My name is Sam Peters, and I’m the Green Party candidate for Stoke ward, in central Guildford.

Full statement

I was born and grew up in Guildford, and have lived locally almost my entire life, from Boxgrove to Mareschal Road and now Drummond Road. We are incredibly lucky to live in the centre of this fantastic town, from pubs and shops to stunning views - but this is increasingly under threat from traffic and air pollution, worsening public services and transport, rivers filled with sewage, and now a cost-of-living and energy crisis which is hitting all of us hard.

I have a long track record of working for our local community. As a trustee of Zero Carbon Guildford and regular volunteer at ZERO, I’ve been thrilled to see what a difference this climate hub has made to the town not just for climate and environment, but socially too. Green Read Share, the community library I founded in 2019 which is now hosted at ZERO, has more than quadrupled in size since opening, and as lead on our litterpicking project I have been proud to help clean up our streets alongside a great team of regular local volunteers. And all this (and more) in just 18 months!

As an intensive care researcher by trade, I know just how much the pandemic - and now the energy and cost-of-living crisis - has hit many local people. In particular, foodbanks and the Community Fridge at ZERO have seen huge increases in demand. I collect unsold food from local shops and distribute in our community and to organisations in our ward where it can best do good, and have seen how much of a lifeline this has been for many people. Meanwhile, as part of the Leaky Homes project, I have been surveying local homes to advise residents on lowering their energy bills and keeping warm over winter.

I no longer swim in the Wey thanks to the pollution and sewage - it is in the worst quarter of all rivers in the country. Yet despite countless empty promises, it’s clear our local MPs will always put private water profits over the health of our rivers and local people. I first tested Guildford’s air pollution in 2016 with Friends of the Earth, and I now water test the Wey in two spots at Ladymead with the Water Rangers. This will help set a baseline for our river and pick out pollution hotspots - like downstream of the sewage works, where nitrate levels are routinely many times higher than upstream.

Greens aren’t told how to vote - so I’m free to be an independent voice for local residents. Working collaboratively in the best interests of our community - with sensible, joined-up thinking - is the only way we can deliver high-quality, imaginative and cost-effective services in Guildford. I do not have to toe a party line or get involved in dull political in-fighting, so I can do what’s best for residents. Direct work in the community can only go so far - on the council I could push for far broader action and bolder solutions to the problems affecting local residents here and now.

I will be a councillor who reaches out, listens to people’s worries, and tackles the issues that affect us all day-to-day. I'm honoured to have been selected by the Guildford & Waverley Green Party to represent Stoke in the election on Thursday 4th May. Put your trust in me and I won’t let you down.