Gerald Hartley for Stroud North

Greens are standing in over 30 County Council seats in all Glos Districts and all 12 seats in Stroud District. Last year the number of Green votes cast in the Stroud District Council elections overtook both Labour and the Liberal Democrats so we are v hopeful of our first County seats.

Photo: Gerald Hartley

Several folk have asked if I am standing - but this is County elections and my seat is not up until next year. However Gerald Hartley is standing here for the County - he would make an excellent councillor - he is already involved locally where he lives and indeed across Stroud with wider issues like opposing an huge incinerator. His personal statement is enclosed below.

Let's be honest the Greens have limited resources and so we need to target where we put our energy and resources - we are not going to be able to leaflet this ward fully - it also covers Standish, Eastington and Hardwick - but in my view a vote for one of the mainstream parties is a vote for more of the same, and if that isn't the message you want to send, then think about voting Green. Indeed if you don't vote for what you believe in you'll never get it...

Of course we urgently need electoral reform - and a recent blog of mine plugged the new campaign - see here. I am certain that this seat is winnable by Greens in time. We will be building the vote here from a strong base here in Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill. It is crucial we get a good strong Green vote to send a message to the other parties that they need to take the environment and social justice seriously.

Gerald Hartley is standing in Stroud North. Here is his statement:

I am delighted to have been selected as the Green Party's candidate for the Stroud North division in the County Council elections to be held on June 4th 2009. Stretching from riverside to hilltop, through villages of varying character, it is an area I know very well.Born in Stonehouse and resident in Gloucestershire all my life, I live in Standish at the heart of the area I seek to represent. I stood as a District Council candidate for Eastington and Standish last year and have walked the 'Over Stroud' ward with Green Party Stroud District councilor Philip Booth, delivering his newsletter and visiting the community shop.

I am married with 4 children, 7 grandchildren & 5 step-grandchildren. In 2007, with my wife Sue, I took on the challenge of sympathetically renovating a house in poor repair, incorporating renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies.

Sue and I are long-standing supporters of charities supporting the economically disadvantaged in other parts of the world, campaigning for the protection of the environment and wildlife, and encouragement of organic gardening. I am still involved in brass instrumental playing in both classical and popular music settings and can occasionally be found playing trumpet for weddings & musical shows and in various bands.

I have worked in industry and local government and run my own business for the last 14 years, so have an understanding of public, private and small business sector issues. As a former County Council employee, I have a particular knowledge of the functions at that layer of government.

I want to see changes that involve the community in deciding how our environment should evolve, our children be protected & nurtured, our artistic and sporting endeavours be encouraged, our elderly people valued & cared for and our local businesses supported in ethical provision of useful products, services and employment.

I sustain an ongoing interest in local issues, attending meetings, reading the press and website reports & contributing to debates in the press on key issues for the area.

Over the last decade in the Stroud area, the Green Party has significantly increased its membership, votes and Councillors on parish, town and Stroud District Council. Your support has enabled us to make a difference at these levels. Those of you who live in the Over Stroud ward will be aware of the fantastic job Green Councillor Philip Booth has done for Randwick, Ruscombe & Whiteshill as your District Councillor. On top of his District Council responsibilities he has worked with Parish Councils to push traffic calming measures, the first step of which will be a "20 is Plenty" scheme that has almost been finalised. Philip has also worked to secure more regular road gully cleaning and improvements to grit bins and there siting.

Now, I am asking for your vote to enable us to bring a green perspective to all County issues. Green Party policies, from Europe to your parish, address both the economic & environmental crisis, but always with social justice in mind. They can be read on this or our linked regional & national websites.