The party has put forward a full slate of candidates for each of the county divisions in the city for the council elections taking place on May 1.

Two candidates – Matt Jenkins in St Stephen and Andrew Cross in Warndon Villages – are standing for re-election.

Mr Jenkins has stood successfully for election three times and first took his seat in 2013.

He said: “I’m very much looking forward to more Green colleagues joining the Green and Independent Group Alliance at Worcestershire County Council.

“We have a great set of candidates who would make excellent councillors.”

The Greens have enjoyed a successful few years in city council elections and have increased their representation on Worcester City Council from four seats in 2021 to 12 in 2024.

St Clement city councillor Tor Pingree, who won her seat from former Conservative city council leader Chris Mitchell in 2023, was re-elected last year and has been campaigning in the Riverside division.

She said: “I hope that residents will put their faith in me again, some of them for the third time, and that I have proven myself as a hard-working councillor.

“I am excited about standing for election in the Riverside division, as it is an area that I have known my whole life, so it would be a real privilege to be able to represent everyone in the area.”

In Rainbow Hill and Fort Royal, the Green candidate is Clare Wratten, who lives in the division and can be seen out regularly door-knocking, litter-picking and taking part in community activities.

She said: “I was inspired to stand for election because I feel that we need responsive and active county councillors who really listen to residents.”

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County and city councillors have worked together to arrange the installation of two new planters at the junction of Lansdowne Road and Chestnut Walk.

This is after claims that cars parking on the island reduced visibility for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, raising safety concerns. 

County councillor Matthew Jenkins said: “Not only do the planters solve the problem of irresponsible parking, they also look much nicer than the bare triangle of concrete.

“I requested that the island be resurfaced before the planters were installed, as years of being driven over had caused some damage, and I’m very pleased to have worked with the city council on getting them filled with some attractive plants.

“This should also make the junction safer for all users.”

The island separates traffic going up the hill from vehicles heading in the direction of
Upper Tything.

The project has been dubbed one of the first of its kind for the city.

“The highways department has told us that this is the first project of its kind in the city and it’s a really nice solution to the problem,” said Councillor Karen Lewing.

Councillor Hannah Cooper added: “Karen and I were very pleased to be able to help out with Matthew’s plan.

“We’re keen to increase the amount of greenery wherever we can in our area, as it looks lovely and it’s good for biodiversity.”

The three councillors said they had been approached by residents who had initially raised concerns about cars being parked on the land junction. 

The junction sits opposite the Chesnut Tree Inn.

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County council candidates for the St John’s ward have weighed in in recent weeks over the idea of completing Worcester’s bypass to help relieve traffic problems in areas such as Bromyard Road, the Bull Ring and St Johns

Sarah Edwards, Green Party county council candidate for St Johns, said: “The Labour and Conservative candidates both support spending well over £100 million on completing the ring road.

“But this would not solve the heavy traffic that is caused by people crossing the road bridge in vehicles to get to the other side of Worcester.

“This could be achieved by a combination of investing in public transport and active travel, if there was better provision for it.

“It would cost considerably less than to put facilities in place to make cycling safer and walking more pleasant, and to run regular, reliable bus services. People on the doorstep ask all the time for better bus services.”

Calls for the ring road to be completed were once again sparked by Richard Udall, the defending Labour councillor for St Johns.

In response to Ms Edwards, he said: “”Worcester currently has a ring road which only covers two thirds of the city, putting extra pressure on to St Johns’ roads and creating rat-runs. 

“My aim is to remove the through traffic by having a ring road so we can reduce the traffic going through St Johns and create the infrastructure to support public transport, cycling and walking.

“The road will not create more traffic, it would simply take it away from St Johns so we can liberate our urban streets for people”.  

Due to rules around impartiality during a pre-election period, Worcestershire County Council was unable to comment on the suggestions made by the Green Party.

Ms Edwards added: “As well as easing congestion, having fewer cars on the road would also improve our air.

“Worcester city is in an air quality management area, with the Bullring being one of the most polluted locations.”

Ms Edwards is standing for the Green Party in St John’s against Labour’s Richard Udall, the Conservative’s Bertie Ballinger, Reform UK’s Martin Hewlett, Liberal Democrat Peter Jackson and UKIP’s sole Worcester candidate, Martin Potter.

