Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski visits Kettering to support party's local election campaign

Polanski, who arrived in Kettering on Tuesday (April 15), said he went door-knocking with Northamptonshire candidates before the event.

He stated that his party ‘can and will win’ seats on the council and complimented Green councillors’ track records since the 2021 elections.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “This is the biggest campaign we’ve ever run in Northamptonshire. Every single person will have the chance to vote Green.

“What I’m hearing on the doorsteps over and over again is people were relieved to see the back of a Conservative government, but weren’t happy at all with the Labour government.

"People are feeling that general disenfranchisement around politics, and what our group actually offer is an alternative to that two-party system.”

The Greens have fielded at least one candidate across all 76 wards in the West and North Northamptonshire Council (WNC / NNC) elections on May 1.

In the last set of local elections in 2021, the Green Party won three seats on NNC in Kettering, but were not able to secure any places in the west of the county.

Diverse backgrounds of candidates

Emily Fedorowycz, leader of the Greens on NNC, said: “We’ve had more people stand for us than ever before based on what we are doing. I’ve been really keen to push diverse backgrounds and also just getting a really good range of experiences in and we’re getting that come through.

“We’ve got a mum standing for the first time ever. She would never have thought that she could have done this role without people behind her saying your experience as a mum of two, working out in the community, running a family hub, working with the elderly is important.

“Now her stepping up to that role has inspired a lot of other people in her circle - the councillor role should be for everybody.”

Polanski told the LDRS that all Green candidates were people who were running to help their local areas and not to be ‘professional politicians’.

“People have recognised that they voted Green maybe for the first time in the last local elections, but they’ve been really happy with the Green representation that they have,” he said.

He referenced the community work organised by the local party, including town clean-ups with local businesses and organisations.

When asked how community work would translate to votes and overseeing stretched council budgets, Polanski said that increased funding is partly needed from government but also stressed the importance of councils looking at priorities and making ‘smarter decisions’.

“A lot of councils are absolutely stretched and so what you need is local champions speaking up to national government to say our local area deserves better.

“What you frequently see is when you had a Conservative government Conservative councillors weren’t being those champions and now we’ve got a Labour government you won’t hear that either. I think it’s a really important distinction that Greens on the council are an independent voice.”

‘We can and we will win’

Cllr Fedorowycz said that the Greens would ‘work with everyone’ for the collective benefit of the area after the elections, accusing other groups of being ‘tribal’ and bashing those in opposition.

“Every other party will have their lines and are told how to vote, but even having three greens on this massive council we have made a difference to the culture and we collaborate with everyone.

“It’s really hard to get people’s attention with ‘we want to build a positive future’. It’s not as flashy, it’s not as sexy, but it’s the truth, and gosh, it’s so much better than the negative stuff.

“People trust the Greens to back them, to follow through on our word. I think we can win - people really need to see that if they vote Green they get someone who really cares.”

Polanski added: “We can and we will win - that’s the new stage that the Green Party are entering. Don’t let anyone try and scare you or divide your vote.”