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.

When Nye Bevan implemented the National Health Service, it was recognised that providing good health to all, free at the point of access, is vital to the prosperity, health, prosperity, and safety of the country. When people are healthy, they thrive, are less stressed, live longer and over their life time, they will cost the country less, both financially and by their contribution to society.

Having worked in various health settings, here and abroad, I can see that the NHS has been prevented from delivering for the nation in recent years. For the first time, the life expectancy in the UK has not been increasing, even prior to the pandemic, and more people are sick and unable to work¹. 4.2 million children (29% of all UK children) are now in poverty – up from 3.6 million in 2010-11, with more children suffering dental decay, obesity and asthma, especially in deprived areas². The challenge to improve the UK’s health is complex.

We need a health and care service, that is publicly owned, run with local community involvement, including both staff and users of heath & care, with a focus on preventing poor health. Government policies are rarely evaluated for the impact on health. Poor housing, unemployment, exposure to pollution and inequality lead to costs to health that equate to about 1/5 of the total NHS budget³.

The NHS and care sector are currently facing a massive staffing crisis. Both NHS and care staff are leaving the profession due to poor pay – for example care staff not being paid the minimum wage when working a “sleepover” shift, or more than a decade of below inflation NHS pay rises. Despite strike action by nurses and doctors, the government continues to offer sub-inflation pay rises. Furthermore, the loss of staff is leading to a vicious cycle of increased workload for remaining staff, and patients becoming angry with the long waits, making those remaining in the profession even more burnt out, leading to sickness and further loss of experienced, dedicated staff. The rates of pay are significantly less than offered by other English speaking countries, and therefore we lose the staff, that we paid to train, to work abroad. The recent announcement to increase training for doctors and nurses is a start, but consultants take 10 years to train, and experienced nurses take at least 6 years.

NHS services have been fragmented. Private companies now are paid by the taxpayer to deliver various services the NHS used to provide. The private healthcare profits made from our taxes, now go to the shareholders and executives, instead of being reinvested in the NHS, as happened when it was under public control. Furthermore, these services require doctors, nurses, and care staff, and can pay more attractive rates, which is contributing to the loss of staff to the NHS.

Finally, but importantly, we need to review our care services. Currently there are insufficient nursing homes, sheltered housing, community care and care services for children. As a result of this deficit, more people who need care, become unwell and put more strain in the NHS.

The Green party has a detailed policy for improving the nation’s health. They recognise that improving the nation’s health by preventative measures is the most cost effective strategy. Most importantly, they identify that reducing air pollution, preventing further climate change, and mitigating for the risks, will lead to improved health immediately, and in the long term. The Green Party wants to see health and care brought back under local control and public ownership. These policies see health improvement as an integral part of all measures, including addressing inequality and the cost of living crisis, providing housing that is fit for habitation & not damp, supporting people to be more active, including making walking, cycling & public transport appealing & enjoyable. By making savings from improved health, we can invest even more in our health & care staff, so that they are appropriately rewarded for their hard work, and ensure that our highly trained & experienced staff want to stay in this country.

We urgently need to address the health & care crisis in the UK, integrated with immediate action to tackle the Climate Emergency, if the UK is to prosper, and be able to support the most disadvantaged communities, and reverse the trend in preventable deaths & declining health of our nation.

Dr Diane Cook, Locum Consultant Psychiatrist

References

1. https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/whats-happening-life-expectancy-england
2. https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/health-outcomes-continue-worsen-uk-children-say-leading-childrens-doctors
3. https://policy.greenparty.org.uk/our-policies/long-term-goals/health/

The post A Green take on health and wellbeing appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

After years of inaction and excuses by the Liberal Democrats in Cheltenham Borough Council and the Conservatives at Gloucestershire County Council , it is time to act.

The Green Party has a long running campaign to put in place pedestrian crossings in the busiest and most dangerous roads in St Paul’s (you can sign our petition here). We have now expanded this to include 20mph speed limits in built up areas.

These are simple common sense measures, residents in St Paul’s tell us their community is being used as a shortcut road for traffic passing through, and the roads are dangerous and noisy if you are on foot, bike, partially sighted or trying to get kids to school. We have spoken to residents who experience all of these situations, and they want change.

Despite this, the County Council has resisted saying that the roads don’t have enough traffic or accidents, and the Lib Dem County Councillor for the area refuses to back the campaign, dismissing residents concerns saying there are other more dangerous places. Why must things get so bad that accidents are happening and traffic is unbearable before simple measures like crossings are installed? It is time we prioritise residents, who are sick of being ignored. 

Establishing a 20mph zone is a particularly bad example of inaction from the Liberal Democrat council. Everyone knows speeding kills, and that areas where people live and work have the most need for reasonable and safe speed limits. Slower cars means safer streets, better air quality and quieter roads.

The Liberal Democrat’s themselves back a 20mph zone in Cheltenham, completed a consultation in 2017 on the measures and it is even in their local manifesto. Despite this, the Lib Dem’s have failed to act for the last 6 years. Many towns in Gloucestershire have put these 20mph zones in place, what makes Cheltenham unable to do so? Blaming the Conservatives won’t cut it, we must work with the county council to get this done. You can sign our petition on speeding here.

The Green Party will continue to push for local residents voices to heard on these issues but we need your help.

If you are fed up of the status-quo and want to see real change, you can join our campaigns here, and join the Green Party here.

Sign our 20mph speed limit petition here

Sign our street crossing petition here

The post Green Party calls for action on speeding and street crossings appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.

Green Councillors Tabi Joy and Wendy Flynn surprised as Lib Dems vote against motion calling for proportional representation at local elections.

Voting reform is an absolute necessity to start rebuilding trust in politics. We want everyone to have a voice, not just those who have the loudest voices, the deepest pockets or the most powerful friends.

Green Party councillors recently had the opportunity to propose a motion to council to support the introduction of proportional representation at local elections, tacking on to a national campaign asking Councils to write to the Cabinet Office to state support for PR at Westminster elections.

Bizarrely, the Liberal Democrats voted against the PR amendment, missing a golden opportunity to show backing for PR at all levels of our democracy. We call on all parties to back PR in local elections.

Green proposals to expand youth involvement in local politics have also been voted down by the Liberal Democrats.

We will continue to fight for a fair voting system in which every vote counts, ensure that decisions made nationally and locally are based upon genuine consultation, negotiation and accountability, including with young people. For that to happen we need fresh ideas and a change to the “one party state” we have here in Cheltenham.

If you are fed up of the status-quo and want to see real change, you can join our campaigns here, and join the Green Party here.

https://www.makevotesmatter.org.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The post Green Party calls for PR in Cheltenham appeared first on Cheltenham Green Party.