Can one Green transform a community?
Lone Scottish Green Party councillors outline the challenges and rewards of representing the party.
Politics can be a lonely place. Enemies around every corner. Constituents - some of whom voted for you, more who didn’t. And for councillors, there’s the huge pressures of a job which demands hours away from family and other support networks.
But for those who are elected as the only councillor for their party in their whole council, things can get even more isolating.
As a growing force in Scottish politics - particularly in town halls and council chambers - the breakthrough point for Scottish Greens can mean those making history and becoming the first Green voted into a council may find themselves as the lone voice for change in a whole Local Authority.
That is the case in quite a few areas. Outside of larger groups of councillors in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands, nine of the party’s 35 current councillors were the only Greens elected in their areas in the 2022 elections. From Shetland to South Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders to East Lothian, communities had a Green voice for the first time.
History-makers
One of those is Kirsten Robb in East Kilbride East, the first Green ever elected to South Lanarkshire Council. As she has found out in the nearly three years since her election, being the only Green can be a tough, but rewarding gig.
“I think it’s brilliant, but it has pros and cons,” said Kirsten. “After being a campaigner for years, you get answers within days now - it’s a real barrier removed. You have real legitimacy and an open door to officers. It’s a massive difference to being a community campaigner.”
“There’s lots of practical things you can do if you work at it. I’m not seen as a threat, so I can be constructive and try and work towards common sense policies.
“It also means there are things that haven’t been said before. I’m the only one speaking up on climate and the links to other issues. But we need more Greens in there, building consensus.”
Kirsten admits that the council can sometimes be a lonely place, but she has proven she can get results. Work at budget time has paid dividends, with funding for energy efficiencies, and solar panels on schools. But even practical steps like getting a seconder - which is required for motions to be heard - still take up time.
This, Kirsten says, underlines the importance of growing lone Green councillors into small groups come the next local authority elections in 2027.
“Having an extra Green would be massive. It’s about moral support, someone to bounce ideas off. I think it’s achievable - we’ve identified a target ward. But we don’t have a person yet. We just need a candidate, and it’s about getting that branch capacity and support.”
Mutual support
Cllrs Alys Mumford and Anthony Carroll head up the Association of Scottish Green Councillors (ASGC), the representative body for all councillors within the party. The pair told GLS that despite the graft required, sole Green councillors can make a significant impact on the areas they represent.
They said: “Across Scotland, we have seen the impact even one Green councillor can make in a chamber. We've been able to give a voice for the Green movement in communities that otherwise have not heard our offer - of a better deal for people & planet.
“Whether its been Kirsten Robb leading motions on divesting from fossil fuels in our pension fund at South Lanarkshire Council, Luna Martin being a key vote in taking the Tories out of power in Argyll & Bute, or Shona McIntosh single-handedly bringing a budget to protect East Lothian's Brunton Theatre, libraries, and museums - sole Green Councillors put a shift in for their community.
“The future of our Green movement depends on electing local community champions to bring that distinct Green voice not just to their ward, but their whole Council. Establishment parties have long ignored the real changes we need to make for People & Planet in many Council Chambers up and down the country - electing even one Green Councillor makes them unable to ignore these changes any more."
For its part, this group of councillors and those at its head are said to be key in the support provided to lone councillors by the Scottish Greens.
“ASGC has been invaluable,” said Councillor Shona McIntosh. “Looking at Glasgow and Edinburgh, things East Lothian Council think are outlandish are popular there. I’m just at a different stage at that, and I do try to turn that into optimism.
“It’s probably silly to compare the reception I get to the reception in cities, but it is useful to point there and use them as examples. So keeping in touch with what other parts of the country are doing is important.”
Breaking new ground
Cllr McIntosh represents Musselburgh, and is also the first East Lothian Councillor the Greens have ever had. This, Shona says, means being the first person to make a particular argument - on fossil fuels, car usage, or other urgent issues - which can be met with strange reactions from those built into the foundations of local government.
“Officers laugh - asking me to take baby steps. But if i wasn’t here, nobody would be making these arguments,” she said, weighing up the overwhelming positive of Green representation.
“I would love to have two or more of us here - it would be much better. Sometimes you need to compromise on what you would say. But in some ways being forced to collaborate is good.
“In an ideal world we’d get more next time but retain an ability to negotiate. But getting our foot in the door and building towards a bigger green group would be wonderful.”
Councillors are notoriously poorly paid, working long hours with little time off - with many working other jobs to get by.
Between the financial and time pressures, as well as the other challenges facing elected politicians, those who have taken the leap and got elected would recommend it.
Cllr McIntosh admits that, given the workload of being a dedicated local councillor, she could be at a different meeting every night. Asked about the impact this could have - particularly on women and those with caring responsibilities - she points to the importance of having boundaries and making use of the flexibility of the job.
She adds: “It’s taken a while but I’m now at the stage where I enjoy my work. It’s really rewarding. Now is a good time to think about it, build local profile, get involved in campaigns, be active on social media, go to community councils.
She points to something she was told by Councillor Susan Rae, who’s sat as a Green councillor in Edinburgh since 2017: “There’s no need to have imposter syndrome. It’s more important to be doing things well than to be at everything.
“You should see some of the older guys packing council chambers - it’s very easy to be better than them.
For Cllr Robb, the reward of the job is key. She says that radical politicians - including in town halls and council chambers - can give people hope at a time when that is sorely lacking in politics.
“I would say to do it, get a team behind you - as a branch you need that. You’ll enjoy it, and if there’s another councillor there you can work through it,” East Kilbride’s Cllr Robb said.
“The branch and the ASGC have been brilliant - I’ve got a really supportive branch. Being a lone councillor, branch support is absolutely critical.
“You can really see, touch and feel the difference you make to people. If people aren't tripping on the path outside their home, they’re very happy. Most people don’t think anything can change, and we can give them a bit of hope again.”