eugenemccarthy, Author at South West Essex Green Party

Green Party reaction to Tory selection row

eugenemccarthy — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:16:59 +0000

Once again, the Conservative Party is showing utter contempt for the residents of Basildon and Billericay – this time by selecting a party grandee as their General Election candidate and from hundreds of miles away.

Rejecting this cynical move, Green Party prospective candidate, Stewart Goshawk, said “The disrespect this shows for local people is overwhelming. How can a spare MP from the very north east of England be parachuted in at the very last minute, thinking he can just walk in here and take the seat.
“I understand he has been touting himself unsuccessfully around a number of seats all over the country. It’s disgusting. What will he know about our problems with housing, schools, roads and the like.
“As the Green Party candidate, this is my home and my life. Local people selected me to be their candidate and I’m very proud of that. The Tories should be ashamed and local voters will see through this shabby charade”

Stewart Goshawk
Green Party, Basildon & Billericay

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Westminster threatens to intervene over Basildon Council’s Failure to Deliver a Local Plan

eugenemccarthy — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:33:25 +0000

For the last 19 years, Basildon Council has made very little progress on its obligation of creating a Local Plan. A Local Plan sets out a plan for the future of development and land use in the borough and provides guidelines for new
projects.
Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities wrote to leader of the Council
Andrew Baggott, saying “Your Council’s persistent failure to adopt a plan has left your communities vulnerable to
speculative development and has risked not delivering the economic growth and infrastructure they need.”
He went on suggest that if the Council does not complete a plan in a timely fashion, he and his office may use his
powers to intervene and do it on our behalf.
Local Green campaigner Eugene McCarthy is vocal about the need to have a Local Plan led by local people. He
says the failure to engage local people means that councillors of different stripes are putting their own wishes over
what communities actually want to see, meaning every time a new administration comes in they flip flop on the
Plan, kicking the can down the road.
He says, “Residents are fed up. Our town centre is dead. People who’ve lived here their whole lives are being priced
out. And the council seems to be more concerned with political stunts like the £25 million empty cinema than
delivering any real solution.”
“I like to think that councillors do actually want to represent their communities. For whatever reason they aren’t. We
want to show in crystal clear terms what their voters want to see and bring the evidence to back it up.”

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Green Party’s Deputy Leader to Visit Billericay in lead-up to local elections

eugenemccarthy — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:29:19 +0000

The South West Essex Green Party has announced that the party’s deputy leader, Zack Polanski, will visit Billericay on Saturday 16th December. His visit comes as the local party hopes to win big in May 2024’s all-out local elections. Zack is keen to meet the local candidates and volunteers working hard as the election approaches.

In particular, Zack hopes to speak with the local party about proposals for large-scale developments on green land without consideration for infrastructure needs.

They will discuss strategies for building prosperity on the high street and supporting independent, local businesses, taking an approach that aims to bolster the local economy while preserving the historic character of Billericay.

The last time the Greens stood in Billericay East, they came in second place, beating both Labour and the Lib Dems. This year, they believe they have a good chance of winning, giving residents the chance to vote for a change.

Andy Tatman, Green candidate for Billericay East, emphasizes the Green Party’s independent stance. “As Greens, we prioritize our community’s needs over party lines. Our commitment is to good governance, constructive criticism, and accountability, regardless of who is in power. In traditionally ‘safe seats’ like Billericay East, major parties often overlook the residents’ needs. We are here to change that and ensure that the voices of the residents are heard loud and clear.”

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Basildon and Thurrock Green Parties Announce Merger Ahead of Historic Basildon Elections

eugenemccarthy — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:35:41 +0000

In a strategic move ahead of major local and general elections, the Basildon and Thurrock Green Parties
have announced they will be merging to create the South West Essex Green Party. The merger aims to
capitalise on the increasing local support for the Greens and better manage resources ahead of Basildon’s
historic all-out council election in May.
Their new chair, Eugene McCarthy, reflects this enthusiasm: “Last year’s landmark local election results for
the Green Party are really heartening. Our merger is a response to that support, that desire for change. It
will help us to compete with larger parties who can always fall back on corporate funding.”
He emphasises the party’s dedication to popular, community-driven policies, contrasting it with previous
administrations’ blunders: “Just like a business, we have to invest. But also like a business, we have to
invest where we’re going to see the biggest benefits.
“Investing in social housing, our roads, and our local businesses ensures valuable returns for our
community, unlike expensive white elephants which we’re unfortunately all too familiar with.”
One such project McCarthy highlights is the controversial cinema in Basildon Town Centre, which he notes
cost a staggering £250 for every working person in the borough.
“It’s about time we brought common-sense accounting to the council, focusing on practical issues like the
housing crisis, local infrastructure, and delivering the basic services that residents expect.”
With this merger, the South West Essex Green Party hope to scale up their campaigns, with a clear focus
on holding Basildon and Thurrock councils to account. “With every seat in Basildon up for election in May,
there’s an unprecedented chance for voters to voice their desire for change. We’re ready to meet this
demand and drive that change.”

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