What does it mean to elect a Green?
Cllr. Christina Coleman
What do you get if you vote for a Green local councillor? Green Councillors work hard to create greener, fairer kinder communities. Here are some of the things that we have achieved at Wealden District Council since I was elected back in May 2023. Crucially, none of these projects are funded from debt, but through a combination of reserves and Community Infrastructure Levy. We:
- Voted for 0% increase on your District Council Tax and no Council at all for those with a terminal illness.
- Refurbished Hailsham and Uckfield Leisure Centres and saved Uckfield from closure.
- Invested into local schools and colleges including: More than £200,000 into Uckfield Community College; and over £100,000 into Heathfield Community College, both to expand their SEND facilities; nearly £300,000 to Herstmonsieux CE primary School, for additional facilities for early years and key stage one & two; £40,000 to Hankham Primary School, to improve outdoor space; £100,000 to Stone Cross School; and more than £30,000 to Hailsham Library.
- Secured funding from the Football Association (FA) and Invested in the Wealden Sports Hub – a not for profit, community benefit facility in Hailsham. With playing pitches; state-of-the-art sports facilities; and a play park designed to serve people with disabilities
- Are investing £200k a year (over the next three years) in local sports facilities via the Sports Infrastructure Fund
- Are refurbishing the Uckfield Rugby Club
- Increased Social Housing provision and an expansion in affordable homes, with nearly 1,000 delivered in two years
- Acquired land as the first stage in building a brand new Medical facility in Polegate
- Obtained planning permission for a new Medical Centre and Community Facility in Mayfield
- Attracted and supported new businesses in Wealden; via the Economic Development team, seeing a 15% increase in local employment.
- Established 12 new Community Orchards
- Invested £1.2 million in a nature in partnership with the Sussex Wildlife Trust through Wilder Wealden
- Are investing £2 million over the next three years to restore and improve local assets like village halls, through our Community Led Infrastructure Fund
- Allocated each District Councillor a budget of £10k per year to be spent on voluntary and community projects in the ward.
I have:
- Allocated the Danehill and Fletching budget to SEND facilities at Danehill school, Fletching recreation ground and village hall, Isfield theatrical society, Fletching Music festival and others. I am currently researching allocations for the 2026/2027 budget
- Co-founded Project Ripple Effect, a citizen science water quality initiative in the upper Medway, in partnership with the university of Sussex. we have held Southern Water to account and prompted action
- Campaigned to protect local green field sites from development, specifically the Ashdown Business Park Expansion and Owlsbury
- Run events with other campaigners and community forums so you can find out more and get involved.
