On May 6 voters will choose their preferred candidates for Stroud District Council, Gloucestershire County Council, the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and parish councils (if contested). We asked each party fielding multiple candidates to write why residents should vote for them. 

Don’t be taken in by pale green imitations! Voters in Stroud have elected Green Councillors to represent them on the District for 34 years, Green County Councillors for twelve years, and Greens are the majority on Stroud Town Council. We are the fastest-growing party locally.

We don’t play politics, trying to score points and outdo the other side. Our communities and the people of Stroud District come first. We cooperate. We know how to stay within budget and get things done.

Priorities for Gloucestershire

Good health for all

Opposing backdoor privatisation of the NHS, calling for contact-tracing to be done locally, demanding NHS workers get a 15 per cent pay rise.

Education for the future

Investment in early years provision, opposing school closures, encouraging nature education.

Safe streets and better public transport

Improved public transport especially in rural communities, investment in active travel; reduced car speeds, more electric car clubs, taking into account pedestrians and cyclists in new traffic schemes.

Business at the heart of community

Supporting local businesses by pushing for an extension of the business-rate holiday and giving more council contracts to local businesses.

Clean, Green jobs

A Green New Deal to create high-skilled, secure jobs in local communities, helping people retrain; improved broadband speeds.

Warm homes for all

Major investment in improving homes’ energy efficiency to reduce fuel bills and end fuel poverty.

Clean air: a human right to breathe

A transport system geared to clean air and active travel rather than forcing people to depend on their cars; re-opening Stroudwater Station; safe cycleways and footpaths.

Access to green spaces

Value natural surroundings and local parks by implementing the Gloucestershire Tree Strategy, promoting wildlife corridors and managing verges to encourage wild flowers.

Waste less, pollute less

Reduce unnecessary waste and plastic packaging, encourage reuse and recycling, stop inefficient, polluting, costly disposal by incineration. Encourage community composting schemes.

Planning for human scale

Revolutionise planning so it serves local people over developers; help the homeless to start afresh and stop development in flood-plains.

A caring county

Improve the lives of the vulnerable, abused and people with disabilities or in need of care, through better community services; work to eliminate racism and unconscious bias; eliminate food poverty and the scandal of people relying on food banks.

Food and farming

Encourage local food production, community food projects and sustainable farming techniques, restore woodland, peatlands, and wetlands that maximise the use of land as a carbon sink.