Towcester Lib Dems Make Landslide Gains

Liberal Democrats made two landslide gains from Tories in the by-elections on 9th February.

Chris Lofts took Northamptonshire County Council’s Towcester division on a massive swing of more than 30% since the 2009 shire polls. Lisa Samiotis triumphed at Towcester Brook, South Northants Council. This brings the total of Liberal Democrat gains this month to three, after a win from Labour last week.

Many people are angry at how the Conservatives have taken Towcester people for granted. The last Conservative County Councillor moved 200 miles away yet remained on the Council claiming her allowance. The Conservatives then spent over £3000 on a painting of her. Conservative bosses then parachuted in a new candidate who lives outside the area.

The Tories have failed Towcester. Locals are fed up with threats to cut local police numbers and plans to close Riverside Resource Centre. They are very upset that the Council is still trying to move to new offices in the town centre. They are fed up with street lights being turned off and roads left with potholes.

Liberal Democrats Chris Lofts and Lisa Samiotis live in Towcester. They know the area and the issues we face. This election result doesn’t change control of the Councils but it gives us two new local councillors who will work hard and put Towcester first.

Chris Lofts and Lisa Samiotis and the Liberal Democrats have worked hard all year around, not just at election time. They have had a great reception on the doorstep and have thanked residents for their support. The Conservatives have been sent a very clear message – start listening to Towcester residents.

Northamptonshire County Council – Towcester: Lib Dem 1279, C 638, Ukip 124, BNP 66. (June 2009 – C 1648, Lib Dem 760, Lab 293). Lib Dem gain from C.
Swing 31.6% C to Lib Dem.

South Northamptonshire District Council – Towcester Brook: Lib Dem 774, C 401, Ukip 129. (May 2011 – Three seats Lib Dem 857, C 831, Lib Dem 811, C 785, 753, Lib Dem 645, Ukip 266, 178). Lib Dem gain from C.
Swing 13.6% C to Lib Dem.

Vince Cable Gives Support to Lisa and Chris

Liberal Democrat Minister for Business Vince Cable made time in his visit to Northamptonshire to meet the Towcester Focus team and give support to Chris Lofts and Lisa Samiotis – Lib Dem candidates for the by-elections in Towcester on 9 February.

“One of the things I’ve always been proud of as a Liberal Democrat, is how effective our Councillors are. The Enterprise Zone I visited is here because of foundations laid by Liberal Democrats – foundations, I am told, the Conservatives on Northamptonshire County Council opposed. Up to 17,000 jobs could be created because Liberal Democrats didn’t back down.”

He continued, “Speaking to Chris about the work he and the FOCUS team have been doing in Towcester I see the same thing; hard work and genuine concern for the town. I know Chris will make a fantastic county councillor for Towcester – it sounds like it’s time they had a truly local, hard working representative.”

Chris Lofts took the opportunity to promote Towcester’s interests and the importance of bringing high skilled jobs to the area.

Lib Dems Select Locals as Towcester Candidates

The Liberal Democrats have selected Lisa Samiotis and Chris Lofts as their candidates for the by-elections called by the Conservatives for Thursday 9 February.

Lisa Samiotis is well known for her successful campaign to keep a local school crossing patrol and fund raising to support it. As a young working mum, Lisa knows the pressures of balancing bringing up children whilst working part-time. Lisa Samiotis plans to put Towcester family concerns and issues at the top of her agenda when elected. Liberal Democrat Lisa Samiotis is the only women candidate selected by political parties in these elections.

Chris Lofts is a town councillor and proud to have been a past Mayor of Towcester. Chris Lofts is very active locally within a number of voluntary organisations in Towcester. Chris was elected last May as a district councillor and has been working hard for Towcester people since his election win.

It will be a fascinating contest, on the doorstep people have been saying how much they appreciate the work Liberal Democrats do in Towcester all year around. The Liberal Democrats have two very strong local candidates in Lisa and Chris.

