Futures Forum: Brexit: and Totnes' independent MP
People are very fed up with party politics:
Futures Forum: Brexit: forget it > "The future of political power is going to belong to whoever can empower the ‘little guy’."
A grouping has just started up in Sidmouth - to encourage new faces at Town Council level:
Futures Forum: Sid Valley Democracy > calling for candidates for the Town Council elections in May
Futures Forum: Sid Valley Democracy > meeting on Thurs 7th March > how to stand for the Town Council at the upcoming elections
And at District County level, there are also moves to bring in fresh blood - as reported Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Clark:
The independents across Devon 'fed up' of existing party politics
These people intend stand in May's election
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporter
18 MAR 2019
18 MAR 2019
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CLICK TO PLAY
Independent candidates for council seats across Devon have said they are fed-up of being ignored by ruling political parties. All across the county, candidates are set to stand in May’s district council elections, after feeling that the existing political parties have failed to represent their views.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service looks at some of the candidates who are set to stand in May and their reasons for doing so.
EXETER
Clifton Hill green space campaigner Jemima Moore has revealed she is planning to run as an Independent candidate for Newtown and St Leonard’s in the upcoming council elections. Her decision comes after Exeter City Council voted to close Clifton Hill sports centre, and voted to sell off the entire Clifton Hill site– including the golf driving range, ski slope and the rifle range – but to save 10 per cent of the green space.
The part-time primary school teacher, 36, said, “During the past year, I have met hundreds of people who feel betrayed by the current Labour city council, and its decision to close the Clifton Hill Sports Centre, sell the green space and effectively close the Ski Club. Thousands of Exeter residents signed petitions and attended demonstrations to make their voices heard and were ignored time and time again.
“While attending council meetings as part of the group trying to save the Clifton Hill green space, I was shocked by the state of city politics. Residents are told that Clifton Hill must be sacrificed in order to raise money for other leisure centres yet, when the cost of St Sidwell Point rises again to £51.8 million. We need greater openness, honesty and integrity among councillors.”
If elected in May, Ms Moore plans to work across party lines to put greater protections on the city’s green spaces, combat climate change and ensure communities are properly consulted before major decisions are taken.
EAST DEVON
Cllr Ben Ingham is the leader of the Independent Group on East Devon District Council, who are the official opposition on the council, and he says that their commitment is to represent the communities to the best of our ability and to put East Devon first. He is calling for more independents to stand in the upcoming May elections and that it is time for the public to ‘stand up and be counted’.
Cllr Ingham said: “Last time I encouraged more independents to stands and the numbers rose to 16 – and now they are up to 17. You would have thought with a huge increase of numbers of seats we gained four years ago that the Conservatives would have learned earn the lesson and start listening more and not make the same mistakes that they did then around Sidmouth. I was thinking that they wouldn’t do that in Exmouth, however much I may want them to, but they have done in spades.”
He added: “I want more independents to stand and it is time to stand up and be counted, and anyone who wants to stand, I will advise them. So many of the other parties have no freedom of thought. It is important to show that there is another way and doesn’t have to be like this and don’t have to listen to anyone political party to come up with more bad ideas as we can do things ourselves.
“People are sick and tired of the depth of incompetence up to the highest level in this country. We don’t need people who are so self-motivated they fail to recognise the aspirations of the people they are supposed to represent, The only qualifier for us is that people who care. If you say you are about the area you represent first, then you are the right kind of person to stand.
“The key thing is that as independents is the attitude and commitment to represent community aspiration and community values and until you get elected and then seek their opinions, you cannot possibly tell people what you are going to do as a group. Our commitment is to represent the communities to the best of our ability and to put East Devon first – and that is our policy.”
He added that as independents, anyone who is in his group won’t be whipped, and that independents give people the chance to take control of their own destiny rather than being told what the agenda is.
TORRIDGE
Campaigners in Torridge say that they have found themselves ‘completely frustrated’ with politics at present.
Jamie Kelsey-Fry, from Torridge Common Ground, says that they are a non-party-political community platform that puts the shared values and practical vision of communities at the heart of local governance, empowering them to transform their local economies and wellbeing for the benefit of all.
They aims to create a new democratic vision – based on hope, sharing, celebrating and connecting with our community and its environment – to awake to the possibility of transforming our everyday lives for the better and, in doing so, create resilient and flourishing communities across Torridge.
He said: “We have a complete frustration with politics as we know it at the moment so we say that people need to empower themselves. One of the main complaints is that communities are not being listened to and that people feel that they have no say or feeling about what is happening. A lot of people have given up on party politics as it is. The idea that they elect someone and they represent them for four years just hasn’t worked. We are not carte blanche criticising the whole council at all, we recognise that there are plenty or brilliant, brave and determined councillors who are completely on the side of the community.
“Ultimately, it is the way things are done that we want to change, from the bottom up. Much more involvement of the community, holding meetings in the round, having aflame or candle to represent the next seven generations at every meeting so that we do not forget the long term effects of our decisions. We have no agenda other than to just to what the voters want and to do right by the community.”
TEIGNBRIDGE
Newton Says No campaigners have already announced that they are considering standing in the May elections in protest about the way the council has acted over plans for development in Wolborough.
The NA3 site is included in the Local Plan and would see 1,500 homes built on what are the current rolling green hills of Wolborough, although at present, no planning application for the site has been approved. The council rejected plans for 1,210 homes in Wolborough last month and a planning inquiry takes place later this month on a duplicate application to that scheme.
Thousands of people have signed a petition against the development, and they say the volume of support from the public shows they are the moral majority and their main ‘raison d’être’ is to get the NA3 site removed from the Local Plan, as the people of Newton Abbot do not want the development to go ahead.
