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So who will win the York Council elections?

Clifton & Copmanthorpe reviewed

Clifton is home to 10,007 residents. Average incomes are lower than the City average. 51% of residents own their home. 744 people are Council tenants. 1.7% are out of work. Crime levels are above average.  85.7% of residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (York average 86.8%). 31.6% believe that they can influence decisions in their local area (City average 25.7). Source

Elections

The 2015 elections were held on the same day as a General Election. Hence the turnout was almost double the number usually voting at a Council poll. Voting patterns did not mirror the General Election result particularly in the York Central Constituency where Labour had a big parliamentary vote but, following a poor performance when in control of the Council, found ballot box support collapsing. A reduced turnout is expected on 2nd May.

Labour have won the Clifton ward for a number of elections. It is as long ago as the 1980s that the Tories last seriously challenged in the area.

In 2015 two former Labour Councillors (David Scott and Ken King) stood in the ward as Independents. They had quit the Labour group in response to a number of calamitous decisions taken by the then party leadership. There was a considerable fall in Labour support although they held on to both seats. Neither of the former Councillors are standing this time.

Both the current Labour Councillors work for MP Rachel Maskell. One chooses not  say if she lives in the area.

None of the opposition parties have established themselves as the natural alternative to Labour so it looks like there will be no change.

Prediction

2 Labour seats

Copmanthorpe

The Copmanthorpe ward  is home to 4115 residents. It was split from the Rural West Ward as recently as 2015. Average incomes are higher than the City average. 87% of residents own their home. 1.4% are out of work. Crime levels are below average.  92.8% of residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (York average 86.8%). 28.6% believe that they can influence decisions in their local area (City average 25.7). Source

Elections

The 2015 elections were held on the same day as a General Election. Hence the turnout was almost double the number usually voting at a Council election. Voting patterns did not mirror the General Election result but, following a poor performance when in control of the Council, Labour found ballot box support collapsing. A lower turnout is expected on 2nd May.

This is another seat where a former Tory Councillor is standing as an Independent. David Carr was actually the Leader of the Council when, following an ill judged attempt to smear two of his LibDem coalition partners with what turned out to be bogus allegations, he was forced by his colleagues to quit.

As a well known Parish Councillor David Carr may fancy his chances of success.

He is opposed by a Tory who has been “parachuted” into the area from another part of York.

The LibDems have a well known local candidate (Richard Brown) who came second in 2015. It is unclear how effective Richard Browns campaign has been but if the Tory vote splits then he might be the beneficiary.

Another former Councillor, the Green party’s Lars Kramm who currently sits for Micklegate, is also contesting the election. He has recently moved into Copmanthorpe Ward..

This is a difficult result t to predict but if the expected Tory vote meltdown occurs then the LibDems could be the winners

Prediction

1 LibDem seat

Who will win the York Council Elections?

Acomb and Bishopthorpe reviewed

9269 people live in the Acomb Ward. 73% own their own home. 15% are social renters with 393 occupying Council houses. 1.9% claim out of work benefits. Life expectancy is about average for the City. Crime levels are below the City average. 84.2% of residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (York average 86.8%). 16.7% believe that they can influence decisions in their local area (City average 25.7). Source

Elections

The 2015 elections were held on the same day as a General Election. Hence the turnout was almost double the number usually voting at a Local Election. Voting patterns did not mirror the General Election result particularly in the York Central Constituency where Labour had a big parliamentary vote but, following a poor performance in control of the Council, found ballot box support collapsing. A smaller turnout is expected on 2nd May.

Acomb was a safe Labour seat for many years. In 2015 their support plummeted, and one of the two seats went to a popular local Tory (Keith Myers) Long term Councillor Tracy Simpson Laing lost her seat and she was replaced by Strensall based Stuart Barnes.  The other parties performed poorly and are likely to be squeezed in what is the only genuine Labour/Tory marginal in the City.

Former Labour Councillor Brian Watson is standing as an Independent. He was de-selected by Labour in 2015 after representing the Guildhall Ward for many years. Now he is trying his luck in the ward in which he lives. A moderate socialist, he may take votes from the hard-left backed Labour ticket. Whether he can regain a seat will, as with all Independents, depend on how many leaflets he can deliver.

