John Howard (Sefton Park)

Stuart: May 2023 marked significant changes in South Liverpool, including new ward boundaries and the retirement of long-standing councillors. What inspired you to step up and run for election?

John: It was indeed a time of transition. The retirement of Lawrence Brown, Anna Key, and Stephanie Pitcher left big shoes to fill, and the new ward boundaries presented both challenges and opportunities. I’d only been a member of the Green Party for six months when I was selected as the candidate for the newly formed Sefton Park ward. Winning with 57% of the vote was a huge honour, and I’ve been working relentlessly since then to address the needs of the ward.

Stuart: Sefton Park is a key part of your ward. What challenges are you addressing there?

John: Sefton Park is a Grade I listed site with Green Flag status, attracting visitors from across Liverpool and when used by festivals from around the country too. Balancing this commercial use with the preservation of the park is crucial. Another major issue is water management. The water table in the park has risen over the decades, likely due to climate change, causing drainage problems and water build-up in some areas.

I regularly work with the Head of Parks to spot and address issues early, from clearing blocked drains to managing leaf debris that creates hazards when compacted. Sometimes I even step in personally, armed with wellies, to clear blockages by hand. However, larger challenges require council resources, and I ensure these are allocated appropriately.

Stuart: Lark Lane is another prominent part of your ward. What steps are you taking to address concerns there?

John: Lark Lane is one of Liverpool’s most vibrant streets, but it has long-standing issues. Parking on side roads has been a persistent complaint from residents, and I am trying to address this. Since being elected, the council have secured funding for redevelopment, and I’ve been working with them on fine-tuning the designs, alongside integrating feedback from residents. Plans include widening and levelling pavements to improve safety for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and parents with pushchairs.

We’re also starting a consultation on introducing a long-requested residents’ parking permit scheme. Additionally, I’ve worked with the local Neighbourhood Association and the Council to ensure businesses comply with regulations, such as keeping trade bins off pavements on non-collection days. These steps are already making the area more accessible and safer.

Stuart: Licensing has been another contentious issue on Lark Lane. Can you share your thoughts?

John: Licensing used to be governed by a “cumulative impact” policy, which ensured a balanced mix of businesses in the area. This policy allowed the licensing committee to consider the overall impact of new applications, preventing an overconcentration of late-night bars. Unfortunately, it was removed during the pandemic and there’s now a risk of the Lane becoming dominated by a single type of business.

I’ve previously submitted a petition to the council calling for the policy to be reinstated, but the response has been slow and non-committal. It’s essential to maintain Lark Lane as a diverse and thriving community hub that balances commercial success with residential needs. As the balance of business types has already skewed further than I would have liked, improving enforcement of licensing conditions is now key, to ensure businesses don’t take liberties that cause disruption for local residents.

Stuart: Looking ahead, what are your priorities for the ward?

John: Improving accessibility is a key focus. On Livingstone Drive, for instance, driveways often cut into pavements, making it difficult for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. I’d also like to see more pedestrian crossings to connect the park with surrounding streets, and better cycling infrastructure. Of course, resources are always limited, and every councillor has a wish list. I’m committed to advocating for projects that make the most significant impact while navigating the constraints of council funding.

Stuart: You also sit on two important committees. What has been your focus there?

John: On the Neighbourhoods Committee, I’ve been involved in initiatives like reducing mowing in certain areas to improve biodiversity and drainage while also saving money. I’ve been pushing for the council to switch to cut-and-collect at the end of the growing season, rather than cut-and-drop. This will reduce growth of tall grass whilst increasing diversity of wildflowers, and make the areas left for biodiversity more open for general use. 

Another critical issue is the health of the River Mersey. We recently passed a motion censuring United Utilities for sewage dumping and are pushing for better water management to prevent overflow. Just last week, a group of us met with them to hear about their plans for almost entirely replumbing Liverpool’s sewage and drainage systems to prevent future sewage overflows. I’ll also be going on a visit to one of their sewage works in the new year, to get a better idea of what infrastructure issues are currently being faced. 

