Election result

Sometimes you can see a clear pattern emerging at an election count; other times, every batch of votes seems to tell a significantly different story and you just can not guess the overall result.

Last night at Chicksands definitely fell into the second category.  We shall gloss over the collapsing LibDem vote, but all the other candidates were consistently recording votes as each paper was counted.  By-elections are notoriously unpredictable, with typically low turnouts and people more likely to switch their vote away from their usual preference.

Caddington ward by-election 28 November 2013

The final result was a clear win for the Conservatives, although share of the vote was spread more widely than in 2011.  Many, many thanks to all those who worked on the campaign and also to everybody that supported me with their vote.

Caddington Parish Council

Alongside the election for the CBC ward, there was also an election yesterday to fill the vacancy on Caddington Parish Council.

The count was incredibly tight, so much so that the officers decided on an immediate recount to be sure.

Congratulations to Sarah Eacope, winner by 391 votes to 388.  Commiserations to Christine Smith, who campaigned hard and came a very close second.

Confirm support with votes

Election day is almost upon us.

It has been good to speak with so many of you in the last few weeks and I hope that I will be able to continue to do so as your elected councillor from Friday onwards.

Tory Dog - guaranteed tail wag every time someone votes Collins!

I have heard a lot of positive comments during the campaign, as have the rest of my hard-working team.  Thank you, it is much appreciated.

It is VITAL that we translate pledges into actual votes tomorrow - polling stations are open from 7AM until 10PM.  If you have already voted postally, thankyou for your support.

Kensworth consider a Neighbourhood Plan

Sometimes with a public meeting, you just can't predict how many people might turn up but you hope it will be a decent number.  Gathered in Kensworth Village Hall last night, the recurrent phrase I heard as we neared the official start time was "we are going to need more chairs!"  Out came the chairs and in came more people.  The rough head count was 70, an excellent turn out on a cold November evening.

The meeting was opened by Mrs Pat Mitchell, chair of Kensworth Parish Council, ably assisted by her vice-chair John Worboys.  I had been invited along, together with Cllr Richard Stay, to share our experiences in the work to date on the Caddington & Slip End Neighbourhood Plan.

Discussion was initially about the recent legislation that has introduced Neighbourhood Planning and what, in practical terms, the process can achieve for parishes like Kensworth.  The simple question being explored was "Is this a good thing for the village to be contemplating?"

There was some healthy debate, Cllr Stay and I offering extra detail where we could and answered questions, and some interesting ideas began to emerge as to what might be achievable.  This eventually led to the question being put to the room "is Neighbourhood Planning a good idea for Kensworth?"; almost every hand went up in support and none against.  Volunteers were invited to leave contact details so that the process of forming a team can begin.

Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan is extremely hard work, but our experience in Caddington & Slip End is that it can also be very rewarding.  An effective team comprises a good cross-section of the community and it is amazing the specialised skills and knowledge that can be revealed amongst people that you previously knew nothing more about than the fact they live in the same village as you.  I wish the people of Kensworth well in their endeavours, and will be happy to lend whatever practical assistance I can.

Independent thought (as dictated by someone else!)

After a busy morning delivering the latest "In Touch" flyer, I was passed a copy of the latest offering from one of the alternate candidates in next week's by-election.

Follow the leader

I am both amused and bemused by the continuing claim that having no party membership guarantees that a potential councillor will be (as quoted from the flyer) "free minded".  This claim is promoted and published by Julian Murray, a former Labour Party member who is now the self-appointed leader of his own 'independent' group.

Any councillor should know their own mind and vote according to their best judgement; I do not believe that belonging to a group of people with a broadly similar viewpoint robs you of the ability to make your own decisions.  Indeed, if you are familiar with the facts and have established a good argument then it follows that you can persuade colleagues of the merits of your position and gain their support also.

What does frustrate me is someone claiming that they are the voice of independent thought whilst apparently taking direction on how to make such a claim!  If you make duplicitous claims, you sometimes (metaphorically) get your fingers bitten.