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Emily Colborne lives on Riverview Close and regularly finds herself attempting to cross Hallow Road with her young children but said she often feels unsafe.

She said: “We urgently need a pedestrian and cycle crossing over Hallow Road near the junction.

“It is a busy A-road all day long, and my young children and I routinely experience waits of up to five minutes trying to get safely across.

“There is a two mile stretch between the nearest crossings on Hallow Road, and residents, many of whom are elderly or have young children, have long had to put up with drivers speeding towards or out of the 60 miles per hour stretch in Hallow.”

Despite calls for a crossing for several years, recent infrastructure projects nearby has made the importance of a safe crossing more prominent.

Ms Colborne said: “The need for a crossing is even greater now that the wonderful Kepax Bridge has opened up access to this side of the river.

“Let’s prove Kepax is not ‘a bridge to nowhere’ by providing safe access for pedestrians and cyclists to all that St Johns has to offer.”

The Kepax Bridge links Gheluvelt on the east bank of the river with Hallow Road on the west, with a lack of any further pedestrian friendly infrastructure limiting the bridge’s usefulness.

Cllr Tor Pingree echoed Ms Colborne’s sentiments.

She said: “Now that we have the new bride, this area is increasingly popular with pedestrians and cyclists. For a long time we have need a crossing and now it is more pressing than ever.

“This crossing may help slow traffic on the Hallow Road, which is something many residents would agree is essential.

“The elderly and those with young children take a risk every time they try to get across this busy and dangerous road. But they should not have to take this risk. We need a crossing.”

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: “We have not received a request for a crossing at this location. Residents can request a crossing investigation by visiting our website and searching ‘request a crossing’.”

Webpage link to County Council website

(Worcester News 03/04/25)

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The statement describes the situation faced by the club due to the increasing incidences of flooding. As well as resulting in matches needing to be played elsewhere, they are causing costly damage to the ground’s pitches and infrastructure, and putting cricket club staff involved in cleaning up at risk.

Mr Giles explains that the evidence is clear that floods are becoming ever-more frequent and severe. He writes that although extensive research has been undertaken into the possibility of building preventative measures such as walls or embankments, it has been found that the costs would be prohibitive. It would also be unfeasible due to the knock-on effects of flooding on surrounding areas if the water was displaced from the cricket ground, which acts as a floodplain. The overall conclusion is that finding an additional venue that can be used when the New Road site is under water or has been left unusable is essential for the future of Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Councillor Louis Stephen said “This is very worrying news. Worcester is one of many places hit time and time again by flooding, and failure by successive governments to take meaningful action on climate change means that this has been on the cards for some time. If the cricket club has to relocate matches, this will have a serious financial impact on the city through money lost to the local economy.”

Councillor Matthew Jenkins added “We need people in positions of power to start tackling climate change instead of trying to ignore it. Given how often Worcester experiences flooding, you would hope that our Labour MP Tom Collins might be speaking up about it in Parliament, but so far it seems not.”

St. John campaigner Sarah Edwards said “Cricket is a huge part of Worcester’s heritage and it would be a major loss if the club has to start playing elsewhere. Unfortunately, they don’t have much choice and I have great sympathy with all of the staff and players.”

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Cllr Cooper first raised the need for this vital resource at her second ever council meeting in 2023, demonstrating her commitment to making Worcester’s public spaces accessible to all. The communication board, strategically placed low down in the play area, is designed to be easily accessible to young children, enabling them to express themselves and participate more fully in play.

“I am absolutely delighted to see this communication board installed,” said Cllr Cooper. “It’s a small addition, but it will make a huge difference to children and adults who rely on visual communication. I’m committed to working towards making all of our playgrounds more inclusive.”

Fellow Arboretum ward councillor, Karen Lewing, echoed Cllr Cooper’s sentiments, stating, “The communication board will help so many families. It’s wonderful to see this initiative come to fruition, and I’m proud to support efforts that make our community more inclusive.”

The communication board features a range of symbols and images that children can use to express their needs and desires, fostering greater understanding and communication in the play environment.

The post New communication board in Gheluvelt park appeared first on Worcester Green Party.

