Local Elections 2023

[Mark_w]

54 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Soulsby 

I don’t care what you think of Soulsby, there are not only two options, it’s inexcusable to vote Conservative

[PhillippaT]

52 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

Tories lose overall control of Charnwood but still have most seats.

Hehehehe  (Used to live in Thurmaston before moving to London, so...)

[Facecloth]

4 minutes ago, PhillippaT said:

Hehehehe  (Used to live in Thurmaston before moving to London, so...)

Oh really. I'm originally from Thurmaston too, in Loughborough now, so still Charnwood. Not surprised Thurmaston stayed Tory.

[PhillippaT]

7 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

Oh really. I'm originally from Thurmaston too, in Loughborough now, so still Charnwood. Not surprised Thurmaston stayed Tory.

Me neither - my vote against them never seemed to make a difference, so

[Bellend Sebastian]

30 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

I was doing my very best earlier to remain civil in the face of some quite deliberate wumming.

Stay strong, brother

[Spudulike]

11 hours ago, Lionator said:

I think it’s looking good for all of the Greens, LD’s and Labour. Which is a good sign for an election. People want change. 

I'm sure they do but will they ever get it by electing a different bunch of career politicians? 

[OntarioFox]

10 hours ago, Rain King said:

The training ground is Green.

 

 

Delighted to hear it! Sileby was bad enough with the over-development and flooding problems, but I think the withdrawal of the bus to Leicester was probably the final straw for residents. Ten thousand residents, no sunday public transport to the city and none at all for disabled or elderly people who can't get up the railway station steps. No doubt a big vote winner for the Greens.

 

My Mum has voted Tory all her life and now wants to leave because she hates living on an isolated building site. She gets what she deserves in truth. 

Edited 5 May 2023 by OntarioFox

[FoxesWalk]

Just remember guys, the number one issue facing the country is small boats. 

[TJQuik]

13 hours ago, Lako42 said:

A truly pathetic turnout from the local population. 

 

Years of being shit on and the brits can't even be arsed to get up and tick a box. 

It would help if any of the alternatives were any different from the ***** in charge of the country

Edited 5 May 2023 by TJQuik

[Unabomber]

To the guy slagging off Norfolk, the place is nice. 

[Legend_in_blue]

I doubt Costa will be worried, which is a shame.  People clearly happy with the current situation of increased mortgage rates, poorer living standards and further forced strikes.  Looking on the BBC map we're fairly isolated in blue here though which is promising.

 

At least LDs have made some gains.  Need to see more from Labour around here though, poor showing from them.  Step it up someone for the GE and provide a viable alternative.  Please?  

[st albans fox]

The beeb seem to think that this popular vote translates to a 9% point lead for Labour 

 

given where we are in the current administration, I’m not sure that’s going to be enough for starmer to get into no 10 

[Blueman1967]

13 hours ago, Raj said:

Really cant understand the mentality in people not voting.

Especially when they moan about things being inept

Maybe photo id might have been a factor.

Edited 5 May 2023 by Blueman1967

[Sly]

Photo ID will have played a part for some.

 

The turnout seems low though. 
 

I voted by post.

[Claridge]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

The beeb seem to think that this popular vote translates to a 9% point lead for Labour 

 

given where we are in the current administration, I’m not sure that’s going to be enough for starmer to get into no 10 

Thank God, dump him and get a leader that inspires people. 

[Legend_in_blue]

If you really wanted it badly enough to go out and vote, I doubt the forced ID issue is to blame.  More likely people are fed up with the system and couldn't be arsed to leave their house.

[Brizzle Fox]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

The beeb seem to think that this popular vote translates to a 9% point lead for Labour 

 

given where we are in the current administration, I’m not sure that’s going to be enough for starmer to get into no 10 

Bearing in mind there were no local elections in Labour heartlands such as London and Wales, and also Scotland where the SNP seems to be imploding, I would imagine the reality is a lot bigger lead.

 

Unless they have factored this sort of thing into those stats of course.

[CosbehFox]

3 hours ago, kenny said:

Got to build them somewhere unfortunately.

 

The same objectors will also complain that the government is doing nothing to address the housing crisis.

The village etc won’t defeat the application because the nature of planning law but a local councillor can advocate the need for further community services as a village expands. 

[kenny]

1 minute ago, CosbehFox said:

The village etc won’t defeat the application because the nature of planning law but a local councillor can advocate the need for further community services as a village expands. 

They can, but it should be dealt with by the planning authority.

 

In reality, it's just nimbyism at play as usual.

