Local Elections on May 6, 2021 will decide who will be the next West of England metro mayor - responsible for strategic issues like transport and development across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset.
There are four candidates and each candidate has written a 300-word pitch to voters and a video explaining why people should vote for them. Here, Green candidate Jerome Thomas introduces himself.
Covid-19 dramatically changed our lives and our economy.
It showed us vividly the need to face up to big challenges and not hide our heads in the sand.
By listening to science, we can plan intelligently for a positive future.
Climate change in particular must be central to everything we do and we must create a future which offers opportunities to everyone.
That is why the Green Party has drawn up a Green New Deal for the West of England.
It is a bold plan and it needs to be.
We need to reduce carbon emissions by over 13 per cent every year, as a bare minimum.
We must reject a future of airport expansion and road building and choose this better green path now.
Our region has a vibrant and resilient economy.
We are already leaders in green business and ideas which can be developed and scaled up, with the potential for creating thousands of jobs.
On top of this we need to create good quality jobs and services in the growing care economy: the paid and unpaid work done bringing up children, looking after the elderly and others who need care.
The Green New Deal is not a pipe dream.
I know from my years of experience as a successful business director and as a city councillor that it can be done.
We have the resources to get us started – I will work to free up £1billion from existing funds for investment in our future.
Going green is good for our economy and our health as well as for our wildlife. In fact it is the only way forward.
To make this happen we need to work together – I’ll give local communities the power to take action they know is needed on their doorsteps.
Here’s to the future – vote Green!
Find out about the other candidates: read profiles for Labour candidate Dan Norris, Conservative Samuel Wiliams, and Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams.
