THE Green Party has always had a strong showing in Stroud, but in the last few years that has begun to seep into the Cotswolds. Reporter Jack Pitts went to meet Green Party candidate Robert Elliott in his flourishing garden to talk about why the Cotswolds should go Green.

 

Robert Elliott is one of eight Green councillors standing in the Cotswold District elections on May 7.

At 41 years old, Robert has spent much of his life as a youth worker. He now drives a mobile library and works as a community development officer.

He was once a Labour supporter - and was even asked to be a Labour councillor when he lived in Hackney - but is now firmly in the Green corner.

“I now feel that the greens are the party most series about giving power to local people,” he said.

“We’re not just about the environment. We’re based around people, around community and around what is best for everybody.

“Sometimes people feel the council is apart from them. People need to be reminded that it works for the people, not the other way round.”

The environment runs through everything the Greens do, but also on their list of things to change are transport, housing and development.

The problems with parking could be solved by more people inside Cirencester leaving their cars at home and cycling or using buses.

Housing, Robert believes, could be much better organised.

“I hope so much that the council considers the Kemble development, or at least tries to spread the houses out around different options,” he said.

“There are people in villages and towns who are having to move away from where they grew up because they can’t afford to buy a place, that is where houses are needed.”

“I'd like to encourage the council to have a fresh look at the development plan and look at new options.”

The environment is always on the agenda for Greens and Robert would like to look as how waste is disposed.

He and his wife open up their countryside garden one day a week to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity.