Caroline Lucas shows support for Netherton and Woodside campaign
5 April 2012
Green Party leader Caroline Lucas took time out of her busy schedule to show support for Will Duckworth and Dudley Green Party. The work Will and his team have been doing in Netherton and Woodside, along with their massive increase in votes in the 2011 council elections was noticed at a National level. Ms Lucas MP visited to see some of this work and talk to residents about what the Green Party was doing to help them.
Will and the team met Caroline at Cradley Heath train station and travelled with her to Holly Hall Road in Woodside to meet Jean Underhill. Jean welcomed Will and Caroline into her home and discussed what Will is doing to help her over a cup of tea. Jean has had to wait 12 years for cavity wall insulation and still has inefficient brick storage radiators which are very expensive to run. Will said that "Caroline came to Netherton and Woodside to highlight the scandalous fact that over 14,000 people live in fuel poverty, where more than 10% of their income is spent on fuel bills."
Caroline's next stop was Primrose Road in Netherton to meet Emma Harrison. Emma is just one of the people that Will has helped to get double glazing, helping to keep temperatures up and fuel bills down.
The final visit was to Kelly Riggs on Highbridge Road, a working mum who is paying £50 - £60 per week to keep her home warm. Kelly lives with her two children one of whom has asthma and like many other council tenants in Dudley, she has outdated brick storage radiators.
Will talked with Caroline about the fact that over the last 5 years the big six energy companies have made over £30billion in profits from customers that include some of the poorest in our society. Will and Dudley Green Party continue to work hard to help people out of fuel poverty by listening to residents' concerns and contacting Dudley council in order to bring houses up to a decent standard.
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