It is clear that the Green message resonated with voters in Prestbury. People want change, and Jan will be working hard to earn the trust of local people over the next 6 months before the May 2024 local elections.

Given how ineffective PAB have been recently in standing up for Prestbury, we will be keeping a close eye on events and helping where we can. Jan can be reached at jan.foster@cheltenham.greenparty.org.uk

What does this result mean for Cheltenham?

Greens prove again they can defeat the Lib Dems

This marks the second time that Greens have defeated both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in an election here in Cheltenham.

This matters. The Liberal Democrats and their divisive election messaging here divides people into “us and them”. When people vote positively for change and vote Green, our hard working candidates can and do defeat the mainstream parties. This result in Prestbury shows 2024 is a chance to bring real change to Cheltenham.

The Conservative vote is collapsing

The Conservative vote in Prestbury fell from 2nd place in 2021 to last place in 2023, falling by over 60% in 2 years. That is an enormous drop, and we believe that this pattern will be repeated right across Cheltenham next year. Voters real choice at the next election will be between the Green Party and more of the same from the Liberal Democrats. 

2024 will be a huge political year in Cheltenham

With the collapse in the Conservative vote, there is a huge opportunity for a Green  breakthrough here in Cheltenham next year. 2024 will be a rare 40 seat council election, so in one election we have the chance to make a huge impact on the council and elect multiple Green councillors. The recent elections in Prestbury and St Paul’s clearly shown that the Lib Dems tired old mantra of “vote for us or let the Tories in” is a hollow election slogan. We will be calling  on people in Cheltenham to vote for positive change with the Green Party.

Gloucestershire is experiencing a green surge, with over 37 Green councillors now working hard for local residents across the county. Next year is Cheltenham’s turn. 

Excited about 2024?

Want to help make a Green win a reality? We need volunteers like you to help in our big 2024 election campaign.

Click the button to help, or contact coordinator@cheltenham.greenparty.org.uk

The post Greens finish strong second in Prestbury, look to 2024 appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

“It’s something that our councils can change. They have a legal responsibility for addressing health issues in our environment, and it should not be the responsibility of the people at risk to advocate for their own safety.

“We can clearly see that children and elderly people, people with existing health conditions or chronic illnesses, those living in high-traffic areas in town centres, and people from Black and Asian communities who tend to face inequalities of healthcare and housing – all of whom are statistically most likely to die of the effects of air pollution – will continue to suffer from our communal lack of diligence in making better futures for everyone.”

Tabi added: “This isn’t an issue isolated to big cities. It’s here on our doorstep – on our pavements, on our driveways. The last Air Quality Action plan for Cheltenham expired in 2019, coming up to nearly two years ago. Where’s the new plan which should have come into force this year?

“The council promised at a cabinet meeting in January 2020 that it would start measuring particulates for the first time, through some new AQ Mesh Pod monitors. Science has shown that particulates can cross the blood-brain barrier, causing heart disease, cancer, brain damage. When will the data from particulate measurements in Cheltenham be published?

“The council said at the same time that they would start measuring Nitrogen Dioxide levels in real time. When will this data be shared with the public?

“Air pollution levels for both nitrogen dioxide and particulates are at illegal levels in parts of Cheltenham, and if we are slow to address this, we will pay the price in residents’ health. Independent measurements by the Parish Council in Leckhampton show that the levels of particulates (PM2.5) in a suburb of town are averaging above the World Health limit. The council’s own measurements of Nitrogen Dioxide show average levels past the legal limit in the centre of town. This is an urgent crisis. Yet nothing meaningful is being done.

“We can’t wait another seven years for action. We need immediate commitment. We’ve lost lives. We’ve done the research. We have the data, even if it’s not being widely shared.

“Please work with people across Cheltenham to help uplift all of us.”

Cheltenham Borough Council Nitrogen Dioxide data

The table and chart below compares NO2 levels, as measured by CBC’s diffusion tube monitors, at 8 sites across the town, over the period 2011 to 2019.

The 8 sites shown have not been ‘selected’ in any way – they are the only 8 sites that CBC has consistently monitored over the last 9 years. We have also shown the average reading of the 3 diffusion tubes sited at St Georges Street/Swindon Rd, where they are co-located with the reference monitor. This site has only been producing full data since 2013.

Figures highlighted in red are above the annual 40 ug/m3 legal limit.

The 9 monitoring sites given above are broadly in the town centre. It isn’t possible to look at air quality trends in other areas of the town, as CBC has not consistently monitored locations outside the town centre over the last 9 years. But this data clearly does not support the conclusion that there has been ‘steady improvement’ and a ‘generally positive trajectory’ in air quality in Cheltenham.

We can see the essentially static levels of air pollution in the town centre by looking at the average readings across the 8 sites for which there is full data for the 9 year period. (Data for the 3 co-location sites only exists for 7 years.)

The variance between 2011 and 2019 is only 1.2 ug/m3 NO2 – around 2.9%. This is within the margin of error of diffusion tube sampling.

Bear in mind also that 12 out of the 72 data points (8 sites x 9 years) have some months where data is missing.

When looking at pollution data, DEFRA stresses that it is important not to look at a single year in isolation due to the influence of weather conditions.

The data shows that the average town-centre NO2 levels for 2011 and 2017 were identical. There was a dip in 2018, but this almost been completely reversed in 2019.

Given the margin of error in diffusion tube monitoring, the issue of missing data from some of the monthly sampling, and the possible influence of weather conditions, the only conclusion is that air pollution levels in Cheltenham have remained broadly static over the last 9 years.

