Some things that people have done as Green Party councillors
Members of the Warwick District Green Party campaign team after securing 2 new Green Party County Councillors in May 2021
Major Actions
Please see the Climate Emergency and News sections for some of the major actions taken by local Green councillors.
Note that climate emergency action is far from easy, with Conservative councillors making very worrying statements like “Warwickshire is already green and clean”.
Other Activities
Here are some of the less visible actions that councillors are doing constantly.
In Brunswick ward, Leamington Green councillors dealt with 118 pieces of casework in 2021 such as resolving council housing issues, persuading the council to repair children’s play equipment and replace litter bins.
In Park Hill ward, Kenilworth Green councillors have had over 150 pieces of casework since 2019. They have helped:
- close down a car wash which was making residents’ lives intolerable due to pollution, noise etc.
- parents find suitable accommodation for their disabled son and partner
- residents deal with nuisance neighbours who were finally moved
- improve pedestrian crossing point at Albion Street, Kenilworth
- install grit bins, following residents’ requests
- set up biodiversity pilot projects to reduce mowing of selected areas of grass in the Park Hill ward in order to increase biodiversity and improve the habitat for pollinators
Kenilworth Town Council
Since 2019, both Alison Firth and Peter Jones have been mayor. John Dearing and James Kennedy have been leader of the council in this time, which involves working closely with the Clerk and the other group leaders to ensure the smooth running of the Council.
As the largest political group, Green councillors have: chaired Kenilworth Climate Roadmap group and published Climate Roadmap; chaired Kenilworth’s Covid-19 support group; and, chaired the Tourism Working Group.
Greens have engaged residents and HS2 management & contractors on areas of concern as construction continues. They have led the management and implementation of the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) project ‘Kenilworth is Open for Business’ awarded to the Town Council. This has included digital and social media training for businesses, new tourist information materials and website, and a series of videos to promote Kenilworth. Wrote a Wayfinding Audit and Implementation Strategy on signage and routes in Kenilworth which was approved by the Town Council.
Also, they: have given talks about plastic pollution and are leading a campaign to persuade their MP to step up his party’s action against the plastic pollution crisis; helped raise a LBGTQ flag outside Jubilee house back in gay pride month June 2021; worked with businesses, voluntary groups and residents to increase footfall in Kenilworth; and, continue to collect litter frequently including on the Greenway, Kenilworth Common, Hollis Lane and Upper Spring Lane.
Leamington Town Council
Councillors have campaigned for several improvementx to the Newbold Common masterplan, including provision of a ‘training area’ for children to learn mountain biking, which was accepted and added to the plans.
In Willes, Green Councillors helped organise a huge clean-up day in Fallow Hill with St Mary’s Church. Councillors joined volunteers and residents to help remove: 2 skips of unwanted household items, a van full of items for Action 21 and 2 vans for the metal scrappie, an exchange area for people to swap unwanted items, 15 bags of litter and 2 full green bins.
After a long campaign, the council agreed to our request to build a mini roundabout at a dangerous junction.
On several occasions, Green councillors have helped to deal with issues from travellers camping on playgrounds.
With COVID, Greens have contacted local businesses about support grants and promoted vaccination in the Asian and other communities.
Warwick District Council
Green councillors on the Planning Committee regularly hold officers to account in particular by ensuring sustainability plans are required for all major developments and active travel options are included in plans wherever possible. In Kenilworth, Greens have helped residents in their fight to amend planning decisions in Stansfield Grove. In Leamington, Green councillors frequently challenge plans to cram too many people (often students) into houses of multiple occupation.
Green councillors brought a motion to full Council to ask Warwickshire County Council to reconsider the need for the proposed new A46 link road. The motion was unanimously approved by Warwick District Council, but the Conservative controlled cabinet at WDC decided to ignore the motion and continue to support the road. The campaign against the road continues!
Several Green councillors keep pressing for houses to be built to higher standards of insulation. Although the Cabinet claims all new council houses are ‘zero carbon’, this doesn’t mean what it should!
Currently involved in developing the new south Warwickshire local plan which is about the houses that will be built up to 2050. Arguing strongly for stronger, greener communities to improve residents’ lives whilst tackling the climate emergency.