I’m somewhat puzzled that our opponents have failed to find a local person to contest the county council seat. The clear message from Towcester residents on the doorstep is they’re fed up with councillors who choose to live outside the town.

Lisa and Chris talking to parents

Tories consider charging for your Green Bin

Liberal Democrat councillors have come out strongly in favour of keeping the council’s green wheelie bin service free of extra annual charges. South Northants Council’s Conservatives are considering charging an annual fee for using green wheelie bins.

SNC’s waste and recycling service is one of the few services that benefits everyone in Towcester. To charge householders an extra £30 to £60 a year or more for using their green wheelie bin would be wrong.

Focus Team member Lisa Samiotis says: “Charging up to £60 a year for having a green wheelie bin would reduce recycling, add to fly-tipping and car trips to the recycling centre”. Lisa Samiotis adds: “It would be a recipe for chaos”. Councillor Chris Lofts says: “SNC is reviewing its how it runs its waste services because they need to renew the vehicle fleet. This is sensible. Your Liberal Democrat councillors will however be looking for all party support to keep your green wheelie bin from having extra annual charges introduced.”

Cllr Martin Johns with resident discussing green wheelie bins charges

Lib Dems Raise Concerns Over Empty Property

I will be asking South Northants Council to explain why a large council property in Towcester has been left empty and unused for the past five years. At next week’s full council meeting I will raise the matter with SNC’s Conservative led administration.

Despite spending a whacking £454,895 of public money on a building intended for those in housing need, the property is still empty five years on. There appears to have been difficulties with housing organisations that should be running the building but leaving it empty for five years is a disgrace. What on earth have they been doing? It just goes to show how little importance they place on tackling homelessness in our town.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts comments: “Given the level of housing need, failing to use this property to help those in need reflects poorly on the Conservatives.” Councillor Lofts adds: “ It shows yet again that it’s been left to the Liberal Democrats to expose how the Tories are failing to get to grip with important issues in our town and district.”

WNDC’s loss of powers welcomed

The Coalition Government’s Communities Minister and Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell MP, has confirmed that West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) is going.

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that ends speculation about WNDC’s future. In April 2014 South Northamptonshire Council will take back full responsibility for strategic planning in Towcester.

It’s good news that planning decisions in Towcester will be back in democratic control and accountable to local people again. As a Liberal Democrat I believe it’s good news that an unaccountable quango is going. Unfortunately we have to wait until March 2014.

The next few years will be crucial to Towcester because of the major development plans for our town. It’s vital that South Northants Council, supported by Towcester Town Council will be leading on these plans.

Councillor Chris Lofts says: “The Government’s funding that WNDC have been using in Towcester has been welcome. Although the only real benefit that WNDC has brought to Towcester is the drive and vision to regenerate the Moat Lane area of the town.   SNC Tories failed for years to promote investment in Towcester, had it not been for WNDC the town would have remained neglected. Some of WNDC planning decisions such as at Belle Baulk have however been far from good. Liberal Democrat councillors are lobbying for South Northants Council to work closely with the Town Council to jointly take the lead with all major planning issues affecting the town.”

Developers are about to re-launch their plans for Towcester in the next few weeks. Liberal Democrats are urging local people to look at the proposal and have their say.

Wish you were here

Since the Towcester Advertiser broke the news, there has been strong local reaction to Towcester’s county councillor moving to Cornwall. I have been dismayed however by the anger and personal attacks on Mrs Bromwhich. Whilst people’s fury is understandable, it would be more appropriately leveled at the Conservative Party.

Knowing Mrs Bromwhich for many years I believe her to be an honourable and well meaning person. The idea that anyone could represent Towcester whilst living in Cornwall is plainly barmy. Mrs Bromwhich I’m sure realises this only too well. The real villains are her Tory colleagues, who have pressured her into staying on as a councillor. Given the unpopularity of the Conservatives at county hall, the Tories will seemingly do anything to avoid being called to account. Even if this means damaging the reputation of a loyal party member.