The election has generated extra interest because returning Tory Councillor Keith Myers is next in line to by York’s Lord Mayor. He will take office at the end of May if he can retain his seat. Not since Peter Gales, a Labour Councillor also for the Acomb Ward, failed in a bid for re-election in 1975 has the destination of the Lord Mayoralty been so unpredictable.

Both the existing Councillors have reasonable local reputations. If national concerns are foremost in electors’ minds then the Tories could lose their seat. However, a majority may opt to back experience.

Prediction

1 Labour seat

1 Conservative seat

Bishopthorpe

Bishopthorpe is one of the smaller wards in York with 4147 residents. Average incomes are higher than the City average. 88% of residents own their home. 1.9% are out of work. Crime levels are amongst the lowest in the City. 94.1% of residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (York average 86.8%). 29.4% believe that they can influence decisions in their local area (City average 25.7). Source

Elections

The 2015 elections were held on the same day as a General Election. Hence the turnout was almost double the number usually voting at a Council election. Voting patterns did not mirror the General Election result but, following a poor performance in control of the Council, Labour found ballot box support collapsing. A smaller turnout is expected on 2nd May.

Bishopthorpe has been a safe Conservative seat for over a decade. The only interruption to their tenure came in 2003 when it was won by the LibDems. Since then the LibDem support has dropped away and was only 6% at the last election. The ward is the first to be reviewed where a retiring Tory Councillor is seeking re-election as an Independent. John Galvin was de-selected by the Tories last year ostensibly on the grounds that he was too old. He will not have been pleased to note that another octogenarian was subsequently selected by the Tories to contest a nearby ward. The real reason for the change of candidate had more to do with John Galvin’s uncompromising style on the Council.

The Tories have selected a relative unknown to contest the election.

Carole Greene, having previously contested the seat as both a LibDem and later as an Independent, is now trying as a Green party candidate.

John Galvin was an archetypical Tory having worked for the party for many years. His abrasive style doesn’t enamour him to everyone and there will be those in the village who may be looking for a change of approach. However, at a time when the Conservative party is in turmoil both locally and nationally, it may well be a good time to be seeking election as an Independent. It certainly looks like experience will be very limited on the new Council, so the return of some seasoned campaigners may be in the City’s best interests

Prediction

1 Independent seat

Notice of Council elections published

The City of York Notice of Election for the election of Councillors and the election of Parish Councillors has been published.

The election takes place on Thursday 2 May 2019 with polling hours between 7am and 10pm, with the count taking place on the morning of Friday 3 May 2019.

Residents who are not currently registered to vote are encouraged to visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or call 01904 551007. All applications must be made by 12 April 2019.

Those who wish to arrange a postal vote can find further information at www.york.gov.uk or by contacting Electoral Services on 01904 551007 or electoral.services@york.gov.uk. Completed applications for a postal vote must be received by 5pm on 15 April 2019. Postal votes will be sent out first class on 16 April 2019.

Any elector who wishes to arrange a proxy vote must have their application received by 5pm on 24 April.

We’ll be taking a look at the candidates, and the policies that they are supporting, in a series of articles over the next few weeks.

So do Councillor elections make much difference?

Vote share in May 2017 Council elections

This years local Council elections (there were none in York) were overshadowed by the upcoming General Election.

It was clearly a good night for the Conservatives although the biggest increase in vote share went to the LibDems. This wasn’t translated into a gain in seats won, but the real losers were Labour and UKIP (which was wiped out).

The Conservatives now hold 55 seats on the North Yorkshire County Council  with Labour on 4, the LibDems on 3. There are 10 independents, some of whom are effectively also conservatives.

So in effect, to use the Prime Ministers ill judged comment, the opposition has been crushed. This is as near as you are likely to get to a one party state in what is a democratic country.

in North Yorkshire only 53% of those voting chose the Tories but their huge majority reflects, once again, the vagaries of the English voting system.

This has happened in the past. Only 6 opposition Councillors were elected in 1977 to what was then a bigger authority. During the following 4 years the opposition parties struggled to scrutinise proposals put forward by the ruling group. It was a problem exaggerated by the size of the county. Inevitably it also led to internal rivalries in the controlling group which became more inward looking. Polices were pushed through with little notice being taken of residents views.

