AN ENVIRONMENTAL campaign group wants those standing in the local elections in Bolton to outline their environmental policies.

Friends of the Earth Manchester have created a survey that they are encouraging candidates to fill out before the elections on May 5, the results of which members of the public can access and inform themselves of their potential representatives’ environmental agendas.

Currently, only 11 out of the 98 candidates standing for election in Bolton have completed the survey.

The percentage of candidates from each political party to have competed the survey are as follows:

  • Green – 75 per cent
  • Labour – 15 per cent
  • Liberal Democrats – 10 per cent
  • Conservative – no responses
  • Other – no responses

A spokesperson for the group said: “In the run up to the local elections in Greater Manchester on Thursday May 5, 2022, Manchester Friends of the Earth are asking all candidates standing for election to let voters know what they think about key environmental issues.

“On May 5, people in Greater Manchester have the opportunity to vote for the local councillors to represent them. 

"The local councillors elected will have to implement solutions to meet the many urgent social and environmental challenges during the next 5 years and beyond.

“These include rising energy and transport costs, illegal levels of air pollution, traffic congestion, ill health, low levels of physical activity and the urgent need to drastically reduce climate-wrecking emissions.

“We wouldn’t dream of telling people which way to vote but we think all voters have the right to know where candidates stand on key environmental issues that will affect all our lives, such as the air pollution public health crisis and the need to create the jobs and skills training opportunities to tackle the youth unemployment, affordable housing and the climate emergency.”

The group are putting public pressure on the political parties running in the local elections in Bolton, using social media to illustrate how many candidates have already filled out their survey and drawing attention to the number from each party are left to do so.

They said: “Dear Bolton political parties, please ask your candidates to complete the Friends of the Earth Manchester local election survey and let voters know their views on key environment issues.”