Exeter’s jubilant Greens have hailed an ‘amazing’ night at the city council elections and thanked their legion of volunteers.
The Greens made the largest number of gains at the polls, defending three seats and gaining three to take their total tally to 10 seats on the council.
They secured more than 14,500 votes compared to less than 10,000 each for Labour and Reform, and say that means they are in a strong position for the next General Election.
Group leader Diana Moore (St Davids) said: “We went into these local elections saying we were the party that could replace Labour and stop Reform, and that’s what has happened.
“Labour has lost control of Exeter but Reform has failed to make major gains. Greens secured the most votes across the city by a wide margin which places us in a strong position to win the parliamentary seat in the next general election.”
She said voters had sent Labour a clear message, that they want the council to be run differently.
“They want an end to the managed decline of our city and want bold ideas to create a thriving city and tackle the cost of living and housing crises,” she said.
Among the new green faces on the council is Brian Rappert, who received 1,618 votes as he won his seat, another of the St Davids seats. It secured him the night’s biggest majority.
“These results are truly fantastic,” he said. “We have seen a Green surge sweep across the city. In two wards we now hold all the seats – St David’s and Newtown and St Leonards – and have made breakthroughs in Pennsylvania and St Thomas.
“In every Green seat we won, we secured a landslide.”
Bernadette Chelvanayagam, who was elected as the third Green councillor in Newtown and St Leonard’s, unseated Matt Vizard, who was Labour’s portfolio holder for climate, ecological change and communities:
She said: ““We are so grateful to the thousands of residents who spoke to us on the doorstep and then decided to vote Green. Our membership has quadrupled in Exeter over the last year, to more than 1,100 members.
“This has swelled our number of volunteers who helped deliver leaflets and knocked on thousands of doors – these amazing results would not have been possible without them.”
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