A city for students

Education and training is for the benefit of society as a whole, not just the individual.

The Green Party remains absolutely opposed to Tuition Fees, and also to the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) which used to support students in Further Education.

Tuition fees add to the massive private debt of our society, and undermine people’s ability to save for the future. The Green Party believes access to Higher and Further Education should be as open as possible, permitting us to address UK skills shortages and to re-build the public sector after devastating and avoidable cuts.

Students in Oxford are a vital part of our communities – contributing to the local economy byproviding employment and staying here to work, and contributing to local culture by participating in society and bringing new people to the city.

However, they are often neglected by local councils who consider them a transitory population. Greens will fight for students to be supported on equal terms by council services and welcomed as members of their local communities.

Green successes:

• Getting the City Council to be tougher with bad landlords with the result of gradually improving the quality of the private rented sector.
• Obtaining a new more comprehensive policy on Houses of Multiple Occupation from the City Council.
• Attending regular consultation meeting with the Universities to improve student welfare and liaison with local communities.
• Provided money for extra waste collection rounds at student accommodation.
• Continually fighting for the redesign of notorious accident black spots for cyclists in the city centre.
• Supporting the student volunteer hubs in their schemes to support local communities.
• Supporting applications for more campus based accommodation such as Hollow Way and Iffley Road developments.
• Providing grants for the arts and festivals such as the Cowley Road Carnival that make this city a great place to be.

The Green Party will:

• Continue to campaign against tuition fees, and to demand the return of the EMA, and for equal opportunities as the only way to maintain social justice.
• Campaign to ensure that City Council housing policies reflect the needs and aspirations of students to live in decent accommodation throughout their studies.

Previous page   Back to contents   Next page