The Next General Election in 30 Minutes

After a discussion about getting more people interested in the work of the council, we then had a debate which one member of the public who did turn up to watch the council meeting described as a "disgrace". It was interesting and I cannot deny I love the cut and thrust of what we do, especially when the council is being political-with-a-capital-P, but this person said the debate was "messy, generally thoughtless and the kind of thing that puts us [ the voter, I assume ] off." I think that was a bit far - after all the debate gave us a very clear insight into the next election.

The motion was one that highlighted positive statements about Sure Start from national politicans (even the Green Party) and suggested that we ought to back the service and refrain from unfair political attacks - such as those parties who might suggest another party wishes to scrap Sure Start because this worries people unncessarily. I don't think anyone expected what came next ...

Cllr Andrew Wiltshire moved a very good speech about the work that Sure Start did. I have to say that I was left bewildered by the response of Labour's Cllr Sue Sands who reeled off a list of clubs that her Sure Start ran citing this as the reason it ought to continue. Great idea; let's share good practice from around the City. Unfortunately Cllr Sands doesn't seem to appreciate the work of Health Visitors quite so much and doesn't see the next to expand their work or to have a multi-agency approach to what Sure Start does. Cllr Ramsay, Green Leader, gave a good speech in favour of the motion - then LibDem Cllr Lubbock (and quite why she was chosen to respond was beyond me) descided to take the motion apart line by line. She didn't appreciate me correcting her every error - including when she criticised the stated aim of Sure Start (as taken from their website). A bizarre moment of my life that one. Lesson 101 of the Council; Whenever you want to oppose a motion but can't work out a decent reason you always say it is "badly written". I'd say her speech was badly written alright. Council Leader Cllr Steve Morphew wanted to know what the Conservatives would change about Sure Start and it was laid out some specifics about changing the role of the Health Visitors, the link to early years education and the role/direction of local services. Not good enough for Cllr Morphew who demands to know more. He is given more. He doesn't like the response so screams that he wasn't given an answer. He was given an answer, he just didn't like it or agree with it. So Cllr Morphew has the words of David Cameron stricken from the motion; quite why is beyond me but never mind. The motion is still passed - yes, the Conservatives still voted for it - and I assume Labour will continue to frighten some very young and very vulnerable voters with this come election time.

I remember letters written by Steve Morphew to the people of Bowthorpe saying that if they didn't vote Labour they wouldn't get new windows in their council homes. They didn't vote Labour but they still got new windows. Maybe we can't believe everything our Council Leader says?

So why do I say that this is a marker for the next General Election? Labour say everything is fine, keep spending chaps and smile for the cameras; the Conservatives want to change and reform our services so they better serve out communities; the LibDems look bewildered; and the Greens had very little indeed to say about the issue.

So could I convince the member of the public of this? No, but they thought none of us came out well. They were annoyed that what should have been a fairly bland political moment was hijacked by Labour. Get used to it, there's plenty of months before the election and I suspect all issues will be subject to this kind of game playing.

Let the political debate begin (we just might want to warn the public first!)

Citizens taking action

Back into the swing of things, today I had 2 events to attend; the first was the launch of Homelessness Awareness at the Forum at lunchtime. It was good to see the Civic Arm - Lord Mayorand Sheriff - and the Political Arm together for this event. Amusing to see local MP Charles Clarke sitting inside a giant snow-globe in some bizarre way. What was interesting was the large number of different groups who make a difference in the City and events like this is important to pull all of them together. I am not in favour of endless government strategies; more than often they cost money and don't work; so I was interested to hear how these groups work together without the use of a 300 page glossy document to help them - it's called people taking common sense decisions and acting in the best interested of those whom they seek to serve. Other arms of government take note!

