“WHEN people vote for a Green Party councillor they are electing someone who will devote themselves to working for the wellbeing of their local community,” – that was the message from Amelia Womack, deputy chairman of the Greens when she visited Redditch last Saturday.
“I travel the country in support of the Green Party and I have seen the impact that cuts and austerity have had on communities, and it’s the same in Redditch,” she said.
“We have an opportunity to get councillors elected here in Redditch, people who will invest in their community for the benefit of everyone.”
The campaigner, who herself is fighting a Parliamentary by-election in Newport South on April 4, did a tour of the town, visiting Rees Cafe in the town centre, Rough Hill Farm Shop and Crabbs Cross Methodist Church.
And unlike the whistle stop tours of most politicians, she spent several hours getting to know the town, including rolling up her sleeves and getting stuck into a litterpick.
She also had tough words for the Conservatives and Labour, both locally and nationally.
“At the moment the two-party system is crumbling and the people they represent forgotten about,” she said.
“Voting for the Green Party is a chance to stand up for our rights, for our young people, to fight climate change, for a decent public transport system, to make sure that industry works for everyone and not just the corporations, to tackle air pollution, reduce homelessness, improve children services – the very fabric of our society.
“For instance in Nottingham and Reading the public transport system, the buses, are supported by the local authority. Here in Redditch we have the highest number of people in Worcestershire who do not own a car.
“A poor transport system denies people access to so many things – a Green councillor will stand up for the community, for the future and for the environment,” she said.
“It’s not easy to get elected as a Green councillor but let me assure you the people who put themselves forward are determined to serve the people they represent.”
The Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Redditch, Claire Davies, said: “it’s a really positive sign that here in Redditch the national party is supporting us.
“We are offering a different kind of politics, from the bottom up, and at the local elections on May 2 people will have the opportunity to vote for a Green Party that has the community at its heart.”
