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.

‘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.

Tunbridge Wells faces similar challenges. Average rents in the area now account for 53.7% of an individual’s income with the average rent climbing to £1,385 per month. Households in Dartford, Maidstone, and Canterbury are also under pressure. Dover remains the most affordable location in Kent, but even there, rents still consume 25% of the average full-time salary.

The situation is no better for those seeking to buy a home. Across Great Britain, the average house price is 7.8 times the average salary. Here in Tunbridge Wells, the income-to-house-price ratio is 11.9. This means to buy a medium-priced property in Tunbridge Wells – the average house price is £472,000 – a household would need 11.9 times their annual salary.

These figures highlight the growing inaccessibility of homeownership for many young working adults, especially those without significant savings or dual incomes.

The Green Party’s Commitment to Affordable Housing

The Green Party understands that housing is a fundamental right, not a luxury. Our national and local policies aim to address the root causes of the housing crisis, ensuring everyone has access to a warm, secure, and affordable home. Locally, Tunbridge Wells Green Party is advocating sustainable, community-led solutions to tackle rising rents and house prices.

The Green Party’s “Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price” charter outlines a transformative vision for housing in the UK. This includes:

• Fair and affordable housing: Local authorities and national government must collaborate to deliver homes that people can afford to rent or buy.
• Sustainable developments: Protect valuable green spaces while reducing climate emissions through smarter planning.
• Energy efficiency: Ensure all new homes meet heating and insolation standards, featuring solar panels and heat pumps to reduce energy costs and emissions.
• Investments in local services: Require new housing developments to include investments in local health, transport, and community infrastructure.

A Greener, Fairer Future for Renters

Millions of private renters face unaffordable costs and constant insecurity. The Green Party’s Fair Deal for Renters aims to:

• Introduce rent controls so local authorities can cap rents in unaffordable markets. Here is an excellent article on rent control: LeftFootForward
• Establish a new stable rental tenancy to end no-fault evictions, providing renters with greater security.
• Empower tenants to demand energy efficiency improvements to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions.
• Create private residential tenancy boards for affordable, informal dispute resolution.

These policies aim to make renting a secure, fair, and sustainable option for everyone.

Tackiling the Cost of HomeOwnership

For those looking to buy, skyrocketing house prices are making homeownership an impossible dream for many. Lenders traditionally offer mortgages of four to five times the buyer’s income, leaving single-income households particularly disadvantaged. With the average home in Tunbridge Wells costing over 11 times the average salary, homeownership is increasingly out of reach for local residents.

The Green Party proposes bold solutions to make homeownership more accessible:

• Build 150,000 new social homes annually through a mix of new construction and refurbishment of older housing stock.
• End the individual “Right to Buy” scheme to preserve social housing stock for future generations.
• Introduce a community right to buy, empowering local authorities to purchase and repurpose properties for social housing.

Investing in Energy Efficiency

In addition to addressing affordability, the Green Party is committed to tackling the energy crisis through its Fairer, Greener Homes Guarantee. With UK homes among the least insulated in Europe, energy bills are unnecessarily high. The party’s plan includes:

• A £29bn investment over five years to insulate homes to EPC B standard or above.
• A £9bn investment for low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps.
• Street-by-street retrofitting programmes led by local authorities to adapt homes for extreme climate conditions.

These measures will reduce household energy bills, cut carbon emissions, and create thousands of green jobs.

Working Together for a Better Future

Tunbridge Wells Green Party is dedicated to ensuring everyone in Kent has access to affordable housing, whether renting or buying. By championing these policies locally and supporting the Green Party’s national initiatives, we are working to create a housing market that puts people and communities first.

We believe housing is a right, not a privilege. With bold action and innovative thinking, we can tackle the housing crisis and ensure every resident in Kent has a place to call home.

The post Kent’s Housing Crisis – The Green Party’s Vision for Affordable Homes appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out a new framework aiming to redefine the relationship between local and central government in England. It proposes a more integrated and expansive approach to devolved governance, emphasising the creation of Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the reorganisation of local government structures. The government aims to extend devolution across the country by creating combined authorities, encouraging local councils to form larger regional partnerships and introducing elected mayors with wide-ranging powers.

The framework prioritises the establishment of Strategic Authorities that encompass multiple local authorities over a “strategic geography,” with an optimal population of 1.5 million. The powers of these authorities span areas like transport, housing, economic development, and climate change. Mayoral Strategic Authorities can request additional powers and participate in decisions regarding national policies that impact their areas. This includes a streamlined funding system with consolidated grants for housing, transport, and local growth initiatives, providing these areas with greater financial flexibility.

Key proposed changes include abolishing district councils in some two-tier local government areas to establish unitary authorities. Such reforms would impact decision-making structures and could centralise power, shifting responsibilities like planning and education to fewer elected representatives. Critics highlight the risk of distancing local governance from communities, potentially creating “devolution islands” where smaller councils are left isolated.

