Bideford East
A vote for the Green Party in the county council elections will send a message that voters prioritise the climate emergency and the environment.
Will Douglas-Mann has lived with his family in Torridge for 25 years. Throughout his life he has campaigned for green causes. He has worked as a librarian, a qualified electrician and currently runs a tourism business.
If elected, Will pledges to put the environment at the centre of all policies including better public transport and energy efficient homes.
Will Douglas-Mann
The Green Party is campaigning to end the discharges of raw sewage into the river Torridge. The problem is becoming worse as new housing developments get linked to our aging sewage system. During heavy rainfall, Combined Sewage Overflow pipes (CSOs) automatically discharge raw sewage into local streams and rivers, including the Torridge. As climate change causes more frequent heavy rainfall events, the problem is getting worse. This is harmful to human health and wildlife.
Torrington
Ruth Funnell has lived in Torridge for eighteen years after moving from Teignmouth and has been active in the Green Party since 2005. She is a retired mental health social worker and served for four years as a Torrington Town Councillor.
If elected the climate emergency and the ways the County Council can reduce its carbon footprint would be top of her agenda. She would also campaign for the restoration of the last ten years' funding cuts to local schools which has damaged our children's education.
Our libraries and youth services have also suffered from these cuts.
Her interests outside politics are swimming, choral singing, gardening organically and walking the dog on our wonderful Commons.
Ruth Funnell
Holsworthy
Cathrine has been active in the Green Party for many years and has lived in Great Torrington for 35 years. Prior to retirement Cathrine’s work was in the housing sector working with tenants, homeless people and enabling affordable housing.
She has held a number of elected roles - Mayor of Torrington, District Councillor for Torrington and Town and Parish Councillor. If elected the Climate Crisis would be top of her agenda, every effort should be made to reduce carbon in our atmosphere. Huge and continuing cuts to local authorities has made them unable to provide much needed services especially to our vulnerable residents.
Cathrine loves organic gardening, reading and helping a local charity.
Catherine Simmons
Northam
Simon Mathers moved to Bideford in 2004 and his three sons all attended Bideford College.
He has been active in the sporting community, coaching and refereeing at Bideford Rugby Club. He is also keen on coasteering.
Simon has been involved in surf lifesaving and surfs regularly at Westward Ho!
If elected he would be active in work to reduce plastic pollution around Devon's coasts and, as a qualified teacher, would be actively campaigning for the restoration of funding to our schools.
Simon Mathers
Bideford West and Hartland
Keith Funnell has lived in Torridge since 1997. His career as a landscape architect has covered the public, private, voluntary and university sectors. Much of this work has involved restoring land and landscapes damaged by human activity, with an emphasis on creating new wildlife habitats, and providing outdoor spaces to assist learning on school sites.
Keith advocates much greater and more urgent action on climate change and is committed to public ownership and control of essential services, including education and health.
He supports local groups with landscape advice and practical conservation work and enjoys triathlon, gardening, and his dog.
