Saturday 19 October

Saturday 9 November

Saturday 30 November

Saturday 14 December

It’s a very informal get-together for a coffee and a chat, we’re normally on the large table at the back and look out for our mascot Orinoco the Womble.

Do drop-in and say hello!

The post Green Café at Ruby’s appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

I was elected to Paddock Wood Town Council two years ago, and have seen the struggles people are going through as I walk the streets in my job as a postie. As a former police officer I have a background in dealing with difficult situations where I had to negotiate with groups of people holding different views, and that has stood me in good stead in council meetings, as I’m sure you can imagine!

I am pleased to say that together with a fellow councillor and the estates manager, we have developed a plan that will see several hundred trees planted in the area, starting next year; it will be a legacy for the future. But I have been very unhappy with the Town Council’s lack of influence on the amount of new housing planned around the town, and also with the LibDem-led Borough Partnership allocating another £850,000 of Council Tax-payers’ money to try and make the flawed Local Plan acceptable to the Government Inspector, apparently without fundamental changes to the excessive use of Green Belt land.

I want to represent Paddock Wood West and ask the important questions of the Town Council. Why does the Town Hall have such a high staff turnover rate? Why is so much money being spent on external consultants? Why aren’t councillors delivering on the climate emergency declaration they voted for?

Having been a member of the Green Party for many years I have seen us grow, and also seen other parties react to our growth.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I was pleased to see that a year after the Green Party adopted “for fairer, greener communities” as its slogan for the 2022 local elections, Hugo Pound (Times, 5th April) was promising the same for Tunbridge Wells from Labour.

And indeed, here in Paddock Wood West I’m hearing lots of people on their doorsteps saying they are willing to put past loyalties to one side, and lend me their vote to make sure they get a strong voice on the council. The Greens have always been well received in Paddock Wood, and it’s sad to see yet another LibDem bar chart come through the door which could give the innocent reader the impression that only they can save the ward from the Conservatives – the  truth is the LibDems were last in five of the last six elections here, and only got 50 votes last year.

I’m running a straight and honest campaign in my quest to make the transfer from Town to Borough Councillor at this election, and I urge anyone who shares my concern about the loss of our green spaces to support me.’

The post Making Paddock Wood Fairer and Greener appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

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.’

The post A Green in the Room Makes a Difference appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.