South Yorkshire mayor candidate: Douglas Johnson

The Green Party's South Yorkshire Mayor candidate Douglas Johnson

Douglas Johnson was first elected to Sheffield Council in 2016 and is now leader of Sheffield Green Party.

His background included working in advice centres, helping people at risk of homelessness and developing anti-discrimination law.

He says he became involved with the Green Party because it was an opportunity to use his skills to make people’s lives better.

Jobs and housing are his priorities

He says he wants to set out a “positive, hopeful future” of good jobs and lives. The candidate says will then take this new message to government and show that the people of South Yorkshire expect something better than what the old parties have delivered in the past.

Mr Johnson says there needs to be more social housing, investment in sustainable, warm and healthy housing to reduce energy use and bills; and empty homes should be brought back into use to address the climate emergency.

Public transport should be everyone’s first choice

Mr Johnson says he will focus on public transport, especially buses. He would continue with bus franchising and Supertram in public ownership and would make the case to government for more funding.

His vision is an expanded transport network where walking, cycling, bus and Supertram should be the first choices for travel for everyone.

He says the “wasted” £138m being spent on trying to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport would instead go to clean, green, safe public transport.

Society plays a role in tackling crime, he says

The candidate believes tackling the “root causes of unhappiness” at community level is key and he continue to support good community policing.

Other priorities are addressing the number of deaths through dangerous roads and tackling homelessness.

Housing and planning are key to tackle climate emergency, he says

Mr Johnson says in order to protect everyone’s future, there needs to be warm, healthy homes and as many homes and businesses as possible need to be insulated.

He says there needs to be good jobs in local businesses, for services to be local to where people live and easy and environmentally clean ways to get about.

Solar panels also need to be placed on leisure centres, car parks, bus shelters and any other suitable sites.

In his own words