Leicestershire County Council elections: Greens set out pledges ahead of the 2025 local election

As residents across the county prepare to go to the polls for the third time in three years, the LDRS asked the parties vying for their vote what they would deliver if they win control of Leicestershire County Council.

The Green Party currently holds no seats on the council. However, it is fielding candidates for each of the 55 council positions ahead of Thursday’s (May 1) vote.

But what are the party’s priorities? The Green Party said it is “driven by the concerns [residents] share on the doorsteps”, saying its “priority” is “you”.

Among the issues the party would champion on the authority are better access to public transport. The Greens said they believe “reliable and accessible public transport is a right, not a luxury” and they want to bring bus services back under “greater council control”, with more “comprehensive routes” and “affordable fares”.

Greater funding for the authority from Central Government is also high on the party’s list of priorities. The Greens said they will “relentlessly campaign” for this, adding council services are “underfunded and struggling”.

Support for those hit by flooding, and “accelerated plans” to address such incidents, are also a pledge. The party added: “Flood mitigation requires a holistic perspective and collaboration between multiple organisations, and Greens are excellent at bringing such groups together.”

The party also wants to see residents granted “better access” to healthcare. They said they would support local NHS facilities, promote preventative care and “address the social determinants of health”.

Clean rivers, opposition to “large-scale, unsustainable housing developments”, and standing against the creation of freeports in the county are also among the Greens’ priorities.

On the future of Leicestershire’s politics, the Greens have said they will be “a voice for keeping the ‘local’ in local government”. The party added it believes the Government’s requirements for Leicestershire’s two-tier council structure to be reduced to a single-tier structure is “simply a distraction” from the “real issue” – a “chronic” lack of funding.

It did not say which – if any – of the options for the restructure put forward by Leicestershire councils it preferred, but did say it would “not support an expansion of the city boundaries”.

The party said: “By electing Green councillors, you are choosing independent voices who will work tirelessly within and across councils and agencies to build a greener, fairer, and more prosperous future for all.”

Polls open to voters between 7am and 10pm on Thursday, with results expected to be declared through the afternoon on Friday, May 2.

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