As the IW Council elections will be officially called on Tuesday I am going to all but cease posting here until after the election results are declared on June 5th.
Instead I will be spending much of the next 6 weeks talking even more with the 2100 adults of Pan who I have been representing over the last 4 years, and meeting the 300 people in Shide who are now all part of the new Newport East ward. So if you want to support me, or oppose me, or just ask a question or make a point, please email me directly at geofflumley@gmail.com
I understand I am being challenged by a sitting Conservative IW councillor who has decided not to defend the
However, I also intend my own campaign to be focussed on the many things I have delivered for Pan over the last 4 years and what I now hope to deliver for all parts of Newport East in the coming 4 years. I will avoid mud-slinging and tit-for-tat as I know that just turns people off at election time ….. even when used light-heartedly somewhere like this blog.
Over the next four years I will offer the residents of Newport East a councillor who will:
- Continue to oppose school closures and ensure the continuing use of Downside Middle School site for educational and community use, as promised to me in writing by the IW Council;
- Ensure the local and wider
- Fight to ensure that the IW Council continues to treat the local community fairly and that there is no return to ‘undeserving’ attitudes;
- Continue working to ensure that the interests and needs of Shide and Buckbury are as acknowledged as the rest of the Newport East ward.
My hopes for the next Council are for a balance of councillors where Labour councillors will have more influence. I truly hope that the discredited Tory majority at County Hall will be removed and that an administration is formed after June 4th of councillors who remember their own election promises for the next 4 years (no matter how much I may disagree with them) and who do not slavishly follow the party line or pursue personal advantage. I believe this is a realistic hope for an election outcome.
One thing is certain no matter what happens – many schools will remain open on polling day for the first time in many years - thanks to the protests I made to Full Council last November that children’s education should not be disrupted just to provide easily set up polling stations.
23 comments:
So you are not fighting the lovely Dawn Cousins, who for so long thought you would be? Who, one wonders, is your opponent?
Geoff, you and I come from very different ends of the political spectrum; Tories won't understand that, but we do. Even so: I know where you come from, and I know what you stand for, and I respect you for your honesty and your indifference to personal criticism and the corresponding ability to pursue a cause without caring a damn' for irrelevant personal attack. I never managed that indifference: and I imagine it's been a strain for you too, from time to time.
Still! You deserve re-election as few can claim to do, and I hope you achieve it. You've fought for your electoral division of Pan; most councillors just use their seats as a personal power-base, and only remember them when they have to seek re-election. You've never done that; you've defended Pan when the likes of me have attacked it in private conversation, and most people just wouldn't do that: they'd nod knowingly, as if to indicate what a burden they have to carry in representing their area - I've seen it time and time again, and you've never done it.
You deserve your seat; I hope you win it back.
Good luck Geoff. I am a Tory who would like to see you re-elected!
You're a good councillor and have made a better job of opposition than all the Libs put together.
That said, I think your task is a tough one - if people vote Labour it will be despite your Westminster lot. They realy are very unpopular, thanks to the worst ever economic mess and Mp's expenses sleaze. I wish you luck, let's hope they don't cost you your local seat.
Hopefully people realise the difference between local and national politics. I've been so disappointed with this Tory council's performance. But I've been impressed with your own hard work and integrity. If I lived in your ward there's no doubt I'd be voting for you in the local elections, regardless of how I'd vote in a national election.
Humour at the expense of Island Tories (Apprentice Pugh) over at Ventnor Blog
(Solent school story)
Today at 6:08 pm (39 minutes ago)
{AS} You’re a disgrace. You’re given a simple task to improve standards, and what do you do…. Come up with some cock’n’bull stories about pupil funding, travel distances, and propose closing half the schools. Unbelievable.
{DP} but…
{AS}… I haven’t finished.
{DP} Sorry Sir Alan.
{AS} I should think so. Were you trying to make a name for yourself? Thought you could pull this one off, eh? Well you don’t pull the wool over my eyes, no-one does?
…
{AS} Well David, why did you bring these two back to the boardroom?
{DP} Well Sir Alan, I brought Patrick in because he started this, and I brought Alan back because Steve told me to.
{AS} Alan, who do you think I should fire?
{AW} Thank you for that question…
{AS} …Get on with it.
{AW} Well actually we have always said that we would listen to the people, and what we see here is the democratic process working and we are listening to the public and responding to those concerns.
{AS} Sounds like waffle to me. Who do you think I should fire?
{AW} By listening to the public and responding to those con…
{AS} Forget it. Patrick, who do you think I should fire?
{PJ} David
{AS} Why David?
{PJ} In the military I was always taught to take responsibility from the top.
{AS} David, why shouldn’t I fire you?
{DP} Because Sir Alan I have great potential to lead. I may have changed direction once
{AS} ‘Once’ did you say?
{DP} OK, I may have changed direction many times but for good reason, Let me explain…
{AS} Zzzzzzzz
{DP} … hence I have great potential to lead.
