A by-election will be held on Thursday, 10th July 2025.
Our Green Candidate is James Robins
I have lived and worked in Gloucestershire for most of my life, including 19 years working in local factories. At the start of my career I was elected as a trade union representative and worked tirelessly to improve conditions for the workforce and to support people when they needed help. Later I moved to operations management, including leading a successful start-up that created 70 jobs for local people.
I care deeply about our community. I believe the best way to make things better is by listening to what matters to you and working together to solve problems. Good politics is about bringing people together and doing the right thing, rather than sowing division and hatred.
Sections Below
Fact Check, James Robins Newsletters
Fact Check on what you may have been told
Dredging
While dredging may offer short-term navigational or local drainage benefits, it often:
Worsens flood risk for downstream communities.
Harms ecosystems and wildlife.
Pollutes water and destabilises riverbanks.
Requires constant, costly repetition.
A better, more sustainable approach lies in natural flood management: restoring meanders, reconnecting and rewilding floodplains, and managing woods upstream to slow, store, and cleanse floodwaters—protecting both people and nature in the long term.
Source:
British Ecological Society.
West Cumbria Rivers Trust.
Save Our Rivers.
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) – Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) – ICO.
Environment Agency – Gov.UK
“Dredging rivers won’t stop floods. It will make them worse”- George Monbiot, The Guardian.
NO NOW MAY the Pros
1. Boosts Wildlife and Biodiversity
2. Helps Pollinators Thrive
3. Holds Water Better
4. Saves Time and Money
5. Handles Heat and Drought Better
6. It’s Good for Mental Health
Watching insects and birds go about their business can be a simple pleasure.
“No Mow” helps reverse that loss and bring back vital habitats for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds — all of which are in steep decline.
Source:
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay
https://www.rspb.org.uk/…/give-your-mowers-a-rest-for…
https://www.countryfile.com/…/no-mow-may-why-you-should…
https://www.gardenersworld.com/news/no-mow-may