Wales Green Party recruit more candidates than ever in the build-up to the May 2017 Council Elections. Pippa Pemberton and David Gillam have been appointed to two new posts as National Coordinators to respond to the growing support across Wales.
Pippa Pemberton, a prominent local activist in Caersws in Mid-Wales, is determined to win a council seat in May’s election. Through active campaigning and local community engagement, she has become aware of the local residents’ issues, aspirations and values and intends to change things for better in her local constituency. She said: “People in Powys are deeply worried about the future of council and health services. The fabric of society is being stretched to breaking point as local volunteers are asked to take on more and more of our essential community services. One of the great things about living here is that everybody already volunteers. But what I am hearing on the doorstep is that people don’t want their care for the elderly to be utterly reliant on volunteers. They want properly resourced and well-funded services.”
She added: “We must look after our older people better. One of my priorities as a councillor will be to make sure our elders have the social care they need and to build a sustainable future for the Day Care Centres across Powys. My other priority as a councillor will be to keep local educational services open for all. As a governor of my local primary school, I am fighting for high quality local education for all our children, including those with special educational needs. We can’t let our councils rip the heart out of our rural communities by closing rural schools. Welsh Labour and the Westminster Tories are putting councils under intense financial pressure, but some services are just too precious to let go.”
David Gillam, better known by many people in Wales as the Director of the WOW Wales One World Film Festival, said that he is “thrilled to be working for a party that’s asking the right questions about the future
of Wales.”
Mr Gillam said: “Over the last sixteen years I’ve had the huge pleasure of talking to audiences all over Wales. People in Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Cardigan, Mold, Milford Haven and Swansea are deeply concerned about the huge global issues that impact on our lives here in Wales. People know that we can do better, that we have to do better, to ensure a better future for our young people. At a time of huge economic uncertainty for us all, one thing is for sure: sensible investment in renewable energy across Wales can create thousands of new green jobs. What we need is the political will to build a better future for our children and grandchildren. Wales Green Party can be that change.”
Green Councillor Gwynfor Edwards, Wales Green Party’s councillor in Bangor, welcomes
the new appointments. He said: “I’m delighted to be working with Pippa and David. Both understand the issues affecting our local communities across Wales. Here in Bangor, change is happening fast. Bangor has turned a curve and is facing the future in the right direction. I want to carry on as a councillor, to see these developments through and continue making sure that these changes benefit everyone in our community. My absolute priority for Bangor is to ensure that we form and support new communities in our city centre and that as a city we continue to be innovative and outward facing.”
Wales Green Party leader, Alice Hooker-Stroud said: “It is great to have Pippa and David on board to support our prospective councillors across Wales. We know that where Greens have been elected as councillors they have made a huge difference to their local communities. With Pippa and David’s combined experience we are in a strong position to make gains at the local elections in May.”