North Tyneside Green Party have announced that on 2nd May 2024 they will have 35 candidates standing in the local elections, across all 20 local wards in North Tyneside.
The record standing comes as the Local Government Boundary Commission revised the ward boundaries, resulting in all 60 seats being up for election for the first time in 20 years1. The local party has gone from strength to strength in recent years, growing in members, fielding more candidates and attracting more votes over each of the past several elections.
“We are fielding our strongest set of candidates to date, and are proud to be the only party offering every elector in North Tyneside an alternative. Last year Greens achieved over 10% of the total vote across the borough and we are looking to build on that success this year. North Tyneside Green Party are increasingly becoming the only alternative to Labour, who have traditionally maintained control of politics in North Tyneside. We are looking forward to a strong result and electing the first Green councillors on North Tyneside.”
Ian Appleby, Elections Officer
However, with the local Conservatives and Lib Dems in long term decline, there is a shortage of other choices for voters, with neither managing to offer a single candidate for every ward2. As local democracy struggles, several results are in default, with Labour already having won seats in Battle Hill, Killingworth and Campdown a week before the first postal ballots can be cast. In total 4 seats have already gone to Labour; without the strong showing of Green candidates that number would be 17, and some wards would have no choice at all.
“I’m proud to be standing as the lead candidate for Whitley Bay North, residents are glad we’re here, and we have had another great reception on the doorsteps in Whitley Bay North. In the last three elections for the Whitley Bay ward, around one in every three voters voted for me and with new boundaries this year, there is more opportunity for voters to vote Green. I’m working hard to persuade the electors to give me their vote.“
Alan Steele, lead candidate for Whitley Bay North
Greens will be campaigning throughout April and would encourage anyone who wants to hear more or who wants to get involved to contact the local party through the email contact@northtyneside.greenparty.org.uk or join the party.
- The Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) reviewed the ward boundaries for North Tyneside during 2022-23 and published the final ward boundaries towards the end of 2023. This includes several wards which are similar to the previous boundaries albeit with slight modifications, some wards which have been merged, but there are also more significant changes to other areas. ↩︎
- There are 149 candidates standing in North Tyneside on 2nd May 2024: Labour: 60; Green: 35; Conservative 26; Others: 28. See Council Election notices ↩︎