3 May 2008 - At the local elections on Thursday 1st May the Green Party became the second party on Norwich City Council. The Greens gained three new seats, taking them to a total of 13 - the largest group of Green Councillors in the country. This is the first time the Greens have taken second place on a local council.
The result means that the Greens will have more influence over key policies decided at City Hall. It also makes the Green Party the main challenger to Labour at City Hall and also for the Norwich South Westminster seat at the General Election. The Greens secured 33 per cent and first place across the wards that make up the Norwich South Westminster constituency - giving Adrian Ramsay a great chance of taking over from Charles Clarke as MP. The Greens also secured, for the first time, first place on total vote share across the whole City Council area: over 10,000 votes and 29 per cent.
Photo: Norwich Green Party councillors, candidates and members
celebrate the party's election success in gaining three seats
and becoming the second party on the City Council.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, Co-ordinator of the Green Party Group on Norwich City Council, said: "I would like to thank everyone who voted Green in this election - and the hundreds of members and supporters who helped our election campaign. We have made history by becoming the second party on the Council - and by securing more votes than any other party across the city as a whole. The 13 Green City Councillors will use our influence to press for Greener policies for the city."
The Green Party won in five wards: Bob Gledhill and Adrian Holmes were re-elected with increased majorities, while Ruth Makoff, Samir Jeraj and Peter Offord gained seats for the Green Party. The full results can be viewed here.
Photo: Newly-elected Green Party Councillors
Peter Offord, Ruth Makoff and Samir Jeraj tired but happy
at the election count at St Andrew's Hall.
The political make-up of Norwich City Council is now:
The number of votes cast across the City at the election was: