Countryside issues, climate change and the green transition were on the agenda at a packed hustings in Mapperley.
It was standing room only at St James Church Centre in Mapperley on Monday (17) night with 117 attendees.
The event was organised by environmental groups keen to grill would-be MPs for Gedling specifically on the green issues of concern to constituents.
Five of the six candidates took up the invitation from organisers Gedling Climate Change Group and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Tad Jones (Lib Dem), Tom Randall (Con), Michael Payne (Lab), Simon Christy (Reform) and Dominic Berry (Green) responded to a range of questions from audience members.
“Yet again we are seeing evidence of increasing public concern amongst ordinary people about the impact and damage to local people and nature in Gedling from the climate crisis” said Bob Vaughan-Newton, chair of the hustings and chair of Gedling Climate Change Group.
“We will be holding to account whoever is elected on July 4th, so that promises are kept”.
Candidates were questioned about the impact of increased housing on the natural habitat and the public’s access to nature and how they would meet UK and international environment targets set for 2030.
Candidates were also asked how they would ensure that our leaky and poorly insulated homes can be properly insulated at affordable costs so that emissions of carbon and costs of heating can be reduced.
As local flooding becomes more serious and more frequent, the candidates were asked how they would tackle this devastating impact of climate chaos.
Finally candidates were challenged on whether our current voting system, which prioritises short term issues over long term solutions to the climate crisis can ever effectively make the decisions required for our safer future.