On the Culture and Economy Committee, I’m focused on making the city’s tourism economy more sustainable. For example, I’m advocating for onshore-powered cruise ships to reduce air and water pollution, and set up a one-on-one meeting with Museums Liverpool to hear about the green aspects of their dock redevelopment and the associated district heating scheme, which promises to make their operations more energy efficient.

Stuart: What motivates your work as a councillor?

John: I’m passionate about connecting local challenges with global issues like climate change. Whether it’s improving accessibility, enhancing green spaces, or encouraging sustainable practices, I believe these efforts make Liverpool a better, more resilient city.

Sometimes you can do a lot of chasing of something but end up with little to show for it. But then eventually you get a win, and seeing progress—even small steps—drives me to keep pushing forward.

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Tom Crone (St Michaels Ward)

Tom Crone is the leader of the Green group on Liverpool City Council and an increasingly prominent figure in local politics. I begin our interview by asking him how it feels to have represented the ward in which he lives for over a decade. “It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years. It’s an honour and I still enjoy it. I like it when residents knock on my front door to discuss their issues and it is a privilege to help your neighbours, solve problems and be accessible to the people I represent.”

“I like to support and help the community to come together when there is a particular need. In the past, I helped to organise volunteer days at the Festival Gardens for what is now a thriving volunteer group. We recently set to work cleaning up Tramway Fields and on Saturday I took part in the St Michael’s and Lark Lane Wombles litter pick. We have a big team of volunteers, so we can cover quite a large area.”

Moving on to issues specific in his ward, Tom does his best to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of housing in the area. In particular, Tom says, that there is an ongoing trend of property developers applying to convert existing dwellings into HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupancy), where St Michaels there is more of a demand for family houses. “Recently, I run a petition to present to council and as a result, the Council are looking into strengthening protections.”

Like any area, there is some anti-social behaviour and Tom has worked with residents in the Dingle Rec/Stanyfields area to see if he could help to address the issues. “We got the football pitches upgraded in 2022 and I recently funded CCTV from my local budget. Local residents have told me about the impact of this and they say this has had a dramatic improvement in the quality of their lives. Now I’m a Green and perhaps I am naturally suspicious of CCTV, but this did made a big difference to people’s lives and I am pragmatic enough to acknowledge that.”

Despite being community focussed, Tom still retains an interest in national and international issues, and being a long-standing member of the Green Party, it is unsurprising that Tom also campaigns to reduce carbon emissions. Explaining his interest in the Rosebank Oil and Gas Field in the North Sea, Tom says that he is worried that drilling in the largest remaining untapped oil field will set the country on course to miss emission targets while only profiting the owners of the field, the Norwegian energy giant Equinor and British firm Itaca Energy, “Labour got into power promising no new gas and oil licenses, sure in the knowledge that the Tory party had approved loads of new ones before the election. The Rosebank Oil and Gas Field is a giant carbon bomb that I cannot ignore as a campaigner and an activist. In July, I bought a motion to Council that the government should rescind the license, which was carried in Labour support – quite something in such a Labour stronghold. Green politics is about linking up the local, the national and international”.

Other national issues also cross over into the local, such as the Liverpool City Region’s plan for a Mersey Tidal Barrage or the government’s announcement of a multi-billion pound Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) scheme in Merseyside. Tom explains, “part of the job of any councillor is to scrutinise the decisions that will impact residents for decades to come. So I helped the Liverpool Green Party to organise a public meeting and debate about the benefits or otherwise of a tidal barrage. I came away from the meeting convinced that while on the surface the plan might assist in reducing carbon targets, it will not generate enough electricity to warrant the damage it will do to local wildlife in and around the Mersey. The same might be said for Carbon Capture and Storage, only here we are dealing with central government spin rather than that coming solely out of the Liverpool Metro Mayor’s office. It is outrageous that a recent sharp increase in lobbying by the fossil fuel industry has led to a £22b project based on unproven technology, which then provides an excuse for fossil fuel companies to carry on polluting. The money would be far better spent on a mass insulation programme so that we can keep the carbon where it is, in the ground.”

