Campaigning for the upcoming by-election in Bradley Stoke’s Meadowbank parish ward is now under way, with the first party political leaflets being delivered to homes in the area.
The by-election, which takes place on Thursday 26th November, sees one candidate from each of the local Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties battling for a seat that became vacant after David Skeet (Conservative) resigned following criticism of his poor record of attendance at council meetings.
Mr Skeet blamed his lack of attendance on illness, but this does not seem to have stopped him continuing to fulfil his role on Stoke Gifford Parish Council, where he remains an active member.
The Conservatives were first off the mark when a ‘by-election special’ of their ‘in touch’ newsheet was delivered to homes in the ward that includes (amongst others) Kemperleye Way, Hawkins Crescent, Snowberry Close and Diana Gardens.
Candidate Ernie Brown, of Mead Road (Stoke Gifford), says he is concerned by anti-social behaviour and how it is affecting local residents. He highlights the extra full-time PCSO and part-time police officer that have been added to the local beat team thanks to funding from the Conservative-controlled town and district councils.
He also welcomes the “record investment” made by Bradley Stoke Town Council to provide better facilties for young people in the town.
Mr Brown says that residents of Hawkins Crescent have told him that they feel their road is being used as a rat run by drivers heading for the Town Centre and asks voters to write to him with suggestions.
The Liberal Democrats’ ‘Focus’ leaflet followed a week later, headlined “Another Resignation, Another By-election” – referring to the fact that this will be the second by-election in just over a year caused by the resignation of a Conservative councillor representing the Meadowbank ward.
A by-election in October last year, caused by the resignation of Caroline Charlton, saw the LibDems’ Jon Williams narrowly beating Conservative candidate Paul Turner.
LibDem candidate Sachin Singhal stresses the fact that he lives in the town and works nearby at Aztec West.
Born in India, he is now a British citizen and says he would like to “build bridges between the different cultures living in the town”.
On the contentious matter of a resurrected bowls club in Bradley Stoke, Mr Singhal says that, if elected, he will propose a fee based on the number of club members rather than the lump sum of £6,000 said to be wanted by the Conservatives.
The transfer of youth clubs in the town to Brook Way comes under criticism in the leaflet, with a claim that the Conservatives promised transport to take young people to the new venue but later withdrew the offer.
Read the leaflets here: Meadowbank By-election 2009
I read with interest the opening paragraph of ‘FOCUS’
For the record, there are currently only 11 Conservatives members on the Town Council and not 12 as quoted. Does Jon Williams perhaps consider Cllr Ronnie Haskins a ‘conservative’ after she resigned from the Liberals and became an Independent? If I recall correctly, one of the reasons given for resigning from the Liberals, was the constant un-truths put out by the Bradley Stoke Liberals. Nothing changes.
Mark
Like most Conservatives you seem to misunderstand the truth. Cllr Haskins was quoted in a Focus which she said misrepresented her view of events. It turned out that what had been written was actually true, but this didn’t stop her resigning.
As regards my calculation of the number of Conservatives on the council I believe if a cllr is quoted in a party political leaflet, slagging off the oppostion it’s fair to consider them aligned with that party. If you look at the last by-election literature put out by your party you will see a quote from Cllr Haskins; hence the article in the By-election Focus.
Now if you want to talk about untruths the the Conservatives are past masters at that one and I have lots of examples……but too many to mention here.
Cllr Conway-Haskins commented to the Bradley Stoke Examiner at the time of her resignation from the Lib Dems: “I have no leaning towards Labour or the Conservatives. It’s not always about party politics,”
I think thats pretty clear. Now are you prepared to admit you were wrong Jon?
——–
And having cleared that up lets focus on the things that matter. Since 2007 Conservatives on Bradley Stoke Town Council have doubled the number of police officers on the beat, reduced the amount of litter in the town, committed a record level of funding to youth clubs, refurbished the Play Area at Rosemary Close and overseen the building of a Beacon Play park on the Jubilee Green.
Ernie Brown supports this good work and will help deliver further improvements for residents of all ages.
Jon’s most significant contribution to date has been to call his colleagues a “bunch of *******” and storm out.
The people of Meadowbank have a choice next Thursday. A Conservative who will work for the greater good or another Lib Dem that will seek to frustrate the political process.
Hi Rob & Mark, would you care to reveal your full names please, unless you are Sir Rob & Sir Mark.
Bakri,
Happy to reveal my full name.
Rob seems to know Lib Dem candidate very well as he states “another Lib Dem that will seek to frustrate the political process” Is this statement based on his past experiences with the Lib Dem candidate?
The fact is there are about 500-600 Asian families living in Bradley Stoke now and Conservatives have done nothing to take them on board and involve them in the democratic process.
In fact none of the conservative councillors were seen at the Diwali funtion at the Willow Brook centre.
Now that Lib Dems have come up with the positive idea of the cohesion of different communities, all Conservatives have done is to put a candidate who “used to be intrigued when his wife came home from Stoke Gifford Parish Council meetings”
Is this the criteria of selecting Conservative candidates?
For more details see the link below
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/bradleystoke/want-serve-community-Bradley-Stoke/article-1481378-detail/article.html
Hi Bakri,
Name revealed as requested.
For avoidance of doubt my comment, as quoted by you, is based on my perception of the past actions of Lib Dem representatives in office.
It’s a pity that this site is being used by existing cllrs to make political mischief. I happily acknowledge the achievements of the council during the Conservative administration, but also look at the negatives. They closed the bowls club, they closed 2 popular youth clubs, have decided, even before consultation has been held (as promised in the 5 year business plan) to build new offices at the Jubliee site and on a personal level have excluded me from meetings.
I also think my proposal to freeze the cost of hiring council premises during 2009/10 was a more significant contribution than commenting on the behaviour of Conservative councillors.
From time to time we all have different ideas about how things should be done, but fortuntely it’s not all that often. What doesn’t help is when the Chair of Council continues to make silly comments throughout a meeting of council about articles in a recent Focus. Whether he agrees with them or not the council chamber is not the place to make fun.
Also with a majority of councillors of the Conservative persuasion another Lib Dem on the council shouldn’t frustrate the political process, it should add to it. My real concern with this comment is the fact that Rob said it in the first place; party politics shouldn’t really be a feature of town council life.
Also with reference to to cllr Conway-Haskins, her comments in the Conservative leaflet came after her comments to the Examiner and therfore it appears she changed her mind.
Jon Williams
Gents,
If Ernie Brown and Sachin Singhal is reading this blog, no-one wouldn’t blame them if they changed their mind and didn’t stand. There is, and always has been too much point scoring and blaming each other for past mistakes.
Please don’t use the Bradley Stoke Journal to try and score cheap points with each other.
There are many good councillors from both parties. Please work together to make Bradley Stoke a better place to live.
I am not on either side, this is just an observation. In my opinion(and I am a resident of Bradley Stoke with children)
The youth provision at Baileys Court Activity Centre is a great place for them. It was a good idea(I dont care who’s) to give the youth a ‘dedicated youth space with their own front door’. Far better in one place where they have the freedom to express themselves without having to clear everything away at the end of the evening.
Many thanks!
(perhaps it was the clerks idea!)