We need a green recovery at both local and national government level, and future councils will play a very important part in this.

Full statement

We have some of the best advice in the world from top scientist and innovators (some in our own county of Norfolk, at the Tyndall Centre, UEA) so we know what we need to do. We now need the political will to change the future for the better, and this is why I have decided to stand as a Green candidate for Thorpe St Andrew in the County Council elections.

This is the year to bring in change, with 3 crucial UN summits coming up this year on oceans, climate, biodiversity and increasing awareness of the problems we face. Norfolk could be the leading county in the UK's green recovery.

Greens are the only party with the ambition to drive carbon reduction with climate change and its impact at heart of our policies. Things are different with a Green in the room.

The UK Parliament and 74% of District, County, Unitary and Metropolitan Councils have declared a Climate Emergency. Norfolk County Council is not one of them (it stopped short by saying it recognises a need for urgent action and said it would lead by example and demonstrate responsibility).

I will fight to:
Keep the wonderful character of Norfolk and Norwich
Have the County Council declare a Climate Emergency
Ensure that climate change and its impact must be the top priority placed at the heart of every policy decision
Ensure the council measures the carbon cost of all its activities, looks at how to reduce carbon output and produces a detailed plan showing how it will be achieved

Improve public transport systems to ensure they are green, cheap, effective, efficiency and convenient to use
Stand against the building of new roads such as the Norwich Western Link
Put in a greenbelt around Norwich
Retrofit houses to lower their carbon consumption and make them warmer
Ensure all new houses are built to the highest environmental standards
Improve Broadband connectivity - fast becoming an essential service
Provide more support for the care sector, stretched to the limit by the pandemic
Support local industries particularly in the green sector
Programmes to retrain and reskilll people
Raise the number of apprenticeships with a focus on those under 25 yrs old
Improve adult learning facilities
Overhall the waste disposal system to cut waste at source, increase repair and recycling facilities and litter reduction programmes
Stand against waste incineration
Lobby for a higher proportion of business rates to go to local councils
More investment and action to reduce the risk of flooding (Norfolk has been recognised in national surface water modelling as the 10th most at risk area out of 149 local authorities)

If we continue as we are, we are storing up real challenges and problems for our future and those of generations to come which will be very costly both in financial and environmental terms.

Vote for Change - Vote Green!