Hull 2030 Carbon Neutral Hull is committed to being carbon neutral by 2030. We will set up three organisations to monitor and advise the Council through transition. Energy for Hull (EfH) will manage the transition to renewable energy generation and use across our region. Transport for Hull (TfH) will ensure the ability to move people and goods around out city is maintained, as fossil fuel use is eliminated. Homes for Hull (HfH) will manage the massive retrofit programme required for our city and the design of new, mixed economy neighbourhoods. EfH, TfH and HfH will have full access to Council staff and data, and will set milestones, publish strategy and annual reports on our transition. They will be self financing through the services they provide.
Democratic Hull. A citizen’s assembly will be established to set the major objectives of our city. The assembly will be representative of the people of Hull and all minutes and motions will be published. Council employees will be required to report to the assembly. Furthermore, communities will be encouraged to set up parish councils to manage their own neighbourhoods. Budget and power will be devolved to parish councils whenever possible.
Hull Financial Centre. Our rate of transition is limited by investment. A Hull Investment Fund (HIF) will be established, underwritten by the Council, and issuing Hull Green Bonds. These bonds will pay an interest rate higher than high street bank current accounts and the funds will be invested in transforming Hull. HIF will work closely with EfH, TfH and HfH and will invest in projects that are financially sound. A digital Hull currency will be established to encourage wealth to stay in Hull and to guide healthy and sustainable choices.
Hull the Nature City. Hull’s natural spaces will be fully protected. Our waterways are natural corridors through our city and we will ensure they are clean and flourishing wildlife areas. Any Council owned land that will not be developed for at least 5 years will be available for gardening or rewilding. Any new housing developments must show they will lead to greater biodiversity. The effects of pollution on wildlife, including noise and light pollution, will be considered in every planning application and council project.
Food for Hull. The food we eat needs to be healthy, produced sustainably, and ethical. City farms will be established so that children know where our food comes from and so they can link meat to the animals killed to produce it. A city wide food collective will supply food made from locally sourced, seasonal vegetables to schools, gaols and other institutions. People have a right to affordable food and food collective shops will be established in communities with no access to sustainable and healthy food. Business rates will be used to give healthy food outlets an advantage over fast food franchises. Farmer’s markets will be established so that local food produces have a direct marketing route to the public. An annual Hull Food Festival will champion locally produced and healthy food. Drinking water will be made available from fountains built across the city and in all schools.
Circular Economy Hull. The longer wealth stays in Hull, the better off we all are. Where common services are not available from a Hull organisation, Community Interest Companies will be established. This will keep the wealth here and provide good jobs. We need to minimise the flows of materials into Hull and waste out, through reuse, repair, repurpose and recycle. Waste reduction targets will be set for different sectors and areas, and the biggest business will be encouraged to produce their own targets. The prices for dealing with waste will be steadily increased and profits used to fund waste reduction. Libraries of Things and repair centres will be established across the city.
Healthy Hull. Many of our other initiatives will improve health: good food, better houses, active travel, less pollution, more natural spaces. We will ensure all communities have access to a GP, NHS dentists and a pharmacy. A Hull Health Inequalities Strategy will be produced to ensure everybody has equal access to the health care. We aim to eliminate involuntary homelessness. Evidence based policing will focus on the offences against people rather than property, particularly endangerment of pedestrians and cyclists, rather than the personal use of class B and C drugs. Hull will be a dementia friendly city and all public services will be equally accessible to everybody.
Crime Free Hull. A much higher importance needs to be placed on preventing crime. Many of our policies to reduce inequality and to strengthen communities will reduce the incentive to commit crimes. Safer Neighbourhood Boards will identify potential sources and targets of crime at the street level. Youth Clubs and more community jobs through CICs will increase people’s investment in their communities. When crimes do occur, police need to concentrate on why as much as who and what. Police priorities need to be based on quantitative evidence. Road crimes will have the same weight as other violent crime and included in annual reports. An online system to report traffic offences will be established, with image upload facility, and a guarantee of timely response. Police staff need to match the demographics of Hull’s population in as many features as possible including ethnicity, religion, gender and sexuality. The use of new technology, such as automatic facial recognition, would need to be approved by the citizen’s assembly.
Hull City of Culture. We had a fabulous year as City of Culture but its legacy is fading. Creative industries have a huge potential to enrich our lives and attract wealth to the city. Events, such as the Freedom and Hull Food Festivals, will be fully supported. Cultural events will have easy access to community spaces and venues. Destinations, such as The Deep, Ferens Gallery and Museum Quarter, will be promoted nationally. Innovation will be championed through C4DI, support for CICs for novel community services, an Creative Autonomy Allowance to help young entrepreneurs test their ideas, and incubation spaces within libraries. We will support a Universal Basic Income pilot that will give people more time to devote to things that are important. New developments will be required to include art and music venues.
Equality Hull. Much of our city appears to cater only for the middle aged, middle class and able bodied. Our roads are designed for people who drive cars; rather than for children, the elderly or the disabled. A large proportion of people in our communities are ignored by planners and enforcement agencies. We believe that everyone has the same right to prosper in a city designed for their needs.
