Local Elections 2022: Green Party pledges to create fairer communities and rebuild trust

The Green party say they want to create a society based around people’s wellbeing rather than profits.

Voters in Lincoln will head to the polls on May 5 to pick their choice in the local elections where a third of seats are up for grabs – one in each ward.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the leaders of each of the main parties a series of questions and gave them a chance to have their say.

For an analysis of the key battlegrounds, including where Conservatives will be looking to make strong advances or where Labour will be keen to defend visit here.

A full list of candidates, along with those in North East Lincolnshire, can be found here.

Here’s what the Green party had to say:

What is your party hoping to achieve?

Nationally, Greens are building fairer, greener communities.  We want a society focusing on resilience and well-being, not impossible constant growth and profit.

What calibre of candidates do you have this time round? 

We have good candidates, all of whom will work hard in the interests of the people of Lincoln.

A big issue is the cost-of-living crisis, what will you do to tackle/address this? What can the council do to reduce costs for residents in your view?

The cheapest, greenest energy is the energy you don’t need to use.  Renewable energy and insulation are the most cost-efficient ways of reducing energy bills – our reliance on energy from fossil fuels is the reason for the huge rise in people’s bills and it’s appalling that people in one of the richest countries in the world are having to choose between eating and heating. It seems our situation is more of an ‘chronic income inequality’ issue.

We will work together with organisations tackling these issues to provide support and help for those in need. Local, independent businesses make a significant and important contribution to the health of the local economy, and we would help to promote and support these where possible.

It’s not just residents facing financial strain, councils are too. How will you address the funding situation?

Lincoln, and Lincolnshire as a whole, have been underfunded compared to other counties for many years.  We would push for a fairer share of government funding.

There’s a lack of faith in politicians lately, particularly when looking at the national picture, how will you build that trust with your communities?

Voters are tired of the same old ‘business as usual’ politics.

We think the way to rebuild that trust is to show that we share people’s concerns and to be judged on our performance.

What other issues do you think are of the biggest concern to residents? What do the people on the doorstep care about?

Apart from the cost-of-living crisis mentioned above, traffic congestion is a problem in many parts of the city, especially in the Doddington Road and Skellingthorpe Road areas.  People living and working in this part of the city are very concerned about the potential impact of the proposed Western Growth Corridor on traffic.

Homelessness and drug use is leading to concerns about personal safety in some wards.  We want solutions that focus on what people need: warm, secure homes; access to the basics like good food and healthcare; strong communities; a stable climate; and a thriving, green local environment.

Finally, tell us in ten words why readers should vote for you?

A Green vote is a vote for the common good.