Furthermore, the paper outlines plans for long-term financial settlements for devolved regions, an expansion of mayoral powers in planning and infrastructure development, and enhanced control over regional transport systems. The introduction of Local Growth Plans is expected to align devolved decision-making with broader national economic objectives. However, concerns remain regarding the potential loss of democratic accountability, with increased powers being concentrated in regional mayors.

The white paper also proposes reforms to local audit systems and councillor conduct, including mandatory codes of conduct and suspensions for repeated breaches. Proposals such as aligning local authority and strategic public service boundaries, enabling remote attendance at council meetings, and reviewing standards boards are designed to modernise and standardise governance across England.

The government’s ultimate goal is to have all regions of England covered by Strategic Authorities, believing this will enhance local decision-making and align with broader national objectives. However, questions persist about the lack of direct public input into these reforms and whether they address the real needs of local communities.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS GREEN PARTY’S RESPONSE

The recently proposed English Devolution White Paper represents a significant shift in how local government operates, but it raises serious questions about democracy, transparency, and fairness. While we welcome conversations about improving governance and delivering better services, this proposal seems to concentrate power at a higher level rather than devolving it down to local communities, which runs counter to the spirit of devolution.

We are deeply concerned that this is being pushed through without proper public consultation, and it was not included in Labour’s manifesto. Why isn’t there a referendum for such a fundamental change to how we govern our communities? The public deserves a say, especially when the outcome will have such far-reaching implications for our councils and the services they provide.

The idea of improving transport infrastructure to a level similar to what we see in London or Manchester is appealing in principle. However, achieving this across a geographically diverse and financially constrained county like Kent seems highly unlikely without significant and sustained funding. There’s a real risk that this promise will remain unfulfilled, leaving residents frustrated and underserved.

At its core, this proposal feels like a power grab. It dismantles district councils, abolishes key local decision-making structures, and consolidates authority into the hands of a regional mayor and a small group of elected representatives. While we do support reducing waste and inefficiency within the current system—such as cutting the number of costly directors and chief executives—a shift this dramatic risks sidelining local voices in favour of centralised control.

For West Kent, there is a case to be made for a combined council structure. Sharing resources and running services like waste contracts across a broader area could bring cost savings and improved efficiency. This is already happening to some extent, with partnerships between Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Councils. However, whether Maidstone would fit into this structure without creating something too large and unwieldy remains an open question.

We are also worried about how this plan will impact the poorer parts of Kent. All councils in Kent already bear responsibilities for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, however, some councils, like Dover or Thanet, can be disproportionately affected leaving us to wonder how this issue would be addressed in the new system. Will they receive the funding and resources they need or be further stretched? Similarly, there’s a risk that more affluent areas like West Kent, despite having pockets of real deprivation, could be penalised in funding allocations.

The current system is undeniably flawed—fragmented, wasteful, and inefficient—but this proposal does not seem to be the solution. Instead of centralising power, we should focus on creating a governance structure that genuinely delivers decision-making closer to the people it impacts, supports those most in need, and ensures resources are fairly distributed across the county. Anything less is a missed opportunity and a disservice to the communities we represent.

THE WIDER GREEN PARTY’S RESPONSE

The Green Party has long championed the importance of local councils, not only as the closest representatives to their communities but as crucial drivers of the large-scale change we need to see in areas such as building warmer homes, cleaning up our rivers, reforming social care, and greening our local economies. It is clear that meaningful change begins at the local level, with the people and institutions who know their communities best.

This White Paper is a step in the wrong direction. By taking power further away from councils and local people, it risks deepening the disillusionment and cynicism about politics that we are already seeing in communities across the country. For local democracy to thrive, it must be built on trust and genuine decentralisation of power. That means giving local councils the resources, investment, and authority they need to make decisions that have the greatest impact where it matters most.

The Green Party believes that devolution must mean real decentralisation, not just a reshuffling of power to larger, more distant bodies. That is why the party will continue to stand up for local government to remain truly local and to be made more democratic so councils like yours can deliver the vital improvements your communities deserve. Specifically, the party are calling for:

• Decisions to be taken as close as possible to the people most affected;
• Trusting local communities to know what is best for them;
• Providing councils with the investment they need to deliver meaningful change;
• Fair voting in local elections through proportional representation.

Co-leader Adrian Ramsay’s statement was picked up by the Guardian live blog: “This White Paper steals power away from local people and risks making the real changes required harder to achieve… We should trust local communities to make the right decisions on homes, food, energy, nature and adapting to the climate crisis. Instead, these plans risk moving power away from local councils to huge remote super councils and regional mayors.”

The Canary included Adrian’s social media reaction to the White Paper: “This proposal is a dangerous erosion of local democracy. It steals power from communities & risks alienating people from the democratic process.”

