Prospective Green Mayor's plans

WILL PATTERSON

THE Green Party's Mayoral candidate has put forward a plan to tackle Greater Manchester's housing crisis and homelessness.

Will Patterson, who is hoping to be elected as Greater Manchester Mayor on May 4, wants to throw out the controversial Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, which could see homes being built on the region's green belt, and replace it with a people's housing plan.

Mr Patterson, an IT project administrator from Wigan, has been a Green Party member since September 2014 and chairman of Wigan and Leigh Green Party since November 2014.

If elected, he aims to reopen homeless shelters that closed in 2015.

The Green Party has made no secret about its belief that the devolution deal has many flaws. The party believes local politicians are being asked to do more with less support.

He announced the policies at a manifesto launch party on Monday in Manchester's Northern Quarter bar TwentyTwentyOne.

The manifesto also included big plans for public transport, with plans to extend the Metrolink network through an "outer circle" connecting the towns of Greater Manchester, and through new lines to connect Bolton, Stockport and Wigan to the network.

There will also be a plan to have a network of London-style "low emission zones" placing the heaviest burden on the heaviest polluters while minimising the impact on low emission vehicles and everyday travellers.

Mr Patterson said: "People who have fallen on hard times need security and stability, and the current model, which expects homeless people with substance misuse issues or mental health problems to show improvement before they become eligible for housing, is failing.

"I want to improve conditions for people who are renting, creating a Greater Manchester Renters Union to support tenant's campaign for renter's rights."

The manifesto is available at will4greenmayor.greenparty.org.uk.