A STRONG and sustainable economy and more transparency in local authority decision making are among the pledges being made by the Green Party in Darlington.

It is the first time voters in Darlington will have the opportunity to vote Green in both the local and national elections, and locally the group has grown from ten to more than 80 members in less than a year.

The party said it is calling for the “radical transformation of society for the benefit of all and for the planet as a whole," as well as a strong and sustainable economy and for more transparency and democracy in the council’s decision making.

Local election candidates include Anita Harris who is standing in the Brinkburn and Faverdale ward and Neil Kang-Scarth who is standing in the North Road ward.

Mr Kang-Scarth said: “I’m standing as a Green Party candidate as Green Party policies provide hope, care and well thought out radical change from business as usual politics.”

Ms Harris, who joined the party around a year ago, said: “I was disillusioned with the other parties and wanted to join a party that stood up for the average person."

The party’s parliamentary candidate, Mike Cherrington, added: “The Green Party has grown in Darlington because people are fed up with politics as usual.

“The other parties are all committed to a failed economic strategy of austerity. In my work as a mental health professional, I see the tragic effects of the cut backs and the downward economic spiral.

"We want to get the local economy working for local people. We believe that councils should be allowed to impose extra business rates on out-of-town supermarkets to support small local firms and that public bodies should favour local businesses when awarding contracts.”

To support the Green Party in Darlington email darlingtongreens@gmail.com or telephone 01325-242498.