County Durham Green Party is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month (February).
Since it formed in 2013 it has grown to 240 members. There are four Green Parish Councillors and the local party celebrated the election of its first County Councillor in 2021.
Nationally, the Green Party of England and Wales celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year.
Looking back over the past 10 years, Green County Councillor, Jonathan Elmer, says:
“The steady growth of the Party reflects a growing awareness of the environmental crisis facing the planet and also, at a local level, an appreciation that the Green Party listens to people and strives to deliver on local priorities.
“Even before I was elected to the county council, the Green Party was able to play a significant role in improving the County Durham Development Plan, which is the planning framework for the whole county. Without our input, the Plan would have seen a widespread loss of green belt and the construction of an unneeded bypass around Durham City.
“We have brought about climate and ecological emergency declarations, and continually push for the strengthening of these documents.
“We have also campaigned against the use of certain pesticides, which has resulted in a change of direction by the County Council, and we are working tirelessly to reduce air pollution across the county.
“We look forward to the next 10 years, increasing our support and working to deliver a greener, cleaner environment for the people of County Durham.”