Greens stand full slate of County Council candidates in Braintree and Maldon Districts

6 April 2013

Nominations closed at noon on Friday 5th April for the Essex County Council elections to be held on May 2nd.

Once again, the Greens are standing a full slate of 8 candidates in Braintree District and 3 in Maldon District.

The Greens are working hard to try to win their first county seat. In 2009 Green candidate James Abbott, a Braintree District councillor since 1999, finished second to the Conservative in Witham Northern. The division once again promises to be a hard fought contest with the Greens well placed to win this time.

Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett will be visiting Witham on Friday 12th April to support the campaign, including a photocall at Witham railway station at 3pm and the Manifesto launch at 6.30pm at Spring Lodge Community Centre, to be followed by a Q and A session open to the public at the same venue.

The Greens are also standing a big slate across the county, with full compliments of candidates in most districts and boroughs.

Cllr. James Abbott said

"Key policies for the Greens at this election include major reform of the way in which Essex County Council engages with the public and improvements to local services such as highway maintenance, where standards have fallen badly in recent years.

Conservative run County Hall has seen a serious scandal over the spending of former Leader Lord Hanningfield who made numerous trips abroad - and wined and dined extensively - with taxpayers picking up the tab. There are still questions as to why that went on for so long.

ECC prevents the public from speaking at most of its meetings, which we view as a shameful disregard of the basic democratic rights of Essex residents. Yet at the same time they have awarded themselves the highest senior councillor allowances in East Anglia. ECC also abolished the area forums where local people could come and have their say.

ECC pushed though plans for the waste incinerator at Rivenhall Airfield, totally ignoring the views of local people, parish councils and the district council. And they are now operating the same disregard for local views over the Minerals Plan.

The Greens uncovered the fact that ECC took over £11 million (1) out of Witham by selling land it owned at Maltings Lane for development but not reinvesting that money back in to the town and nearby villages - where there is a clear need for a community hospital, improvements to road safety, better highway maintenance and many other things the cash could have paid for.

Newly elected Green County Councillors will immediately seek agreement with like-minded councillors across party lines to set in motion a programme of democratic reform at County hall - so the public can have their say and so that consultation has real meaning, not just a tick-box exercise. We will also press for senior councillor allowances to be cut. In 2011/12, 5 Tory County Councillors enjoyed expenses and allowances in excess of £50,000 (2). That is way too much when so many households are struggling to pay their bills - including the council tax."

Green Party candidates in Braintree District:

Witham Northern James Abbott

Witham Southern Philip Hughes

Three Fields with Great Notley Bob Wright

Bocking Andrea Bunn

Braintree Town Tim Reeve

Braintree Eastern John Malam

Halstead Stephen Hicks

Hedingham Joyce Wells

Green Party candidates in Maldon District

Maldon Janet Carden

Heybridge and Tollesbury Bob Graves