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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Local Elections Thursday May 3rd 2007
Your Green Party Candidates for North Devon District Council, Barnstaple Newport Ward
| Ricky Knight |
| Amanda Wycherley |
You may also like to visit North Devon District Council's "Candidate's Profiles" page
Your Green Party Candidates for Barnstaple Town Council, Barnstaple Newport Ward
| Ricky Knight |
| Amanda Wycherley |
| Heather Mack |
| Steve Barnes |
| Anna Wotton |
You may also like to visit North Devon District Council's "Parish Candidates" page
rickyknight@northdevongreens.org.uk
On Thursday, May 3rd, you will have the opportunity between the hours of 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m. to cast your vote for five Barnstaple Town Council seats and two District Council seats for the Newport Ward.
Four years ago you elected three Lib-Dem councillors, one Conservative, and one Green to Barnstaple Town Council.
For the District Council you elected one Lib-Dem and one Conservative.
Since then, support for the Green Party has grown considerably your Newport Green Team now has a full compliment of excellent Green Party candidates. We hope you will vote for us on May 3rd (or if you register for a postal vote, anytime after 18th April).
You are voting for TWO candidates for the North Devon District Council, which makes important decisions for the whole of North Devon, particularly on planning and waste collection. The two you elect will join another 43 councillors from 26 other wards on the District Council. At the moment on the Council, there are 22 Lib-Dems, 10 Conservatives, 10 Independents and one UKIP - a notional majority of one, but in effect this is a safe Lib-Dem controlled Council and has been for years. In practice the Lib-Dems and the Conservatives vote together on virtually all contentious issues, with the exception of the annual budgetary tussle which is little more than an exercise in spin. This kind of inertia does nothing for responsible representation in a local democracy.
You can change this, break the mould, sweep the old system and bring in some fresh, new thinkers, untainted by vested interests.
Please make your own minds up – cast ALL your seven votes on 3rd May – and if nothing else, spread your vote, such that control is not dominated by one party and the ward and the town does not continue to be dominated by the inevitably narrow remit of one-party-politics
Why Vote Green?
There has never been a better opportunity to Vote Green – a genuine alternative.
A Green vote will act as a counterbalance to an increasingly unrepresentative, undemocratic, irresponsible and out-of-touch District Council and a hugely imbalanced Town Council. Unlike elsewhere in England, there is not a single Green District Councillor in the North Devon Constituency and only a handful of Greens on Parish Councils. You can help change that on May 3rd.
On the door-step, a lot of people are very negative and critical about politicians generally, local politics specifically and the whole council set-up. Well, why not use this opportunity to try something completely different and vote for change at a local level. If people repeat their voting patterns of the past and vote for the traditional grey parties, or worse, not participate at all, it really will be politics as usual.
Climate Change
Of all issues that need addressing nationally and locally, the number one danger to all of us is the systematic environmental destruction of our planet – Climate Change. All other concerns pale into insignificance in comparison. We need to make painful long-term political decisions, not just internationally and nationally but increasingly, locally as well. It is my firm belief that the business-as-usual clique in charge of our local affairs is too wrapped up in the wheeler-dealer mechanics of short-term party gain to address this at all.
Who cares if a Tory or Lib Dem council is elected? What difference would it make?
Rest assured, nothing would happen, nothing would change; the earth would not move.
Only a Green vote will send a clear message and only a Green councillor will make a clear difference.
Conservatives
The media may be full of Cameron’s “New-Tory” principles, but locally it is the same old story. North Devon Tories have chosen as their next general election candidate someone who doesn’t even believe in Climate Change!
Lib Dems
Nationally, the Lib Dems make all the right noises and their recent propaganda brands them as “environmentalists”. But let’s look at the facts:
- We have an MP who has put himself forward as an unashamed champion of the anti-wind brigade. He gives us no hope of achieving Devon’s151Mw target for renewables-sourced energy by 2010 (at time of writing, we have about 6Mw with only three years to go).
- At the Fullabrook Inquiry in November, tens of thousands of pounds of your money were spent by the Liberal Democrat controlled County and District Councils trying to block the Fullabrook Down wind-turbine scheme.
