Local Elections 2023: Greens to contest a third of Herefordshire wards

The Greens are putting up 18 candidates in next month’s elections to Herefordshire Council, half as many again as last time.

In 2019, the party put forward 12 candidates in the county, of whom seven were successful, up from the two they held previously.

The Green Party then went into a coalition with Independents for Herefordshire to run the county over the past four years.

Of its current seven, four are standing for re-election: the party’s leader in Herefordshire and cabinet member for economy and environment Coun Ellie Chowns, cabinet member for children and families Coun Diana Toynbee, and councillors Toni Fagan and Jenny Bartlett.

Sitting Green councillors Jeremy Milln (Hereford Central), Trish Marsh (Leominster South), and Felicity Norman (Leominster West) are not re-standing.

The 18 are in full:

Arrow: John Whitelegg
Birch: Toni Fagan
Bircher: Tessa Smith Winnard
Bishops Frome & Cradley: Ellie Chowns
Bromyard Bringsty: Karen Rock
Central: Catherine Gennard
Greyfriars: Diana Toynbee
Hope End: Helen Heathfield
Kington: Helen Hamilton
Ledbury South: Stef Simmons
Ledbury West: Justine Peberdy
Leominster East: Jenny Bartlett
Leominster North & Rural: Bryony John
Leominster South: Mark Woodall
Leominster West: Jill Hanna
Mortimer: Callum Coomber
Sutton Walls: Taylor Whitchurch
Three Crosses: Rebecca Tully

Coun Chowns said: “When you vote Green on Thursday May 4, you will help to elect hardworking councillors committed to making Herefordshire a better place.”

She said the party’s priorities for the county are improving children’s services and schools; investing sustainable transport; protecting the natural environment; improving the heat efficiency of new and existing homes; and making the local economy fairer and greener.

Coun Chowns said last month that with a general election due before January 2025, the party hopes a strong showing in next month’s local elections will serve as a stepping stone to challenging for the county’s two parliamentary seats, for which she and Coun Toynbee will be candidates.