Council candidates
We need more Green councillors in Oxfordshire
Could you follow in the footsteps of our Green Party councillors, and stand for election? You could improve the quality of our councils by representing the people and views that the governing parties ignore.
Or you could help organise events and campaigns in your ward. Could you get local people to come out and join the campaign?
In May 2023 there will be all out elections in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, and 1/3 of the wards in Cherwell and West Oxfordshire district councils. Then in May 2024 Oxford City goes to the polls.
We need candidates to start right now, preparing for the elections in 2023 and 2024. Voters like to vote for people they have heard from over time, rather than those who just turn up in the last few weeks.
From time to time we arrange meet a Green councillors sessions, where you can find out what Green county, district, town and parish councillors do and how they got elected. Check our events page. Here is a recording of one.
What you need to do to stand as a candidate
Do you want to get elected as a councillor, or just stand? If you just want to give people in your area a chance to vote Green, rather than being forced to vote for another party, you just need to get on the ballot paper and on our web site. On the other hand, if you want to help people as an elected councillor, you need to run a serious campaign as a candidate in a target seat.
Non-target candidates
There are places where we cannot win in the next election. It takes time to grow the Green Party in a ward until there are enough local supporters to run a campaign to win. In those areas we need a candidate to stand, so that residents can vote Green. You don't need to campaign. If you would like to campaign, you can help a target candidate or stand as a development candidate.
All you have to do as a non-target candidate is:
- Get nominated. You need to get 2 voters in your ward to sign a form saying they think you should be allowed to stand. They don't need to vote for you, or be Green supporters. They can be friends, family, or just neighbours. You have to sign nomination forms in March and and other forms in May. The local Green Party agent can help you with the forms and signatures.
- Supply a photograph suitable for the web site.
- Write a short election statement for the web site. A bit about yourself, and a bit about what you would do if elected.
- Sign relevant candidate pledges to support particular campaigns (as advised by our policy hub team) - or ask the agent to do it in your name. Some campaign groups now send surveys to all candidates and report on which responded.
Read a full explanation of what non-target or paper candidates do in this paper candidate guide.
If you are interested, sign up on the candidates wanted page.
Target candidates
There are a number of seats where we have won, or came close to winning in the past. If you don't know what a councillor does, take at look at this councillor role description.
Obviously, such a campaign needs more work than just getting nominated. Candidates are expected to take an active role in their election campaign, including:
- join a campaign team, including a campaign manager, and senior roles to manage volunteers, publicity, data and fundraising,
- work with your team to implement a campaign plan,
- talk to hundreds of voters on the doorstep and at other events,
- taking part in campaign team decisions, including campaign messages,
- respond to voters questions and concerns,
- be the front person in fundraising appeals.
Candidates selected for target seats who commit to work hard enough to win will get support from the Oxfordshire Green Party, including guidance, opportunities for training and mentoring, technical support and funding.
We are committed to supporting people stand for election. If you have support needs to allow you to stand for election—from childcare to disability support needs—please discuss these with us soon so we can arrange support. Being in the Green Party means we are committed to work as a team, no one has to do anything alone, we will find a way to help in any aspect of campaigning and when people become Councillors.
If you are interested in winning a seat, let us know on the candidates wanted page, then go on to complete the candidate application questionnaire. There will be a series of target candidate application deadlines. Applicants have to complete a form, then speak to election committee members in preparing for selection hustings where you answer questions from members before they vote to select our target candidates.
Development candidates
It is possible, over several years, to build up support for the Green Party and our candidate to win anywhere. A team of local supporters can do a little campaigning throughout the year to get us better known among local residents. If you are interested in leading such a campaign, you can apply to become a development candidate.
As a small party, we do not have the resources (money and volunteers) to do serious campaigns in more than a few target wards. The English first past the post voting system means that we have to concentrate our efforts. We don't get any councillors by coming second everywhere. In particular, in the last 6 weeks of the campaign, all our effort needs to go to support target candidates.
But in the rest of the year a team of local supporters can do surveys to find out what local residents need, raise funds and print and deliver a few local newsletters. As you get better known locally, more people will offer to help, until you have enough people to mount a full campaign. That can happen quickly if you are involved in a local issue campaign that excites residents or gradually. But in March, drop everything to help your nearest target candidate.
If you are interested in developing a ward, let us know on the candidates wanted page, then email <[email protected]> so I can put you in touch with the local campaign team. In the meantime, you can get nominated as a non-target candidate.
Candidate Application Questionnaire
Everyone who wants to stand as target candidate and get elected as a councillor must complete this questionnaire. If you just want to get your name on the ballot paper and our web site so that voters can vote for the Green Party in your ward (a non-target candidate) you do not need to complete this questionnaire.