[CosbehFox]

3 hours ago, Mark_w said:

I don’t care what you think of Soulsby, there are not only two options, it’s inexcusable to vote Conservative

I’m just saying what the perspective is for some. In same way, many voted in protest of the nations govt poor performance here. A similar vibe applies to Soulsby and how some citizens of Leicester are fed up with him 

[CosbehFox]

Just now, kenny said:

They can, but it should be dealt with by the planning authority.

 

In reality, it's just nimbyism at play as usual.

And my point is that the ward councillor is one of the consulted parties to the planning process. So why have the village stupidly voted back in a councillor who isn’t pulling for things in the village. Turkeys voting for Christmas 

[StanSP]

Bedford you absolute imbeciles. 

[Fightforever]

My mate got these through the door and he lives in Rushey Mead.

I don't really follow local politics but what the hell is this on about.

[OntarioFox]

It's true that a big part of the reason the Tories have made gains in the city is the fallout from Labour's selection process, which was poorly-timed after the tensions around Belgrave / Melton road in recent months.

 

That they're willing to play dirty politics and willingly stir racial / nationalist tensions for personal gain is frankly a disgrace, though, and they should be getting called out for it. It's depressing that so many seem to have taken the bait from extremist columns with nothing to do with Leicester itself, and those new councillors who have decided that the Tories of all groups best represent their interests need to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

 

It almost reminds me of that ugly footnote in political history when the BNP was proudly parading Sikh members it had fooled into joining its ranks. I worry for the fabric of our city going forwards if this keeps festering. 

Edited 5 May 2023 by OntarioFox

[Footballwipe]

6 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

And my point is that the ward councillor is one of the consulted parties to the planning process. So why have the village stupidly voted back in a councillor who isn’t pulling for things in the village. Turkeys voting for Christmas 

This is the thing generally. What we're about to see is the "great education." A lot of brand new, enthusiastic councillors who have got in on a ticket of planning or one issue topic will now sit down with council officers and have it explained to them why they can't do what they think they can do.

 

Want to stop a planning application in your area that ticks and complies with everything? Sure you can call it in to planning committee, but if you somehow manage to get committee to refuse it they WILL appeal and they WILL win, and the council will be left with a bill into the thousands. I know of a cllr who got elected years ago on a planning issue alone, basically got told the above and sat for four years doing sod all else for 3.5 years whilst the development took place.

 

There will be other topics as well where once it's been explained to them that the council can't or won't do something (especially if they're not the minority), they'll be a bit stumped.

 

9 hours ago, OntarioFox said:

Delighted to hear it! Sileby was bad enough with the over-development and flooding problems, but I think the withdrawal of the bus to Leicester was probably the final straw for residents. Ten thousand residents, no sunday public transport to the city and none at all for disabled or elderly people who can't get up the railway station steps. No doubt a big vote winner for the Greens.

 

My Mum has voted Tory all her life and now wants to leave because she hates living on an isolated building site. She gets what she deserves in truth. 

Problem is, and unless I'm missing something (please correct me if I'm wrong) but any angry bus people voting solely on that alone are voting on a County Council issue. Essentially misguiding their anger to a level of government who can do nothing about it (whilst also showing a lack of knowledge for local government, tbh). Two years until people can vote for issues like that and make a difference.

 

There's reference in this thread to the Greens in Kirby Muxloe. They won both of the seats and people in that area are excited and very enthusiastic about less planning, getting street lights installed etc. Notwithstanding street lights being a county issue (again) you've also got the same issue as above. Ambition v reality.

 

Generally really intrigued to see what's going to happen after yesterday. Blaby scraped a Tory majority but NOC in Charnwood, Melton, NW and Harb will have council officers tearing their hair out. Nothing better for a local government senior manager than a council with a healthy majority. All the work they do for the ruling cllrs will get passed and not wasted.

 

Politics will be in play for four years in these areas now which could genuinely hamstring some councils trying to progress important policies, initiatives. Though you could also argue some stuff other things, issues for example like car parking charges, open spaces, which wouldn't have been progressed under a Tory administration, will happen.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm denigrating councillors, most of these new ones will work bloody hard after bedding in to do what they can to help residents. If nothing else, their work could better help the public understand how councils operate by explaining why things can't/won't go the way they want, and how things aren't as simple or binary as Facebook comments seem to think council operations are.

 

Lastly, it is objectively funny that Soulsby won again. Leicester Mercury's website and Facebook page will remain a hilarious place of angry old people for four more years.

Edited 6 May 2023 by Footballwipe