Phil Handscomb has been selected as the Green Party candidate for the Norbury & Woodsmoor ward. Phil says:
"I was raised in the South but came up to Manchester for university, ended up settling nearby in Stockport about 30 years ago. I worked as an electronic engineer, mainly in the manufacturing industry, but have now taken early retirement. Although now in Cheadle Heath, I lived in Woodsmoor for 10 years, so have had many laps walking round Mirrlees Field!
I'm a keen cyclist so hope for good cycling infrastructure (and thereby keeping us out the way of cars - P.S. I am a car owner too!) as well as improvements to public transport. I'm a volunteer in 2 charities, one runs a community boat on the canal near Poynton, the other an arts & well-being organisation in Trafford. I am also chairman of Stockport Neighbourhood Watch.
Recent events the other side of Europe and their local consequences, i.e. increased energy bills, should have highlighted yet more reason to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. A lot of small changes can be made locally, and with local benefits. Just one example of these being home insulation, and since most of the time your heating is just compensating for heat loss rather than heating up your house, so increasing insulation (preferably as part of a local government initiative) can make a considerable reduction to your bills, (whether "capped" or not) as well as helping, in a small way, with global CO2 targets."
I'm not a horse! There is no big prize for backing a winner whatever the odds (unless that's the one you want to win) But there are still many benefits from voting Green even if you don't "win": other parties panic and take on more green policies, plus some things are proportional(ish) e.g. representation in the House of Lords (we currently have 2 and would like a 3rd) and amount of TV coverage...
