AN INDEPENDENT councillor on Kidderminster Town Council has switched to the Green Party which he says will help enhance his work in the community.
Coun Doug Hine was first elected to the authority in 2021, representing Aggborough and Spennells.
But now, he has opted to join the existing Green Party councillor Vicky Caulfield with the pair working together and in a group with independent councillors.
He told the Standard he had worked hard for residents, helping them with their day-to-day concerns and had paid particular attention to planning issues.
Before becoming a councillor, he worked on a campaign to protect local fields from development.
Coun Hine wrote to residents this week to explain his decision.
In his letter he stated: “I have proudly worked for the benefit of Aggborough and Spennells, Kidderminster and beyond as an Independent local activist and councillor for quite a few years.
“Now, I wish to declare my membership of the Green Party.
“I will still be working with the hard-working Aggborough and Spennells Independent Team, of Helen Dyke, Peter Dyke and John Aston – doing the best we can to help people on local matters.
“This does not change.
“But as a Green, I will have access to a national network of Green councillors and resources to supplement my efforts.
“When there is a lot of bad news around, I find inspiration and hope in the mission of the Green Party to bring greater equality and economic security for people, and to address climate and environmental threats.”
He said those living in Aggborough and Spennells had always known how to contact him and felt free to get in touch whenever they needed his assistance – and that would be how it had always been. People contact him by phone, email and via his Facebook page.
The Green Party has seen considerable growth in recent years and now has more than 50,000 members and 800 councillors. At the last general election, four Green Party candidates were elected to become MPs.
