With more Green councillors young people can begin to take back our future but we need to get out and vote for it
The Scottish Greens will today (2 MAY) urge 16 and 17 year olds and other young voters to use their influence to elect more Green councillors to protect the local services that young people rely on.
The Greens are engaged in their biggest ever Council campaign, with a record 218 candidates aiming to put power in people's hands.
The party is confident of building on existing councillor numbers in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeenshire, Midlothian and Stirling, and making breakthroughs in most other local authorities.
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, who was elected to Holyrood last year aged 21 and who led the campaign for Votes at 16 as a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said:
“Young people lose out because too few of us turn out on polling day. This is the first local election where 16 and 17 year olds can vote and it’s an opportunity to change things.
"Our councillors make decisions about local schools, housing, public transport and a whole range of areas which have a huge effect on young people’s lives. Green councillors would stand up, not just to defend these services but to improve and invest in them.
"Greens have been working hard in our communities to support young people and are determined to put power in their hands. For example, our councillors will push to give school leavers guaranteed access to training, further education or employment, and will work for more affordable and accessible public transport.
"The Greens have demonstrated our commitment to protecting local services, by securing an extra £160million from the Scottish Government for councils to spend on local priorities. While other parties sat on their hands, Greens delivered.
"With more Green councillors young people can begin to take back our future but we need to get out and vote for it.”
Scottish Young Greens manifesto