GREENS AIM AT BECOMING LARGEST PARTY IN NORWICH: Candidates display cross-Party experience.

Norwich Green Party today launched its bid to become the largest party on the City Council by announcing its list of candidates for the local elections to be held across the city on Thursday 9th September. Five of the candidates have previous experience as a City Councillor, one of these with the Labour Party and one with the Liberal Democrats. 

Graeme Gee, a former Labour Councillor [1], will be standing as a Green Party candidate in Mancroft ward. He said: "The Green Party is the party with the ideas and the passion to guide Norwich through these tough economic times. I am pleased to be standing for the council again with a party that will really look out for the interests of Norwich residents. I have already been out talking to people about the issues that matter to them and I'm looking forward to being able to work on their behalf if elected."

Paul McAlenan is a builder and former Liberal Democrat councillor who lives with his family in Norwich [2]. Paul has been a campaigner on key local and environmental issues for over 20 years and is now standing for the Green Party in Crome ward. He said: "I've been impressed by what the Green Party has achieved in Norwich and am pleased to be its candidate in Crome. I look forward to working hard with my Green colleagues to achieve a greener future for Norwich."

Jessica Goldfinch [3], Steven Altman [3] and Claire Stephenson have experience as Green Party councillors. Claire Stephenson, candidate for Nelson ward and the Green Party's main spokesperson for the election [4], said: "It is fantastic that our list of candidates contains so much talent and experience. Across the city people from all walks of life are coming over to the Green Party because they realise that what we offer is a real alternative that has fairness to all people at its heart."

The Green Party is going into this election buoyed by its success in doubling its share of the vote in Norwich South and achieving the second highest Green vote in the country at the General Election earlier this year [5]. For the last two years the Green Party has been the second largest party on the City Council with 13 councillors, just two behind Labour's 15. This election will be a contest between Labour and the Greens to become the largest party [6]. If the party succeeds, this will be the first time anywhere in the country that the Green Party has become the largest party on a council.

Amongst the other Green Party candidates are Jo Henderson, a successful local businesswoman; Lesley Grahame, who works as a nurse; and Jean Bishop, a horticulturalist who runs her own business [7].

Notes:

[1] Graeme was a Labour councillor on Norwich City Council for eight years ending in 1996. During that time he served on planning, leisure and community services, finance, personnel, and economic development committees. In this time he also chaired planning outer area development and control committee, Bowthorpe Development Group, and was Vice Chair of leisure and community services. He was also involved in licensing sub committee, joint museums committee, and markets, as well as representation for the Council on a number of outside bodies, including East Anglia Tourist Board, Cinema City, Norwich and Norfolk Dance, and a number of community centre committees.

[2] Paul was a Lib Dem councillor on Norwich City Council between 1999 and 2004. During that time Paul was particularly involved with the Planning Committee and worked to promote sustainable building and modern architecture.

[3] Jessica was a Green Party Councillor in Nelson ward between 2003 and 2006. During that time she was the party's housing spokesperson and a chair of the Licensing Committee. Steven Altman was a Green Party Councillor in Mancroft ward between 2006 and 2007.

[4] Claire Stephenson was until recently the Leader of the Opposition on the City Council. She also chaired the Scrutiny Committee. If re-elected she is expected to become the Leader of the Green Party Councillors on the City Council again and is therefore the Green Party's main spokesperson for the election campaign.

[5] Norwich South produced the second highest Green Party vote anywhere in the country. Party Leader Caroline Lucas had the best result, winning Brighton Pavilion to become the first Green MP at Westminster. http://www.greenparty.org.uk/localsites/norwich/news/Norwich-News.html

[6] Both parties start the election campaign with 9 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have only 4 each.

[7] The full list of Green Party candidates is:

Jean Bishop (Bowthorpe)

Rebecca Lewis-Smith (Catton Grove)

Paul McAlenan (Crome)

Nick Clinch (Eaton)

Kit Jones (Lakenham)

Graeme Gee (Mancroft)

Jo Henderson (Mile Cross)

Claire Stephenson (Nelson)

Jessica Goldfinch (Sewell)

Lesley Grahame (Thorpe Hamlet)

Ash Haynes (Town Close)

Sue Carpenter (University)

Steven Altman (Wensum)

Short profiles of each candidate will soon be available on the Norwich Green Party website www.norwichgreenparty.org