Eynesbury Conservatives finally keep a promise!

At the last local election the Conservatives in Eynesbury made the follow promises:

It says: "We pledge to hold a monthly surgery for the public to meet with their Councillors to enable them to talk about local issues concerning them."

Out in Eaton Socon a similar promise was made. The image below is taken from the Town Council website. The Conservatives got on with their councillor surgeries in the Eatons.

9 months after making this promise, the Eynesbury Conservatives have finally gotten around to holding councillor surgeries. The only way I found out about this was a post by Cllr Ursell on the St Neots Community Forums.

Whilst the Eynesbury Conservatives have set up councillor surgeries they haven't done much to publicise this fact. I've looked on the Town Council website and the District Council website. Nothing found. Even the Conservatives own website says absolutely nothing about these surgeries.

What is the point of holding surgeries with virtually no publicity? What a waste of money!

Blot on the landscape

Throughout the summer I've been watching this "bridge" grow and grow whilst walking the dogs. I, like many, have to scratch my head over why this bridge is so long? When I first heard of the bridge I thought it would be a straight up and over like the one at Riverside Park.

I don't dispute the need for a bridge across the Great Ouse. As a cyclist to get to Eaton Socon it is a trouble so go over the weir or along the A428. This makes cycling and walking to and from Eaton Socon much, much easier.

As a show case for the connection between the two communities it is plainly over engineered. Too big and the walkway is far too far. A blot on the landscape.

When archaeologists in the far distant future look at this bridge they will scratch there heads to think why it was built so long on the Eynesbury side. Sometimes the people behind these projects need to take a step back and look at the outcome before committing the project to be built. Visitors et al will also be scratching their heads as to this blot on the landscape.

Is this something St Neots should be proud of? I say NO!

Will Labour standing In Eynesbury help the Liberal Democrats?

With Labour scoring the highest vote in Eynesbury they have taken the opportunity to put up one candidate for the 7 seats in Eynesbury. The big question is whether the Liberal Democrats will make much of this or will Labour supporters just vote once for their candidate. Judging by the way the Liberal Democrats falling apart from their defeat probably not. But each Labour voter has 6 other votes. The District result says the majority are against the Conservatives.

Paul Ursell got 1081 votes. The Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates got 1312 between them. It whether the Liberal Democrats are actually willing to campaign to win. If they sit on their hands the Conservatives will have a near clean sweep of the Council. Labour standing could help the Liberal Democrats. Opportunity awaits but knowing the Liberal Democrats "winning here" will just mean too much work.

Elections 2011: Eynesbury

Eynesbury:

With the postponed poll for the Eynesbury Ward for Town Council, the Conservatives did well.

Against the 2008 result all votes are up. The dramatic number is Labour which rose to just over their 2010 District Election results. Something going on here. Whilst Cllr Ursell is back in for another 4 years this result is less of a ringing endorsement for Cllr Ursell, more of the Labour supporters not supporting the Liberal Democrats.

Previous elections

The 2010 District results:

This election was held in combination with the 2010 General Election.

The 2008 District results:

The 2007 District results:

The 2007 Town Council results:

This is not strictly comparable as the District Eynesbury ward took in the Town ward of EHPC but the Town Council ward didn't. With the annexation the ward boundary has changed to both boundaries are the same for the elections in May.

The election continues in Eynesbury

The elections to control the Town Council continues with the delayed poll in Eynesbury due on 9th June 2011. The Town Council election results have the Conservatives on 13 seats with Independent gaining the new seats in East Ward.

This leaves the 7 seats up for election in Eynesbury. With all the resources available to both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives isn't it time Eynesbury was treated with respect. Both have enough party workers to come round and knock on individual doors.

Death of Merv Perry postpones Town Poll in Eynesbury

The death of Conservative Town Council candidate has postponed the Town Council elections in Eynesbury. This could mean the result of the Town Council elections could hang on the Eynesbury. Or not if the Conservatives sweep up the other seats in the other parts of St Neots.

So there we have it. Eynesbury will go to the polls again on 9th June 2011 barring any more incidents which could cause a postponed poll.

The District Election and the AV referendum still continue on 5th May 2011 in Eynesbury.

And the Conservatives don't check the fine print!

Candidates are responsible for their election literature. It is in their names it goes out and they should approve every word and comma. So I was surprised that in the recent Conservative leaflet there was a mistake on the fine print. Paul is now Paula!

