The race is on but there will be no town council election and no Labour candidates at all..
The most surprising result is in Ponteland North, where Conservative County Councillor Richard Dodd has been elected without an election even being held. No other parties could find candidates to contest the election. It is a remarkable turnout for Cllr Dodd, who only won the seat from the Liberal Democrats in 2008. That will leave around 4000 people in Ponteland unable to vote at this election. And they aren't the only ones.
Ponteland's Town Council elections will not be going ahead after only the Conservatives were able to field candidates. 13 out of the 13 Councillors on the Town Council will now be Conservative. That is another remarkable turnout for a Town Council which had a Lib Dem majority in the last ten years.
I think the fact only the Conservatives are fighting every seat is testament to fact it is the Conservatives who consistently put Ponteland first. These elections will be about local people and local issues. It is the Conservatives, and our local candidates and Councillors, who have stood up for Ponteland against the neglect from the Lib Dem County Council. From fighting to fix our roads, to trying to get proper protection for our green belt, and a fair deal for Ponteland, we have truly led the way.
Only the Conservatives have been able to field candidates in all 67 Divisions for the coming County Council elections. Here in the Hexham constituency again only the Conservatives have candidates in every division, with the Lib Dem leaving 3 seats uncontested. The only one they are fighting is Ponteland South and that is bizarre: Liberal Ian Southern lives in Hexham and is standing for Hexham Town Council for the Liberals
- but at the same time is seeking election for Ponteland South and Heddon, some 20 miles away: very odd.
In Ponteland East and West our two local women, Councillors Eileen Amrstrong and Veronica Jones, both have just one opponent from a national party of the right. Eileen's opponent is from Bardon Mill. What these opponents policies are on the 3 Tier, the improvement of the roads / potholes, getting a better deal from Morpeth and combatting the big guns at Lugano I am unsure. But we take nothing for granted and you will see the ladies out there every day on the doorstep. We have a very strong group of candidates and councillors, who have a strong record of action in their communities. It will be that record on which local people will quite rightly judge them and their opponents. I urge you to support Eileen and Veronica.
More details on the Lib Dem implosion here: http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2013/04/12/one-horse-election-is-off-61634-33158747/
- but at the same time is seeking election for Ponteland South and Heddon, some 20 miles away: very odd.
In Ponteland East and West our two local women, Councillors Eileen Amrstrong and Veronica Jones, both have just one opponent from a national party of the right. Eileen's opponent is from Bardon Mill. What these opponents policies are on the 3 Tier, the improvement of the roads / potholes, getting a better deal from Morpeth and combatting the big guns at Lugano I am unsure. But we take nothing for granted and you will see the ladies out there every day on the doorstep. We have a very strong group of candidates and councillors, who have a strong record of action in their communities. It will be that record on which local people will quite rightly judge them and their opponents. I urge you to support Eileen and Veronica.
More details on the Lib Dem implosion here: http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2013/04/12/one-horse-election-is-off-61634-33158747/
