Stirling Greens enter administration
Scottish Greens councillor Alasdair Tollemache has worked with the SNP group on Stirling Council to form a cooperation agreement which will see Greens join the administration in Stirling for the first time.
The agreement comes following the collapse of the Labour/Tory coalition. At a meeting today, the Council voted to approve the new cooperation administration, which will see Cllr Tollemache take on the convenorship of the Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee. He will also become the Council's spokesperson on issues within the committee’s remit.
The proposed agreement was approved by the local members of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Greens branch on Sunday evening.
Entering the agreement, Alasdair is looking to focus on improving local public transport - including exploring public ownership, supporting community-owned renewable projects to cut emissions and bills, and speeding up local climate action through nature and biodiversity projects.
Alasdair said:
“This deal puts people and planet at the heart of decision-making here in Stirling.
“With Scottish Greens in administration for the first time, I am determined to work on cutting locals bills through public ownership of buses, community-owned renewables, and the introduction of robust rent controls.
“We are facing a climate emergency, that's why, as convenor of the Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee, I will support action to cut Stirling’s carbon emissions by supporting local nature restoration projects and an expansion of our active travel network, to allow commuters to leave the car at home.
“I look forward to working to build a fairer, greener Stirlingshire as part of this new administration.”
The cooperation agreement will also allow for Cllr Tollemache to take part in Council budget negotiations with a shared agreement with the SNP group to protect local services.
A policy delivered by the Scottish Greens at Holyrood will also be on the administration's agenda to introduce a Visitor Levy to raise funds for vital local services.
Local Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said:
“I am proud that Scottish Greens will be represented on Stirling Council’s administration for the first time in this progressive cooperation agreement.
“In town halls across Scotland and in our parliament, Greens have shown that when in the room, we can deliver transformative socialist policies that improve the lives of people and protect our planet.
“I am sure that here in Stirling, Alasdair will continue to build on the success Greens have had nationally on delivering better bus services, protecting tenants' rights and tackling the climate and nature emergencies.”