With 14 green councillors, the North Lancashire Green Party has established itself as a firm opponent of the coalition government's drastic spending cuts.
Cllr Andrew Kay (Lancaster, Bulk ward) has been campaigning against cuts and closures of schools, post offices and social care services.
Kay says that: "I am determined to fight cuts to local services, including those planned for Firbank children's centre, the Ridge community centre and to home care services for older people. There are alternative ways of reducing the deficit without being so destructive."
A councillor for Bulk since 2009, Andrew helped set up "Lancaster and Morecambe Against the Cuts," a 500-strong coalition of people from all walks of life who are opposed to the government's budget cuts. He also reduced the city council's budget through efficiency savings, through reducing the number of managers on top salaries.
There are 34 candidates standing for the Green Party in the Lancaster city council elections on 5th May 2011. They present a slate that will fight for properly funded public services that are accessible to everyone, regardless of income.
Andrew Kay: "We will not stand by while the rich get richer and ordinary people lose their jobs and services they depend on."
The North Lancashire Green Party continues to support the campaign to "Keep our NHS Public" and wants to reduce public sector waste and energy bills instead of reducing public services. They are also opposing the county council's planned closure to two of Lancashire's respite residential centres for young people with learning disabilities.
Such actions obviously appeal to the public. Lancaster has a strong Green following and are considered to be one of the most successful local Green Party groups in England. Greens believe that economic activity should be locally-based, with companies being locally-owned and run. The local Green campaign to save the Lancaster market gained public support and attention, as have their campaigns to gain better public transport, protect green fields, and to make the district a 20mph zone.
The 2011 Green manifesto for the Lancaster city council elections promises to:
- give homes the ability to produce their own renewable energy,
- use local recycling as a way to generate more jobs, and,
- give local businesses, public services, arts and voluntary organisations the chance to thrive, instead of being cut and forced to close.
To help the North Lancashire Green Party continue to make a constructive difference to the district, oppose harmful cuts to services, and fight for a fairer society, vote Green on 5th May.