Delight for Green Party in by-election

The Green Party is celebrating its third member on Ashford Borough Council following a by-election victory.

Geoff Meaden beat Conservative candidate Sarah Williams to be elected borough councillor for Downs North ward when constituents went to the polls last Thursday.

Dr Meaden, who lives in the ward in Old Wives Lees, was victorious with 273 votes, ahead of the Tory on 239 and the third candidate – Liberal Democrat Carol Wilcox – who received just 15 votes.

Mandy Rossi, co-chair of the Ashford Green Party, said: “Dr Meaden joined the Green Party in 1978 and has been campaigning for over 40 years on climate change and other environmental issues and that is why, with only eight years left to get global CO2 levels to zero and the other parties still reluctantly dragging their heels, people are turning to us.

“People are demonstrating their concern for the climate and their voices are being heard.

“With three Greens on Ashford Borough Council we have a strong mandate to push for more local action on this global problem and the council can now take that action with confidence.”

Cllr Steve Campkin, who represents Willesborough for the Greens, welcomed Dr Meaden’s victory and set out the party’s priorities locally.

“Solar farms, tree planting and electric vehicle charging points on new builds are all needed,” he said.

“But we will also be pushing for micro-generation and retro-fitting of council housing to reduce the council’s largest source of CO2 while reducing poorer peoples’ heating bills, and making sure that a transition to carbon neutrality is done quickly and fairly.

“We will also be reminding people, the council and the government that austerity is unfair, is not working and is holding back action on social justice and climate change.”

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Charles Dehnel, who represented the Conservatives but stepped down due to business and family reasons.

He had won the seat in 2019 following the death of his father Stephen, 69, who had served on the council for four years, holding a number of posts.

As well as Old Wives Lees, the ward also includes Godmersham, Crundale, Molash and Chilham.

Dr Geoff Meaden has been elected to the council