HELM SNAP

That is, of course, the Lower Hellesdon, Earlham, Larkamand and Marlpit Safer Neighbourhoods Action Panel and its where I've been tonight. It is a collection of key agencies, including housing officers, the police, the council and the NELM development trust for residents to meet with and then a panel of members select the priorities for the area. They can be to do with crime, the environment or even planning and transportation. It was a fantastic event in which local peopel had their say on what was going on - and the powers-that-be having to sit, listen and then take action. I was slightly disappointed in the number of particularly City Council issues that were "still being actioned" but clearly a lot of work had taken place. Local MP Charles Clarke sat in to hear the debate and I hope he heard the message loud and clear - people are sick of the mess and fly tipping on the streets. They don't want rude kids making lives a misery by, for example, throwing things as their houses and hurlign abuse on the streets. They want to feel safe on the streets.

For what its worth I spoke up on the issues of clamping down on illegal mini motor bikes on the streets and pathways and also for a cleanup in West Earlham. I hope someone takes note and we aren't sitting here in 3 months wondering if somebody else might action it.

Fury of Earlham

In the last two days a big team of us have been out and about canvassing in North Earlham and West Earlham. Clearly these people have been ignored for a number of years because we got the full on wrath of some very irrate residents - on the plus side, if you want evidence that politics is alive and well, please do knock on some doors in the area!

The main gripe goes back to Labour - they've relied heavily on this area for generations and used to capture a big majority of the votes. Now a lot of Labour voters are too irrate to vote and a larger number are looking elsewhere - some at the LibDems, a surprising number at the Greens but mostly at the Conservatives.

Labour are arrogant, out of touch and take these people for granted - and that is just what the residents told me! Streets that aren't clean, dangerous pavements, the Shoemaker in terminal decline, grafitti everywhere and a council that doesn't seem to know where Earlham even is.

There is also a lot of geographical anger - that all the investment heads into Mile Cross or Lakenham rather than into Earlham.

These people have been let down, year after year. Many - in fact, the vast majority - won't bother to vote at all. And what have politicans done to address this? Nothing.

We need to show the people of Earlham that we can listen and we can act - and that includes Charles Clarke as well. He should spend a little less time plotting against Mr Brown and a bit more time looking at how his core voters are living.

Because at this moment in time, they aren't his core voters - they are non-voters or wavering towards the Conservatives. If we can convince them that we are serious about sorting out their problems, Earlham is a must gain seat for the Tories.

Sunshine on the Campaign Trail

This morning we headed to North Earlham. Now, North Earlham is by far Labour's strongest area in the Bowthorpe Ward but also the one with the lowest turnout. We were out to discover why and we weren't disappointed.

Unlike nearly everywhere we have been so far, the local residents here were desperate to talk about issues - from anti-social behaviour to bus routes. We moved pleasingly slow as almost every door we called on wanted to raise something. However what shone through was deep disappointed about the way in which Labour neglected their issues. One man, on Larkman Lane, complianed bitterly that this was meant to be a Labour area yet Labour did nothing for them. It was clear that Labour's vote was not coming out - a large number regusing to vote, a smaller number switching to the Conservatives and even a couple to the Greens.

However, as an aside, I met one man on Dereham Road with the most pathalogical hatred of the Green Party - quite amazing. He is voting Tory but apparently met a certain Green Councillor (no names!) recently and said it was only by the love of God himself that he didn't attack him with the nearest blunt object. What could possible have been said? The elector kept quiet on that, I'm afraid.

Anyway, back to the plot. We had old friends over for lunch today with their 18 month old son and so had a pleasant interlude to all this lunacy!

In the afternoon we went to the north of the City and enjoyed some time in Catton Grove. Eve and myself spent some of that time looking at the general state of roads and in particular at the quality of recent road repairs. Some of it really is shocking and needs urgent attention indeed. Issues raised here also included the state of the City Centre, grass verges and the level of council tax. At last - one resident raised unitary (he was against it).

Best exchange of the day:
Voter: "I haven't voted for 10 years. I last voted for John Major and the Tory Party has gone downhill since them so I haven't bothered."
Heroic canvasser (me): "So do you think you might come out of retirement and vote this year?"
Voter: "Yes I will, Cameron is doing well. Is the election today?"
Me: "No, It's on 3rd May."
Voter: "Excellent, plenty of time to get my pencil sharpened."

That must be one hell of a pencil.