Wondering who to vote for?

The local elections on May 7^th will make a big difference to the green actions that we see delivered in Lewisham. Read on for CAL guidance on what to ask your local candidates and canvassers, and to find out more about what the main parties are saying about the environment.

What to ask canvassers – the CAL guide

Opening your front door to find political canvassers on your doorstep can be stressful. You know it’s important to use your vote wisely, you have issues that you care about, but put on the spot you don’t know what to ask! Read on for some suggested questions if climate action and environment are important to you.

 

1. General Perspective on the Climate Emergency

Is tackling the climate emergency a priority for you and your party?

 

2. Council Activities

The Council and its social housing estate represent roughly 9% of carbon emissions in the borough. Do you have targets to reduce this? If so, how?

The carbon emissions associated with the Council’s supply chain (i.e. its purchase of goods and services) are estimated to be up to 20 times higher than their direct emissions. What are your plans to reduce emissions from your supply chain?

 

3. Housing

About half of the emissions in Lewisham are associated with energy use in our homes. How do you intend to support residents and landlords to reduce their carbon emissions from their homes?

 

4. Transport 

Transport accounts for approximately 30% of emissions in the Borough and also contributes to poor air quality. What plans do you have to reduce emissions from transport and improve air quality?  

 

5. Business

Business and commerce account for around 20% of the Borough’s emissions. What plans do you have to enable local businesses to reduce their emissions?

 

6. Community Energy

Community Energy projects can generate local clean power, cut bills and reinvest profits locally.  How will you support community energy projects in the Borough?

 

7. Biodiversity

Worryingly, Lewisham’s scores on biodiversity in the Climate Action Scorecards have declined. What do you think are the reasons for this? Are you committed to improving biodiversity in the Borough? If so, how will your achieve this?

What are Lewisham political parties saying about the environment?

To help you make up your mind we have summarised the main parties’ green initiatives here (listed in polling order). Click for a link to their manifestos (Reform did not have a manifesto for Lewisham at time of writing).

Housing: Deliver 1200 new affordable homes (800 for social rent) retrofit 1500 council homes for energy efficiency, and introduce a “Rent Repairs Charter” to target damp and mould. Install insulation and solar panels  in schools, community centres and libraries.  Help residents to reduce energy bills and carbon emission, supporting them with cost of living. 

Environment: Plant 4000 new trees. Reliable and regular bin collections, low cost bulky waste collection. Aim for 65% recycling rates by 2030. Tackle Fly tipping and anti social behaviour via town centre managers.  Protect and improve green spaces and parks. Enhance biodiversity and reduce flood risk by creating rain gardens in all feasible highway projects. Work with Env. Agency and charities to protect and enhance local rivers. 

Transport: Create more walking and cycling routes across the borough. More cycle parking at stations. Install 750 EV charging points and trial EV gullies for home charging. Work with community on parking issues. 

Sustainability: Continue to be a groundbreaking council on climate action, by ensuring that everyone in the council takes responsibility for climate change  and monitoring scope 3 emissions. 

Economy: Start up and green business incentives. Reduce food waste with schools and business partnerships.

Housing: Build 1000 new social homes. Stop the council selling off assets and prioritise building more energy-efficient, genuinely affordable housing. Establish Lewisham Community Builders,  a repairs and construction cooperative to build more family homes, expand retrofit of existing council homes and improve energy efficiency.  

Environment: Take action on the climate emergency at a local level. Deliver Safer, cleaner streets. Deliver an innovative anti fly tipping strategy and improve estate waste systems, organising community skip days, beautifying problem areas and increasing enforcement at hotspots. Enhance local green spaces, promote biodiversity, safeguard wildlife sites and increase tree cover. Make Lewisham a right to grow borough.  Engage residents to make beautiful council estate gardens. Cut emissions and drive environmental action. Expand renewable energy across the borough. 

Transport: Expand school streets, walking and cycling networks, and cargo bike infrastructure and cycle parking. Improve EV infrastructure and charging gullies. Hold dockless e-bike companies to account for parking. 

Economy: Build a green cooperative economy. Develop an industrial skills strategy to support enterprise in retrofit, green energy, construction sectors. Improve training opportunities for young people to deliver jobs in retrofit, construction and renewable energy.

Anti net zero policies: Oppose current climate initiatives, such as ULEZ and LTNS, advocating for removal of LTNs. 

Cleaner Streets: Tackle Fly tipping and improving the local environment

Housing Publish repair backlogs, clear service standards, and a rapid-response approach for damp, mould, electrical hazards, and other serious risks. Take a firmer line on development so residents can see the difference between needed homes and bad planning.

Environment: Introduce a 48-hour triage target for reported fly-tips and same-week clearance for priority locations such as schools, parks, shopping parades, and town centres. Map repeat dumping locations and target them with barriers, lighting, CCTV where justified, and tougher enforcement. Publish a public clean-up map so residents can see what has been reported, what has been cleared, and where repeat offences remain.

Transport: Review LTNs and traffic measures using published evidence, proper consultation, and honest before-and-after reporting. Press TfL on reliability, accessibility, and better connections where residents feel cut off. Prioritise basics people notice every day: roads, pavements, crossings, and street lighting.

Economy: Commission an independent value-for-money review focused on waste, duplication, and programmes that do not deliver results.

Housing: Retrofit home insulation, install solar and heat pumps and a planning system that prioritises nature. Channel council funds into sustainable channels, not fossil fuels. 

Transport: Slash rail prices, reform fuel duty, lower cap on bus fares, boost cycle parking, install EV charging.  

Environment: A council that gives nature, air quality and climate the priority they deserve. Clean up fly-tipping by use of data enforcement. Alleviate cost of bulk waste using community skips. Increase opening times of tip. 

Economy transition to an economy judged not only by GDP but access to care, secure work, affordable housing and clean air.

 

Please note that Climate Action Lewisham is a non-party political charitable organisation. CAL does not act on behalf of or support any political party. Information presented above is intended to support residents to make informed decisions about their voting choices.