Independent groups have sprung up all over the south-west – there must be a reason …..
You know it makes sense – and so do an awful lot of other people!
Category Archives: Voting
“Beware far-right candidates posing as ‘independents’ in local elections” [or even as Tories] …
This is in Yorkshire but may easily have East Devon parallels. And in East Devon, you also have to cope with Tories calling themselves Independent too!
Check credentials – REAL Independents will have a good track record of community action over a long period – not just since the last election!
If only Owl could tell you … voters please ask awkward questions!
Owl has such wonderful correspondents but sometimes their information, whilst being terribly important to voters, just can’t be used – though some if it could and will be used at a later date should the pecuniary interests of some current and prospective councillors not be fully dealt with in future deliberations.
[Sorry, the information reaching Owl is only about Tories – other information may be available, Owl is happy to receive it].
People with contractual relationships with each other involving council projects, a very long-serving councillor who spends a very great deal of time in Somerset and very little in his ward … these things totally legal (for now) but perhaps somewhat ethically debatable and politically awkward …
Really, voters should be asking ALL councillors:
Do you live here the vast majority of your time? If not where (roughly) do you live.
Do you have any business relationships with other councillors?
What have you achieved (or will you pledge to achieve) for your ward if elected?
Do you have any political relationships or enthusiasm for groups which would be considered outside the mainstream for your party or group and which might affect voter perception of your party affiliation – if so, what are they?
Do you own any land or property that is, or may be, of planning or development interest to the council? If so, what and where?
But, unfortunately, almost no-one will ask these questions.
Leader of large district council explains why he’s not standing as a Tory this time: party-political tribalism at its worst
“York council leader Ian Gilles is not standing for re-election on May 2. He told STEPHEN LEWIS why
IAN Gillies has never been one to mince his words. But the former policeman turned Tory leader of City of York Council has to bite his tongue to keep his frustration about the state of local politics from spilling over.
Owl says: BUT this is the kind of I dependent to be Very wary of! if there is a REAL i dependent to vote for – no brainer!
“It can be very tribal,” he says. “Very… challenging.”
We’ve met over coffee to talk about his reasons for deciding not to stand in next month’s council elections: a decision which means that, from May 2, he won’t even be a city councillor, let alone council leader.
He took over as leader of a fractious Tory/ Liberal Democrat ruling coalition early last year, when previous Tory council leader David Carr sensationally quit the Conservative Party, accusing some within the council’s Conservative group of committing an ‘act of betrayal’ against him.
Cllr Carr is one of a number of former Tory councillors who will be standing as an independent on May 2. But it’s not exactly all sweetness and light in the city’s other political parties, either. Former Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors will also be standing as independents this time around.
Cllr Gillies, a former Conservative group leader and one-time Lord Mayor, was clearly seen as a safe pair of hands when he took over as head of the Tory group and as council leader last year.
But, while he insists he’s perfectly willing to try to work with members of other political groups in the interests of getting things done, he admits it has been hard work.
“The Liberal Democrats are not natural bedfellows for us,” he says. “And the situation in my own group has been very challenging.”
He says that when he took over as group and council leader last year, he intimated to other group members that it would only be until the next election.
But it is clear his frustrations run deep.
A couple of years ago he even thought of setting up a new centrist party in York, so as to escape some of the traditional party tribalism and infighting. It would have been effectively a collection of independents – none of them ‘extremists’ – whose viewpoints were similar enough for them to work together to get things through, he says.
That never happened, and he ended up leading the Tory group again and becoming council leader.
But he has begun to seriously question whether party politics should have a place in local government.
“Do we really need political parties in local government? No. I’m a Conservative: that’s what I am. But as far as this city is concerned, what matters is what is best for the city. Whipped party politics (ie a system where councillors have to obey their party line) isn’t really necessary in a local environment.”
What you need, he says, is intelligent, able people from all kinds of backgrounds who are willing to work together to get things done. “Is that Utopian? I don’t see why. You’d still have debates and arguments. But it wouldn’t be so tribal.”
Party politics isn’t the only thing that has frustrated him to the point of persuading him not to stand again, however.
The glacial pace of the move towards Yorkshire devolution has also got to him.