It is impossible to conclude from the data that there has been a ‘slow but steady improvement in air quality’. A much more accurate statement would be that air quality has been essentially unchanged over the last 9 years.

The post It’s in the air we breathe: we need to address pollution now appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

Green spokesperson Jessica West, who is standing in All Saints, said:

“The Lib Dem cabinet decided on 21 January to replace the existing air quality management area, covering the whole town, with just a 250 metre stretch of Poole Way/Swindon Road in the town centre.

“How can the council tackle this crisis if it doesn’t take air pollution measurements from all over Cheltenham? It’s exactly the same mistake as they made in the Boots Corner debacle.”

At the cabinet meeting, Lib Dem leader Steve Jordan said that he “was pleased that pollution levels have decreased”, and that “progress on air quality so far is good”.

Cheltenham Green Party submitted a detailed report after the cabinet meeting, pleading with the council to reconsider. The report shows that:

– Using the council’s own Nitrogen Dioxide monitoring data, there has been no change in Cheltenham’s air quality over the last 10 years

– The council’s Air Quality Action Plan has had no effect on traffic volumes in the centre of town

– The decision to revoke the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) contravenes DEFRA guidance on when an AQMA may be revoked

The council’s own Nitrogen Dioxide monitoring data shows nitrogen dioxide levels are generally higher or the same compared to previous years, across many monitoring sites, with no reduction at all in the last four years at two key town centre sites, and no reduction in traffic.

Peter Frings, the local Green Party spokesperson on air quality, added:

“Cheltenham council has had an Air Quality Action Plan in place since 2011 – but their own data shows it has had no effect on reducing nitrogen dioxide pollution in the town centre, and that traffic levels are unchanged. Oxford City Council has achieved a 37% fall in Nitrogen Dioxide over the period 2008 to 2018. Why has Cheltenham been unable to achieve this kind of improvement?”

The Green Party’s report also pointed out that the borough council was ignoring evidence that pollution from particulate matter was a serious issue across the whole of Cheltenham.

Peter Frings commented:

“We submitted evidence from particulate air pollution monitors in Leckhampton, which are run by the parish council there, that the average level of small 2.5 micronparticles (PM2.5) was higher than the World Health Organization annual thresholdlevel of 10 microgrammes/m3. And also that the WHO daily limit of 25microgrammes/m3 is breached regularly. The latest data shows that hourly peaks during rush hour and school drop off times, can exceed over 80 microgrammes/m3.”

“If this is the level of air pollution in Leckhampton, how can the council pretend that there is only a problem on either side of a 250 yard stretch of road in the towncentre?”

“DEFRA’s Clean Air Strategy, published in May 2019, commits the government to implementing the WHO guidelines on particulate air pollution. Very shortly, the council will have to tackle the fact that most of Cheltenham is likely to be in breach of the WHO guidelines on PM2.5 pollution – and the decision to revoke the Air Quality Management Area will look misguided at best, negligent at worst.”

Further information:

Sources and Notes

Cheltenham Borough Council Cabinet papers/agenda for Cabinet meeting 21 January 2020

Cheltenham Borough Council Nitrogen Dioxide data

Traffic data – Available from Department of Transport website

– DfT Traffic Count Point 18552 (Tewkesbury Road): a manual count in 2008 showed an Average Annual Daily Flow (AADT) of 20,731 vehicles. A manualcount in 2018 showed an AADT of 20,632 vehicles.

– Traffic Count Point 70125 (North St/Portland Street): the manual count figures for 2008 and 2018 are 11,965 and 12,201 respectively.

– Traffic Count Point 38656 (Albion Street/Winchcombe Street): the manualcount figures for 2010 and 2018 are 11,441 and 12,201 respectively.

Particulate pollution monitoring in Cheltenham

Peter Frings can also provide downloads of data readings, either daily or hourly averages, for any period from mid July 2019 onwards.

The post Cheltenham Borough Council in denial on air pollution crisis in Cheltenham, say Cheltenham Greens appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

The Prickly Finders are working towards a silver award initiative for a hedgehog-friendly campus at Francis Close Hall, having already completed bronze award level for their incredible work.

They carry out regular litter picks, hold public information sessions for local students, and build houses and shelters for wandering hogs. It was really exciting to learn about their work, and really inspiring to know that hedgehogs are so valued to Cheltenham residents.

Tabi has a few years’ background experience working with hedgehogs, both through two-day first aid training courses with Hedgehog Helpline Cymru, and at Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue. She gave an hour-long presentation on hedgehog habits, basic first aid and health checks, with a quick Q&A afterwards.

If you’d like to learn more about Hedgehog Friendly Campuses, check out the website here.

Tabi’s always up for giving her first aid presentation and helping Cheltenham learn more about hedgehogs, so if you need a short overview of hedgehog care, please drop her a line.

Follow the Prickly Finders on Instagram here!

The post UoG Hedgehog Society appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

The meeting was well-attended, with over 100 people taking the time to come to share their views. Access was restricted, with notice of attendance and questions requested in advance, but it represents a useful first step in engaging local people in discussions.

Green Party members Louise Folkes, Tabi Joy, and Ed Saul all contributed towards the discussions, advocating for greater traffic safety standards and decentralised local energy, as well as other demands for greener council housing, more localised economic models, and greater accountability for council actions.

It highlighted the importance on active collaboration between government, local businesses and services, and Cheltenham residents. Cheltenham Green Party will continue to ensure that everyone is fairly represented in this issue as it develops.

The post Cheltenham Council Climate Summit appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.