A Fairer,
Greener
Manchester

Find your candidates:

• Ancoats & Beswick
• Ardwick
• Baguley
• Brooklands
• Burnage
• Charlestown
• Cheetham
• Chorlton
• Chorlton Park
• Clayton & Openshaw
• Crumpsall
• Deansgate
• Didsbury East
• Didsbury West
• Fallowfield
• Gorton and Abbey Hey
• Harpurhey
• Higher Blackley
• Hulme
• Levenshulme
• Longsight
• Miles Platting & Newton Heath
• Moss Side
• Moston
• Northenden
• Old Moat
• Piccadilly
• Rusholme
• Sharston
• Whalley Range
• Withington
• Woodhouse Park

Your ward is written on your polling card.
Or you can look up your address on whocanivotefor.co.uk
Remember to take photo id.

Ancoats & Beswick

Kate Benson

Kate is a passionate advocate for social and climate justice, and has been involved with Manchester Green Party since arriving for University to study Geography in 2018. She has also sat on the national Executive Committee of the Young Greens and is a graduate of their 30 under 30 programme. She is shortly starting a new role campaigning for a green economy, and wants to make Manchester a greener, fairer city for all.

Ardwick

Chris Perriam

Chris was born in semi-rural Devon but soon became a city-dweller: first in Newcastle upon Tyne, now in Manchester where he’s lived in the city centre since 2004. He is Chair of the Friends of Sackville Gardens volunteer group who work closely with Clean and Green Castlefield. He has a special interest in green economics, planning and development and non-traditional political solutions to local problems.

Baguley

Jake Welsh

Jake has been an active member of Manchester Green Party for the last 11 years standing in elections and holding many posts in the party, notably being a Green Party candidate for the North West England region for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament. He is a retail worker working in Manchester City Centre where he is the USDAW Union Rep for his workplace. In is spare time Jake loves supporting local live music as well as supporting local football teams FC United of Manchester and West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC.

Brooklands

Grazyna (Grace) Buczkowska

Burnage

Asma Alam

I’m Asma, and I’ve been proud to call Burnage my home for over 40 years. As a Communications Coordinator and the Diversity Officer for the North West Green Party, I’m deeply invested in bringing positive change to our community. For too long, Burnage has been neglected by traditional politics, and I’ve had enough. That’s why I’m committed to being a voice for our diverse community — one that prioritizes our needs over profit-driven interests. I believe it’s time to shake things up and turn Burnage Green. We deserve better representation, one that truly listens to our concerns and values our well-being. I’m also the founder of Muslim Greens, a soon-to-be affiliated group of the Green Party. With the aim is to Muslim membership and educate the Muslim community on all things green. Im dedicated to amplifying our voices and building a stronger, more inclusive Burnage. Join me in this journey to create a brighter future for us all.

Charlestown

Paul Hodges

Paul is a healthcare statistician. He has lived in Manchester since 2016 and loves the friendliness of its neighbourhoods, particularly through the pandemic. He also volunteers for the Mustard Tree homelessness charity. He is passionate about the need for more social housing throughout the city. He feels Manchester’s public transport should be more integrated and cheaper. He hates the amount of fly-tipping and litter whether they are blighting our housing areas or precious green spaces. He loves mountain biking and climbing.

Cheetham

Fesl Resa-Khan

Fesl bio coming soon

Chorlton

Kate Hughes

I have been a Chorlton resident for over 4O years and been involved in my local community throughout that time. I came to Chorlton because l liked the area and it was on a bus route to my 1st job as an Occupational Therapist at Booth Hall Children’s Hospital. I remained as an OT until the age of 55 and sat on various NHS committees during that time. If I am elected l would be interested in attending the Health Scrutiny Committee amongst other commitments. I retired from the NHS in 2013 and have subsequently worked for Mind, the Workers Education Association and the National Autistic Society. I have been a Green Party member for 10 years and a Green activist for all of my adult life, starting with Greenpeace’s d Friends of the Earth as a student and more recently, with increasing concern over the years about the developing Climate Emergency, have joined the Greater Manchester Climate Coalition to gently try and increase awareness of issues arising around the world. I also have interests in LGBTQIA, disability and neurodiversity inclusion, due to both my own issues and those within my wider family and friends. I am a Quaker which also influences my activities in the fields of working for peace, sustainability and equality across our workplaces and communities.

