Green Party’s mayoral hopeful, Sally Horscroft, is promising to push for a resilient and diverse economy for Greater Lincolnshire. She is among the six candidates vying for the inaugural mayoral position, which comes with the responsibility of leading the newly formed Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, controlling an annual £24m investment fund and overseeing key areas like economic development, transport, and planning. On May 1, voters will decide their first mayor and Horscroft hopes to be the link between the locals and Westminster.
Horscroft, who is also contesting the Lincolnshire County Council elections, recently spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about her campaign. While she doesn’t fully agree with the mayoral system, she hopes that her candidacy can change the narrative and influence the county election. She asserts that the Greens have consistently performed better than expected, and even if they don’t secure the mayoral position, they can still make a positive impact.
Horscroft highlighted the need for greater investment in the county, promoting it as a hub for research, development and innovation. She believes that the University of Lincoln and the burgeoning renewable energy sector in Grimsby can contribute to this. She cited the recent uncertainty over Scunthorpe Steelworks as a reason for having a robust and diverse economy.
Addressing inequality is another key aspect of her campaign. She believes the mayor will have to advocate for the county to ensure it receives fair funding from Westminster. To contest the mayoral election, the Green Party had to crowdfund the necessary £5,000 deposit and a further £3,500 for their inclusion in the election booklet. Horscroft pointed out that their funding comes solely from local members without any big business backing, underlining the grassroots support for the party.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
