Vote for a beautiful & thriving countryside for all
13th June 2024
Our manifesto for the next Government
CPRE believes in countryside and green spaces that are accessible to all, rich in nature and that play a crucial role in responding to the climate emergency.
We want to see political parties commit to support common-sense and practical policies that would help secure a thriving countryside for generations to come.
Nationally, CPRE has published a manifesto that outlines our key asks.
- Fix the broken housing market in rural communities
- Recognise the importance of the countryside next door
- Start the rooftop renewables revolution
- Reform the planning system to serve both people and place.
In Oxfordshire, we are also supporting the Nature 2030 campaign, with key policy asks around nature’s recovery.
Questions for candidates
Help us make sure countryside & environment issues are kept firmly on the agenda. See below for some suggested questions to ask your candidates.
Hustings
We will be holding a Countryside & Environment Hustings at 6.30pm on Monday 1st July at Yarnton village hall.
This will be chaired by Roger Mortlock, the Chief Executive at National CPRE.
To find out more about what to expect, look at our hustings event page or book your place here
Here are some of the other hustings events we are aware of so far (feel free to let us know of any others you think would be relevant):
- Monday 17 June, 7.30pm, Didcot Civic Hall – Nature & Climate hustings being organised by BBOWT – more info here.
- Friday 21 June, 6.30pm, St Andrews Church, East Hagbourne – Climate hustings being organised by Churn Churches Climate Action Group and Bioabundance – questions in advance to bioabundance@gmail.com
- Monday 24th, 7.30pm to 9pm. – Hustings organised by Henley Standard in conjunction with Greener Henley, at Christ Church in Reading Road, Henley. More info here
- Thursday evening, 27th June – Witney / Friday 8am, 28th June – Banbury – The National Farmers Union is arranging hustings for its members (to include family members and members’ staff): https://www.nfuonline.com/regions/nfu-south/
- Friday 28th June, 6.30pm, River & Rowing Museum, Henley – River hustings, organised by River Action UK. More info here
- Tuesday 2 July, 7pm, Steventon Village Hall – Election debate on water issues incl. Abingdon Reservoir, water pollution and more – more info here.
Restore Nature Now March, Sat 22 June
The Restore Nature Now March in London on Sat 22 March is aiming to be the biggest gathering of people for nature and climate that the UK has ever seen. It hopes to be both a celebration of British nature and a protest calling for urgent political action on the nature and climate emergencies.
Find out more here: https://www.restorenaturenow.com/
Oxfordshire attendees are invited to join a meet up and photo opp at 12.15 in Hyde Park, next to where the march will assemble, at 12.15 on the day.
Useful Information
Input your postcode here to find out more about who is standing, where your station is and local council contact details.
- You can register to vote here (by 18 June).
- Remember voters in England now need to show photo ID to vote!
This election time, please help CPRE speak up for the Oxfordshire countryside.
Questions for Candidates
Please help us make sure countryside and environment issues remain firmly on the political agenda.
Below are some possible questions for your local candidates. (You can find out who they are here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information )
Affordable housing
Oxfordshire and the Country have a cost of housing crisis, however, despite large-scale building across the County, house prices have continued to rise relative to incomes.
Q. How would you tackle the cost of housing crisis?
Q. Do you agree that investment in employment growth should be primarily directed to areas of the country that need it, not areas like this which are already stressed?
Renewable Energy incl. solar
We need more renewable energy to tackle the climate emergency (particularly solar in Oxfordshire) but we have limited land and considerable demands for development, food production, nature and recreation.
Q. Given that all the solar energy Oxfordshire needs could be provided on rooftops, domestic and commercial, would you agree that industrial scale solar farms should not be permitted on green fields especially in the Green Belt?
Q. How would you encourage the accelerated take up of solar panels on domestic and commercial buildings?
Green Belt
Oxford’s Green Belt has served Oxford well, protecting the setting of the City and preserving the identities of the neighbouring towns and villages. Surveys consistently show there is overwhelming public support for leaving it undeveloped.
Q. Do you agree that the Green Belt needs stronger policy protection?
Nature
Our nature is in crisis. The government has a 30 by 30 plan for nature but progress is slow.
Q. How would you accelerate the protection and enhancement of nature across the UK and Oxfordshire?
Water
We have dirty rivers, leaking pipes and a seemingly broken water industry. Meanwhile, Thames Water is pushing ahead with its plans for a mega-reservoir near Abingdon.
Q. How would you achieve additional investment into our water systems?
Q. How would you ensure Thames Water considers more sustainable and adaptable solutions to future water supply, including fixing its leaks and water transfers?
Planning
Many say our planning system is slow and cumbersome and yet it is vital to protect our countryside and give local people a voice in the development of their County.
Q. Would you change our planning system and if so how and why?
Q. Would you support a more comprehensive approach to land use planning across Oxfordshire?
Transport
Our roads, towns and villages are congested with traffic and public transport in rural areas in generally poor.
Q. How would you reduce traffic congestion while enabling the free movement of people and goods and supporting rural communities?