Leeds local elections 2023: What the Green Party is promising as it predicts major political 'breakthrough'
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In an interview ahead of next months polls, the long-serving leader of the city councils Green Group, Councillor David Blackburn said: If you care about the future and you care about your kids, your grandkids and future generations, the Green Party is the only party to vote for.
Councillor David Blackburn, the long-serving leader of the city councils Green Group
The future, our future and this planets future are part and parcel of what Green Party is about. The rest (other parties) are all about political necessities, and thats why you need us at the centre of whats going on.
A lots been done on climate change, but nowhere near enough. The fact is people at the bottom of the pile will suffer if we dont get our game together and deliver.
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The city council declared a climate emergency in 2019, which saw the local authority pledge to make Leeds carbon neutral by 2030. Although the Labour administration says its on track to make the council itself net zero by this date, it recently admitted for the first time that theyre unlikely to meet the target for the wider city.
Councillor Blackburn said this admission was not unexpected and claimed local authorities need more powers from central government to go further on climate change. He said hed give the Labour administration eight out of 10 for its record on climate change but called for more cross-party working to get more resources and powers from central government.
The housing crisis and the impact on communities and the environment from large-scale developments is also likely to be a key election battleground. Councillor Blackburn said the type of properties being built across Leeds were too expensive for local people, and that the city needs more cheap rented homes
He explained: Whats needed is a refresh of national planning guidelines, to make sure they take account of climate change, because at the moment they dont do. Were still passing planning permission for developments which in 30 or 40 years arent going to be zero carbon, or anywhere near zero carbon.
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He added: Its owner-occupied homes being built. Theyre expensive and its tending to bring people outside from other areas to move into upmarket houses. Builders will do that because theyre there to make a profit. We need to find some way of stopping that, because we dont need houses like that.
With public money scarce, Councillor Blackburn has consistently argued for the allowances he and other elected members receive to be slashed.
Its an unpopular argument among his peers. Several Leeds councillors standing down in recent months have complained the role has become less financially viable, while demands on their time and energy have increased.
While councillors arent paid a salary, their allowance rises the more responsibility they take on.
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But Councillor Blackburn says the 25,000 a year-or-so sums earned by senior councillors with an executive role are extraordinarily large in my opinion.
I still think more can be done on allowances, he said. Weve cut staff by a huge amount since 2010. But weve still got 99 councillors. We havent got a choice on that because thats what the electoral arrangements are, but weve done nothing to reduce those costs.
Asked what would be the best case scenario for the Leeds Greens in this election would be, the long-serving group leader said he believed the party could pull off a handful of surprises.
We could make some major breakthroughs in West Yorkshire this year, Councillor Blackburn said. Weve been knocking on the door for a while. There is a strong possibility that after the local elections well be third largest party on the council. Were hopeful getting our number up to somewhere like eight, though thats at the upper end of our expectations.
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Friday, April 7, 2023 at 3:30 pm