Local News 
Local Elections + Crew & Nantwich
It wasn't a good night for the Labour Party, both locally and nationally. Here we lost Ian Feeney's Brookmeadow seat and nationally we lost over 300 councillors (or over 400 on Sky's calculations). The Crewe & Nantwich byelection was another terrible result. Although many have criticised the way the Labour Party handled the campaign, and it's true that Edward Timpson was no Toff in any real sense, they were only trying to make the point that he was no ordinary Crewe & Nantwich resident, not unless everyone else living there receives a pedigree Racehorse on their 30th birthday. Back locally, Ian showed, in his all too short time on the Council, that he was an excellent Councillor who really cared about the people he represented. Additionally he'd become a fierce advocate against the cronyism, conflict of interests and over concentration of power that's creaping into the local Tory administration. It's clear that he really unsettled the leading Conservatives who mounted an unprecedented campaign to oust him from the Council chamber. Ian's so grateful for everyone who voted for him and he's truly sorry he won't be able to represent the people of Brookmeadow this year. Once again residents in Cowley Hill returned Ann Harrison as their Councillor, although on a much reduced majority. Again Ann is very gratefull for all the support she received this year and will try and live up to the faith Cowley Hill Residents have shown in her yet again. So, unfortunately, the Conservatives have tightened their grip on the Borough Council. We safely predict that they will maintain their previous tactics. Blame everyone else for their failures - Waste & Recyling problems are all the County Council's fault: Claim the credit for other people's work - did you notice their recent election leaflets claiming all the credit for the pensioner's bus passes, a scheme 100% paid by direct Central Government funds, as was the Green Recycling scheme. Distribution of Councillors on Hertsmere Borough Council 
The Conservatives have been in charge of your Borough Council since 1999. There can be No More Excuses.When the bins aren't emptied, or when they force up the rate of Council Tax, when the roads are full of potholes, who do you think they are going to blame? The serious problem with one party having so much power in a local Council is that it gets more and more difficult to hold them to account for their failures (like the extra £1 million spent on Waste & Recyling in the past 3 years). There are now only 8 opposition Councillors on the Borough Council which makes scrutiny and oversight (the more tedious but essential Council functions) just a little bit more difficult. However, the elections have decided who will represent the people of Hertsmere. We're not going to blame national events but we will start again to talk to as many of you as we can over the coming year. Your Local Labour Councillors will be working hard on your behalf and we'll all ensure that there will be a local Labour Party that's fighting on your behalf.
share this article with -
|