He places the blame for that squarely at the feet of Whitehall.
Sheffield has gone its own merry way. But council leaders in Leeds, Bradford, North Yorkshire and York all want to have a single tier of government for Yorkshire, with an elected mayor at its head, he says.
That would mean more money for the region – and more powers for regional decision-making on things such as transport. Yorkshire could become a real financial powerhouse. “I want that for Yorkshire and for York,” he says.
A proposal for such such a devolved regional government is now sitting with the Treasury. But the government has been slow to respond, and keeps drip-feeding suggestions that it would prefer smaller devolved authorities, such as one for West Yorkshire and one for York and North Yorkshire, he says.
He believes there’s only one reason for that. A regional government made up of West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, York and Humberside combined would have a population bigger than Scotland, he points out. “I think the government is scared of the size of Yorkshire.” …
And what about the prospects for York Conservatives at the election?
He chooses his words carefully. “I don’t want to decry them,” he says. “But I think there will be a lot of people who won’t vote in the local elections.” Who knows? in other words.
His own part in local politics is over, at least for now. And once he ceases to be a councillor and council leader, he will also give up his place on various other local and regional bodies – as a director of the York BID, for example, and as vice-chair of Transport for the North. But he’s not ruling out a return to public life altogether. …”
Some Tories don’t appear to know where they live!
It seems some Tory party candidates are not sure where they live. And as they don’t seem to be canvassing in person – just sending their leaflets through the post – there’s no-one able to draw their attention to the problem, so Owl is letting them know …
[Leaflet refers to “Otter St Mary]
13 days to local elections – today’s picture
Credit: Guardian
Another reason to vote Independent in local elections.
Party members have to be loyal to their parties. Voting Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem means you really have no idea what you are voting FOR. Labour and Conservative are each split down the middle (or several middles!) with ideological issues (anti-Sematism, Islamophobia, Brexit, privatisation, nationalisation) with little or no time to think about local needs or local issues. The Lib Dems will have a new Leader soon who may decide to take the party in directions very different to those of current leader Cable. (Not to mention they certainly don’t seem to be able to keep their house in order in Seaton where the disgraced ex-Mayor Burrows is being allowed to stand for them again).
You CAN be sure your (real, of course, not phony “just left my party’) independent councillor has only one aim – representing YOU at district council.
Why vote Independent in local elections?
A response to today’s post on retiring EDDC Councillor Roger Giles:
“When I first moved to OSM and had a leaflet from Roger through the letterbox, I could tell immediately that he was the best councillor you needed no money to buy. I voted for him without any hesitation, and I have never been disappointed in the decision.
(Ditto for Claire Wright but that is another story.)
More importantly it was also the beginning of a journey for me, to understand what genuinely Independent councillors do that makes them so different from the Party clones, and to understand the depths of the dodgy behaviour perpetrated by EDDC’s Conservative / Liberal Democrat regime.
Unfortunately I have now moved away, but I do hope that Roger’s shoes are filled by a new crop of fiercely independent-minded Independent councillors who will fight for the rights and needs of local residents against the elite powers-that-be and who will continue Roger’s fight to shine a spotlight and hold the council leadership to account on both the decisions made by them and the process by which those decisions are reached.
To anyone considering standing as a genuine Independent in any of the roles Roger has until now held, I urge you to take the plunge – the last thing East Devon / Devon needs is yet another Conservative / Liberal Democrat clone who will vote as directed in a totally non-critical brain-dead manner.
To anyone voting, equally I urge you to AVOID candidates from the national parties (or indeed any candidates who until recently were associated with national parties and who have decided to stand as Independents even though we can see through this ploy) and to support your genuinely INDEPENDENT candidate.”
“12 questions to ask local Tories who turn up on your doorstep pretending to be your friend”
Does Seaton Tory hopeful support far right agenda?
More on the Hermione Grainger-like Tory hopeful Jacquie Russell:
Interesting to see her “likes” on her social media page:
On the one hand, nice to see she “likes” Independent DCC Councillor Martin Shaw (his county council seat her next target perhaps!) but, on the other hand, very worrying that she also “likes” far-right BNP splinter group “British Voice” whose background is detailed here:
and in its beginnings here:
“A far-right British National Party splinter group are expected to hold their autumn conference in St Helens tomorrow.
