Local elections are coming up on 4th May 2023
Everyone should have access to a healthy, natural environment.
To achieve this, we must bring nature back to the heart of our communities. Imagine a Derbyshire teeming with wildlife, rivers restored, carbon captured, birdsong and wildflowers providing a backdrop to our everyday.
It is more important now than ever before. We are in the middle of a climate and nature emergency, and the two are linked. Climate change is driving nature’s decline, and the loss of wildlife and wild spaces leaves us ill-equipped to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to change.
On 4 May, local elections will be held in Derby and across all of Derbyshire’s boroughs and districts. From 2023-2027, elected councillors have the opportunity to put long-term plans in place to deliver a wilder and more resilient county.
So, please support us and ensure that no matter who is in power, we still, all, get to see a Wilder Derbyshire.
Contact your councillor using our handy form below and ask them to support our pledges.
Do you live in Derby city?
Contact Here
Elsewhere in Derbyshire?
Contact Here
The lack of wild spaces also comes at a great cost to our physical and mental health, which puts more pressure on already stretched services such as the NHS. [1]
Research by Wildlife and Countryside Link last year showed that there is strong public support for the Government to improve access to local nature. The findings revealed that:
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83% of Brits want greater protections to stop nature loss to development, and 85% say accessible natural spaces should be a much higher priority in new developments
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80% of Brits want a ‘legal right to local nature’, with 83% saying having access to local natural spaces is more important post-pandemic
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85% of people in nature-deprived areas say more natural spaces would improve their quality of life
We can start to solve some of the hardest issues we face, right here in Derbyshire, if we let nature help.
So, together, let’s create a wilder Derbyshire.
See the full manifestos here:
Ask your candidates to pledge their support now:
Do you live in Derby city?
Contact Here
Elsewhere in Derbyshire?
Contact Here
Parties championing a wilder, greener Derbyshire.
Parties will be added as we hear back from them.
Please note: All parties and candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Conservatives
Derby City Conservative Party
We offered to meet all parties ahead of the elections and ask for their support. Whilst we have nothing in writing, when we met local party representatives, they verbally agreed to support the pledges.
Green Party:
Amber Valley Green Party - All candidates
Amber Valley Green Party is delighted to confirm its support for the four pledges called for by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Election Campaign for a Wilder Derbyshire:
- Commit to making sure everyone who lives in Derbyshire is within 15 minutes of a high-quality green space
- Invest in natural flood management along the River Derwent and River Trent
- Support farmers across the county to create more space for wildlife
- Commit to improving greener and active travel options for people right across the county.
Green Party councillors now represent the people of Amber Valley at all levels of local government. They are committed to working positively with others to get things done and to hold councils to account. Green councillors are not told how to vote, so they can always vote in the best interests of their communities. Where voters have elected Green councillors, they are very pleased with the result.
Green councillors continue to push for a better local development plan to provide affordable, energy-efficient homes, preserve the Green Belt, re-use brownfield sites, and protect wildlife and high-quality farmland. We support long-term, sustainable development that takes care of our rivers, green spaces and clean air.
Neil Buttle - Green Party Candidate for the Tideswell Ward
I believe the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust goals are worthwhile. I will take them seriously, particularly as we work to update our Local Plan and Corporate Plan. We will thread them throughout our active policy development. Access to Nature, Natural Flood Management, increasing support for wildlife in the landscape, and better provision for Active Travel, these are all ways that we can improve the Derbyshire Dales, and our lives.
Derby Green Party - All candidates
Erewash Green Party - All candidates
Our 6 candidates in Erewash would be very happy to support your pledges in the upcoming borough election. We have a huge issue especially with the River Derwent and sewage pollution, it is the 5th worst in the country.
Lucy Giuliano - Green Party Candidate for Darley Ward in Derby City
High Peak Green Party - All candidates fully support the 4 pledges and are committed to their delivery
We've seen your Wilder Futures manifesto and are very happy to commit the pledges it includes.
Darren Yates - Co-ordinator – Derbyshire Green Party
On behalf of Derbyshire Green Party (who are standing candidates in South Derbyshire, Derby City, Derbyshire Dales, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield and Bolsover) I can confirm we fully support your 4 pledges and are happy for you to pass this information onto your supporters.
John Ward - Green Party Candidate for the Derbyshire Dales Chatsworth Ward
As the Green Party candidate for Derbyshire Dales Chatsworth Ward I confirm my commitment, if elected, to do my best to;
- make sure everyone who lives in Derbyshire is within 15 minutes of a high-quality green space
- invest in natural flood management along the River Derwent and River Trent
- support farmers across the county to create more space for wildlife
- improve greener and active travel options for people right across the county
Jonathan Wood - Green Party Candidate - Melbourne
I'm standing in the upcoming district elections here in Melbourne, South Derbyshire and many people have emailed asking me to commit to the actions important to DWT, i.e.
