Climate change is the biggest issue of our time. The scientists’ warnings are getting louder. And the government has taken the first step by setting the long-term target of ending our contribution to climate change. But they need to work faster, and slash our emissions in the short-term to avert the worst impacts.

All of us need to face up to the urgency of the situation and do everything we can to turn things around.

We are acting on lots of fronts. We’ve tabled motions on climate at Reigate & Banstead Council and Surrey County Councils. We support grassroots campaigns and the school strikers. And we have also been working with industry, academia and others to set up a Surrey Climate Commission.

This month there are three exciting events – please come if you can.

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Five of the six Green Councillors: L-R Steve McKenna, Sue Sinden, Hal Brown, Ruth Ritter and Jonathan Essex

Green Council seats across Surrey soared from three to 14 in local elections held on 2 May.

Greens broke through onto five Councils: Waverley; Guildford; Surrey Heath; Runnymede and Spelthorne.

In Reigate and Banstead – where all out elections were held because of boundary changes – Greens took over two seats. Redhill East and Earlswood and Whitebushes now have six Green councillors, who all won with big majorities.

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Elect Greens to fight for:

• Action on climate change – and better transport, recycling and protection of our countryside
• Investment in affordable homes and community facilities
• A fairer society – we will stand up for disadvantaged residents
• Stronger opposition on the Conservative-dominated Council

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On 2 May 2019, there will be local elections in Tandridge.

We have 3 candidates standing this year.  If there is a Green standing in your ward – please display a Vote Green poster in your window.

And don’t forget to vote for them on 2nd May!

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On 2 May 2019, the whole of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is up for re-election, following ward boundary changes.

We have 18 candidates standing in 12 wards.  Your poll card will tell you which ward you are in and where your polling station is.

If you’ve got a Green standing where you live, please put a poster in your window to show your support.

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Green Councillor Jonathan Essex presented evidence about the Surrey earthquakes to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Impact of Shale Gas – a group of MPs with an interest in in shale gas exploration and extraction in the UK and abroad – yesterday.

There have been 28 quakes in Surrey since 1 April 2018, in an area where none had been previously recorded. The epicentre is on a fault only three kilometres from the active drill site at Horse Hill.

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Cllr Jonathan Essex and Surrey Green Party submitted a response to Gatwick  Airport’s Master Plan consultation, which closed yesterday.

The Master Plan which includes a proposal to convert Gatwick’s Emergency Runway into a fully active second runway, with a possible 80,000 additional flights a year – and to safeguard land for a brand new runway to the south of the airport.

The plans are based on three highly misleading claims:

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How do you think Surrey County Council should invest its money?

Surrey is consulting on proposed changes to some of its vital services:

• Children’s Centres
• Concessionary bus travel
• Libraries and cultural services
• Special educational needs and disability
• Community recycling centres

If you have views on these, please share them with the Council by 4 January 2019.

You can find the consultation documents here: surreycc.gov.uk/consultations

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Gatwick Airport has published a Five Year Master Plan, which includes a proposal to convert its Emergency Runway into a fully active second runway, with a possible 80,000 additional flights a year.

This would increase the problems already being experienced by local communities – noise, air pollution and excessive road traffic – not to mention being a disaster for the climate. Only this month, the world’s leading climate scientists gave the starkest warning yet that we need to make a rapid transition to the post-fossil-fuel age if we are to keep global warming below 1.5C. Increasing flights makes no sense in this context.

We’ve arranged a photo call on Tuesday 20 October, with Keith Taylor MEP and the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC), to shine a light on Gatwick’s expansion ambitions and encourage people to take part in the consultation about them.

It’s at 12.30 at Old Brighton Road, Lowfield Heath, Crawley, RH11 0PR.

If you’re free on Tuesday, please come along.

Get in touch if you’d like a lift or can offer one: info@eastsurreygp.org.uk