The group are preparing to field councillors in the upcoming May district council elections. Richard Daws said: “If there aren’t candidates who are set to stand who will represent our interests and what the electorate in the area are saying, then we will field candidates ourselves. Our view has been the same since 2011 - that we don’t want this. I wouldn’t be surprised if we are still fighting this in 10 years’ time.”
The independents across Devon 'fed up' of existing party politics - Devon Live
.
.
.
Independent candidates for council seats across Devon have said they are fed-up of being ignored by ruling political parties. All across the county, candidates are set to stand in May’s district council elections, after feeling that the existing political parties have failed to represent their views.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service looks at some of the candidates who are set to stand in May and their reasons for doing so.
EXETER
Clifton Hill green space campaigner Jemima Moore has revealed she is planning to run as an Independent candidate for Newtown and St Leonard’s in the upcoming council elections. Her decision comes after Exeter City Council voted to close Clifton Hill sports centre, and voted to sell off the entire Clifton Hill site– including the golf driving range, ski slope and the rifle range – but to save 10 per cent of the green space.
The part-time primary school teacher, 36, said, “During the past year, I have met hundreds of people who feel betrayed by the current Labour city council, and its decision to close the Clifton Hill Sports Centre, sell the green space and effectively close the Ski Club. Thousands of Exeter residents signed petitions and attended demonstrations to make their voices heard and were ignored time and time again.
“While attending council meetings as part of the group trying to save the Clifton Hill green space, I was shocked by the state of city politics. Residents are told that Clifton Hill must be sacrificed in order to raise money for other leisure centres yet, when the cost of St Sidwell Point rises again to £51.8 million. We need greater openness, honesty and integrity among councillors.”
If elected in May, Ms Moore plans to work across party lines to put greater protections on the city’s green spaces, combat climate change and ensure communities are properly consulted before major decisions are taken.
EAST DEVON
Cllr Ben Ingham is the leader of the Independent Group on East Devon District Council, who are the official opposition on the council, and he says that their commitment is to represent the communities to the best of our ability and to put East Devon first. He is calling for more independents to stand in the upcoming May elections and that it is time for the public to ‘stand up and be counted’.
Cllr Ingham said: “Last time I encouraged more independents to stands and the numbers rose to 16 – and now they are up to 17. You would have thought with a huge increase of numbers of seats we gained four years ago that the Conservatives would have learned earn the lesson and start listening more and not make the same mistakes that they did then around Sidmouth. I was thinking that they wouldn’t do that in Exmouth, however much I may want them to, but they have done in spades.”
He added: “I want more independents to stand and it is time to stand up and be counted, and anyone who wants to stand, I will advise them. So many of the other parties have no freedom of thought. It is important to show that there is another way and doesn’t have to be like this and don’t have to listen to anyone political party to come up with more bad ideas as we can do things ourselves.
“People are sick and tired of the depth of incompetence up to the highest level in this country. We don’t need people who are so self-motivated they fail to recognise the aspirations of the people they are supposed to represent, The only qualifier for us is that people who care. If you say you are about the area you represent first, then you are the right kind of person to stand.
“The key thing is that as independents is the attitude and commitment to represent community aspiration and community values and until you get elected and then seek their opinions, you cannot possibly tell people what you are going to do as a group. Our commitment is to represent the communities to the best of our ability and to put East Devon first – and that is our policy.”
He added that as independents, anyone who is in his group won’t be whipped, and that independents give people the chance to take control of their own destiny rather than being told what the agenda is.
TORRIDGE
Campaigners in Torridge say that they have found themselves ‘completely frustrated’ with politics at present.
Jamie Kelsey-Fry, from Torridge Common Ground, says that they are a non-party-political community platform that puts the shared values and practical vision of communities at the heart of local governance, empowering them to transform their local economies and wellbeing for the benefit of all.
They aims to create a new democratic vision – based on hope, sharing, celebrating and connecting with our community and its environment – to awake to the possibility of transforming our everyday lives for the better and, in doing so, create resilient and flourishing communities across Torridge.
He said: “We have a complete frustration with politics as we know it at the moment so we say that people need to empower themselves. One of the main complaints is that communities are not being listened to and that people feel that they have no say or feeling about what is happening. A lot of people have given up on party politics as it is. The idea that they elect someone and they represent them for four years just hasn’t worked. We are not carte blanche criticising the whole council at all, we recognise that there are plenty or brilliant, brave and determined councillors who are completely on the side of the community.
“Ultimately, it is the way things are done that we want to change, from the bottom up. Much more involvement of the community, holding meetings in the round, having aflame or candle to represent the next seven generations at every meeting so that we do not forget the long term effects of our decisions. We have no agenda other than to just to what the voters want and to do right by the community.”
TEIGNBRIDGE
Newton Says No campaigners have already announced that they are considering standing in the May elections in protest about the way the council has acted over plans for development in Wolborough.
The NA3 site is included in the Local Plan and would see 1,500 homes built on what are the current rolling green hills of Wolborough, although at present, no planning application for the site has been approved. The council rejected plans for 1,210 homes in Wolborough last month and a planning inquiry takes place later this month on a duplicate application to that scheme.
Thousands of people have signed a petition against the development, and they say the volume of support from the public shows they are the moral majority and their main ‘raison d’être’ is to get the NA3 site removed from the Local Plan, as the people of Newton Abbot do not want the development to go ahead.
The group are preparing to field councillors in the upcoming May district council elections. Richard Daws said: “If there aren’t candidates who are set to stand who will represent our interests and what the electorate in the area are saying, then we will field candidates ourselves. Our view has been the same since 2011 - that we don’t want this. I wouldn’t be surprised if we are still fighting this in 10 years’ time.”
The independents across Devon 'fed up' of existing party politics - Devon Live
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