October 3rd 2015 saw the Founding Meeting of the Cotswold Green Party at the Ashcroft Centre in Cirencester. Originally part of Stroud District Green Party, the recent Green Surge saw membership numbers in the Cotswold District Council area soar to 115 – enough to form their own party and better represent the people and issues in the CDC area.
The elected officers come from Great Rissington, Cirencester, Fairford and Moreton-in-Marsh and so have good coverage of the large district and awareness of local issues.
After the official business it was great to have Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West, give an inspiring talk on the EU – its drawbacks, but also its positive side (of countries with different cultures and outlooks working together). A former Professor of Economics at Roehampton University, Molly is a member of the influential Economic & Monetary Affairs and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees in the European Parliament.
Molly also pointed out that with the collapse of the Liberal Democrat vote in the South West, the Green Party is the main opposition to the divisive policies of the Conservative Government.