A letter seen by the ECHO suggests British Voice, whose chairman Mike Whitby is a former BNP candidate for Liverpool mayor, will meet at a secret location in the town.
Michael Whitby was found guilty of racially abusing a Birkenhead traffic warden in 2013, less than a year after standing for Liverpool mayor for the BNP. …”
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/bnp-splinter-group-british-voice-10476630
What happens when what’s good for your community isn’t necessarily good for your businesses?
Info from correspondents coming thick and fast in this last couple of weeks before voting – here’s one from Woodbury and Lympstone (NOT Lympstone and Woodbury, as it appears on Tory party leaflets!).
“Interesting to read the glossy brochure submitted by the 2 young “Tory Hopefuls” standing against the hard-working Independent Councillors in the Woodbury and Lympstone Ward. Shame they don’t get the ward title right as they seem to think its Lympstone and Woodbury!
Cheryl Mcgauley the present chair of Woodbury Parish Council has joined up with William Carter to challenge for the 2 seats available in the ward.
Cheryl needs no introduction to most of the ward electors as she has chaired the Parish Council in Woodbury for the last 4 years.
William is less known, but his family are well-known in East Devon! His father Rowen Carter runs the family business that includes Exmouth Docks, and Greendale Business Park. His uncle and aunt Robin Carter and Zoe House run Ladram Bay Holiday Park, and his brother Matt runs Greendale Farm shop.
In their leaflet Will says he is eager to represent the electorate and make a positive impact locally.
However, judging by the family’s history of development at Exmouth docks, Woodbury Park Golf Club, before selling on, and the continuing issues at Ladram Bay and Greendale Business Park most local people would say the family have already made an impression!
The whole idea of representing constituents is you need to voice the electorates’ concerns. How can that be done, when they are required to declare an interest and leave the debate on matters that concern the many issues relating to these local businesses?
According to the brochure Will and Cheryl love their ward which they say is a great place to live and work.
They believe there is a need to achieve a balance between the environment (in particular, places like the Exe estuary and Woodbury Common) and promoting sustainable development, affordable housing, and employment opportunities.
Many residents would argue that with more work places than there are working people living in the ward already, with Greendale and Woodbury Business parks alone, providing 1700 jobs, the balance if anything is too far leaning the wrong way!
The brochure reports that Conservative led East Devon delivers. However, it doesn’t mention the massive debt the new Honiton headquarters has cost (£16M) , nor next years “black hole” of a £1M in the Council’s Budget. Nor the £70M shortfall in infrastructure requirements over the next 12 years!!
The brochure makes many bland promises, which, if the new administration dared to follow, will lead the Council to more spending, but the brochure also promises to remain a “low tax council”
Where is the money coming from to cover our existing black holes never mind these new extravagant promises!”
The Hermione Grainger of local politics – able to be in two places at the same time!
Phil Twiss (who is NOT the East Devon Tories Whip but is a Tory agent has sent this to Owl.
Just one thing Phil – if she’s been so busy in the Axe Valley, how has she managed to do so much in West Sussex! On parish and district council there and many committees.
Do we have a Hermione Grainger here – able to be in two places at once?
“Well done Owl; you have excelled yourself in getting at least half of the story correct.
I am happy to confirm that Jacquie Russell, a Conservative candidate in the forthcoming East Devon District Council elections on the 2nd of May (with fellow Conservative Marcus Hartnell) has lived in East Devon since 2017, where she is a Governor of the Axe Valley Academy, attended by one of her children. Admittedly not a born and bred local, but in that respect no different to EDA candidates including former Labour Party PPC Martin Shaw, Paul Arnott, Paul Hayward, Cathy Gardner etc………………………………..
More details are of course available on her Election leaflets that is going to all electors in the Seaton ward.
Promoted by Phillip Twiss on behalf of Jacquie Russell both of PO Box 57, Colyton, Devon, EX12 9AP”
And yet another Tory councillor from far, far away (170 miles) it seems – this time Seaton?
NOTE: if this is NOT the same person, Owl is very happy to be contacted by either or both of the people with this name to clear up the matter (eastdevonwatch@gmail.com) as quickly as possible.
