Sheffield Green Party launch council election campaign

Douglas Johnson, who has served on the council since 2016, is standing for re-election in the City ward. He is also the party’s candidate for South Yorkshire Mayor.

Maroof Raouf, who is standing for re-election in Nether Edge and Sharrow, said: “We’ve done some amazing work for the people of Nether Edge and Sharrow in the past three years since I’ve been in post, ensuring the council is held to account.

“A lot of people on the doors don’t want three Labour councillors, they want that broader. ”

He added: “I just want to be able to continue doing the amazing work I’ve been doing in Nether Edge and Sharrow.”

He pointed to support for community gardens and benches, as well as low-traffic neighbourhoods and alternatives to driving. “Not everybody can afford to have a car and not everybody wants to contribute to pollution.”

Bombing

As deputy chair of the children, education and families committee, he said he had helped to increase school places, including a sixth form at King Ecgbert’s School, and supported Mercia School, which lies just outside the ward.

Maroof said that voters are talking a lot about the war in Gaza, which his party has consistently opposed: “Labour aren’t very clear – they have agreed to bombing babies.”

Christine Gilligan Kubo is seeking re-election in Hillsborough. She said: “We have got a voice on the council and it’s important to keep going with that and keep building the number of councillors on the council to have more influence.

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“We have three in Hillsborough and we want to keep three Green councillors in Hillsborough. I think the three councillors have been able to make some really good changes in the area.

“We have got shop shutter art and bins and bike racks in the centre of Hillsborough. Hillsborough is looking nicer. ”

Christine said that councillors have also helped at several community gardens that are encouraging more community spirit. They collect for the S6 Foodbank and do litter picks every month.

Alternative

The climate and nature emergencies are also key concerns for Greens. “We want to make sure that we keep that at the top of the local agenda – it’s very important for everybody, not just Hillsborough or Sheffield but in the country.”

She added: “I just think we are offering a real alternative to how we listen to what people want. I feel we’re an alternative voice and I feel quite positive about that.”

In Walkley, Dylan Lewis-Creser is standing for the party following the retirement of Coun Bernard Little.

There are 84 members of the council and one of the three seats in all 28 wards is contested annually for three out of four years.

This year electors will also vote for the South Yorkshire Mayor on May 2 – this is because the role has been expanded so that the successful candidate will also be the region’s police and crime commissioner.

The Greens are the third largest party on the council, which has no overall majority, with 14 members.

Labour have 31 members and LibDems have 29. The resignation of Firth Park Labour councillor Abtisam Mohamed, who is standing in the general election in the Sheffield Central constituency, means the party currently have 30 serving councillors.

There are also eight Sheffield Community Group councillors, one Conservative and one independent.