Greens eyeing up more council wins - MP candidate

Sian Berry says the Green Party hopes to hopes to become the largest party on a number of councils

The Green Party hopes to become "the largest party on a number of councils" at May's local elections, according to Brighton Pavilion's parliamentary candidate.

The list of councils the party has its eye on includes Hastings, when voters go to the polls across the country on the 2 May.

Campaigning in Hastings, Sian Berry said the Greens were a party of "responsible local government" but she did not indicate how many authorities they hope to take majority control of.

The Greens currently lead Hastings Borough Council in coalition with eight former Labour councillors who quit the party in December and became independents.

The Greens were campaigning in Hastings ahead of May's local elections

Half of the 32 seats on Hastings council are up for election this time.

In Brighton and Hove, last year voters rejected the Green administration of the City Council, where they lost13 seats and Labour took overall control.

Ms Berry said the party had taken over at Brighton during the pandemic "when there was an enormous deficit already brewing" and pointed to the party having reduced the deficit by the end of the term.

She added: "[Greens] are doing tremendous things, they’re winning awards for the homes they’re building, they’re winning awards for the transport schemes they’re putting in.

"They are making things better for residents as well working constructively with other parties.

"People are voting for us in massively greater numbers right across the country."

Amongst the party’s promises are 150,000 new council homes per year.

The party's former co-leader said they want to see real social homes built and to create them, by buying from the private market.

In July 2023, council officers warned Hastings could be forced into effective bankruptcy because of an increase in people needing temporary accommodation.

Berry said: "We’re looking creatively at all the different ways you can create new social housing which is the housing people really need."

A full list of candidates standing in Hastings can be found here.