The Green Party of England and Wales have enjoyed unprecedented success in recent elections. The Party now has 2 MEPs in Brussels, 2 seats in the London Assembly and it won 7 new seats on County Councils in June 2009, bringing the total number of Councillors at County, Unitary Authority and District level to 123.

Green Councillors are making a real impact in places like Norwich, Brighton and Hove, Oxford and Kirklees. Here are just some of thier recent achievements:

Kirklees Warm Zone The Kirklees Warm Zone Plus scheme provides free insulation to all households irrespective of income. It was introduced in February last year by a Green Party amendment to Kirklees Councils budget. Councillor Andrew Cooper has been recognised for his work on promoting energy saving for householders and was recently named in the Independent on Sunday's list of the top 100 Environmentalists. Councillor Cooper was recognised by the paper for his work on establishing the Kirklees Warm Zone and on developing the revolutionary RE-Charge scheme which provides renewable energy technology for peoples homes financed through a 'second charge' on the property.

Councillor Andrew Cooper said, " Kirklees is the first Council in the Country to offer free cavity wall and loft insulation to all. With rising fuel prices and recession affecting many the time has come for this kind of idea. It will not only save carbon emissions but also put millions of pounds back into peoples' pockets and out of the hands of the energy companies."

The election of Green Party Councillors to city hall was crucial to getting this pioneering scheme started. Only now are other parties belatedly beginning to recognise that this policy is the way forward.

The Green Party of Scotland

The 2 Green Party Members of the Scottish Parliament Robin Harper and Patrick Harvie proposed an amendment to a motion tabled on energy saving which called on the Scottish Government to: "ensure that microgeneration technologies become widely available and used and to consider other energy efficiency measures for new and existing housing stock to tackle fuel poverty, climate change and security of energy supply; notes the evidence given by Friends of the Earth Scotland to the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee suggesting that an additional £100 million per annum would be a welcome change to the draft budget for 2009-10, and calls on the Scottish Government to consider a comprehensive and fully funded Scotland-wide scheme on this scale to provide energy audits, insulation provision and financial support for micro-renewables where appropriate."

This amendment was backed by 91 votes to 15 and was supported by the ruling Scottish National Party and the Labour Party.

Green Victory on Free School Meals

Green Cllrs are celebrating after winning a key vote that will see Brighton & Hove City Council ask the Government for funding for a pilot scheme to provide all young people at the city's primary and secondary schools with free school meals.

Cllr Rachel Fryer, the Green Group's education spokesperson who laid down the motion calling on the council to bid for funding, said:

"I am delighted with this result. Giving every school child in the city a free school lunch could make a real difference to their life chances, their education and their general well being.

"But this isn't just about giving everyone a fair start in life: free school meals could prove a lifesaver for low income families facing rising food prices. Recent figures suggest they could save in the region of £300 per child on the costs of paying for school meals or pack lunches.

"This will also make a real difference to families who under current rules qualify for free school meals, but who don't take them. More than half of secondary school pupils in Brighton & Hove who are entitled to free school meals don't take them, in part because of the social stigma around the idea of a free lunch. Universal free school meals would put an end to this problem.

"Free school meals could also be part of a wider shift in the way children learn about food. A 'whole school approach' will benefit everyone. Children will engage with food throughout their school day, getting involved in growing and preparing their food, as well as having the time and space to enjoy eating healthy food together calmly as a social activity. Evidence suggests that this will improve behaviour, improve learning, reduce bullying (as they do not need to take money into school), and improve health and quality of life.

"Providing free, healthy school lunches is the common sense solution to tackling so many of the problems facing our children and their parents today. When it comes to childhood obesity, spiralling food costs or the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor areas, policies like this will go a long way to ensure a healthier, happier and fairer society."

Stroud post office saved

After working with POL for nearly 5 gruelling months the green majority Stroud Town Council, working with one Independent (Andy Reed) have acheived a remarkable victory in saving a local post office-Only Essex County Council have saved another one, a mixed shop cum PO. A unanimous vote was taken by the Council recently to approve the giving of a substantial grant to the local Postmaster for just under 3 years. Find out more at www.glosgreenparty.org.uk

Norwich

Norwich City Council (which numbers 13 Green Party Councillors)has adopted a new Environmental Strategy that focuses on reducing carbon emissions from the Council's buildings and services. The Council first agreed to a target of reducing its carbon emissions by 6% per year following a Green Party motion to Council last year. The plans for a reduction in energy consumption should significantly reduce the Council's fuel bills as well as its carbon emissions. Under the strategy, the Council has also agreed to: improve maintenance of green spaces, promote walking, cycling and public transport and continue to enhance recycling facilities in the city. The Council will also seek high levels of energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy generation in new developments in the city.

