🌍 Great Big Green Week
📅 7–15 June
Join this nationwide celebration of community action on climate and nature. Keep an eye out for updates in your local area.

☕ Green Café
📅 Saturday 21 June, 10am–12 noon
📍 The Old Auction House
A relaxed and informal opportunity to catch up with like-minded people and enjoy a coffee together. Look out for Orinoco the Womble!

🧺 Great Get-Together Plastic-Free Picnic
📅 Sunday 22 June
📍 Calverley Grounds
Bring your own plastic-free picnic and join Friends of the Earth for a fun, eco-conscious afternoon in the park.

📅 Monthly Green Party Meetings
Our regular local meetings are open to all members and a great way to share ideas, get updates and shape local campaigns. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month, 6pm–7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House, Grosvenor Park.

Upcoming dates:

• 2 July **Postponed**
• 6 August
• 3 September
• 1 October
• 5 November

☕ Green Café
📅 Saturday 12 July, 10am–12 noon
📍 Ruby’s, Monson Road
Everyone is welcome for friendly conversation and community connection. This is one of our favourite haunts where you can treat yourself to some wonderful plant-based goodies, Orinoco will be tucking in as usual.

🌱 Kent Greens AGM
📅 Saturday 19 July
📍 Friends Meeting House, Canterbury
A key opportunity to reflect on the past year, set priorities for the future, and connect with fellow Greens from across Kent.

🗳️ Voting for Party Leader, Deputy Leader & other roles
📅 1–30 August
Have your say in the Green Party’s national leadership elections.

🌿 Tunbridge Wells Climate & Nature Fair
📅 Saturday 13 September
📍 Calverley Grounds
An inspiring day focused on environmental action, awareness, and celebrating our local natural world.

🍂 Green Party Autumn Conference
📅 3–5 October
📍 Bournemouth International Centre
Join fellow Greens from across the UK for policy discussions, training sessions, and networking.

We’re also planning a calendar of Green Social evening events – watch this space!

The post Upcoming Green Party Events – Join Us This Summer & Autumn! appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

Or a hard-working and independent Green who gets things done.

Vote Green on 1st May!

The post Your Choice on 1st May is Critical appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

This Saturday, 26th April, we’re hosting a vital Action Day in Tunbridge Wells South from 10am to deliver our final squeeze leaflet and encourage every last Green voter to back our fantastic candidate, Jeremy Clapham.

We’ve got 7,500 leaflets ready to go — but not enough hands to get them through doors. That’s where you come in.

Can you spare a few hours on Saturday to help us deliver them? Every leaflet makes a difference in turning out the Green vote and showing the strength of support for real change in Tunbridge Wells.

Whether you can give an hour or the whole day, your help could be the difference between winning and losing.

📍 Meeting point: 10am at Flat 2, 40 Woodbury Park Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9NH
📩 Let us know you’re coming: https://actionnetwork.org/events/final-push-to-elect-jeremy-clapham-action-day-in-tunbridge-wells-south?source=direct_link&

Can’t make Saturday? No problem — if you’re available on any day before Polling Day on Thursday 1st May, we’d still love your help. Just let us know, and we can arrange a route and some leaflets for you to deliver at your convenience.

Let’s make this final push count. Together, we can help Jeremy win and bring a bold Green voice into our council.

The post Help Us Deliver the Final Squeeze – Action Day This Saturday! appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

Twenty years ago it was pretty quiet, but today it is plagued by traffic speeding up and down, and in particular Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) that can’t use the Eridge Road due to the Spa Valley Railway bridge hammer down through the tight spaces left as residents try to get out of their houses, cross the road to the TN2 shop, or pick up their children from the Mead School.

There is a speed camera near the top, but traffic revs up again after getting through it.

T-junctions with Bayham Road and Forest Road are busy, and are risky to drive out of, or cross the road near to.

To cap it all, a proposal for 400 houses on the rugby pitches at the top of the road will lead to saturation of the road and its junctions at peak times.

Proposals

Ideas that are taking hold include:

A mini roundabout at the junction with Bayham Road.

A second speed camera just above the Mead School.

There is a pressing safety need to rebuild the kerb on the pavement going down from the Mead School to the Pantiles, as the pavement has been pressed down to road level by parking cars and lorries, and there is now nothing to stop wayward traffic hitting pedestrians.

