

“A rise in city centre parking charges is the easiest and quickest way of raising the revenue needed to prevent the worst of the cuts. Exeter City Council currently generates around £3 million a year from its car parks. A 10% increase could secure some additional £300,000 in revenue, enough to protect the whole arts and festivals budget and continue to support sports and play work. This would only be an inflationary increase plus 5% and would be in line with increases we are seeing in the costs of using public transport.”

The Party is also calling for the City Council to explore longer term revenue raising measures. In particular, they would like to see income raised by placing solar panels on council properties and premises to generate renewable electricity. This would reduce costs by providing free electricity and generate an income from exporting surplus electricity to the national grid.

Green Party Chair, Audaye Elesedy said:

“We urge councillors to reject any cuts that will have a detrimental effect on the wellbeing of people in Exeter. We need a bold and imaginative approach which seeks to protect services by utilising council assets to generate and increase revenue. This will make Exeter and the City Council far more resilient in the face of the ideologically driven cuts agenda set by the Con-Dem government”.

Exeter Green Party also proposed alternative viewpoints during the 'Tough Choices' consultation by Devon County Council: see the document