Clare Sutton told the crowd: “Incredible to see so many people here today. If this really does go ahead, we know what impacts we’re looking at on our local communities – not least in my ward, Rodwell & Wyke.

“The Impact on our local economy and on the very air we breathe. No wonder we’re angry. We’re angry that Portland Port would even consider bringing this monstrosity to our community. We’re angry that Power Fuel, with their no doubt astronomical legal bill, have so far won the day. And I am angry that a government ostensibly committed to tackling climate change removed the moratorium on building new incinerators within weeks of entering office, and then gave this one the green light.

“Incinerating household waste is now the dirtiest way the UK generates power, producing the same amount of greenhouse gases per unit of energy as coal, which the UK abandoned last month. There are many ills in our world, but climate change is the one which affects every single one of us. Those living in Valencia or Athens or Ethiopia know first hand what’s coming our way. And if you’re my age, you know it’s your children and your grandchildren that are going to bear the brunt of this.

“Locally we have fought so hard. Many of us spoke at the Dorset Council planning hearing, and at the appeal. Hundreds of us have made multiple submissions, written to MPs, or donated money to the extraordinary Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign.

“And thousands of us have signed petitions or shared posts on social media. But the truth is, there aren’t many tools left in the box. We all hope the new incinerator legal challenge succeeds, and that the Environment Agency doesn’t grant a permit. And we must – we must – petition the new government to immediately introduce a moratorium on granting new licenses and allowing those in place to proceed – before it is too late. Too late for us. Too late for Corby. Too late for Wisbech. Too late for towns up and down the UK.

“The positive note. Hard to come by, aren’t they? What we do have is a united front. We’re united in saying no to the incinerator – and we’ll keep on saying no as long as there remains any hope that we can win. Thank you.”

Jon Orrell followed on: “Thank you for that welcome. It’s great to see so many people here today, to show the strength of feeling from our towns. We’re meant to live in a democracy, but does this feel like a democracy? No! I went with my fellow councillors, and also the doctors of Weymouth, to the planning enquiry and to the appeal. And we stood united to say no to this for the sake of our patients, for the sake of our constituents. This is an absolute disaster and it should not happen.

“So, like Clare, I’ll do some positives, then I’m going to do some negatives. There are things to which we can say yes. To clean safe seas, we say yes. To clean air to breathe, we say yes. To our children’s future, we say yes.

“And there are things to which we have to say no. The doctors of the town, we say no. The councils of these towns, we say no. The people of these towns, we say no. For private profit and filth, we say no.

“To nature, burned for wealth, we say no. All together: we say no. We say no. We say no.”

The post Cllrs Clare Sutton and Jon Orrell address hundreds at Stop Portland Waste Incinerator protest appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

This initiative has been strongly supported by Green Councillor Clare Sutton (Rodwell & Wyke), to make it safer for schoolchildren, elderly residents of Anning House and those using the doctor’s surgery.

Local resident and Vicar of Holy Trinity, Juliet Stephenson, said: “I am delighted with this. As our children learn about road safety, it’s crucial that road users are mindful of buggies. bikes and scooters, and little ones are holding hands as they cross the road. I’m always grateful to see courteous driving. Everyone is benefitting.”

The post 20mph zone introduced in Cross Road, Weymouth, after strong support from Cllr Clare Sutton appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Claudia said: “It was good fun, and raised awareness about keeping our harbour clean.”

The post Claudia Webb co-organises south Harbourside litter pick, raises awareness of harbour cleanliness appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Claudia commented: “The Friends of Rodwell Trail and Sandsfoot Castle has been running for around 15 years now and due to people getting a little bit older and retiring, it needs new members to be able to continue.

“The group means a lot to me n a personal level and I believe that it’s also hugely important for Weymouth to have a committee that will always fight for the best interests of the beautiful trail and the castle.’

“For a lot of people, the Rodwell Trail is their happy place and their safe place when they are feeling really low. It is so beautiful and makes you grateful to live in Weymouth.

“We used to have the capacity do a lot of family related things and events; it would be a shame for people to miss out on these in the future.”

These events include regular litter picks, butterfly walks, geology projects, fundraising, musical events, fetes, trail improvements, as well as astronomy evenings.

Claudia added: “I attended our last committee meeting and am deeply saddened to report that unless we manage to find some active members or people wishing to assist on the committee then we will have to consider dissolving the group.

“We currently only have a few core members, and it is unsustainable for us to continue this way.”

Claudia is now calling on people who may have a little bit of time to spare, alongside a passion for the area to get involved so that the group can continue.

The post Cllr Claudia Webb works to recruit new Friends of Rodwell Trail & Sandsfoot Castle committee members appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Councillor Clare Sutton has made a further submission to the Environment Agency. and is liaising with Dorset Council, the new South Dorset MP, and other parties about possible next steps, which may include High Court review.

Clare said: “Our Green Party Councillors are committed to fighting this decision at every level and will continue to press for more environmentally responsible policies that protect our community, air quality, and the natural beauty of Portland and the wider Weymouth area.”