Although the road had a complete resurfacing three years ago, it is already covered in patches from gas and water works, and about 25 two-inch diameter holes left by the gas company are starting to change into potholes.

Green representation on KCC could make these proposals become a reality.

The post The Frant Road Problem appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

‘With the cost of living crisis, it’s not been an easy year for any of us and our bills are going up all the time – we really need change.’

More of the same won’t work

‘Kent County Council has long been run by the Conservatives and what a mess they have made, with spiralling debt and cuts to services – from poorly maintained roads to lost bus services and less support for care and for children with special needs.

The Lib Dems have been in control of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council but have you noticed any improvement in services or the provision of affordable housing?’

I’m Passionate about our Local Environment

‘We are so lucky to live in beautiful Tunbridge Wells but our local councillors have not done enough to protect our town. We’ve all been jolted by the potholes that seem to get worse every year. The Frant Road is blighted by traffic with heavy lorries speeding past parents dropping their children off at school. The threatened 400 houses on the rugby ground will destroy countryside and increase traffic whilst adding to the burden on our local GPs, schools and utilities.’

Your Priorities are My Priorities

‘I’ve been working hard on local issues all year and you may have seen me around Pantiles, Ramslye and Showfields talking to residents and shopkeepers and learning about what matters most to people who live and work here. I will make your priorities my priorities in building a better Tunbridge Wells.’

The Actions I Pledge to take are:

• Improving integration of social care with hospital discharges to home
• Working with groups making safer streets for women and girls
• Taking action on anti-social behaviour in public places
• Lobbying against the 400-house development on the rugby ground
• Promoting building of truly affordable housing and a new GP surgery
• Promoting active travel and improving public transport and traffic flow
• Fixing potholes faster and getting drains unblocked

‘This is just scratching the surface; there is much more that could be done.‘

We are the fastest-growing party in Kent

‘We need strong, independent voices on Kent County Council, people who will stand up for Tunbridge Wells and not be tied to a party line. The Green Party already has five councillors on Kent County Council and leads the opposition but your vote can help us win more, to make us the strongest voice protecting and enhancing our communities and services.’

About Jeremy

‘I recently retired after a career in arts administration – during which time I ran eight London marathons in a row! I have been a School Governor and founded a Tenants and Residents’ Association. I passionately believe in giving back to the community and am currently involved in addiction recovery and support programmes in West Kent.

I would be honoured to represent you on Kent County Council and TWBC.’

Get in touch with Jeremy

jeremy.clapham@tunbridgewells.greenparty.org.uk or 07843 161527

The post Jeremy’s Personal Message to Residents appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

On Saturday 12 April we’re holding a crucial Action Day—and we need you. We’ll be leafleting and canvassing in Tunbridge Wells South making sure every voter in our key ward knows that a Green voice on the council is within reach. But we can only do it with your support!

🌿 Why does this matter?
A Green councillor will push for real action on the environment, social justice, and local democracy—challenging business-as-usual politics in Tunbridge Wells. Every leaflet delivered and every conversation we have could make the difference.

💪 How can you help?
Whether you can spare an hour or the whole day, your time will make a huge impact. No experience is needed—just enthusiasm! We’ll provide everything you need, including a friendly briefing at the start along with tea, coffee and cake and the support of our Green team.

📅 Sign up here:
👉 12 April – https://actionnetwork.org/events/leafleting-action-day-4?source=direct_link&

Let’s come together and show Tunbridge Wells that the Green Party is ready to win! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

We can’t wait to see you there!

The post Volunteer for Our Action Day in Tunbridge Wells South! appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

Tunbridge Wells North – Maria Gavin

Tunbridge Wells South – Jeremy Clapham

Tunbridge Wells East – Kate Sergeant

Tunbridge Wells West – Stephanie Gandon

Tunbridge Wells Rural – Alasdair Fraser

Cranbrook – Helen Yeo

In addition, by-elections have been triggered in Tunbridge Wells in Park and St John’s wards for election to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and our candidates are:

Park Ward – Jeremy Clapham

St John’s Ward – Kate Sergeant

These elections present a crucial opportunity for us to get our first Green councillor elected. Please get in touch if you’d like to help with our campaign over the coming weeks, we’d love to hear from you.

