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We came close – but no wins for Norwich Green Party this time

4 May 2018

The votes from yesterday’s city council election were counted this morning, and unfortunately Labour have taken five seats previously held by Greens, leaving us with a total of five councillors. We came close in Nelson, Thorpe Hamlet and especially Mancroft, where our excellent candidate Sandra Bogelein was defeated by just 77 votes; but ultimately we were squeezed out by a very well-resourced Labour party who threw their efforts into targeting Green Party seats.

These results are obviously very disappointing for us, but we feel encouraged by the number of people who continue to thank us for our councillors’ efforts and say they appreciate the work we do locally. Across the city, thousands of people came out to vote Green – our thanks go to all of you, as well as to the 13 people who stood as Green candidates and the many others who helped our campaign. The fact that several thousand Green votes did not result in any seats this time shows yet again that a fairer voting system is needed, so that the make-up of the council can truly represent the city.

Labour now have 31 councillors in Norwich, out of a total of 39 – a huge majority, which means they hold all the power on the council. However, your five Green Party councillors will continue to work hard for residents all year round and challenge Labour when they get things wrong or don’t listen to local concerns.

Next year, the council ward boundaries are changing, which means every seat on the council will be up for election next May. We know there are thousands of people in Norwich who support the Green vision for a fairer, more accessible city, a strong local economy, beautiful green spaces, modern low-carbon transport and affordable housing. With your help, we can come back stronger next year and continue to work towards making that vision a reality.

Thanks again for your support.

The full results can be found on the city council website, here.