It’s the Conservatives who deserve to be derided over this sorry matter not Mrs Bromwhich. Her mistake has been putting misplaced loyalty to the Tories above the democratic rights of Towcester residents.

Lib Dems Vote Against Council Offices Move

South Northants Council has selected a developer as the preferred bidder to lead on plans for building on Springfields and Moat Lane in Towcester. This will still be subject to conditions being met.

Liberal Democrats with some independent councillor support opposed the controversial plans. These were discussed at a special council meeting held on Wednesday.

Lib Dems believe the proposal represents an unacceptable financial risk to local tax payers and at the same time may not comply with the council’s own master plan for Moat Lane. The Conservatives remain fixated on their vanity scheme for new council offices. Tories spent most of the meeting trying to score party political points, rather than debate the issues that are so important to Towcester.

The proposals heard in secret because of commercial and legal reasons will be made public when put forward through the planning process. Liberal Democrat, Councillor Chris Lofts said: “The plans show a sense of desperation by the council’s Tory administration. The council office move remains in the proposals against very strong public opinion.”

Tory Councillor Moves to Cornwall

A Conservative councillor representing Towcester has moved 250 miles away to Cornwall but says she has no intention whatsoever of resigning her council seat.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Lofts said: “This seems a very odd way to try representing the town. I fail to see how Towcester people can have their views properly represented by someone living in Cornwall.”

Cllr Rosemary Bromwich argues she is able to represent the town effectively, despite living several hundred miles away. She is quoted in the local press as saying that she is: “fully equipped to continue serving the town until I stand down at the May 2013 elections.” The Tory councillor is also quoted as saying: “I’m so well versed on what the issues are.” Towcester people may beg to differ that a councillor can represent them from Cornwall.

Towcester is now effectively unrepresented at the county council. People are already asking if Cllr Bromwich is still claiming her councillor’s allowance of £7,086 a year.

With unpopular Tory policies such as cuts to street lighting, school crossing patrol funding, libraries, social care, poor road maintenance etc, it doesn’t take a cynic to see why the Conservatives don’t want to call a bye-election. I’m sure Cllr Bromwich does want to resign but her Tory Party whips have plainly pressured her into hanging on to her seat until 2013.

Let’s Value the Voluntary Sector

It’s a strange but uplifting experience being a town’s mayor. Well, that’s been my experience anyway as the Mayor of Towcester. The strange part is seeing so much of what’s positive in my town and across Northamptonshire. I exaggerate of course but we are though constantly bombarded with news that’s bleak. It’s so uplifting and refreshing therefore to see the reality of what’s so positive and good in our community.

Some of that good news is seeing the work of the voluntary sector and of their volunteers. Charities and voluntary groups play such a critical role, particularly in providing services to the vulnerable. And who are the vulnerable? When I worked for an organisation that provided emergency accommodation for the homeless, people would ask me what sort of people became homeless. My reply was and is, ‘people like you and me’. It doesn’t take much in life to plunge us into personal difficulty, to become vulnerable. Whether it’s our health, financial position, family or personal relationships. When things go wrong, it’s often voluntary organisations that can make the difference to our lives.

Most politicians in my experience, do recognise the contribution voluntary organisations make. Unfortunately, far too many politicians view voluntary organisations as a cheap or cheaper alternative to public services. It never fails to amaze me that some local politicians continue to believe that if an organisation is voluntary, then it follows that it doesn’t need any public money to support its work. With the voluntary and community sector playing an increasing role, funding from local government is required more than ever.

In his influential book The Gift Relationship, Richard Titmuss described the blood donor service as an example of the value of altruism in social and health policy and practice. Volunteers in our community have this gift relationship with others. Giving themselves to the service of others. It’s my hope that our county, borough and district councils will fully recognise the value of the voluntary sector as they now start to plan their budgets for next year. With council tax being frozen and grants to councils being cut, it will be vital for councillors to keep faith with voluntary organisations. Some voluntary organisations need public money to enable them to use volunteers. Without such core funding the gift relationship that many volunteers offer will be lost to us all.