The Green Party in Devon believe they are on track to win more seats than Labour across the county next Thursday.
Greens say they are hopeful of winning their first seats in Exeter, retaining councillors in East and South Devon and winning new seats in North Devon, Torridge and Mid Devon.
Local Green parties in Devon will this weekend welcome Zack Polanski, the deputy leader of the Green Party. He will visit Exeter on Sunday afternoon to help with last minute canvassing efforts by Green candidates and campaigners.
Andy Ketchin is Green city councillor in Newtown and St Leonard’s and is hoping to take the County seat from Labour in St David’s and Haven Banks. He said:
“We’ve knocked on thousands of doors across Exeter and the message is clear. The Conservatives are toast and support for Labour is in meltdown. As the tired old parties melt away, people are looking for alternatives. The seven Green city councillors in Exeter have a track record of hard work and holding the Labour administration to account – a positive antidote to the negative, divisive and populist rhetoric of Reform.
“In many divisions in the city, which four years ago saw Labour candidates win with large majorities, support has evaporated. People feel let down by Labour’s attacks on the most vulnerable: welfare cuts for the disabled and removing winter fuel allowances for the elderly.
“It’s now a close race between Labour and Greens across many divisions in the city and we know from conversations on the doorstep that people are turning to the Green Party.”
Jack Eade is in a close race with Labour in Heavitree and Whipton Barton. He pointed to Labour’s record of failure in the division:
“Community groups in Heavitree & Whipton Barton – including volunteer groups which help maintain the park and support health centre patients as well as a food bank – have missed out on £14,600 in grants because the Labour councillor here has been AWOL and didn’t sign off funding agreements (1). Local residents deserve so much better. They need a councillor who is embedded in the local community and working hard for them. That is what they will get if they elect me as their councillor on Thursday.
“I am determined to ensure there is good community engagement before new projects begin in the area; I believe people should be genuinely involved in decisions that affect their lives.”
Thomas Richardson, Green candidate in St Sidwell’s and St James added:
“The mood in the Green Party is buoyant. After these elections we expect to have more Devon County councillors than ever before and more than Labour. We are delighted to welcome the deputy leader of the Green Party to Exeter on Sunday to experience for himself the positive reception we are getting on the doorstep.”