This time a sitting councillor in West Sussex – Mrs Jacquie Russell. On her nomination paper for Seaton she gives her address as “East Devon District”:
She appears to be an East Grinstead Town Councillor:
“Jacquie sits on the Public Services Committee at present and is also a West Sussex County Council for East Grinstead South and Ashurst Wood.”
though apparently not standing for re-election this year:
and she sits on her local district council too:
“Jacquie Russell is a former Co-Director of a Construction Project management company and is now a Property Developer. Previously she has been Leader of East Grinstead Town Council and Chairmen of its Planning Committee. She is a mother of five, grandmother of two, and enjoys walking and photography.”
https://westsussex.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=237
though, again, not standing this year.
So, is this a coincidence? It seems unlikely as she DOES tweet about our area – although her tweets are private) you can see this Google listing:
Maybe she is/was a second home owner? If so, it would no doubt be useful for them to have a voice on the district council, there being so many of them!
Or maybe she has just moved or about to move into the district?
But not immersed in East Devin local politics with all that work in East Grinstead!
Seaton voters, if they see her about, might well have a few questions to ask her!
Can you be an effective councillor from 218 miles away?
Owl has received the email below from an anonymous source. However, on checking, it does appear correct – the person in question who wants to represent Sidmouth Sidford [edited from Sidbury – ed mistake] ward as a Conservative will need to spend the majority of his time in Cambridge for the foreseeable future.
Gosh – that’s 50 miles further than our London-based MP – who we rarely see!
Information: The AA
“As an elector who takes an interest in who might be representing us on the incoming District Council, I was pleased to see that a young man was standing in the Sidmouth Sidford ward.
However, my pleasure then turned to uncertainty when I realised that this young man is student at Robinson College in Cambridge. It appears that he started his degree course in the autumn of 2018.
I then asked myself the question – how will someone who must surely have to spend much of his time studying in Cambridge over the next few years be able to full represent the electors in Sidford as well as playing a full part in District Council activities? AND University life?
I see that the distance between Sidford, which would be where his electors live, and Cambridge, where he will be studying for his degree is a good 218 miles which on a good day could take upwards of 4 hours to drive.
This has all left me a bit bemused as to how this young man, will be able to balance his studying, with effectively representing his electors, with having a reasonable social and family life.
Is this really fair on young Zachary Marsh – or is his political party so short of candidates that it thinks its right to have an elected Councillor who would live so far away from those he wants to represent?
A concerned elector”
Voters under 50 hold key to election success or failure – even for Boris Johnson
Young voters are vital to democracy in East Devon, where older voters are, by and large, over-represented on voting day compared to younger ones. If young(er) people in the district want their say and want to influence it, they must register and vote.
“Boris Johnson could lose his seat to a surge of younger voters, research shows.
The Tory leadership hopeful’s 5,000 majority is at risk after his party has failed to attract enough voters under the age of 40.
Research conducted by new Conservative supporting thing tank Onward has suggested that Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip is “vulnerable”.
Their analysis suggests that a Conservative seat is vulnerable lose if the ratio of younger voters, under 40, rises above 1.1 for every older voter over 60.
According to the think tank in 2017 the ‘tipping point age’ – the median age at which a voter is more likely to vote Conservative than Labour – was 47 years old.
But it has increased in the last two years to 51 years old. … “
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-could-lose-seat-14311251
17 days to local elections – today’s picture
Independent candidates are not tied to national party politics:
“Tory council candidates list their party as ‘Local Conservatives’ in an attempt to separate themselves from Theresa May’s leadership”
Owl says: beware – some even try to get away with calling themselves Independent – or in at least one case at the last local election – Independent Conservative! REAL Independents bow to no party whip! And if you are ashamed of your party – leave it!
“TORY council candidates have listed their party as ‘Local Conservatives’ in a bid to “detoxify” themselves from Theresa May’s leadership, The Sun can reveal.
The party faces losing control of councils across the country due to the failure to deliver Brexit on time and Mrs May’s decision to enter cross-party talks with Jeremy Corbyn.
Nomination papers submitted by candidates – seen by The Sun – reveal that many local Tory associations hope to escape voters’ anger over Brexit by listing their party on ballot papers for the May 2 local elections as ‘Local Conservatives’.