Chorlton Park

Miles Walton

Born in Salford, Miles has been living in Chorlton Park for 10 years and used to be solid Labour until it dawned on him that if you want Green, you gotta vote Green. Outside of Green activism, Miles is a radio DJ, gig goer and photographer.

Clayton & Openshaw

Shams Syed

I live in Openshaw and the love and care this community brings really shows how strongly connected we are. I joined the Green Party because it has always stood up against corruption and supports all communities. We have been requesting more affordable homes to be developed and have been at the forefront in demanding fairer, greener bills. We also know the injustice in Gaza has been impacting people globally and we were among the first to request an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in November 2023 because we value the need for justice and peace everywhere. Our diversity in members is a strong testament to how inclusive and welcoming we are and our commitment to ensuring our communities are fair and sustainable displays how we put our shared values to action. However, we have many areas in need of development and I am concerned about the lack of support the people of Clayton have been receiving for their household bills, youth development, roads, and green space. I have seen young people struggle to find suitable housing, families deciding whether they should pay their energy bills or put food on the table, and instances of anti-social behaviour going unaddressed. It made me wonder what the current local Labour councillors have been doing for Clayton and Openshaw all these years. Every segment of our community matters and I am committed to being your voice and ensuring our vision of a safe and fair society is achieved.

Crumpsall

Alison Hawdale

Alison is Manchester born and bred and has lived most of her life in this great city. She joined the Green Party because of her concerns about the climate emergency, and has worked hard along-side our elected councillors to make sure Green issues are kept at a high priority for Manchester City Council. Alison is a maths tutor, which leaves her time to campaign for Green jobs, a Universal Basic Income, and proportional representation which will allow every vote to count in every ward and constituency across the UK.

Deansgate

Chris Ogden

Chris is a journalist and media professional who currently works in communications for the Vegetarian Society. Chris’ priorities if elected would include expanding Deansgate’s supply of social and affordable housing, creating more green space in Manchester city centre and supporting the ward’s arts and music venues. Outside of the Green Party he enjoys playing video games, watching live music, and following the fortunes of Norwich City FC.

Didsbury East

There are two seats up for election in Didsbury East this year.

Charlotte Lanigan

Having been born & raised in Didsbury, Charlotte is delighted to be one of two Green Party candidates for Didsbury East in the May 2024 local elections. She attended Parrs Wood High School & Sixth Form and is a Newcastle University alumni, where she studied English Language. She is a member of Palestine Solidarity Campaign and her activism brought her to join the Green Party due to their determination for peace in the Middle East.

Ben Dundas

Ben is a particle physicist, having studied at the Open University and University of Manchester. His scientific training leads him to push for firmly rational and evidence based solutions to our city’s climate and environmental challenges.

Didsbury West

Stanley Parker

Stanley bio coming soon

Fallowfield

Albie Mayo

Albie bio coming soon

Gorton and Abbey Hey

Natasha Turner

Natasha is a recent graduate in Geography the University of Manchester. Natasha grew up in Gorton and attended school in Denton. She became interested in the Green Party after learning how unfair the British political voting system is, as well as becoming inspired to get involved after the results of 2016. Her interest also stemmed from her love of geography and desire to protect the planet. Besides studying, Natasha follows Manchester City FC and enjoys spending time with friends.

Harpurhey

Jean Betteridge

I have been an active member of my local community for many years, for example: as a school governor, doing community litter picking and reporting fly tipping, helping maintain a community garden, working with neighbours on problems and now on the residents committee in the housing association scheme where I live. Before retiring I worked as a benefits adviser in a community advice centre and then for Manchester City Council, giving people advice on their legal rights. So I am used to carefully listening to people, helping them tackle official procedures and challenge wrong decisions. As a Green Councillor I will work hard, listening to local residents, working with them to get action on local matters and fighting their corner in the council. I am standing for the Green Party because it has the best practical plans for action on the many issues that we face. For example: too many decisions have favoured the city centre, we need to share investment out fairly to benefit people in Harpurhey and across the city, not wealthy developers. There are more Green action plans to tackle the cost of living crisis and the lack of secure, warm, affordable homes, to make our streets cleaner and safer and our public transport better and cheaper, to protect the green spaces vital for our health and wellbeing and take faster action on the climate crisis that threatens us all to welcome and support people who have come to Manchester to make it their home …and that’s not all. Have a look at Manchester Green Party’s manifesto for a better, fairer, greener Manchester on this website.