Meanwhile Dorset Green Party’s new Chair Val Graves has asked Green MPs to press for no new incinerator permits and an immediate moratorium on environmental permits for approved but unbuilt incinerators – including Portland’s.

For the most up-to-date information, go to the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator’s Facebook page.

The post Clare Sutton and Dorset Greens continue to fight against Portland incinerator after Government green light appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

“We both swim near overflow pipes, and were keen to learn all we could.

“You can track discharges online at wessexwater.co.uk/coast-and-rivers-watch-map.”

The post Cllrs Clare Sutton and Helen Toft visit Wyke Water Treatment Plant appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Belinda said: “Thank you for trusting me to represent you again. I’m hugely grateful and humbled by your support, which has increased across all our polling areas. I’ll continue to listen and work hard on your behalf.”

She’s been busy since the elections working for local residents. We have knocked on every voters’ door and listened to your concerns about the loss of our services, speeding, parking and sewage in our rivers and beaches. Working collaboratively with the new administration in Dorset Council means we have more influence to get our problems resolved. The photo above shows Belinda helping keep our beaches clean with town councillor Caroline Aldridge and new local MP Edward Morello.

A newly elected Labour government with strong Lib Dem representation in the South West will also offer more opportunities for real hope and real change.

The post Belinda Bawden working hard after re-election to Dorset Council with large majority appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

“Racism is not simply an issue for those who experience it; it is a societal problem that requires all of us to be actively anti-racist, to listen, to learn, and to challenge prejudice whenever and wherever we encounter it.

“One of the most moving aspects of the protest was the sense of solidarity that permeated throughout the event. It was heartening to see so many people showing their support for one another, and it reaffirmed my belief in the power of community action. We may come from different backgrounds, but we share a common vision for a society where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and equality. Our strength lies in our diversity, and events like this remind us that we are stronger when we stand together.

“As a councillor, I am committed to ensuring that the voices of those affected by racism are heard loud and clear within our local government. This means pushing for policies that address inequality, advocating for more inclusive education within our schools, and ensuring that our public institutions reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. It also means listening to the lived experiences of those who have faced racism and using that knowledge to inform the decisions we make.

“Moving forward, let us all remember that change starts with us. Whether it’s in our homes, workplaces, schools, or council chambers, we each have a role to play in building a society where everyone is treated with the respect and equality they deserve. We must continue to speak out, to educate ourselves, and to hold those around us accountable when we witness acts of racism or discrimination.

“The journey toward racial equality is long and often challenging, but as I stood among the crowd on that Sunday, I was reminded of the strength, resilience, and hope that exists within our community. Together, we can and will build a brighter, fairer future for everyone.

“Thanks to Stand Up To Racism Dorset.”

The post Standing together against racism: Cllr Claudia Webb’s experience at the Weymouth anti-racism protest appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

In rural Dorset, there were some pleasing advances in the Green vote.

Our area’s largest Green vote and largest increase was recorded in Mid Dorset & North Poole, where Ben Pantling‘s 2,355 votes were 4.8% of the total, 1.9% more than in 2019:

Ben said: “Thanks for all who made the effort to vote yesterday, a very good increase from 2019.

“Congratulations to Vikki Slade, well done; great to get to know you over the campaign. I hope Westminster is enjoyable.”

In West Dorset, Green candidate Kelvin Clayton‘s 2,288 votes were 4.3% of the total – 0.8% higher than his previous total in 2019.

Meanwhile in North Dorset, Green candidate Ken Huggins also saw a vote share increase of 0.3% to 4.2%, polling 2,082 votes.

Ken commented: “What a fantastic result for the Green Party, with an amazing four MPs now having a voice in Parliament.

“Here in North Dorset the Green vote was suppressed by tactical voting that sadly failed to unseat the Conservative incumbent. The hustings events were notable for not having any questions about the environment, but I got applauded several times when I raised the subject, so the public awareness is definitely there.

“We now have to work even harder to make sure the issue is given the attention it so urgently requires.

“Join the Green Party today – join.greenparty.org.uk“

In South Dorset, the Green Party’s Catherine Bennett held the vote share steady despite the two-party squeeze:

The results across rural Dorset were rounded out by a steady showing for the Greens from Susan Graham in Christchurch & East Dorset:

The post Four Green MPs elected – with Green advances in rural Dorset appeared first on Dorset Green Party.

Clare Sutton commented: “Other than local issues, my main area of focus as a Dorset Councillor has always been children and young people, so I feel honoured to have been appointed Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.

“Ensuring the best chance in life for those who experience the greatest challenges, such as being in care or having special educational needs, is a massive task, particularly because given year-on-year funding cuts. However Dorset is doing better than most local authorities, mainly because we’re not just talking about early intervention but actually doing it. Examples include getting in there early where there are parental issues with mental health, domestic abuse or substance misuse to try to prevent family breakdown, and working with girls and young women at risk of domestic abuse.

“I know there are children, parents and carers locally experiencing difficult times. Please get in touch and I will help in any way I can.”

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