Gilly Charters has been announced as the Green Party's candidate for the Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone division in the upcoming North Yorkshire Council by-election scheduled for 11 April 2024. With over 40 years of residency in Harrogate and Knaresborough, including 20 years within the Stray, Woodlands, and Hookstone area itself, Charters brings a deep familiarity with the community she aims to represent.
Presently residing on Forest Moor, she remains closely connected to the division through family ties. Charters' professional background is rich and varied, encompassing roles such as a part-time parent support worker at a special school near Thirsk, a secondary school teacher in Knaresborough, and a probation officer.
Her commitment to community service extends to her involvement with the Harrogate Quakers and volunteer work with a local mental health charity. Additionally, Charters enjoys music, both playing and listening, and cherishes her role as a grandmother.
A long-standing member of the Green Party for over three decades, Charters is driven by the party's emphasis on social justice and environmental sustainability. Her campaign focuses on improving public services and ensuring a clean, safe environment for all.
Charters advocates for the introduction of reliable and eco-friendly public transport options, the facilitation of renewable energy access for homes, promotion of active travel, and the cleanup of air and water resources. Furthermore, she is committed to fostering sustainable businesses and ensuring that planning decisions within the Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone division consider the perspectives and needs of all residents.
Charters expresses enthusiasm for joining the four existing Green Party members on the North Yorkshire Council, aiming to support their efforts in combating sewage pollution in waterways, advocating for reduced speed limits around schools, and promoting the construction of energy-efficient affordable housing. Her candidacy underscores a dedication to enhancing the quality of life in her community through sustainable development and inclusive governance.
The Green Party stands as a unique political entity that emphasizes an interconnected approach to social, environmental, and economic issues. This manifesto outlines the party’s commitment to transforming society for the betterment of both the planet and its inhabitants.
The party views social, economic, and environmental challenges as interconnected and believes that resolving one requires addressing them all together. Success is not solely measured by economic indicators but also by the quality of life, including personal freedom, social equity, health, and ecosystem health.
Humanity's survival is dependent on biodiversity and the sustainable use of finite physical resources. Every individual, including future generations and other species, has a right to basic material security.
A healthy society is built on voluntary cooperation among empowered individuals, without discrimination. Decisions should be made as close as possible to the affected individuals to promote accountability and participatory democracy.
The party seeks non-violent solutions that consider minority and future generation interests. Change can be achieved through various methods, including lifestyle changes and direct action, as long as they align with core principles.
Humans are part of and depend on the natural world, which has suffered significantly from human activities. Traditional political and economic approaches are seen as destructive, emphasizing the need for a shift from growth-driven policies to those focusing on sustainable well-being.
Proposes a society where individuals coexist with nature and each other in mutually beneficial ways, stressing empowerment over dominance. Values the diversity of human relationships with each other and the environment, advocating for a balance of various life-enhancing processes.
All policies and actions should aim for sustainability, ensuring that resource use and environmental impacts are within the planet’s capacity to handle indefinitely. Calls for urgent action to address climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing ecological and egalitarian solutions.
Advocates for replacing GDP with indicators that reflect true progress towards ecological sustainability and human well-being.Supports the enhancement of rights and freedoms, balancing individual actions with the health of society and the planet.
Promotes more democratic processes at all levels of government and society to ensure fair and inclusive decision-making. Supports measures to address inequality and ensure all citizens have access to necessary resources without compromising ecological integrity.
Encourages a shift in cultural values towards sustainability, cooperation, and respect for diversity. Engages in both global initiatives and local actions to implement its principles, aiming for a broad-based transformation across all sectors of society.
The Green Party's manifesto presents a radical rethinking of political, social, and economic systems, aiming to create a fair, sustainable society that respects the interconnected nature of global challenges. Through a combination of policy reform, cultural change, and grassroots action, the party seeks to redefine progress and ensure a viable future for all inhabitants of the planet.