In the Commons, Green MP Ellie Chowns challenged the government over the ‘democratic deficit’ in the proposals. She asked the minister: “A local tier in some places will be replaced by a more distant mayoral tier. Does the Minister recognize this risks creating a bit of a democratic deficit? So really we should be trying to keep the local in local government as much as possible.” She also asked whether the government would introduce fair and proportional voting in local elections. See her intervention and the minister’s response on Twitter, which also featured on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester this morning. You can read Ellie’s full statement here.

Zoe Nicholson, Green Party leader of Lewis District Council, told the BBC the plans are a “power grab” and “the death knell for local democracy.” She accused Rayner of “bringing down the elected institutions that stand in her way” to force through planning decisions about new house building.” She added: “We cannot allow the government to ride roughshod over the democratic rights of residents and hand yet more power to men in grey suits.”

Caroline Topping, Green Party Leader of East Suffolk Council, told the Ipswich Star: “We will need time to consider the full implications of the Government’s White Paper, however our view of devolution and the principles of local government reorganisation remains unchanged. We must focus on how proposals in the White Paper benefit the residents of East Suffolk, preserve or strengthen real local democratic accountability, and ensure a close link between residents and the councillors who represent them.”

Green leader of Maidstone council, Cllr Stuart Jeffery, said the White Paper was “what we expected.” He told Kent online: “We need to make the best of something that is the centralisation of power which, to me, goes against the concept of devolution. It’s putting power into the hands of one person, but I would welcome more money coming into Kent.”

Read the Full White Paper here

Here’s a good summary

The post Devolution White Paper: A Comprehensive Breakdown & Tunbridge Wells Green Party’s Response appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

They say: we are using hyperbole.

We say: denying 1.8m residents their democratic right to vote is worthy of shouting about!

Sitting councillors have, in effect, elected themselves for up to 3 extra years with no public consultation. They believe that they are the best ones to carry out the imminent local government restructure and that you should not get to vote for your councillors.

They say: the public don’t care.

We say: let’s see about that!

We want our right to vote for councillors we trust to represent us on matters that affect our everyday lives like health, housing and roads. Conservatives at KCC said we don’t need a vote this year because they are the best ones for the job and “the public don’t care who is running the council, as long as it works”.

Well that is simply not true. The truth is that we haven’t been asked. Just 39 councillors decided the elections should be cancelled for 1.8 million of us.

Cancelling our election will affect residents in Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, Gravesham, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge and Malling and Tunbridge Wells.

Act now to save your vote. Sign here

The post KCC Elections Cancelled – Democracy Denied appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

Climate change is an existential threat to human life, yet the UK government’s climate actions to date have been woefully inadequate. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration in 2019 was a clear statement of intent but we need to see further action to back this up. 

Tunbridge Wells Climate Coalition was formed by Tunbridge Wells Green Party, Tunbridge Wells Friends of the Earth, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks Extinction Rebellion and Mothers* Rebellion: organisations who share the same concerns for the future of the planet and want to do something about it. Collectively we represent around 1,000 local people and that number is growing. A shared voice is a more powerful voice.  

Our mission: ‘To raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and to work with the local council and any other appropriate parties to ensure that necessary steps are taken to reduce its impacts’.   

What do we want to achieve? 

 • We want to see clear evidence that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is on target for net zero by 2030 and that climate change is being recognised as the emergency that it so clearly is. 

 • We also want to ensure that local residents are made aware of the facts regarding climate change and the actions necessary to reduce the impacts on our community and the world at large.  

We want to work with the council and other bodies to ensure that these goals are achieved. We do know that if concerned organisations such as ours join forces, we can make change happen: we will support the effective plans that the council are proposing but challenge them on what they’re not doing. We owe it to our children.  

A common powerful voice can influence, support and force change. It can also inform and educate. We want to reach out to residents and tell the true story of how climate change is affecting the world we live in and what we can do about it.

The post Tunbridge Wells Climate Coalition appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.

John is outside Tunbridge Wells Town Hall, where all our Council Tax goes. 

‘The Town Hall would have been getting 30% more money if it wasn’t for the Conservative/LibDem Coalition, which in 2012 started ramping down the amount of money central government gave to local councils, and that explains lots of things, like the closing of youth centres, lack of care, and the non-filling of potholes.

The Green Party intends to correct that, and make sure that local councils are properly funded, so that will give everybody hope for a fairer Britain.

So if you want Real Hope for the future, and Real Change, on the 4th July – Vote Green!’

English local government – from our 2024 Manifesto

Elected Greens will ensure that local authorities across England are given the powers and resources they need. They will push for an increase in local government funding of £5bn per year to tackle the current under-funding crisis and enable local authorities to play a key role in the transition to a zero-carbon economy and protecting nature.

The post Conservative & LibDem Coalition Policies led to youth centres closing, lack of care and non-filling of potholes appeared first on Tunbridge Wells Green Party.