With less than 3 months to go to the May local elections, this year you’ll need to show photo ID before you can vote. The Government insists that this is to prevent ‘personation’ or voter fraud and yet according to the Electoral Reform Society, there were only 33 cases of personation in 2019 which is 0.00000057% of the 58 million votes cast in the various elections that year. Call me a cynic but it couldn’t be a deliberate attempt to depress turnout among demographics less likely to vote Conservative could it? You can check the list of acceptable ID on The Electoral Commission website and if you don’t have anything on the list, make sure you leave enough time to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate instead.
In November I was co-opted onto Goudhurst Parish Council and after joining three committees and attending my induction last month, I’m fully immersed in parish business which is incredibly rewarding. Whilst many councillors are not politically affiliated, it struck me straight away that as a Green in the room there was a positive impact I could have. Already I’ve had the chance to start work on a rewilding project around the village by making plans for wildflower meadows, native hedges and fruit trees along with other initiatives which will help improve our biodiversity in line with Kent’s ‘Plan Bee’.
But the Green Party isn’t just a party for the environment. At Borough Council level, fantastic work is being done in nearby Tonbridge & Malling by Green Councillors who are holding their administration to account, suggesting positive alternatives and working hard in their communities. Having a Green in their room is making a real difference to people’s lives, here’s a few of the things they’ve done in January representing local people and sorting local issues.
Arranging a community litter pick, starting under the boughs of a tree that the Conservative administration were determined to see felled as a first step to concreting over River Lawn and foiled by the campaign group Keep River Lawn Green whose supporters include many Tonbridge Greens.
Making the case for speeding up the process of delivering new floodlights for the community basketball/football/skatepark and improving drainage on Tonbridge Racecourse where broken lights and flooding have made the facilities inaccessible.
Supporting striking teachers and education with a rally at River Lawn.
Working to resolve recycling issues and fly-tipping on the Longmead Estate.
Clearing blocked drains and collecting 15 bags of debris along the footpath between Brook Street and Sussex Road School.
Allocating £1,000 towards Warm Spaces provided by Tonbridge Area Churches Together and visiting and being on hand to talk to people to help with council tax and housing issues.
Campaigning to reverse the decline in bus services.
Wouldn’t it be great to have some of this in Tunbridge Wells? Isn’t it time for our Borough Council to have a Green in the room? Think about it when you’re in the voting booth on May 4th – and don’t forget your photo ID.’