Election Posters

Polling day will be with us very soon; it is important that everyone who supports the campaign actually casts their vote!

Remember the date and remind your friends.

Caddington Parish also has a parish council election on the same day.

If anyone needs help getting to the polling station, please get in touch.

Your polling card may be a useful aid, but it is not essential to vote.  If you are on the electoral register, then you will be on the list held at the polling station.

If anyone is willing and able to display a poster, please get in touch.

We have A4 & A3 copies, encapsulated to protect them from the weather, and are happy to drop one off for any supporter to display.

Old Hunters Lodge

Last night was the annual Caddington, Slip End & Hyde branch association dinner which returned to a venue that he treated us well in the past, The Old Hunters Lodge on Whipsnade Common.  They treated us well again; excellent food and drink in a charming setting.  Many thanks to the landlady and her hard working team; thanks also to Cllr Richard Stay for ensuring that everything ran smoothly.

It was a chance to catch up with Conservative colleagues from across Central Bedfordshire and Luton South and also good to see the event supported by some loyal friends from the villages.  Included amongst the guests was Ruth Gammons, who was presented with gifts in recognition of her many years service.

Richard Fuller MP

It was also a chance to listen to Richard Fuller, Member of Parliament for Bedford & Kempston.  He claimed a certain reluctance to venture too far from Bedford for evening engagements; Richard, I am glad that we tempted you to make an exception and you would be most welcome to join us again in the future!  Thought provoking and entertaining in equal measure, he is the perfect guest to round off a successful evening.

Campaign continues door to door

I have been out and about this week accompanied by other Bedfordshire Conservatives speaking to people about the by-election.  It is now less than two weeks away.

We have been getting a lot of positive feedback; plenty of people have commented on the good work done for this ward by Ruth Gammons and Richard Stay and I pledge that if elected to succeed Ruth at Central Bedfordshire I will continue that positive trend.

We will be out again today - I am looking forward to meeting you!

An evening in Kensworth

I spent some time yesterday evening listening to the debate at Kensworth Parish Council; the meeting included visiting speaker David Bowie (Head of Service Traffic Management at Central Bedfordshire Council) and I was joined in the public seating by some Kensworth residents.

Common Road is central to Kensworth village, has a long straight section and is classified as a "B" road.  This combination of factors means that the road carries a lot of traffic, much of which chooses to ignore the published speed limits, yet there are limitations on the sort of obstructive measures which can be placed on a significant through route.  As technology moves on, there may be options to upgrade existing speed cameras (newer digital models capture traffic in both directions at one, they do not just point one way) or perhaps even an average-speed installation which could monitor speed through the village rather than just past a specific fixed camera site.

None of these things can happen overnight, but it is good to be investigating what might be possible.  The Parish Council can now have an informed discussion around potential costs (and to what degree funding assistance might be available from the local authority) and possible ways forward.  Revised road markings and signage around areas like the school might also be considered, especially if this can be co-ordinated with practical enforcement of the regulations to ensure that traffic rules are obeyed and so danger to pedestrians and other road users is minmised.

There is no quick and easy fix, but at least the problem is being looked at in a sensible and pro-active way.  I am also conscious that Slip End has similar straight road / speeding issues and are doing their best to tackle the problem.  These are not issues that we are likely to ever completely eradicate, but continued dialogue and positive action can, at least, keep safety as the top priority and minmise the disruption to people's enjoyment of village life.

I will be back in Kensworth next week to talk about Neighbourhood Planning.

In Touch: by-election campaign continues

Parish Council meetings

These meetings are, of course, open to the public and so I thought that I would call in at Whipsnade last night having already been to Hyde last week.

It's a great chance to keep up to date with issues within the parishes - I know from my experience as a parish councillor that a good working relationship with the ward councillor is mutually beneficial.  Parish Councils have a different function to the unitary authority; it is important to understand those roles and then how to co-ordinate both for the benefit of the communities.

Many thanks to the councillors of Hyde and then Whipsnade, all of whom gave a warm welcome.  It is interesting to compare what the various parishes have in common in the way that they approach their role, and where they differ.

