Green Party councillors have been appointed to lead Stroud District Council, at the council’s Annual General Meeting, held last night (Thursday May 23) at Ebley Mill, following the recent local elections.  

Cllr Catherine Braun was elected to continue as Leader of the Council, with Cllr Pete Kennedy appointed as Deputy Leader.

Cllr Kate Kay becomes Chair of Council, with Cllr Matthew Sargeant taking the role of Vice-Chair of Council. 

Cllr Braun said: “The Green Party councillors are committed to working constructively with all councillors, regardless of political party, in the interests of the people of Stroud district. At the local election, we promised that we would work to restore trust in politics, and collaborative working is central to that pledge.

“As Council Leader for the past two years, I’ve found that by working in a cross-party way, we can generally agree with other councillors on the issues that matter, whether that’s investment in new social housing, action for climate and nature, or community initiatives to improve health and wellbeing.” 

Cllr Braun added: “I’m delighted to have such a fantastic team of Green councillors to form the new administration, including councillors with great experience of their role, and others who bring fresh ideas for ways to improve services to our communities. Although the Green Group doesn’t have a majority on the council, we are now the largest political group, and by taking an inclusive approach, we commit to providing effective leadership for the district”. 

Deputy Leader Cllr Pete Kennedy, who is also the Green Party parliamentary candidate for the Stroud constituency, said: “We are grateful to the tens of thousands of people who put their trust in the Green Party at the local elections, many of whom did so for the first time. We are committed to delivering on our manifesto commitments: warm and affordable homes; a clean and green district; thriving market towns and villages; public services that work; and restoring trust in politics.

Cllr Kennedy added: “We have a proud history of doing things differently in Stroud district. As a minority Green administration, we will provide clear political leadership of the council, while building cross-party consensus wherever possible. I want councillors from all parties to know that they can work with our Green leadership team and contribute fully in committee and council meetings. I believe the more we can all work together, the more we can achieve for the communities we are elected to serve.”

After the council elections on May 2, no party won the 26 councillors required for a majority. Greens won 22 seats, Labour 20, Conservatives 7 and Liberal Democrats 2. 

Last night’s council meeting confirmed the membership of council committees and working groups, as well as representatives on outside bodies, such as the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel.

The elected committee chairs and vice-chairs will work closely with committee members and council officers to develop the council’s strategies and oversee service delivery.

The chairs and vice-chairs of committees are as follows:

Community Services & Licensing 

Chair: Beki Aldam (Green, Thrupp)

Vice-chair: Marisa Godfrey (Green, The Stanleys)

Development Control 

Chair: Martin Baxendale (Green, Stroud Valley)

Vice-chair: Helen Fenton (Green, Chalford)

Environment 

Chair: Chloe Turner (Green, Minchinhampton)

Vice-chair: Martin Brown (Green, Bisley)

Housing 

Chair: Gary Luff (Green, Painswick & Upton) 

Vice-chair: Lucas Schoemaker (Green, Stroud Trinity)

Strategy & Resources 

Chair: Catherine Braun (Green, Wotton)

Vice-chair: Pete Kennedy (Green, Painswick & Upton)

Audit & Standards 

Chair: Bob Hughes (Labour, Dursley)

Vice-chair: Martin Pearcy (Green, Coaley & Uley)

One committee (Audit and Standards) will be chaired by a Labour councillor, in line with the convention that this role is not held by the administration party.

Pictured: The new SDC Green group outside Ebley Mill on Thursday night.

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A former Chair of Stroud Labour Party has confirmed she will be voting Green in the General Election on Thursday and is urging all Green supporters to do the same, and not be swayed by Labour’s argument that they need the votes of Green supporters to be sure of replacing Conservative Siobhan Baillie as Stroud MP.

Cllr Kate Kay was once active in the Labour Party, including roles as branch Secretary and Chair of Stroud Constituency Labour Party. But she left Labour five years ago after losing confidence in its willingness to work collaboratively with others.

The death in December 2023 of her husband Norman Kay, a longstanding Green district councillor, propelled her into joining the Green Party so that she could continue his work as district councillor for Nailsworth ward. She subsequently won Norman’s seat in the May 2024 local elections and became part of the now-22-strong Green group that runs Stroud District Council.

Kate said this week: “I am asking residents to consider voting Green on Thursday. The climate emergency and the threat to the natural world will not wait for us to ‘grow the economy’ and it is only the Green Party that has understood the need for immediate action and has the policies that match the challenge.

“I joined the Green Party and stood in the District Council elections in May to ensure that there was a strong Green voice at a local level.

“After years of voting for the Labour Party, this time I will be voting for Green candidate Pete Kennedy as he has the experience, energy and courage to hold the new government’s feet to the fire and make sure it makes the environment and social justice top priorities.

“The Labour Party are almost guaranteed to win this election and my vote here will not prejudice this in any way. But my vote will be added to thousands of others raising their voices at a national level and saying there is an alternative.

“These moments do not come along very often. Time is running out for us, and I want to vote for what I believe in so please join me and vote for Pete Kennedy and the Green Party. We need Green MPs at a national level to be our voice.”

The post ‘Vote Green to hold the Starmer government’s feet to the fire’, former Stroud Labour Party chair urges residents appeared first on Stroud District Green Party.