GREEN Party district councillor Philip Booth has announced that he will be standing down as the elected representative for the Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward at local elections this May.

The local Green Party politician, who runs a popular blog, @Ruscombe Green, which provides information and insight about various community projects in the Five Valleys, will step down after eight years of service on Stroud District Council.

Jonathan Edmunds, a sports development officer whose children go to Randwick School, has been chosen to contest Cllr Booth’s seat when it becomes vacant in May.

He was selected as the Green’s candidate at the party’s AGM on February 25.

In a statement, Mr Edmunds, said he was ‘honoured and delighted’ to be put forward for the elections.

“Philip Booth is a big act to follow for all that he has achieved over the last eight years and the esteem in which he is held by local people.

“I am looking forward to engaging with the people of this wonderful ward and having the chance to persuade them that the Green Party continues to have the ideas, policies and values to improve the quality of their lives.”

Cllr Booth said: "I am delighted that Greens have selected Jonathan Edmunds, who is such a strong candidate committed to our local community.

“There are certainly challenges ahead and now more than ever we need Green politicians. I will be giving him my full support in the campaign ahead."

"I am stepping down to spend more time on several community projects and with family, but I have no less passion for building stronger communities and a greener, more just future.

“I would like to thank all who have supported me over the last 8 years as District councillor. It has been a pleasure and quite genuinely, an honour, to have served this community.

“It is also great to see that by working with others, the pledges I made in election leaflets, have all been fulfilled.

“These include a ward-wide 20mph, new allotments, sewers relined in the ward, an energy strategy for the council, Stroud's Council Housing Standard developed with tenants and the £12m invested in renewables and fuel poverty on council housing."