Judy Filmore, newly elected Green councillor for Ulverston West, outlines how she sees the future of Green politics in South Lakeland

I am absolutely delighted to have been elected to South Lakeland District Council representing Ulverston West. I am the first Green Party member on the council and consider it a great privilege to be there.

The message I received on the doorstep was very clear. People of Ulverston West told me that they wanted change – they appreciated the regular newsletters throughout the year and the fact that they could speak to me in person.

People I spoke to cared deeply about Ulverston and want growth and development in the town that enhances the strengths of Ulverston – unique independent shops, a thriving market and overwhelming support for Ulverston’s special places, such as Ford Park and the Coronation Hall.

Residents on A590 wanted to live in an area where they could open the windows and breathe non-polluted air.

Others wished for cycling routes and pot-hole free roads that encouraged them to get out of their cars.

Yet others wanted the speed of traffic to slow down where people live and work. And, finally, others wanted to be sure that their efforts in plastic recycling using Council blue bags is actually being recycled.

What does Green politics have to do with these local issues and concerns?

Green politics is about communities being able to breathe clean air, having real choices in terms of getting around safely and local businesses thriving and keeping the money in the local economy, not in shareholder’s pockets.

It is about having accessible, affordable and well-insulated homes and renovating empty properties, rather than taking over greenfield sites.

It is about re-use and excellent recycling facilities including food waste collections.

The upsetting scenes of sea creatures not being able to breathe due to swallowing plastic bags has alerted us all that we cannot treat the Earth and its oceans like a dustbin where we dump all our rubbish.

We cannot consume our way out of the problem – it simply creates more problems. We need creative and sustainable solutions.

I believe we have the knowledge and the creative potential to be able to build communities that do not wreck the planet and can live well.

One of my primary objectives is to hold South Lakeland District Council to its recent climate change pledge. I would like to see all decisions made in the council scrutinised against the climate change pledge to ensure that we are all working to avoid climate change catastrophe, rather than adding to it.

I am not under the whip of anybody - I will be an independent Green voice. The Green Party does not operate using Whips - rather decisions are made according to the impact on the environment and the health of whole diversity of species and not just human beings.

I will be happy to work with any other political party who act in a Green way on a case-by-case basis.

In the long-term I want to be part of making it possible for the council to move to a zero carbon position throughout all its services.

Let’s be clear - this is only the beginning. We have school children travelling down to London making their voices heard and Extinction Rebellion tactics

causing huge disruptions in the capital to alert all of us, including decision makers, to the urgency of the task we face.

We have local elections again next year in South Lakes when there will be more opportunities for more Green councillors to be elected all over Kendal and its environs, Broughton and Coniston, Ulverston and the Furness Peninsula.

The Green voices on the council will become very loud indeed.