The Government’s ideological commitment to austerity has seen £50 billion cut from council services since 2010. These cuts - forced through from Westminster - have closed libraries, forced councils to sell public land and laid off the council staff that collect litter, repair roads and care for older people. The cross party Local Government Association estimates that councils face a further shortfall of £8 billion by 2025 with the most basic of services being eroded, decimating our communities.

A vote for the Green Party in May is a vote against such outdated, disastrously imposed establishment thinking. It is a vote for a new, fresh approach.

The Green Party is committed to campaigning to restore the £50 billion of public money taken from councils – having Greens elected to councils will send a strong message to Westminster that people have had enough of losing cherished local services.

At a local level, having Greens on your council means having champions for investment in local services, fighting to improve public spaces, increase access to social housing and to provide more walking, cycling and public transport opportunities.

It means having councillors looking beyond the tired stock answers and convention-sapped ambitions of the establishment parties. Green councillors embrace the new and relish the bold; harnessing resident’s skills and trusting local knowledge to solve local challenges, from declining high streets to under resourced public transport.

Unlike councillors from the establishment parties, Greens are not subject to a Party whip that orders them to vote according to the needs of the party machines and their colleagues in Westminster. This means they are free to put the residents they represent front and centre, and to fight without fear of favour for their interests - and the radical solutions that will make their lives better.