There are 15 questions in all, the first of which you see below. They cover eligibility, your selection statement, how much time you can contribute and what help you need from the party.
If you have any difficulties completing all questions in this questionnaire, email the Oxfordshire Green Party Elections co-ordinator with the same information, using this candidate application document, and any questions you have.
Application deadlines:
- Oxford City Council, St. Mary's and Donnington wards: Sunday 12 November 2023
Green Councillors in Oxfordshire
Please use the addresses below to contact councillors on Green Party business. Their addresses to use for council business are given on the council websites concerned. It's important not to use their official addresses for internal party communications.
Oxfordshire County Council
Dr Pete Sudbury, Wallingford
Green group leader, Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment
[email protected]
Ian Middleton, Kidlington South
Group comms, Performance scrutiny committee, Audit and Governance committee
[email protected]
Robin Bennett, Berinsfield & Garsington
Cherwell District Council
Tom Beckett, Bicester East
Fiona Mawson, Kidlington East
[email protected]
Ian Middleton, Kidlington East
[email protected]
Linda Ward, Kidlington East
Oxford City Council
Chris Jarvis, St Mary's - Green group leader
[email protected]
Emily Kerr, St Mary's
[email protected]
Max Morris, Donnington
Lois Muddiman, Osney & St Thomas
Alex Powell, St Clements
Rosie Rawle, Donnington
Dianne Regisford, Holywell
Kate Robinson, Marston
South Oxfordshire District Council
Robin Bennett, Green group leader, Council Deputy Leader, Cabinet member for Development & Regeneration.
[email protected]
Andrea Powell Green group, Cabinet member for Policy, Programmes & Corporate Services
[email protected]
Jo RobbGreen group, Council Chair (2021-22), Thames Champion, planning committee, Parliamentary Candidate for Henley constituency
[email protected]
Peter Dragonetti Green group, Tree Champion, Vice chair of planning committee
[email protected]
Sam Casey-Rerhaye Green group, Walking and Cycling Champion, Chair of the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Committee
[email protected]
James Barlow
Ali Gordon-Creed
James Norman
Vale of White Horse District Council
Cheryl Briggs, Abingdon Abbey Northcourt - Leader of the Opposition
[email protected]
Abingdon and North East Area Committee; Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (Substitute); Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee; General Licensing Committee; General Licensing Panel; Joint Scrutiny Committee (Substitute); Licensing Acts Committee; Licensing Acts Panel; Planning Committee; Scrutiny Committee (Substitute); Taxi Licensing Panel
Katherine Foxhall - Nature Recovery Champion
Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (Substitute); Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee (Substitute); Faringdon Area Committee; Joint Scrutiny Committee (Co-Chair)Vale of White Horse DC; Planning Committee (Substitute); Scrutiny Committee (Chair)
Sarah James
Climate Emergency Advisory Committee; Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee (Substitute); Joint Scrutiny Committee (Substitute); Planning Committee (Substitute); Scrutiny Committee (Substitute); Wantage Area Committee
Viral Patel
Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (Substitute); Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee (Substitute); Faringdon Area Committee; Joint Scrutiny Committee (Substitute); Joint Staff Committee; Planning Committee (Substitute); Scrutiny Committee (Substitute)
West Oxfordshire District Council
Andrew Prosser, Witney North - Executive Member for Climate Change
[email protected]
Energy Advice; Renewable energy and retrofit investment; Biodiversity across the District; Carbon neutral by 2030; Fossil fuel dependence reduction; Local, national and county wide liaison on climate; EV Charging rollout; Customer Service
Sandra Simpson, Witney North
[email protected]
Economic and Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Joint Climate & Environment and Economic & Social Overview & Scrutiny Committee; Licensing Committee
Rosie Pearson, Brize Norton and Shilton - Leader of the Green Group
[email protected]
Climate & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee; Finance and Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Joint Climate & Environment and Economic & Social Overview & Scrutiny Committee; Local Plan Working Group
Genny Early, Stonesfield and Tackley
Town & Parish Councillors
Cheryl Briggs, Town Councillor, Abingdon:
[email protected]
Chris Henderson, Parish Councillor for Radley:
[email protected]
Sarah James, Parish Councillor for East Hendred:
[email protected]
Fiona Mawson, Parish Councillor for Yarnton:
[email protected]
Ian Middleton, Parish Councillor for Kidlington & for Yarnton:
[email protected]
Kevin Middleton, Parish Councillor for Stanford in the Vale
(email: [email protected] / phone: 07815 052993)
Alistair Morris, Parish Councillor for Old Marston:
[email protected]
David Newman, Parish Councillor for Blackbird Leys, Oxford
Sandra Simpson, Town Councillor, Witney:
[email protected]
Helena Richards, Town Councillor, Thame (North):
[email protected]
Liz Swallow, Town Councillor, Faringdon:
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