Global Green Congress Reportback

Members Business Meeting - July

Newington By-Election Result
LDM: 27.9% (+15.4)
GRN: 9.0% (-6.2)
CON: 5.6% (-3.9)
Newington By-Election

Global Greens Congress
Why Global Greens Congress matters
As a long-time member and passionate advocate for the Green Party, Catherine understands that the Global Greens Congress is a crucial opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals from around the world, share best practices, and develop new strategies to fight climate change, promote social justice, and
Say No to Bus Cuts
Southwark Green Party stands against Transport for London and Sadiq Khan's proposed cuts to buses in Southwark.
If these cuts go ahead, it will harm many residents of Southwark who can least afford to lose these services. Many of us will find it harder to get to work, see family and friends, or attend essential services. During a climate emergency we need to encourage and expand these vital public transport options, not cut them and at the same time support and promote active travel options.
Local campaigner in Nunhead & Queens Road, Richard Taylor says "The loss of the 12 and 78 services would have a particularly bad impact on
[Read more...]
Show your support
On Thursday May 5, elections take place for Southwark Council.
Show your support for the Green Party by displaying a poster in your window.
Downloand and print in colour or print the black & white version onto your brightest green paper!
If you want to learn more about the Green Party's vision for London, see the most recent London-wide manifesto here and statements on some key topics from local candidates here. For a national perspective, the Political Programme truly is a vision of a better world.
Find a full list of Green Party candidates standing across Southwark here. And if you want your community represented by councillors that will work tirelessly for your community - Vote Green on May 5th.
Social Care
All adults should have access to free social care, say Southwark Greens
The Green Party in Southwark has pledged to push for fully funded social care for all adults, which would put social care on a par with the NHS.
In the run up to the local elections
[Read more...]Homes & Energy
Greens pledge to tackle cost of living crisis with a retrofit revolution
Southwark Green Party candidates have pledged to tackle growing levels of fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis
[Read more...]Wellbeing Economy for Southwark
Green Party calls for health and wellbeing to be top of the agenda in Southwark decision-making
Southwark Green Party is calling for a shift from traditional thinking to the embracing of “a wellbeing economy”.
[Read more...]Supporting Southwark's Small Businesses
Greens commit support for small business in Southwark
Southwark Green Party calls for measures to support small businesses green their operations, improve employee welfare and make it easier
[Read more...]Safe Streets for Southwark
Greens commit to Safe Streets for Southwark
Green Party councillors in Southwark will prioritise funding public transport as well as cycling and walking infrastructure if elected in the local elections next month.
As voters prepare to go to the ballot box on 5 May,
[Read more...]2022 Candidates for Southwark Council
The election for new councillors for Southwark takes place on Thursday 5 May.
Our communities and our environment can be better served with Greens elected to the council chamber.
We have seen the positive impact Green councillors have had in other parts of London and across the country - and it’s time to see the same here in Southwark. See a full list of Green Party candidates listed below.
Vote Green Party for Fairer, Greener Communities.
Camberwell hustings 2022
Eleanor Margolies and Brian Symons are the Green Party candidates for St Giles ward in Camberwell, with Valerie Remy in Camberwell Green and Mike Millar in Champion Hill.
To book your place at the SE5 Forum hustings on 20 April: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/local-election-hustings-camberwell-tickets-310503473247
Greens working hard all year round
Take a look at what three local Green activists have been doing in just one area of Southwark. Catherine Dawkins, Claire Sheppard and Richard Taylor are standing for election to Southwark Council as Green Party candidates in Nunhead and Queen's Road.
Catherine, Claire and Richard surveyed voters in the area to understand local issues and took action. The top issues included: fly-tipping, littering, safer streets, and support for local businesses.
In response to this, they have:
- participated in regular litter picks
- installed dog poo bag dispensers
- reported fly-tipping to Southwark Council and got the mess cleared up
- organised a regular speed watch on Queens Road Peckham and Consort Road
- helped local traders find out about support from the council
Greens are standing in the local elections right across Southwark. Vote for hardworking local Greens on Thursday 5 May.
Nunhead and Queens Road candidates May 2022
Catherine Dawkins, Claire Sheppard and Richard Taylor are the Green Party candidates in Nunhead and Queen's Road Peckham for the local elections in May.
Find out about what they have been doing locally...
Greens speak at hustings organised by Black and Latin American communities
Peter Baffoe, Green candidate for North Walworth, and Lina Usma, Green candidate for Newington, represented Southwark Green Party at local election hustings held at Peckham Levels.
The event was organized by Southwark Latin American Network and Southwark's Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (R.E.A.C.H) Alliance, organisations campaigning for Latin American and black communities in Southwark.
Peter spoke about the Green Party’s long-standing and continuing support for the traders at Elephant and Castle. Southwark Green Party supports the efforts of the Latin American community to develop an official Latin Quarter at Elephant and Castle as a cultural hub for the community, and support the official recognition of Latin Americans as a separate ethnic group. It is estimated that more than 8,000 Latin Americans live in Southwark. It is a young community (two thirds are under 40) with many “highly skilled individuals with large numbers in work, but unable to obtain jobs in line with their professional skills” (Trust for London, Towards Visibility report).
Peter said the Green Party would actively involve minoritised communities in the design of council programmes and policies, and use council resources to support the work of local 'by and for' Black, minority ethnic and Latin American organisations.
His responses to questions from the public were very well received, not least a commitment to reinstate the Carnaval Del Pueblo, a Latin-American festival held in Burgess Park. Peter said: “We will do everything we can do to ensure the celebration can continue.”
Discussion after the formal part of the evening continued in both Spanish and English. Lina emphasised the Green Party's progressive policies, such as the universal basic income, four-day week and protection for tenants, and its commitment to work hard for and with local communities.
Hear from Lina at the Peckham Levels hustings in this lively video en Español.
Peter Baffoe grew up, and lives in Southwark. He is currently the Interim Director of South London Mission, providing strategic leadership and vision for the charity which provides support to those who are in extreme poverty or are marginalised and vulnerable in other ways. Prior to his work in community development, Peter managed a patient complaints and liaison service in the NHS. He has been a school governor and is now a non-executive director of Peabody Housing Association, a trustee of the Peabody Community Foundation, and trustee of the Maudsley Charity.
Lina Usma was born in Colombia and moved to London with her husband and young daughter in 1996. She runs Extra International, the largest largest newspaper in London for the Spanish-speaking Latin American community. Lina studied business management in Colombia and then Media and Journalism at the University of East London.
Southwark Soapbox
Clare Wood from Southwark Greens is taking part in a Southwark News experiment to debate local issues ahead of the elections for Southwark Council on 5 May. The filmed debates are then shown to local people in a Gogglebox-style programme to hear their reactions.
The Greens and Liberal Democrats asked why the Labour-led Southwark Council hasn't held developers to their commitment to build 35% social housing. Clare mentioned that there are some 16,000 people on the housing waiting list in Southwark and said, 'Labour does have a very bad track record on making sure that new developments have space for social housing and local residents... and how affordable is it really for the local people?'
Clare pointed out that council consultation is too often about the Southwark Council telling local people what is happening, rather than responding to residents' concerns and needs.
Watch the film and make up your own mind:
https www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjCkueq0xXo&t=197s
Don't Infill... Retrofit!

Is infilling the answer to Southwark's housing problem?
Southwark has more than 14,000 households on the waiting list for a council home and 3,000 in temporary accommodation.(1) The Labour-led council’s plan to tackle its housing crisis includes building new homes on green spaces and other communal areas on its council estates, a practice known as “infilling”.
[Read more...]