In the interests of balance, it was pointed out to these Parish Councils that I am not the only candidate for Caddington Ward in the by-election, even if I was the only one to show an interest in Parish Council meetings.

No boundary changes

What is it with labour candidates trying to redefine where we are?

One of the previous contenders to represent this ward is of the opinion that Caddington & Slip End belong in Luton, not Central Bedfordshire.  I think that the residents of those villages disagree and will fight to protect their rural character; the villages do not want to be consumed by urban sprawl.

The latest Labour candidate is sending out letters defining the ward as Caddington, Kensworth, Slip End, Studham & Whipsnade.  I would like to reassure the good people of Hyde that, if elected, I will not forget you and will ensure that your Parish, like all the other in the ward, receives the attention it deserves.

The rain in Slip End falls mainly on the canvassers

Okay, so this morning's weather wasn't the best for walking the streets of Slip End, but we still received a warm welcome from many of the residents.

Thanks to Cllr Dave Bowater and Cllr James Jamieson (leader of Central Bedfordshire Council) for joining me on a Saturday morning; it was a chance to chat with a good number of residents and an opportunity to listen to your thoughts and concerns about the area.  We will be back to cover the roads that we didn't have time for today, and I will be doing my best (along with colleagues) to get round as many places as possible across the six parishes during this campaign.


I did also notice a team in different colours circulating around Caddington village, although the feedback seems to be that they were only delivering leaflets and not actually pausing to discuss policies.  Probably in a rush to get back to Barton-le-Clay, they had a long journey home to contend with!

CVS annual fireworks display

Further to my previous post, last night witnessed one of the more popular recurring events on the Caddington social calendar, the fireworks display on the school field.

The weather was relatively kind to us in the evening with no rain (it had been heavy earlier in the day) and only minimal wind.  There was a large and good-natured crowd and the people behind the burgers & hotdogs stand and the adjacent drinks table were kept busy throughout; they must be doing something right!

The whole event runs smoothly because of excellent organization by the PTA and their willing band of helpers; many thanks to you all, you know who you are.  Special credit is due to Steve Rumball and his team, who have put on these displays for many years now and who never fail to put on a spectacular show.

Local artist & photogapher Neil Smith took some great pictures, click here to view.

Fireworks, fireworks & more fireworks

This may be a little late for this year as both Diwahli and November 5th have passed, but the comment is still worth making and hopefully people will keep it in mind for the future.

I have been hearing some truly upsetting tales about dogs and other pets which have been injured because of their sheer panic at the noise.

Firework displays can be great fun and are a good chance for the community to gather together, but most people are within range of an "official" display at a school, social club, village field or similar.  It would be nice if people would support those events and forgo letting fireworks off at home; you can still celebrate with friends before or after the official displays without the need for fireworks in the back garden.  That way, there is some predictability around when the noises will be happening and people caring for nervous animals have a chance to deal with the problem.  What seems to happen now is that there are fireworks let off at random times every night for what is apparently an increasingly extended period every year, making the disturbance impossible to predict.

In Touch: By-Election Special

People willing to travel to stand in the Caddington by-election

The official statement of persons nominated has now been issued by Central Bedfordshire Council.

Alongside myself respresenting the Conservatives, there are candidates for Labour, the Lib-Dems and UKIP plus one independent.  From that list, two candidates live outside the ward and one more has only very recently registered his address locally (having previously been registered in Watford).

We are always happy to welcome visitors to this corner of Bedfordshire; I hope that the above map will help newcomers find their way around.

Nominations close today

The deadline for nominations to be handed in is noon today; soon we will know the official list of who will be contesting this by-election.  Rumours suggest that we can expect a 'local' candidate who has failed at least three times in attempts to be elected to Watford Borough Council and an 'independent' candidate who uses someone else to write their flyers for them.

We also have an ex-candidate who came a poor third in 2011 suggesting that the conservatives have no chance this time around; I am fairly sure that he is wrong!

It's going to be an interesting few weeks.........