For the 2016 Derby City Council election, The Green Party will have a record number of candidates. There will be 8 candidates across the city, a big improvement from the 3 in 2015 when we stood in Darley, Mackworth and Boulton. We will again stand in these wards, but we will now also stand in Arboretum, Derwent, Abbey, Sinfin and Normanton. Campaigning has already started in Darley in January and we have good hopes to get our first Councillor elected to Derby City Council!
One Green Councillor can make a big difference in Derby. We can scrutinise the actions of the Council and ask critical questions. We do realise that Derby City Council is in a difficult position with the government cuts being unfairly harsh on Derby. However, we do believe that the current Labour administration is not getting their priorities right. They have refused to look into alternative ways to keep Moorways swimming pool and the Citizens Advice Bureau open. Both will now close, even though there are other ways to save money. Derby can cut the number of Councillors and their allowances, work with outside partners to finance them or look into other ways to raise funds, many councils in the Midlands have raised funds in inventive ways. Nottingham has for example set up their own energy company which raises important funds for the city. In Stoke-on-Trent council buildings have been sold for £ 1 under the condition that the new owner would turn them into housing (with loans available if needed) and not sell them on within 10 years. This has revitalised the city centre there. The Green Party in Derby has previously advocated looking into the possibility of apply this policy to Derby.
In Derby City Council, both Labour and the Conservatives play a lot of party politics, targeting each other. We would not play party politics. We would support the current administration where we agree with them, we would support the cross-party “fair deal for Derby” campaign, which is also supported by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP. We would work with any party when there are issues that we agree on, but we will keep our own profile and challenge the council when needed.
We believe we can get our first Councillor, however we can’t do it without help. If you are able to, please donate to our campaign via http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/electing-a-green-councilor-for-derby. If you are able to help with delivering leaflets or canvassing, please contact Marten Kats, candidate for Darley ward and chair of the Derbyshire Green Party on marten.kats@greenparty.org.uk. If you live in any of the wards where we will have a candidate, please consider putting up a “Vote Green Party” poster or sign. To get these (for free), please send an email to Marten.
Marten Kats
Chair Derby City Greens