- The new bridge is a £42 million monument to the motor-car, guaranteed to hugely increase our local carbon emissions and doing absolutely nothing to encourage alternatives to car-use.
- We have a high-profile array of non-functioning photo-voltaic cells on the Civic Centre, paid for by you, that are now being replaced.
- We missed a golden recycling opportunity with the Wheelie Bin Fiasco displaying a bizarre lack of public consultation.
- The Lib Dems sold the popular and uncontroversial idea of tidal power off the Lynmouth coast to undermine the case for the more contentious option of on-shore wind power. In reality, a full commercial tidal scheme will not be built here for many years, if indeed at all.
Green-wash
Where are all the initiatives springing from this “resolve” to be seen as Green?
Where are all the public buildings generating all their own energy through micro-renewables?
Where is the pressure on Government?
Where is the financial encouragement to help individuals combat climate change?
IT IS ALL GREEN-WASH.
Don’t fall for it.
This time, don’t let the ghost-hand of inertia take over your pen when you enter the booth.
This time VOTE GREEN – vote for a real change in local politics.
Cllr Ricky Knight
Amanda Wycherley
I moved to North Devon from South Devon 13 years ago and have lived in Newport for just over a year with my 10 year old twins. I have worked in local government for over 20 years and have a deep sense of serving my community. I also campaign for the local environment and reducing waste. If elected I would like to work towards creating a healthy environment for future generations and maintaining and supporting local services.
Heather Mack
I am 18 years old and a student of Science at North Devon College. I believe I am the youngest candidate ever to stand for the local elections here in North Devon. I am really proud to be standing as a candidate for the Green Party, the only party that credibly puts people before profits and the environment and the future of the planet before inertia and greed. I have supported the Green Party all my life and have often leafleted for them at election time. In 2005, I stood for the Green Party in the Mock School Elections at Park School, securing as many votes as the two national heavyweights combined. I have been a member of the Barnstaple Air Cadets for three years and have attained the rank of Flight Sergeant. I have taken part in many events with the Sea Cadets and once received a letter of commendation from the Mayor for my dedication. I am a complete convert to the concept of re-use and re-cycle – my father used to work for South Molton Recycle and is proud of my preference for second-hand clothes!
Steve Barnes
I am 53 years old and I have lived in Barnstaple for 30 years. My partner’s family have lived in Fremington for three generations. I have four children, all educated locally.
As a seaman and an engineer, I have travelled the world extensively.
I am very concerned about environmental issues, particularly locally,
here in the Taw Estuary. At present, I am deeply involved with a project
with a traditional sand-dredger at Fremington Quay, which, when completed,
will be, we hope, a major tourist attraction with environmental aspects
which will be an example to other boats on our river.
Anna Wotton
I am a 64 year old retired linguist and have lived in Devon since
1983, over 4 years of which have been in Bishops Tawton.
I have lived overseas and spent many years in Germany. I was alarmed on
my return to the UK to see how far behind we were – and still are - on
environmental issues.
I graduated from Exeter University in 1989. I have three children; my youngest
daughter is currently studying medicine in London.
I was made homeless some years ago and consequently have personal experience
of the hardships that many in our society face.
The lack of affordable housing needs to be addressed urgently but also effective
measures to improve the quality of life of law-abiding citizens.
I would support the viability of local composting schemes and allotments
for more sustainability. A late evening bus service to our villages
could replace many car journeys.
The Green Party are fielding over 1,400 local candidates all across England in this May's local elections. We currently have 93 councillors at District level or above, and expect to gain many more seats this year.
Your Green Party Candidates for North Devon:
You may also like to visit North Devon District Council's "Candidate's Profiles" page and "Parish Candidates" page
Your Green Party Candidates for Torridge:
| Bideford North |
| Northam |
| Appledore |
| Torrington |
| Hartland & Bradworthy |
You may also like to visit Torridge District Council's "Notice of Poll" page
Website designed by Jon Hooper
Published and promoted by Jon Hooper, 3 Elizabeth Court, Well Street, Torrington EX38 8EP on behalf of the North Devon Green Party, 1 Taw View Terrace, Bishops Tawton, EX32 0AW
PLEASE NOTE: Not all of the material presented on this site is necessarily Green Party Policy or endorsed by The Green Party.