Higher Blackley

Vicky Matthews

Vicky bio coming soon

Hulme

Ekua Bayunu

Ekua bio coming soon

Levenshulme

Amanda Gardner

Hi, I’m Amanda and I’m delighted to be standing as your Green Party candidate for Levenshulme this year.

If elected, I would continue the good work of local active transport community groups and ensure our walking and cycle paths were a well-connected, convenient and safe means of travel around our great city, as well as furthering our campaign to make Levenshulme train station accessible for prams and users with decreased mobility.

Longsight

Bernard Ekbury

I’ve lived or worked in Longsight ward for 40 years. As a Green Party candidate I want to see truly affordable housing: social housing like housing association or council-run homes. Homes that can be heated affordably too: well insulated, via retrofitting for older stock. Green solutions like these to environmental problems like climate change improve our quality of life at the same time and generate more jobs too. I’d also like to see less traffic pollution in our streets; slower, safer traffic in the ward and far more attention paid to long term rubbish dumping & litter build up. I have decades of experience working in management committees in community & environmental organisations. I have also helped to run a bowling & lawn tennis club and have been both a company director and a charity trustee. In my previous employment I spent years advising Longsight residents on their welfare rights. I’ve advised residents on a wide range of other problems too. The kind of experience and skills I gained from all of this are a perfect preparation for council committee work & for representing ward constituents as your councillor. The Green Party is in favour of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as am I, however this is not one of the things that are in the gift of Manchester City Council members. If you want someone who’ll work hard for people in the ward, vote along with other Manchester Green Party councillors for initiatives that improve residents’ quality of life, while at the same time pressing for action on environmental problems & green issues…then please Vote Green and vote for me.

Miles Platting & Newton Heath

Prashant Kumbhat

Prashant bio coming soon

Moss Side

Thirza Amina Asanga-Rae

Thirza is a Nigerian born British National who spent her entire youth growing up in south Manchester. She began her career in railway services and operations before her passion for activism took her into full time representation with trade unions. She now works as a community organiser lead for Greater Manchester Tenant Union in Moss side and North Manchester where she addresses issues around racism, housing, disrepair, antisocial behaviour, the impact of AirBNB properties and the erosion of family housing.

Moston

Diane Kosandiak

Born and raised in Manchester, Diane has lived in the Moston ward for 29 years. She is married to a railwayman and is now retired after working for HMRC since 1986. She believes the Green Party is the only political group taking the climate emergency seriously and at the same time promoting social justice. We need honest leadership for the common good, not short term profiteering for the benefit of an elite and we also need to have hope for the future, for our children and grandchildren. Moston and New Moston people deserve a fairer and greener future.

Northenden

June Buchan

June bio coming soon

Old Moat

Laura Bannister

I am delighted to be standing again as your candidate in Old Moat, where I have lived for the last nine years. I’ve brought up my children here and have been a regular user of our local services, including Withington library, Withington Baths and Old Moat Children’s Centre, which add so much value to our community and which I will work to defend tirelessly if elected to Manchester City Council. I stand for the Green Party because I believe that people in Old Moat need more from their council. We need to get the basics right, with safer streets and parks, secure local services and a thriving high street. But we are in a cost of living crisis and a climate crisis, so it’s time to be thinking bigger. We need more high-quality social housing, and better protection and fair rents for private tenants. We need more affordable and connected public transport, and safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists, children and animals. We need real care for older people and for others with care needs, and we need to better support carers, paid and unpaid. There is so much that can be achieved by an active city council, and Manchester needs many more Green Party councillors to push for this change.

Piccadilly

Scott Robinson

Scott is the current Chair of Manchester Green Party and has lived in the City Centre for 6 years. If elected, Scott would work to champion Piccadilly residents and make sure their voices are heard. Whilst development is often centred in the city centre, Scott would hold the Council to account on its commitment to providing decent, affordable homes- not just homes for the above average earner.

As a member of the LGBTIQA+ community, Scott would work with councillor colleagues to protect the Gay Village, and make sure developers respect the history of the area.

Scott would also focus on: making sure streets were cleaned; recycling was expanded (including food waste); and active and public transport was prioritised in the City Centre.

