Where Next for Dorset Green Party?

As readers will know, Dorset Council is directly responsible for many of the services which make a huge difference to our everyday lives - Children’s Services, Social Care, Planning, Highways etc. etc. - and of course implementing its own Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. Just think what a difference we could make if we had more Green councillors!

In the 2019 Dorset Council elections, Greens stood in 19 wards. We won all 4 of our target seats and finished a strong second in several wards despite no all-out campaign to win.

At our May meeting, we held our first discussion about where to target in 2024. Of course we want to hold our existing seats but, resources permitting, we’d also like to target some more. To do this,

  • We need candidates who want to win, or are at least willing to risk doing so!
  • We need members from all over Dorset to help deliver newsletters (in Rodwell & Wyke alone, we deliver 20,000 in a ‘normal’ year) and, come election time, campaign literature.

So! Would you be willing to consider standing for election with the aim of becoming a Dorset Councillor? Enthusiasm is the most important attribute but, if you also live in an area where we poll well, even better! If you’d like to learn more about what the role entails, or could help us deliver newsletters in target seats, please feel to contact me in the first instance.

Clare Sutton

Leader of the Green Group on Dorset Council

Clare.sutton@zen.co.uk

Tel. 01305 771180

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Clare says, “When I was first elected, my children were aged just 3 and 5 and I also had a ‘day job’. This was initially daunting, but I managed fine, so don’t let having a job or kids necessarily put you off - they may even be proud of you! Although being a councillor is sometimes frustrating, it’s extremely rewarding to put my interest and expertise in areas such as children and young people, community engagement and housing to good use, while helping to solve residents’ everyday issues, with things like access to green spaces or ASB, can make such a difference to people’s everyday lives”.

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Our current Dorset Councillors, and their portfolio areas, are:

Kelvin Clayton (Bridport)                         Climate and Planning

Brian Heatley (Rodwell & Wyke)               Transport and Finance

Jon Orrell (Melcombe Regis)                     Adults’ Services and Health

Clare Sutton (Rodwell & Wyke)                 Children’s Services and Green Group Leader

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May Local Election Results

How much progress did the Greens make in May 2021 and what does it all mean?

Vote green

20s Plenty in Dorset

Brian Heatley on the 20s plenty campaign

Brian Heatley

Climate and Politics

Kelvin Clayton lifts the lid on campaigning from the inside.

Warming stripes

Renewables in Dorset

Proposals for tidal power around the Dorset coast

Orbital Marine Power turbine