Councillor Louis Stephen said, “Worcester City Council declared a climate emergency all the way back in 2019, but when it comes to taking action, instead of warm words, sadly we cannot rely on Labour or Lib Dem councillors to do the right thing. To put a tiny amount of income from parking that might never materialise ahead of genuine action on reducing emissions is just wrong.” 

Despite having previously agreed to the scheme at a Planning Committee, Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors claimed that the lost car parking spaces would mean that there would not be enough capacity for cars in years to come. The scheme would only have reduced capacity by between 38 and 55 spaces, and the County Highways department raised no objections to the planning application. It had also been noted previously that the car park was only ever full during major city events such as the Victorian Christmas Fayre, with further parking and charging points available 2 minutes walk away at Tallow Hill. The electricity generated by the panels would have provided power for 12 electric vehicle charging points, as well as for lighting and lifts in the car park, with remaining energy being sold back to the grid.

Councillor Karen Lewing said “From this decision, it’s clear that councillors of other parties need to have training on Carbon Literacy as they do not understand the importance of generating our own renewable energy. This scheme would have been in line with the council’s own Environmental Sustainability strategy which aims to reduce consumption of resources, to grow the low carbon economy in the city and to ensure sustainability is embedded in business. In addition to this being a wasted opportunity, it has also now wasted a huge amount of officers’ time and resources.”

Labour councillors claimed that this project was redundant as the council already purchases “green” energy from its suppliers. “Green” energy includes energy from the Drax power station, which the BBC reported in 2024 [1] is still burning rare forest wood. Sustainability First also estimates that transmission losses from getting power from power stations to users adds £100 per annum to customer bills [2]. UK Power Networks estimate that transmission losses on the grid are responsible for 3.19 mega tonnes of CO2 per year [3]. The most efficient way to use generated electricity is to use it on site; officers estimated that all of the generated electricity for the St Martins Gate solar panels would be used on site.

Councillor Alex Mace said “The human driven climate emergency is affecting our city now. Just this winter the city has been flooded five times; here we have a proposal that would have reduced the city’s carbon footprint by five percent and given a positive rate of return from day 1. It would have produced income for years to come. Labour and their friends in the Liberal Democrats voted for declaring a climate emergency in 2019, but then voted against installing solar panels on St Martins Gate. Their words have no meaning when they won’t back them up with action. On the doorstep, residents say they are worried about how the changing climate will affect their children’s lives. By voting against this, Labour and the Liberal Democrats showed they aren’t on the side of their residents.”

Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors also voted to use £500,000 from selling off council assets to pay for the redundancy costs of staff cuts in 2025/26. This money could have been spent on solar panels to reduce the council’s carbon footprint and electricity costs; instead it is being spent on Labour and Liberal Democrat cuts.

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68381160
2. https://sustainabilityfirst.org.uk/blog/the-cost-of-losses/
3. https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/distribution-network-energy-losses

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During a visit to Worcester on Saturday (March 8) to support Green Party candidates ahead of the May elections, Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, visited  recycling business JansenMetco in Shrub Hill.

Together with city councillor and candidate for St Peter division, Louis Stephen, Zack learned about their eco-friendly metal recycling business.

Mr Polanski said: “The Green Party is always keen to support small independent businesses.

“It was good to meet Peter Jansen to hear about what his company does, but Peter also told me that he is worried about the fact that the service charge he has to pay has gone up by 60 per cent this year.

“That comes on top of a 70 per cent increase the previous year.”

Councillor Louis Stephen said: “It’s great to see the Shrub Hill area regenerated, but we must make sure we look after the small independent businesses and ensure that they are still able to thrive.

“I’m worried that we might be seeing ‘gentrification’ of the area and pricing out of long-standing firms.

“Some small businesses there might not be able to afford the new rents and service charges that are being imposed on them.”

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Cllr Andrew Cross cleared up the broken glass in Warndon Villages in Worcester using a dustpan and brush after concerns were raised in a community group.

The Green Party city councillor for Leopard Hill and county councillor for Warndon Parish warned of the dangers of not disposing of glass bottles properly.

He said: “Broken glass is a hazard to dogs and children, punctures bike and wheelchair tyres and is a pain in the backside to clear up. Please put any stray glass bottles into recycling bins before they get broken by idle hands or feet, and if you see broken glass on a path or road please report it.”

