A TOWN councillor has left the Liberal Democrats to join the Green Party ahead of the local elections in May.

Ros Kayes has made the move after 14 years with the Lib Dems and intends to stand for the Green Party in the upcoming Bridport Town Council elections.

The former district and county councillor was a member of the party around 30 years ago and has decided to join the West and South Dorset branch as it is the only party ‘really seeking to challenge’ the issues she finds important.

Cllr Kayes said: “These last two years have seen changes in national and world politics which require urgent action – the continually increasing gap between high and low incomes, the rise of fake news and right-wing ideology and ever more accelerating resource depletion and climate change.

“Urgent circumstances require urgent action. That is why I have decided to re-join the Green Party after an absence of 30 years.

“Tinkering at the edges with the status quo is no longer good enough. With food poverty and growing child poverty, the way the economy works is not good enough.

“We are no longer a society that properly supports the vulnerable. My work in mental health shows me that increasing numbers of people struggle with the way we live daily life in the 21st century. We need to develop ways of life which do not force us into anxiety, depression, stress, alcohol abuse, diet and eating problems, low self-worth and low levels of fulfilment.

“For me, the Greens are now the only party seeking to really challenge all of this, to link the exploitive way our economy works to the lack of wellbeing in how we live our lives and how we relate to and preserve the planet.

“Recognising that these issues are linked is the most important task of our time and its urgency increases week by week.

“It is a huge task and we need to put our energies now into confronting it before it is too late.”

Kelvin Clayton, chairman of West and South Dorset Green Party and a Bridport town councillor, said he was ‘delighted’ to welcome Cllr Kayes to the party.

He said: “I have worked with Ros on many local projects as well as Bridport Town Council and can testify first hand to her dedication to both the local community and the Green Party ethos.

“Ros’ move to our party is another step towards making Bridport a green island within a sea of blue.”