A Tory MP who handed over a copy of Lincolnshire’s nomination papers said their candidates are listed as ‘local Conservatives’ “because they think Westminster associations are now so toxic”.
Among those who are using the ‘Local Conservatives’ tag are Richard Wright, who is head of the Lincolnshire Area Conservative party.
Terry Boston, who is fighting the Ruskintgon Ward in North Kesteven District Council elections next month, has also avoided using the national party’s name in next month’s elections. …”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8812134/theresa-may-tory-council-candidates/
How well did our Election Officer do in 2015? So badly East Devon ended up in a highly critical Electoral Commission report
Remember, EDDC Electoral Officer (Mark Williams, CEO) has been doing this job for years, gets paid extra for it, his budget spending on it is secret it and he cannot be scrutinised by a Freedom of Information request. AND he “lost” 6,000 voters in the previous election, which caused him to be hauled before a Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee!
Report: Electoral Commission
Assessment of the performance of Returning Officers at the May 2015 polls
“East Devon
In East Devon a number of issues arose during the election; we have assessed that the RO did not meet elements of the performance standards with regards to the following issues:
• incorrect instructions on postal voting statements in a number of wards, which wrongly advised electors to vote for one candidate only in wards where there were two or three candidates to be elected
• the initial process put in place for opening returned postal voters’ ballot papers as a result of the incorrect information on the postal voting
statements was in contravention of both our guidance and the relevant legislation
We concluded that the RO did not meet elements of performance standard 1 and 2 because of the impact that the postal voting statement error may have had on voters, through potential confusion and consequently on their confidence that their vote would be counted as intended.
In addition, and resulting from this error, the initial process followed on the first day of the opening of postal voters’ ballot papers (when 172 covering envelopes were received) was in contradiction to both our guidance and the legislation.
This practice was stopped the following day when we brought the infringement of the legislation to the attention of the RO. This also may have impacted on the confidence of those standing for election in the administration of the election.”
Click to access Assessment-of-the-performance-of-Returning-Officers-at-the-May-2015-polls.pdf
25 days to local elections – today’s picture
The Signs of Things to Come!
“The Independent Group looks to European elections for breakthrough”
“At least 200 people have applied to stand as candidates for the new Independent Group if the UK takes part in European elections next month – amid growing signs that the contest could turn into a “proxy referendum” on whether to leave or remain in the EU.
The Observer has been told that one pro-EU former Tory cabinet minister and several former MPs and MEPs from the main parties have also put their names forward in the hope of being selected by TIG. If the UK has to extend its membership by several more months, the EU has made clear it will have to take part in elections to the Brussels and Strasbourg parliament on 23 May.
The Independent Group’s team of eight former Labour and three former Tory MPs – all strongly pro-Remain and in favour of a second referendum – have applied to the Electoral Commission to register as a party and take part in the elections under the name Change UK – The Independent Group.
They believe the May elections across the EU could serve as an ideal and timely electoral launchpad for their fledgling party, and plan to use the slogan #rulemakersnotruletakers.
They want to stand candidates for all 73 seats across the 12 UK regions and believe the contest, conducted under a regional-list system in which seats are allocated to parties in proportion to their share of the vote, could give them their first electoral successes, particularly in the Remain-dominated London and South East regions. …”
First thoughts on election candidates
Paul Diviani (former Tory Leader) still living in Yarty Ward but standing in Broadclyst. Very helpful if Cranbrook extension needs highly localised support.
Stuart Hughes (formerly Monster Raving Loony Party and Conservative (no – not the same thing) ) now standing as “Independent”. still has a few more parties to go through yet!
Disgraced Lib Dem ex-Mayor of Seaton Peter Burrows standing again for District for the same party, along with his wife and 6 other candidates including two East Devon Alliance.
Fair proportion of REAL independents but several suspiciously right-leaning ones who have always followed the Tory line in the past and who seem to easily get on to committees …..
Contested towns and parishes listed but not uncontested towns and parishes (eg Cranbrook, Seaton) whereas uncontested districts are listed.
East Devon Alliance has strong showing, including Chairman Paul Arnott in Colyton.
East Devon Watch 