Conservative postal letter - The first Conservative literature of this campaign

I thought I would take a look at the Conservative letter to postal voters as delivered in Eynesbury. The Conservative District candidate is Paul Ursell. There are 7 candidates for Town Council.

The letter can be accessed here and on the electionleaflets.org website or here.

The letter starts off with a bit about people agreeing with Conservative policies. Of course you want to be one of the crowd. The letter then goes onto list the things the Conservatives want to achieve. These are:

So the Conservatives are going to maximise the use of Bargroves as the community centre for Eynesbury! Please inform me what maximise means?

Now this is a bit of a contentious issue. Much of Parklands was in the area of the former Eynesbury Hardwicke Parish Council which Cllr Ursell sat on. They didn't get around to putting this in place. Now St Neots Town Council has too.

Now I keep getting told that the Swimming Pool Trust is separate from the Town Council. Remember the phrase "ALL THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE".

To my mind the best possible concept is to put this in an out of town location.

Sounds good.

Not to sure what is meant by this. There is actually very little to cut in Central Administration. Only the Deputy Town Clerk. And what are front line services?

Very good except when the idea of a family friendly arcade came before them the Conservatives objected. One reason was they didn't want those kind of people in the Town Centre.

What does "support" mean?

There are more questions than answers in what the Conservatives are going to do. The main question I have is over Council Tax. Not a word from them in this leaflet.

Also what has happened to the Eynesbury Hardwicke fund? the extra money from the hard pressed ex Eynesbury Hardwicke residents!

In the last few paragraphs is this little statement:

Does this mean Cllr Ursell who is so experienced he only has turn up 55% of the time in the last 6 months.

Also if we are only going to elect experienced candidates what about the Town Council where 5 Liberal Democrats are the experienced ones. What of other Conservative candidates like Roger Harrison. Should the electorates not elect these Conservatives because they have no experience of Town or District?

Not at letter that enthralled me to vote Conservative. Key points are missing especially over Council Tax.

Cllr Ursell standing in Eynesbury

On the St Neots Community Forum Cllr Ursell (Conservative District candidate for Eynesbury) has been saying a few things about the non-appearance of any Conservative literature since the election campaign started. On the Forum Cllr Ursell says on 12th April 2011:

Six days later and the leaflets will be now delivered over the next two weeks.

If Cllr Ursell fails to be re-elected, then this must be the significant reason why not.

Another reason could be the candidate didn't come and knock on the electors doors.

But Eynesbury isn't that large.

This is not a rural ward. All the housing are in estates and aren't particularly spread out. Combining the District and Town candidates there are 7 Conservatives candidates in Eynesbury. With that many candidates Eynesbury should be canvassed within the election period. If Eynesbury is too big then this is evidence that St Neots should go to single member wards. Also instead of not getting round within the election period do this beforehand!

This isn't good enough and this is a lame excuse by the Conservatives as to why they are not effective campaigning. Why are they being so quiet?

How I voted at the District Elections

I vote in Eynesbury and this is how I cast my postal vote at the District Elections:

As a person who normally votes Conservative, until I moved to St Neots, I have to say the main reason I voted Liberal Democrat is because I feel the local Conservatives aren't up to the job. The District Council is in a financial mess and the Conservatives are nicking the New Homes Bonus from St Neots.

I therefore voted Liberal Democrat out of protest rather than for their policies. I believe the local Conservatives need a bit of a bloody nose to get their act together.

Also the incumbent, Cllr Paul Ursell isn't that good at attending meetings.

Local Elections: Eynesbury

This is a Conservative/Liberal Democrat marginal seat with 2 Conservatives and 1 Liberal Democrat at District level and 5 Liberal Democrats and 1 Conservative at Town Council level. The Town Ward has expanded and there is an extra seat for this election.

The Candidates for the District Elections are:

The Candidates for the 7 seats (1 extra because of boundary change) for Town Council are:

For the Conservatives Paul Ursell is standing in both elections. County Councillor Catherine Hutton and District Councillor Andrew Hansard are also standing for Town. For the Liberal Democrats Steve van de Kerkhove is District Councillor. Labour perennial Bill O'Connor is standing for District but Labour isn't standing for Town.

Previous elections

The 2010 District results:

This election was held in combination with the 2010 General Election.

The 2008 District results:

The 2007 District results:

The 2007 Town Council results:

This is not strictly comparable as the District Eynesbury ward took in the Town ward of EHPC but the Town Council ward didn't. With the annexation the ward boundary has changed to both boundaries are the same for the elections in May.