1. Commit to making sure everyone who lives in Derbyshire is within 15 minutes of a high-quality green space
2. Invest in natural flood management along the River Derwent and River Trent
3. Support farmers across the county to create more space for wildlife
4. Commit to improving greener and active travel options for people right across the county
I have no hesitation in committing to those. As a DWT member I am very much in agreement about the importance of these actions.
Labour Party:
Councillor Rob Baker - Tintwistle Ward High Peak
I am pleased to say that as a candidate for the upcoming High Peak Borough Council Elections I have committed to delivering the four actions for nature of the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust - I will work with other bodies where they are responsible, and take decisions with these commitments in mind where I are responsible.
Councillor James Dawson - Leader of Erewash Labour Group
What is being raised within the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust manifesto falls under our 4th priority area of “Ensuring a sustainable environment.” The climate crisis puts all of us in danger and the Conservative-controlled Erewash Borough Council haven’t done enough to tackle the climate crisis locally.
Within this Key pledge area are a number of sub pledges which we will, if elected, undertake.
We have already said that we would Campaign and lobby to improve connectivity in our area, both for public transport and walking and cycling, this also works well and fits in with our other key priority area for improving health and wellbeing. We deserve efficient and accessible transportation systems that connect residents to their daily needs, such as work, shopping, and healthcare. By working with partners we can encourage investment in a digitally connected and sustainable Erewash.
We would look at Creating housing fit for heroes: our community is home to many brave servicepeople who have served our country, We will work to ensure that these heroes have access to safe, affordable, and energy-efficient housing, this fits also with another of the pledges in Supporting low energy homes for the future: we will create a fair and sustainable core planning strategy, by ensuring that no area is disadvantaged at the expense of another. By working with all our communities in devising a smarter planning policy, we want to see a fair housing strategy that meets the needs of all, while working to ensure that tomorrow’s homes and buildings are constructed in a sustainable and energy-efficient manner, that doesn’t have a detrimental impact on the surrounding environment.
We are committed to improving the natural environment and addressing the need for green spaces: we will work to protect our green spaces and wildlife habitats particularly within those areas in which their green space has all but gone, and will be developing a rewilding strategy to support pollinators and local wildlife within Erewash both in our towns and villages.
We will be Fighting against sewage pollution in our parks and open water courses and will provide residents with more opportunities to enjoy the benefits of our green spaces again linking in with our health and wellbeing priority.
We want to tackle the illegal dumping of waste in our communities, which blights our green areas by enforcing penalties against individuals who engage in this activity and facilitating the proper disposal of waste by working with our partner agencies, so there isn’t any need for anyone to flytip. We also want to encourage ultra-low emissions vehicles by maximising opportunities to provide Plug and Park sites to charge electric vehicles around our area.
Finally we want to make the council energy sustainable. As a council we believe we must lead by example in promoting sustainable energy practices. We will review and update the council’s energy policy, with a focus on reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our use of renewable energy sources.
High Peak Labour Group - All sitting councillors and candidates
Simon Ripton - Labour Candidate for Derbyshire Dales District Council
What does nature mean to you?
Does it matter that the U.K. is one of the most nature depleted countries in Europe?
Hathersage Ward sits in one of the most beautiful parts of the U.K. and living side by side is one of the joys of where we live.
Being close to nature is good for physical and mental health and a thriving natural world increases resilience to things like floods and extreme weather and helps protect the long term production of food.
So, what’s good for nature is good for people.
Which is why I’m happy to commit to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s election pledge.
Liberal Democrats:
Derbyshire Dales Liberal Democrats - All Candidates
David Hancock - Deputy Leader: North East Derbyshire Liberal Democrats
We are in receipt of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s election pledge and can confirm our support of this.
Several of their objectives are already part of the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto; and, in those areas where the Lib Dems have a majority, we have invested heavily in our green spaces, to ensure that they are both vibrant with wildlife and accessible to local residents – to support their physical and mental well-being.
In Tupton, the Lib Dems have invested heavily in native tree planting, rebuilding hedgerows, proper investment in grounds maintenance to ensure that grassed play areas are properly maintained, so that the ground remains aerated; while dedicated areas are left uncut, to attract and support pollinators. All of the parish council’s green waste is also composted and used to support our own plants. We have also been liaising with public transport providers, requesting them to improve their services and make themselves a more viable option for commuters to use on a regular basis.
The Trent and Derwent do not pass through the area we represent, however, we are fully committed to supporting investment in natural flood management
Robert Mee - Erewash Liberal Democrats
On behalf of the Erewash Liberal Democrats, I can assure you that ALL our candidates are in total support of these aims. Environmental issues are at the heart of our own manifesto, particularly since the current administration in Erewash is seemingly keen to hand over parcels of the Green Belt for housing development.
What else can you do?
Make a donation
You could make a donation so that we can continue our work across Derbyshire - for wildlife and for people. Thank you!
[1] £2.1 billion per year could be saved in health costs if everyone in England had good access to greenspace, due to increased physical activity in those spaces. Public Health England, improving access to greenspace review 2020.