Scott would work to increase green spaces and protect existing ones. He would also work to increase pedestrianisation, to make a city centre a place that prioritises people, rather than cars.

Rusholme

Dennis Pirdzuns

Hi, I’m Dennis and I came to Rusholme in 2019 when I started to study at the University of Manchester. I got to know the neighbourhood as both vibrant and laid back, a great mix of different people from students to seniors with young families in between. My favourite places are the parks like Birchfield and Whitworth. What I also love about Rusholme is that it is just close enough to the city centre for a fun night out but far enough to be still calm and cosy. In 2021, I moved a couple of streets further West and only learned later that I live in Moss Side now. But I still feel just as home as in Rusholme.

Although I am not a local, Rusholme and Moss Side are in many respects very similar to where I grew up in Germany: a multifaceted, multicultural, urban neighbourhood that is attractive yet still affordable to live in. Similar are also the chances and challenges for the local community. Seeing it in my hometown and here in Rusholme, I know, it is not all sunshine and roses. Rents go up while houses keep crumbling, community centres scrape by and local volunteers need to pick up the slack, local shops close down, while shiny outlets are opened elsewhere. But I also know that it is in the power of local people to improve their neighbourhoods and with it the lives of those with whom they share it. And I know that diversity is a strength that can foster creativity, solidarity and an open mind.

I cannot promise that I can solve all problems that people in Rusholme are facing – and neither can the other candidates. What I can promise, however, is to listen to the local communities and speak up in Town Hall on the things that matter to the people in Rusholme.

Sharston

Brian Candeland

Brian has been a member of the Green Party for over forty years and has lived in South Manchester for the past thirty-nine years. Over the years he has represented the Party in elections at local, Parliamentary and European level. He is currently Elections Coordinator on the Green Parties national executive. Now retired, his other interests include amateur dramatics and walking. Brian’s priorities if elected include affordable housing and improving the local environment including protecting green spaces. He wants to see better, more-integrated public transport, cleaner air, and improved walking and cycling. Brian says: “We must treat the climate emergency with the seriousness which it deserves, and all our policies must be built on that. We have seen how Green councillors in neighbouring Woodhouse Park ward have made such a positive difference to the local community, it’s time to see that happening in other wards.

Whalley Range

Billie Nagle

Billie bio coming soon

Withington

Sam Easterby-Smith

Sam is a creative technologist, software developer, and clockmaker. He has lived in Withington since 2012 and joined the Green Party in 2016.

Sam is particularly focussed on walking, cycling and public transport and ensuring that our streets are safe and livable for people. He is a firm advocate for building sustainable transport infrastructure from cycleways to railways, to achieve our long term climate and mobility goals.

His aims for Withington, Ladybarn, and the city in general are that we make the best of our urban space through building new parks, secret gardens, low traffic residential streets, and the pedestrianisation of shopping areas.

Woodhouse Park

Rob Nunney

My name is Rob. I have been a councillor for Woodhouse Park in Wythenshawe since May 2021. The last three years have been a privilege and very rewarding to serve the residents of Woodhouse Park as well as being a Green voice in the council chamber. I am asking the residents of Woodhouse Park to put their trust in me to allow me to serve another term.

I was the first Green councillor to be elected in 13 years and the Green group has now grown to an opposition of four Green councillors. During my time as councillor I have proposed the motion to Council to support the Climate and Ecology Bill which asked Manchester MPs to do the same. This was passed unanimously. I successfully amended the Labour motion for Skills for Manchester to include a focus on green skills.

I am passionate about fighting to protect our home, planet Earth. I am also passionate about improving democracy. As one of the three Green councillors of Woodhouse Park we print and deliver monthly newsletters to our residents keeping them up-to-date with our work and what’s going on in the area. We also regularly knock on doors checking up on local issues all year round. This has had the effect of increasing the turnout for local elections by 5%.

I live in Wythenshawe and I want to be proud of where I live. As part of this ambition, I organise monthly community litter picks in Woodhouse Park. I care about road safety and active travel. I work with the police suggesting speeding hotspots to target and I campaign for better maintenance of existing cycleways. I successfully got the Simonsway cycleway fixed after months of non-stop flooding.

If elected, I will continue to work hard for the residents of Woodhouse Park listening to their concerns and taking action, and I will continue to champion a fairer, greener and safer Manchester.