Greens all out to net new support

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), April 16, 2008

Byline: By BARRY GIBSON Local Government Reporter

GREENS have launched the first on line manifesto in Kirklees.

The eight-minute video, featuring the party's four councillors, was launched yesterday.

Voters go to the polls in Kirklees on May 1, with 23 of the 69 seats up for grabs.

Green leader Clr Andrew Cooper said: "Politicians have got to find newand interesting ways of reaching an increasingly computer literate audience as well as the traditional methods of leafleting and canvassing."

The party wants more investment in energy conservation in council buildings to reduce electricity bills.

The Greens are also pressing for more support for householders who want to install solar panels on their homes.

RE-Charge, a Green Party initiative, is to be launched in Kirklees in the next few months. It will enable people to install renewable energy with no up-front costs and no monthly payments or interest costs.

Clr Cooper said "We want to help people reduce their fuel bills even further through the use of renewable energy.

"The cost of gas and electricity will continue to rise and we have to find new ways of generating energy as well as saving it."

The Greens are also calling for more 20mph zones in residential areas and around schools.

Michelle Atkinson, the party's candidate forKirkburton, said: "Investment in highways safety has always been prioritised on the basis of injuries and deaths.

"While this makes sense, there has not been enough emphasis on preventing those accidents that are waiting to happen. We want to ensure that accidents on our roads are further reduced and prevented from occurring in the first place."

To view the Kirklees Green Party's video manifesto visit www.kirkleesgreenparty.org.uk.

THEGREENSare in bullish mood ahead of next month's Kirklees Council election.

Party leader Clr Andrew Cooper expects to hold his seat in Newsome, and thinks colleague Michelle Atkinson can win in Kirkburton.

Thatwould give the party to five out of 69 seats on the council.

One seat in each of the council's 23 wards is up for grabs on May 1.

Clr Cooper said: "I think we'll do very well. We're very hopeful of winning Kirkburton, we've done quite a lot of work there and we've got a good candidate."

The Greens currently hold all three seats in Newsome and one seat in Kirkburton.

Clr Cooper added that party is hoping to put on a strong showing in Holme Valley South. The Greens finished third behind Labour and the Conservatives in last year's poll.

Clr Cooper said: "We were only 200 votes behind Labour last time so I think we could become the main challenger to the Conservatives.

"It's true that they have a hugemajority in Holme Valley South, but they used to have a huge majority in Kirkburton too, so we're not phased."

Clr Cooper outlined said his party's priorities are investing in energy saving and solar panels and reducing council staff mileage.

CAPTION(S):

FIGHTING CHANCE: Kirkburton Green candidate Michelle Atkinson