Dan Brothwell of Bike Worcester said: “Getting a puncture when out on the bike is a real pain, and is about the only thing that affects journey time.

“I’ve always got one eye on debris in the road that might need to be avoided, such as hedge cuttings, glass or litter. I’m really grateful to anyone who spots items and either moves them or cleans it up. I’ve done it myself a number of times.

“It’s got to be the best way to reduce the risk of someone getting a puncture or getting injured. It’s fantastic knowing that there are guardian angels like Andrew out and about making the world a better place. Big love.”

It is not the first time Cllr Cross has got his hands dirty. We reported how he and another Green Party councillor, Katie Collier, cleaned play equipment in Warndon while city council teams were overstretched after a storm hit.

Councillors Andrew Cross and Katie Collier decided to clean the dirty climbing wall themselves at Great Oaty Gardens play park in Warndon Villages, Worcester last December after a complaint was made about its poor condition.

(Worcester News 09/03/25)

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Zack Polanski, deputy leader of the Green Party, visited Worcester today (March 8) to help conjure up support for councillors in the upcoming county council elections. 

Mr Polanski spent the day door knocking, visiting businesses such as Pack it in and Spin the Black Circle before going to the Terabi Mosque on Lowesmoor. 

A Worcester News Reporter met with the deputy leader of the Green Party whilst he was door knocking with Clare Wratten (The Green Party candidate for Rainbow Hill and Fort Royal at the upcoming Worcestershire County Council elections).

Mr Polanski, deputy leader of the Green Party, said: “What I have found from talking to people here today in Worcester is that they are tired of their old politics.

“They feel disillusioned with 14 years of conservative underinvestment in public services, and what they were expecting from a Labour government, something different and what I’m hearing a lot is people are very disappointed. So people are naturally looking for alternatives. 

“Worcester has been a very important place for the Green Party for a long time and the Worcester Greens have been increasing their representation. In terms of the county council it would be really good to see some more greens in the room.”

Mr Polanski and Clare Wratten also stopped by the Guildhall to meet stall holders celebrating International Women’s Day. 

He added: “Renewable energy is going to be a huge part of moving away from oil and gas.

“We know we both have a climate crisis but also people’s bills have also been shooting up and rocketing up even more and that’s because of our reliance on fossil fuels and actually, we know that renewable energy is 8x cheaper than the old model.

“Where solar farms go is going to be a case by case basis and our preference is always going to be on brownfield land and to use old car parks and yes sometimes that will also involve building in places that will sometimes be unpopular but crucially we need to make sure that we are working with residents and with communities. We need to make sure that there’s proper consultation so people know that they have been heard and consultation rather than just notification.”

(Worcester News 09/03/25)

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Karen Lewing, deputy leader for the Green group and councillor for Arboretum ward said: “At the eleventh hour, the Labour Government revealed in their final settlement that they were short-changing Worcester by £160,000 in compensation for increased employer’s National Insurance Contributions. We are proud to have worked collaboratively across parties to produce this budget, but the simple fact is that the Labour Government has blown a hole in our plans at the last minute. This means further unspecified cuts to services will be required, which I cannot support. Alongside the uncertainty of local government re-organisation it is very unfair for the Government to heap more threats to staff through continued underfunding.”

Many local authorities are in a similar position to Worcester, facing inadequate funding after 14 years of Conservative austerity, increasing costs due to inflation, rises in the minimum wage and increased employers National Insurance Contributions after the Labour Government’s budget in 2024. The Labour Government is not increasing the funding of Worcester City Council in real terms, continuing Conservative austerity.

Louis Stephen, leader of Worcester City Council Green group and councillor for Battenhall ward said: “The city council is legally required to pass a balanced budget every year. This year, Worcester Labour Party have balanced the budget using a ‘Financial Sustainability Plan’, which will be used to close the near £1,000,000 gap in the council’s finances. This will see one-off grants and job cuts, across all directorates of the council, used to close that gap in the year 2025/26.”

All parties have called for better funding of local government over the last year because they know the truth: we can only continue to deliver all the services our residents want and depend on with better funding. Unfortunately the Labour Government have continued to put the brakes on local growth by starving local government of resources. Residents should ask Labour councillors why they are willing to call this out at county council meetings, but not at city council meetings.

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