On a similar theme this evening I went, along with newly-elected Norwich South Conservative Councillor Andrew Wiltshire, to meet a residents association which has been formed by 2 adjacent blocks of flats who are fed up with anti-social behaviour ruining their lives. Like-minded folks got together and decided to work alongside the police and the local council to do some pro-active. Fed up with not being able to use stairwells or having to walk over litter in the corridors, these people have set about creating a sense of community. They are totally inclusive of all residents and are working hard to put on events and get people talking. Now they want help to persuade the powers-that-be to help them install some outside seating and a BBQ areas in their communal gardens. It sounds like a fantastic project and I will be doing all I can to help, with either attracting funding or lobbying for them. I hope that the usual red-tape and bureaucracy doesn't get in the way - this new exciting group is takling the issue of ASB on the ground by themselves and in a way that suits them.

What is government for if not to facilitate and help people help themselves?

The Truth About the Play Parks

I was very pleased to note the honesty of Labour's Bert Bremner in the Evening News when he acknowledged that I had voted at council to support Bowthorpe residents with a massive injection of cash into our play parks. I am grateful to Bert, but it is a pity though that this honesty didn't make it into the latest Labour leaflets in the area which make claims about both myself and my colleagues in Bowthorpe. Maybe I could take this chance to set the record straight?

At that meeting we were being asked to vote for a big package of spending which included money for the playparks in Bowthorpe, as well as elsewhere in the City. I had some doubts about the package as a whole but I could not see this vital invetsment into my community be lost. That is why I voted in favour of the investment; in addition I would have spoken up on this too but unfortunately I was not called to speak in the debate despite wanting to.

However Labour seem not to recognise this fact; nevermind that the weak LibDem opposition at City Hall failed to support the money altogether, they must be so worried about the threat that the Conservatives pose that they attack me personally over this issue.

At the time my colleague Councillors were unable to make that vote; it was before the Conservative triumph in the by-election and thus Andrew Wiltshire wasn't elected. Sadly Niki George was very ill on the day of the meeting and wasn't well enough to stay until the end. The fact that Niki dragged himself into City Hall when very ill to oppose Labour's 3.9% council tax hike and rent hikes for council tenants was quite impressive; but still Labour wish to blacken his name by accusing him of deliberately not staying for the vote. You might have thought that given their troubles with Labour trying to smear Conservatives they would have thought this through more carefully.

So I really want the people of Bowthorpe and Earlham to know exactly what their Councillors did and why - honestly and openly. It is sad that Labour cannot find a way to campaign in a positive way; such negative and dishonest attacks only turn people off voting altogether. I want the Conservative campaign in this election to be honest, upbeat and positive about our local communities and what we can achieve together.

Bowthorpe Thread

As you might imagine I am going to be very busy in the next few days, so may not be able to post. However you can use this thread for predictions, comments on the campaign or literature and suchlike.

It will be very interesting if the very negative and very, very intense LibDem campaign pays off; we wonder what the lack of a Green campaign will do to their vote and if Labour can ever recover in this ward.

John Wyatt was a great councillor and I hope the person who replaces him on Thursday is every bit as good - I trust that person is Andrew Wiltshire; local, hard working and the best man to beat Labour!

Bowthorpe Gets Dirty: Part 2 - "Rude & Aggressive"

We've now had several complaints about political canvassers in this election being "rude and aggressive". I haven't blogged about it until now, but the most recent contact has been rather bizarre.

A young Mum from Clover Hill got in touch to say she was canvassed by Labour this week; when she said she voted for me the canvasser turned on her, calling her "stupid" and walking away. Is this a moment of anger boiling over or a general campaigning technique? The voter was very angry indeed with that response - we disagree in politics but there should always be courtesy.

This seems to be a reoccuring theme for some in the Labour Party; a certain leading figure crossed the road in North Earlham to barrack Andrew, the Conservative candidate, up a residents pathway with the voter at the door! I've heard of crossing the road to start an arguement but that takes it to new levels. If the voter was wavering on deciding to vote at all, that scene would certainly had put them off. I am glad that Andrew was decent and polite throughout.

This has been a negative by-election; with spin, PR and smears a plenty. I hope local people notice who is doing it ...