We’re still soaring after vote results ... and getting set to deliver for you

AWEEK on from the results of the Council elections and Green councillors are still buzzing from a momentous, record-breaking result.

We’ve welcomed seven new Green faces into the City Chambers this week, all raring to go to make a difference for their local communities.

That includes parts of the city, such as the Victoria Park and Newlands/Auldburn wards, where people voted to elect a Green councillor for the first time, as well as those returning Greens across the city with massive vote increases.

The success of the Greens is down to a number of things.

Firstly, we ran our biggest, most active campaign yet, focusing relentlessly on local issues that we were hearing on the doorstep, instead of cynically exploiting worries over national issues that the council has no control over.

I want to offer a huge thanks on behalf of all our councillors to all our supporters and activists who made that happen. The Greens are a people-powered party and we made that count.

Second, people have seen first-hand the difference having a hard-working Green councillor can make. In four of the wards where we had existing councillors, it was Greens that took the highest number of individual first-preference votes, including my colleague Martha Wardrop (pictured) taking the overall win with a massive 36% vote share.

But, importantly, it was also because voters recognised the

Greens can change how the council works.

The result of the election showed that people want change. They don’t want more of the same.

In policy terms, they want the city to be greener and fairer by tackling the cost of living crisis with unswerving conviction. They want to see even more ambition and action on the climate emergency, and they want real improvements delivered in our communities.

But they also want a different kind of council. Not just one that better reflects its political diversity, but also one that is more open, inclusive and responds better to citizens’ needs. That’s what Green councillors will be working hard for – not just as the council forms an administration, but in the weeks and months ahead as it develops a new five-year plan for taking the city forward.

We want a policy programme that matches our ambition for Glasgow and for change in the council.

It’s nice to have received so much popular support, but it’s the platform that gives us and what we do with it that really matters.

Our manifesto is a bold and achievable vision to make Glasgow greener and fairer in the next five years, which is absolutely crucial. Every Green councillor elected last week will work flat out to deliver our vision, working co-operatively with others where we agree and bringing constructive challenge where we don’t.

Greens are ready to get to work for your community, for Glasgow, and for the planet.