A Growing Green Wave in Staffs Moorlands

Local Green councillor Jonathan Kempster says voters are turning away from divisive rhetoric towards positive action on nature and community empowerment

As environmental concerns move higher on the political agenda, the Green Party is gaining momentum across the Staffordshire Moorlands. Elected in May 2025 and representing the Manifold ward in the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Green Party councillor Jonathan Kempster has lived and worked in the Staffs Moorlands for more than 30 years. He is part of a growing Green group alongside other councillors like Connor Brady in Biddulph East and Jack Rose (Seighford and Church Eaton) from Stafford Borough Council.

Jonathan says the party’s priority is to address the climate emergency and protect nature

Tell us about where the Green Party is at right now in Stoke and Staffordshire. How many councillors do you have?

Across Stoke and Staffordshire, we now have a growing presence at parish, district and county level. In the Staffordshire Moorlands specifically, we have around four parish councillors, including three in Horton, and we now have two district councillors. The first Green district councillor was elected in 2023, taking a longstanding Conservative seat, something none of us anticipated at the time.

One councillor, Connor Brady, has joined you from the Labour Party…

Connor was originally elected as a Labour district councillor for Biddulph South in 2023. In 2024, he chose to leave the Labour Party – largely because of national issues, including their stance on Gaza – and became an independent before deciding to join the Greens. His joining means we now have two district councillors and are formally recognised as a political group in the Staffordshire Moorlands, rather than being grouped with independents.

As Green Party councillors, what are your biggest local concerns?

Our priority is responding to the climate emergency and protecting nature. We’re keen to work closely with local communities on environmental initiatives, whether through Staffordshire Wildlife Trust or grassroots projects like ‘Nature in Your Neighbourhood’. We’re promoting the rewilding of small patches of local land, too.

We’re also supporting local groups working to protect rivers, such as ManifoldCAN, and encouraging reduced use of chemical sprays and pesticides which run off into waterways. In Longnor, for instance, we’ve helped set up voluntary groups for weed-pulling and litter-picking. On the practical side of climate action, we support repair cafes and encourage mending instead of replacing. We’re pushing for more energy-efficient homes, for new developments to include solar panels and heat pumps, as well as for improvements to travel and transport. The county council’s transport plan is key here – we want stronger cycling infrastructure and safer roads. Speeding is a major local concern, so we’ve been working to bring in speed-indicator devices to help improve safety.

The party has reached out to local schools to address the climate emergency

For the uninitiated, can you introduce Green Party policies and how they translate into local issues?

Green Party policy focuses on nature regeneration, the climate emergency, and ensuring that humans and the natural world can thrive together. Locally, this translates into the projects mentioned above: restoring local nature, reducing carbon emissions, and planning for sustainable, liveable communities.

Carbon neutrality and net-zero are core principles for us. In practical terms, this means supporting affordable, energy-efficient housing; reducing reliance on fossil fuels; and promoting renewable energy. We also prioritise strong, connected communities that are empowered to take part in shaping their future.

“Our campaigns will focus on nature, climate action, and tackling the rhetoric of hate that has become so prevalent in national politics.”

The government is expected to lose many seats in the next local elections. What will you be campaigning on to win some of those seats?

Our campaigns will focus on nature, climate action, and tackling the rhetoric of hate that has become so prevalent in national politics. Many people joining the Green Party tell us they’re tired of the far-right narratives and the negativity dominating the public conversation. They see us as a party of hope and want a positive alternative.

Zack Polanski has said he wouldn’t work with Keir Starmer. What about locally – how do you collaborate across parties, and are there any red lines?

At district level, collaboration is essential. If there’s a community issue that needs resolving—such as speeding—then we’ll work with whoever can help, regardless of political differences. The community must always come first. That said, there are limits. We couldn’t support policies that fundamentally conflict with our values, such as those promoted by Reform. But on practical, non-ideological local issues, we believe in finding common ground and working together.

The Green Party works with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to help preserve nature reserves such as Hem Heath Woods in Trentham

What’s coming up for the Green Party locally in the next few months?

We’ll be continuing the work we’ve started over the past nine months, during which time membership in the Staffordshire Moorlands has grown from around 90 to more than 200. We’re also working alongside figures such as Jack Rose, county councillor for Stafford West and the rural wards, and want to expand that collaborative effort.

What are your long-term goals for the Green Party in Staffs Moorlands?

To grow our membership further and increase our representation at every level. With a new unitary council on the horizon, we want to build from our current two councillors to double or even triple that number. We’re also keen to see more Green parish councillors keen to represent their community and the natural environment.

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