Leeds local elections 2023: What the Green Party is promising as it predicts major political 'breakthrough'

The Green Party is predicting the upcoming local elections will see it make a major political “breakthrough” in Leeds. The local party is positioning itself as the sole option on the ballot paper for voters concerned about climate change and the future of the planet.

But besides its usual environmental message, the Greens also want to see allowances for Leeds councillors to be cut back and are calling for an overhaul of the planning system.

In an interview ahead of next month’s polls, the long-serving leader of the city council’s Green Group, Councillor David Blackburn said: “If you care about the future and you care about your kids, your grandkids and future generations, the Green Party is the only party to vote for.

“The future, our future and this planet’s future are part and parcel of what Green Party is about. The rest (other parties) are all about political necessities, and that’s why you need us at the centre of what’s going on.

“A lot’s been done on climate change, but nowhere near enough. The fact is people at the bottom of the pile will suffer if we don’t get our game together and deliver.”

The city council declared a climate emergency in 2019, which saw the local authority pledge to make Leeds carbon neutral by 2030. Although the Labour administration says it’s on track to make the council itself net zero by this date, it recently admitted for the first time that they’re unlikely to meet the target for the wider city.

Councillor Blackburn said this admission was “not unexpected” and claimed local authorities need more powers from central government to go further on climate change. He said he’d give the Labour administration “eight out of 10” for its record on climate change but called for more cross-party working to get more resources and powers from central government.

The housing crisis and the impact on communities and the environment from large-scale developments is also likely to be a key election battleground. Councillor Blackburn said the type of properties being built across Leeds were too expensive for local people, and that the city needs more “cheap rented homes”

He explained: “What’s needed is a refresh of national planning guidelines, to make sure they take account of climate change, because at the moment they don’t do. We’re still passing planning permission for developments which in 30 or 40 years aren’t going to be zero carbon, or anywhere near zero carbon.”

He added: “It’s owner-occupied homes being built. They’re expensive and it’s tending to bring people outside from other areas to move into upmarket houses. Builders will do that because they’re there to make a profit. We need to find some way of stopping that, because we don’t need houses like that.”

With public money scarce, Councillor Blackburn has consistently argued for the allowances he and other elected members receive to be slashed.

It’s an unpopular argument among his peers. Several Leeds councillors standing down in recent months have complained the role has become less financially viable, while demands on their time and energy have increased.

While councillors aren’t paid a salary, their allowance rises the more responsibility they take on.

But Councillor Blackburn says the £25,000 a year-or-so sums earned by senior councillors with an executive role are “extraordinarily large in my opinion”.

“I still think more can be done on allowances,” he said. “We’ve cut staff by a huge amount since 2010. But we’ve still got 99 councillors. We haven’t got a choice on that because that’s what the electoral arrangements are, but we’ve done nothing to reduce those costs.”

Asked what would be the best case scenario for the Leeds Greens in this election would be, the long-serving group leader said he believed the party could pull off a handful of surprises.

“We could make some major breakthroughs in West Yorkshire this year, Councillor Blackburn said. “We’ve been knocking on the door for a while. There is a strong possibility that after the local elections we’ll be third largest party on the council. We’re hopeful getting our number up to somewhere like eight, though that’s at the upper end of our expectations.”

Green Party in numbers

Current seats on Leeds City Council: 4/99 (5th largest party)

Number of candidates standing in 2023 local elections: 33 (out of 33 wards)

Year first Green councillor elected in Leeds: 1998

Green Party candidates standing in your area

Adel and Wharfedale – Fiona Sarah Heather Love

Alwoodley – Louise Mary Jennings

Ardsley and Robin Hood – Leon Zadok

Armley – Lou Cunningham

Beeston and Holbeck – Mariana Polucciu

Bramley and Stanningley – Keith Duncan Whittaker

Burmantofts and Richmond Hill – Rebwar Raouf Sharazur

Calverley and Farsley – Ellen Graham

Chapel Allerton – Bobak Walker

Cross Gates and Whinmoor – Martin Francis Hemingway

Farnley and Wortley – Mark Terence Rollinson

Garforth and Swillington – Stephen Paul Beer

Gipton and Harehills – Mothin Mohammed Ali

Guiseley and Rawdon – Lucy Katherine Wheeler

Harewood – Claire Anne Evans

Headingley and Hyde Park – Tim Goodall

Horsforth – Ian William Shaw

Hunslet and Riverside – Mohammed Omar Mushtaq

Killingbeck and Seacroft – David Alan Anthoney

Kippax and Methley – Alan Terry Martin

Kirkstall – Victoria Helen Smith

Little London and Woodhouse – Nick Lalvani

Middleton Park – Eunice Delali Agbemafle

Moortown – Rachel Hartsthorne

Morley North – Rebecca Sofia Kellett

Morley South – Chris Bell

Otley and Yeadon – Mick Bradley

Pudsey – Alaric Timothy Peter Hall

Rothwell – Tim Moorsom

Roundhay – Paul Charles Ellis

Temple Newsam – Geraldine Mary Turver

Weetwood – Christopher Mark Foren

Wetherby – Penny Stables