Greens pitch 'active' councillors as May elections near

Why it matters: All 75 seats on Suffolk County Council and a third of Ipswich Borough Council's 48 seats are up for election on the same day, with the Greens seeking to build on their existing presence in the county.

The details: Rachel Millwall, the party's deputy leader, visited Harleston, Framlingham, Thurston and Capel St Mary at the weekend to rally support, joined by prospective councillors and members.

She said the party's local focus would mirror its national priorities of "people and nature."

"What you always get are really hard-working, committed councillors, who keep those principles in every decision they make," she said.

What they're saying: Adrian Ramsay, the Green MP for Waveney Valley and former party leader, said candidates would be putting out a "positive message" and pointed to the party's record running councils elsewhere in Suffolk.

"We are the ones who have the track record of actively representing our community – where Greens are running the district councils […] we are doing a really strong job," he said.

"Our candidates are not just a name on the ballot paper, they are people who are really interested in being active community representatives."

Mr Ramsay said it was clear Reform councillors would be the main opposition at the ballot box, but argued the Greens would be the right choice to address issues where residents had been "left behind."

The bigger picture: The Greens already control Mid Suffolk District Council, holding 23 seats to the Conservatives' 11. They are also the leading party in East Suffolk Council's coalition administration, which is made up of Greens, Liberal Democrats and Independents.

At Suffolk County Council, the Greens currently hold nine of the 75 seats and, together with Independents, form the official opposition to the Conservative-led authority.

What's next: Polling stations will be open from 07:00 to 22:00 on Thursday, 7 May, with results expected the following day. The deadline to register to vote is 23:59 on Monday, 20 April.

A full list of candidates standing in Ipswich is available in our guide to May's local elections.

The bottom line: With less than four weeks until polling day, Suffolk's parties are making their final pitches to voters – and the Greens are positioning themselves as an active, community-focused alternative.

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