Oxford

With no political party having overall control of the City Council, Green Councillors have held the 'balance of power' since 2004. Greens have used their position to work constructively with other parties to help fashion a progressive, sustainable Oxford. Despite being the smallest of the main parties, the Green Group has passed more successful motions through sessions of Full Council than any other party, and in the two City Council budget rounds since 2004, the Green Group has secured more than £2 million of 'Green spending' all funded without the need to raise additional Council Tax. The achievements below include many of our successes since 2004, as well as the lasting reforms instituted during the period of Green control in 2000-2002.

Transport and environment

• Switching Council's electricity supply to green energy saving over 3,600 tonnes of damaging carbon dioxide emissions each year, and helping to switch Oxford University to green electricity the year after, making the University the 7th largest purchaser of renewable energy in Europe!
• Increasing door to door recycling to cover 100% of the City - recycling rates more than doubled in the two years that the Greens held the balance of power on the Council.
• Supporting waste reduction measures - such as the real nappy initiative
• Taking a leading role in the effort to make Oxford a Fair Trade City, and supporting ethical and sustainable procurement policies for the City Council.
• Greens renewed the Council's subscription as a Nuclear Free Local Authority.
• Green Councillors initiated discussion of the 'Low Emissions Zone' for the centre of Oxford, which has now received initial funding.
• Green councilors have secured over £100,000 to explore creating a new Renewable Energy Supply Company for Oxford.
• Green Councillors have successfully pressured the County Council into installing hundreds more cycle racks across the city, and will continue to push for more.
• Green Councillors have ensured that the redevelopment of the Cowley Road included 'green features', such as much more tree-planting, benches, and a significant increase in cycle parking. Greens have also secured new cycle safety measures at the dangerous Plain Roundabout.
• Green Councillors have funded the first solar park lighting in the City.
• Green Councillors have opposed the introduction of free car parking in the city centre - and has seen its longstanding proposal of an inflation linked increase in off-street car parking charges adopted in the City Council budget.
• Green Councillors have developed the City Council's first Climate Change Action Plan, have funded new measures to increase access to renewable energy, and have secured over £250,000 for energy efficiency measures in council housing.
• Green Councillors provided extra money in the 2006 budget for increased consultation with residents on the proposed new recycling scheme, in order to ensure that the views of residents are taken into account.
• Green Councillors have provided funding for scores of extra trees to be planted across Oxford, and are working to have trees planted in locations across the City, including Cornmarket.

Housing

• Ensuring that sensitive action was taken to combat street drinking, begging and rough sleeping - cross-agency working halved the number of beggars and rough sleepers during the Green period of control. This stands in stark contrast to the current administration's authoritarian approach to city life.
• Increasing to 30% (from 20%) the proportion of affordable housing in new housing developments - the Green administration won a landmark court ruling to make this happen. Our hard work on the Local Plan has now increased this figure to 50%.
• Persuading the council to knock down vacant and vandalised garages to free up space to build affordable housing.
• More than 90% of East Oxford rented properties were improved with our landlord registration scheme, and now Green councilors have secured funding to extend the scheme across the city.
• Green Councillors have increased the amount of housing in plans for the proposed Westgate development - improving the scheme, though it still remains unacceptably skewed towards big retail outlets.
• Green Councillors have put forward imaginative new solutions to Oxford's housing crisis, such as support for Community Land Trusts and co-operative housing.
• Green Councillors have funded a scheme which ensures that the Council will provide FREE insulation for over a thousand Oxford residents.
• Green Councillors have successfully campaigned to prevent the sell-off of Council Housing by the Labour government, and will continue to push for the highest levels of tenant participation in the management of our housing stock.

Planning and community

• Speeding up the planning process - more than 70% of applications were handled within Government set time limits during the two year period of Green control (up from only 16% under Labour).
• The award winning 'bicycle bobbies' were introduced with Green support, and reflect our emphasis on sensitive, community policing.
• Green Councillors were a leading force behind the successful bid for £1 million to help make the Cowley Road safer.
• Green councillors have devolved significant extra funding to Area Committees
• Supporting and encouraging community initiatives such as the Cowley Road Carnival and the Oxford Green Map.
• Greens have supported low-cost, and highly effective measures to cut crime, such as improved street lighting and the creation of new community spaces.
• The Greens have funded and developed the 'Natural Resources Impact Assessment' criteria for large developments - which will make Oxford the leading local authority in the UK for sustainability in planning policy.
• Green Councillors have helped introduce plans to allow street wardens and dedicated 'litter wardens' to issue on the spot fines to those who persistently litter and fly tip.
• As the only party opposing privatisation of council tax collection the Greens, working with Unison, have raised the public profile of this creeping destruction of public services.
• Green Councillors have continued to push for 'action planning' workshops for major developments, such as the Cowley Road Safety Scheme, so that local residents have the chance to come together and plan the future of their community.
• Green Councillors have established the City Council's opposition to a national ID card scheme by passing a motion against them. We will continue to oppose such erosions of civil liberties by national government.
• Green Councillors have supported a number of local community groups including those petitioning against the war in Iraq, against nuclear convoys, and in favour of the rights of Oxford's boating community.