{AS} OK, I’ve had enough. Here’s how I see it. You were given a simple task, you failed. You cost money. You changed direction so many times that your team didn’t know where they were heading. David – You’re Fired!
Made me laugh, and pretty accurate. Forgot to mention surplus places, improving results and 3 line whips though.
What a fantastic photo of Lib Dems in today's County Press. Looks like the cast of The Munsters!
Yes. What got me was how old the majority of them are - even older than I am, many of 'em. I'm not ageist - some of my best friends are wrinkly old prunes - but just what is happening to the party which once attracted the young and ambitious? There are some good people there (and some awful ones) but if elected it'll be back to the bad old days of the last LibDem administration. I don't think I could bear to live through all that again...
They look like a coach-party from a care home, to be brutally honest. The same tired old gang who made a muck-up of it last time round, and have learned nothing since. Tragic.
Best of luck Geoff, Andy.
Let's hope we get lots of nice,fresh, young candidates like David Pugh then Mr Jones.
If you are going to make rude remarks about candidates' age, then you can't complain when you meet youthful arrogance!
it's not so much their age as that there is no one in the line-up who has anything new to offer; and so, if they were to be elected, we should have the same old crew as last time; who made such a God-awful mess of things and put up my and your Council Tax to pay for sheer rubbish.
I don't complain much about youthful arrogance; youth is so often somewhat insecurely arrogant, and grows out of it eventually. What I dislike is the smug self-satisfaction (another form of arrogance) of an older generation which seems to think it need only await its time, ie 4 years of one administration, to come back in the same form as before and all will be forgiven. Age ought to bring a touch of humility. The LibDem establishment on the island has never admitted it got anything wrong or, publicly at least, examined its record.
Mind you, with David Cameron saying the local elections should be a referendum on national government, why should anyone give a thought to what matters locally? The man is an oleaginous bag of wind and ... something else.
This is amongst several other reasons why you need a group of independently-minded councillors who won't take the same old rubbish; that means some younger people with a fresh outlook, some independents when they're any good, and a few good Labour councillors who will keep the old time-servers on their toes.
No, I don't really want to be rude: but I don't want the same poisonous mixture as before, either.
Youthful arrogance? Some of these people just go on and on.
Shirley & Harry must be late 60's.
As is Howe. Jill Wareham is a sucker for punishment but with no prospect of winning the general she wants a job we assume? That said people like Heather in Sandown is well over 70, as are several other candidates. Mazillius swore he wouldn't stand again but like a lot of others, Taylor, Chapman etc they just can't give it up.
My wonder is do some of them do it for the money or do they love being someone?
Where are the people in their 30's and 40's. 50's even?
With the latest revelations from Westminster on expenses it may be even harder than we first thought to get anyone out to vote for any politician. The turn out this time will be terrible. As for poor Geoff Labour votes may be harder to find than diamonds at Lynbottom tip.
Good to see you get a mention in today's Observer, slating the gibberish in the council's adult learning plan:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/10/councils-gobbledegook-plain-english-campaign
More Tory lies on the way the manifesto is out today .
Of course Liberals never lie eh Nob?
And they accept responsibility when things go wrong? Like at Undercliff Drive..
Good luck with fighting your seat.
I thought the prince of darness was going to make a come-back?
Morris?
Q. "Where are the people in their 30's and 40's. 50's even?"
A. At Work
We've had working councillors before; unless we're content to abandon local government to people of a certain age, we need them back and employers need to realize that it's in their own interests to support them. Businesses work in the world which councillors influence & have an interest in getting the best people elected.
The alternative is paid councillors, which won't be an attractive proposition to any working person given they can only look forward to 4 years in post, leaving aside all the other problems.
Anon 11:17 Thanks for good luck message i've asked The Standards Board of England for help but they are a little bit slow. I love the undercliff had a few very happy years at Puckaster.
congratulations on holding on, shows what a great LOCAL councilor you are, look forward to the blog updates
Frank
In view of the huge alienation from politics in general and Labour in particular, this was no less than a fantastic achievement.
Shows what can be done when Labour tends its roots, and individual councillors remember who voted for them, and why.
Many congratulations.
Very well done Geoff, so sad that Deborah won't be with you fighting for us little guys. Wish her all the best for the future.
Hope you won't feel to lonely in the council chamber but don't let the b*$@#%ds grind you down!
Congratulations Geoff, never in doubt mate, despite Labour's awful antics at Westminster. They really are fighting like rats in a sack. That squirrel woman is a disgrace. What a real shame that Deborah lost, the boundary changes I assume? She's definitely one of the best, the public will be the poorer for her demise.
Good luck with the new administration, maybe some of these indie's and Liberals will join you in a bit of proper opposition this time? Surely you can't keep doing it on your own!
Best of luck.
A Tory.
Mr/Ms A Tory. I will give it a go if I have to.
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