Councillor Kia Pope is a Green Party member who was elected in May 2024 to Portland Town Council for Underhill ward.
He sits on the Council’s Climate Emergency Working Group, Biodiversity Working Group, and Events Working Group.
Kia said in June 2025: “My first year on Portland Town Council has been an honour to serve, and I’ve learned a ton. Thank you islanders for the chance.
“I am extremely pleased to have supported initiatives including: the successful Towns of Culture bid, Portland’s amazing community interest and charity groups, and greening of council projects and operations.
“If the incinerator ever becomes operational, we will keep fighting to get it shut down. No ifs, no buts, no giving up. With this fight comes a different vision, of green energy projects, billions in local investment, and decent well paid jobs so your kids don’t have to leave the island to make a living. We can and we will make that happen, and we don’t get there by burning rubbish by our UNESCO site.”
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Catherine Bennett was the Green Party candidate on Portland for Dorset Council in May 2024. She came fourth with 785 votes, missing out by just 90 votes on one of the three council seats.
Catherine says: “I was thrilled to do so well in my first ever election. I would like to thank everyone that voted for me and for something different to the Labour and Independent parties. I campaigned as someone who genuinely cares about Portland and Portlanders as a resident and someone with a long family history with Portland. The campaign in the general election was a bit of a whirlwind for a first timer with interviews and BBC programmes, but it was worthwhile to get some voices out there different from the two main parties.
“Along with several locals I spoke out against the incinerator at the planning committee at which we successfully convinced councillors to vote unanimously against it.
“I am still hopeful we will win as a community. It will probably come down to economics to finally end the threat of an incinerator just as it was with the palm oil power station. We need economic growth and jobs in a very hard hit area, but that has to be in a way that does not harm things for future generations and in a way that takes local people along with it and provides for vital infrastructure for the community.
“I continue to run the community fridge handing out free food that would have otherwise gone to waste and am honoured to have been part of the group that has founded the Future Portland Community Benefit Society that plans to bring community assets back into the community’s hands with the support of our members.
“The Greens are a broad church with people from all backgrounds coming together, and are based on mutual respect and discussion to reach a consensus.”
Latest portland news
- Greens second in Portland by-election
Mark Williams came second place in the Portland Town Council by-election in Tophill East on 10th July, beating Labour into third place. Congratulations go to Scott Horton for the “Independents for Dorset” party who won with 290 votes (47%) to the Greens in second place with 167 votes (27%) and Labour in third place with… Read more: Greens second in Portland by-election - Kia Pope reflects on first year as Portland Green town councillor
Green Councillor Kia Pope (Portland Town Council, Underhill ward) says: “My first year on Portland Town Council has been an honour to serve, and I’ve learned a ton. Thank you islanders for the chance. “I am extremely pleased to have supported initiatives including: the successful Towns of Culture bid, Portland’s amazing community interest and charity… Read more: Kia Pope reflects on first year as Portland Green town councillor - Mark Williams selected as Green candidate for Portland Town Council by-election
Mark Williams has been chosen as the Green Party candidate for the Tophill East by-election to Portland Town Council on 10th July. A keen angler and motorcyclist, Mark was born and brought up on the island, moved away for work, and has now returned home. Mark says: “I have been knocking on doors around the area over the last few weeks. It’s been great to meet you and to find out how I could help as your local councillor.” - Portland Town Council agrees Green’s proposal to ask King to stop proposed incinerator
Portland Town Council has agreed a proposal by Green Councillor Kia Pope to call on King Charles to intervene and help stop the proposed construction of a waste incinerator on the island at Portland Port. This will cite the island’s 1,000 year history as a Royal Manor, with its Court Leet guarding the rights and privileges of the islanders. - “Downright insulting”: Greens slam Portland Port’s ‘keeping community at heart’ newsletter with incinerator set to be built there
Green Councillor Clare Sutton was quoted by the Dorset Echo: “For Portland Port to claim in its newsletter that it has our ‘community at heart’ is not just insensitive and ill-judged; it is downright insulting. Would that be the community which has come out in force to oppose the waste incinerator at every step of the way for over five years?” - Cross-party group including Green councillors writes to Portland Port about incineratorCouncillors including Greens Clare Sutton and Claudia Webb have co-signed a letter by South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton to the CEO of Portland Port, calling for the controversial incinerator at the port site to be abandoned. The letter asks the Port to abandon “these harmful proposals” for “an outdated form of technology”. They call for a “nationwide moratorium”, banning any new waste incinerators. They also ask for a meeting about the issue with Port officials. The letter continues: “It has become clear that there is no business case, no community case, and no environmental case for a waste incinerator on Portland.”
- Cllrs Clare Sutton and Jon Orrell address hundreds at Stop Portland Waste Incinerator protest
Green Councillors Clare Sutton (Rodwell & Wyke) and Jon Orrell (Melcombe Regis, and Mayor of Weymouth) were among the speakers at a Stop Portland Waste Incinerator protest in Weymouth on Saturday 16 November, attended by hundreds of concerned local citizens. The protest against the new Labour Government’s decision to green-light the scheme was the lead item on Saturday night’s BBC Spotlight. - Clare Sutton and Dorset Greens continue to fight against Portland incinerator after Government green lightLike many others, Dorset Greens have opposed the proposed new incinerator on Portland from the outset, and are diismayed that the Government gave it the green light in September. 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.