One final aspect of Tom’s campaigning that he wanted to highlight before he had to leave was his holding Liverpool City Council to account with the “Liverpool Transport Plan”, which he sees as an opportunity to improve the transport infrastructure in the city. “The three Green councillors are relentless in our campaigning for better transport options. Acting on very poor evidence, Joe Anderson abolished Liverpool’s bus lanes after a year-long trial during which it became apparent that he had already made his mind up. Since then, the Council has published a new Transport Plan. When this plan was in development, Cllr Dan Barrington, cabinet member for transport and connectivity, said he would bring bus lanes back in order to deliver greener journeys and tackle congestion. But nothing has changed. So I am raising this at Council level to ask when the Plan will be implemented for the benefit of the local community”

November 2024

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Martyn Madeley (Greenbank Park Ward)

Martyn Madeley is a busy man. Not content with representing Greenbank Park and working for a local materials analysis company, I am forced to meet him in a local café as he is deep in work on a run-down house he is renovating. “We’ve got to meet here, because I’ve had to temporarily put all of my chairs into the garden as some of them have got woodworm and I’m now replacing the flooring.”

Moving on to his role in his ward, Martyn talks about how his green principles influence both his activism and his work representing the local community. “I believe in making sustainable choices in everyday life, for example through the promotion of and support for active travel. In general, I joined the Green Party as I saw it as the only party prepared to devolve power to the local community. One of my key roles is to make sure the voices of residents are heard at council level. When it comes to decision-making in the Council chamber, I try to ensure that the council is led by the science and makes decisions that benefit the health and wellbeing of everyone in Liverpool.”

Martyn has represented the Greenbank Park ward since the 2023 retirement of long-standing Green councillor Lawrence Brown, who had represented the ward for over ten years. Since his election, Martyn has enjoyed engaging with a range of local issues, including ensuring that the owners of ‘HMOs’ (Houses of Multiple Occupancy) are responsible landlords, with Martyn believing that a thriving community requires a mixture of housing.

As a grassroots councillor, Martyn also acknowledges that addressing smaller issues such as parking can have a big impact on the lives of those in the local area. There is a particular issue with litter in the ward and sometimes skips and builders waste make the place look untidy, so Martyn liaises with landlords and Liverpool Streetscene (the Council’s refuse and recycling subsidiary) to address this. A quick recent win was at the University of Liverpool’s Halls of Residence on Greenbank Road where he split costs with the University to fund a new street bin. In general, Martyn says, “I am keen to work with the local Universities to ensure that there are good relations between students and locals.”

In discussing the area he represents, Martyn notes, “there are pockets of deprivation in what is sometimes seen as an affluent ward, so I try to ensure that those with disabilities and the elderly are empowered to lobby for improvements to their community”. Specifically, Martyn contacts groups of residents regularly and is keen to ensure that all communities and age groups are able to be included in local activities. In the South of his ward in Mossley Hill, Martyn is working with the local residents association regarding the a plan to build more than a hundred dwellings on the site of the old Carnatic Halls, “this involves liaising with the developer and lobbying them to ensure that the plan is suitable for the local community”. One success that Martyn has had is to ensure that the current plan includes public access, a new green space and cycle storage facility, linking in to his enthusiasm for active travel.

Elsewhere, Martyn has been able to use Neighbourhood Fund cash to support a local scheme to provide free books to children while also funding chess lessons in schools (with other local councillors). “I’ve provided funding and support for a poetry and music event at the Smithdown Social Arts Club. This involves poets reading their work to the accompaniment of local musicians. The event itself was really good, with the participants launching a compendium of poems in both print and as an audio book.”

Ending our chat, Martyn’s thoughts turned from the local with the global, expressing the view that local councillors can also have a role in international politics. In particular, Martyn is proud of his role in November 2023 when in partnership with other opposition leaders, he submitted a council motion to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and gave his first council speech on the issue. On this, Martyn says, “it is essential that every elected politician takes a stand strongly in support of international law. I am proud that Liverpool City Council took the decision to unanimously stand on the right side of history and send a clear message to our government, to our allies and to the people of Gaza.”

October 2024

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