The post Candidates Confirmed for KCC Elections and TWBC By-elections on 1 May appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

We are looking for passionate and committed candidates to stand for election and represent Green values at a local level. If you are interested in standing as a councillor for the Green Party or would like to learn more about what the role entails, please get in touch at geoff.mason@tunbridgewells.greenparty.org.uk by Tuesday 25 March 2025.

Your involvement could make a real difference in shaping a greener, fairer Tunbridge Wells.

The post By-Elections in Park and St John’s Wards – Call for Candidates appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

We’ll be leafleting and canvassing, spreading the word about why a Green voice on the council matters. Whether you’re a seasoned campaigner or it’s your first time, this is a great opportunity to make a real difference.

📅 When? Saturday, 1 March
📍 Where? Pantiles
⏰ Time? 10am

Every conversation counts, and your support could be the key to success. Join us, meet like-minded people, and be part of the movement for change. Contact Geoff at geoff.mason@tunbridgewells.greenparty.org.uk for all the details!

The post Join our Action Day this Saturday 1 March! appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

The announcement was met with widespread approval at a recent KCC environment and transport committee meeting. Green Party councillor Mark Hood, representing Tonbridge, described the grant as a “huge amount of money” and praised the efforts of KCC’s public transport team.

What the Funding Means for Kent

The £23 million grant is the largest tranche yet under the BSIP scheme, bringing the total funding received by KCC to £58.2 million. The money will be divided into three key areas:

• £10.1 million for revenue support to keep existing services running.
• £11 million for capital projects, including bus shelter repairs and real-time passenger information systems.
• £1 million in direct grants to bus operators.

Currently, 51 bus services in Kent rely on financial support to remain operational. Without this funding, many of these routes would likely be cancelled, leaving communities isolated. The new grant will help protect these vital services while also exploring opportunities to restore recently lost routes, such as the No 55 service in Ringlestone near Maidstone.

Cllr Mark Hood emphasised the importance of this funding, stating, “This is a lifeline for bus users across Kent. But while this grant is welcome, it’s only a fraction of what’s needed to transform our public transport system. We need sustained investment to make buses affordable, reliable, and accessible for everyone.”

Challenges Ahead

Despite the positive news, challenges remain. The bus sector continues to face financial pressures, and KCC anticipates needing to support even more services in the coming year. Residents in Ringlestone, for example, are already feeling the impact of service cuts. After losing their No 55 service, they’ve petitioned KCC to use part of the new grant to restore their connection to Maidstone.

Phil Lightowler, KCC’s head of public transport, described the grant as a “lifeline for bus users” and expressed hope for greater integration between bus and rail networks in the future. He also highlighted the potential for AI to address ticketing issues, making public transport more seamless and user-friendly.

Fairer, Greener Transport Choices

The Green Party has long championed better, cheaper, and more accessible public transport. Our manifesto commits to:

• Increasing annual public subsidies for rail and bus travel to £10 billion by the end of the next Parliament, including free bus travel for under-18s.
• Investing an additional £19 billion over five years to improve public transport, support electrification, and create new cycleways and footpaths.
• Bring the railways back into public ownership.
• Giving local authorities greater control over bus services to ensure they meet community needs.

Our transport choices account for around a quarter of carbon emissions, so it’s vital to make it easier to opt for greener choices. Yet public transport provision continues to decline, often leaving those on low incomes with no affordable options. Greens MPs will champion better, cheaper public transport, so that every community is connected and can thrive.

Walking, wheeling and cycling don’t just help reduce carbon emissions and air pollution – they can make us all happier and healthier too.

Elected Greens will push for:

• Investment of £2.5bn a year in new cycleways and footpaths.
• Reimagining how we use streets in residential areas to reduce traffic and open them up for community use.
• Adopting Active Travel England’s objective of 50% of trips in England’s towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030.

Aviation is the fastest-growing source of CO2 emissions, and it’s the wealthiest driving this trend.

Greens will push for:

• A frequent-flyer levy.
• A ban on domestic flights for journeys that would take less than three hours by train.
• A halt to the expansion of new airport capacity.

The post £23 Million Boost for Kent Buses: Green Party Celebrates Win for Public Transport appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.