So can your Councillor make a difference?

In York the Council has recently published a list indicating the number of enquiries recorded by individual Councillors in a year.  An updated version covering 2016/17 is due out shortly.

It confirms what most will have suspected.

There are some hardworking and proactive Councillors in the City.

Many routinely walk or cycle round their wards identifying and reporting problems with public services. In many cases residents will not even know that a remedy was initiated by a Councillor.

Some Councillors regularly test public opinion with door to door surveys

Some Councillors have regular “surgeries” while others conduct door to door surveys (left) to establish residents priorities.

So many do make a difference to the day to day lives of residents.

This weeks local elections results may have more to do with national issues than  local performance.

If so, it is a shame.

Some good Councillors from all parties will have lost their seats on Thursday through no fault of their own.

Their communities will be poorer as a result. 

 

Lib Dem Candidates – City of York Council Elections 2015

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Please click on the ward for further information

Bishopthorpe – Daniel Khan

Copmanthorpe – Richard Brown

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe – Cllr Ann Reid, Stephen Fenton, Ashley Mason

Fulford & Heslington – Cllr Keith Aspden

Haxby & Wigginton – Cllr Ian Cuthbertson, Martin Lewis Crosby, Sue Willer

Heworth Without – Cllr Nigel Ayre

Huntington & New Earswick – Cllr Keith Orrell, Cllr Carol Runciman, Chris Cullwick

Osbaldwick & Derwent – Richard Hill, Linda Maggs

Rawcliffe & Clifton Without – Richard Shrimpton, Mark Waudby, Sam Waudby

Rural West – Jayne Bradley, Gareth Morgan

Strensall – Tony Fisher, David Goodall

Wheldrake – Jonathan Stott

York Central Wards (please click on the ward for further information):

Acomb – John Ballantine, Reuban Mayne

Clifton – Tobie Abel, Derek Wann

Fishergate – Charlie Kingsbury, Shawn Imeson

Guildhall – Mike Green, Nick Love, Derek Waudby

Heworth – Ian Packington, Ben Rich, Matthew Smithson

Holgate – Robert Adamson, Jonathan Morley, Matthew Reid

Hull Road – Tom Davies, Rachel Edwards, Lizzy Roberts

Micklegate – Carlotta Allum, Martin Bartlett, Aileen Hingston

Westfield – Cllr Andrew Waller, Sue Hunter, Sheena Jackson

If you would like to contact any of our candidates please contact info@yorklibdems.org.uk

Information on our Parliamentary Candidates can be found here for James Blanchard (York Outer) and here for Nick Love (York Central).

Coppergate Fines – No decision until after the elections

Voters will go to the polls on May 7th still not knowing whether nearly £400,000 was collected by the York Council unlawfully.

The Council have appealed against a ruling by the traffic adjudicator that fines levied using ANPR cameras on Coppergate in 2013 and 2014 were unlawful.

Coppergate bus lane enforcement plans June 2013

Coppergate bus lane enforcement plans June 2013

The Council accepted last year that similar enforcement tactics used during the Lendal Bridge trial closure were flawed. Refunds totalling over £1 million are owed to affected motorists.

The Council has been asked to provide an updated statement indicating how many drivers have responded to the claim letters which opposition Councillors forced the authority to issue to Lendal Bridge motorists in January.

On Coppergate the problems arose when the operating hours of long standing traffic restrictions were extended during the morning and early evening periods. For the first time in York, cameras were used to enforce a ban. The adjudicator ruled the scheme unlawful because the signs were inadequate.  

The ANPR cameras were switched off a year ago when an appeal against the ruling was lodged by the Council.

 It has taken over 12 months for the appeal to be considered with speculation mounting that the ruling will be sustained and that the new Council will be left to pick up the financial pieces of a mistake which has had calamitous consequences for both drivers and taxpayers.

Labour Councillor Dave Merrett was widely held responsible for the blunder although it effectively ended the York political career of former Council Leader James Alexander.

Liberal Democrats announce details of 47 candidates for York Council elections on May 7th

A full list of candidates for the York Council elections on May 7th is now available from the LibDem web site.

Local residents Sue Hunter, Sheena Jackson and Cllr Andrew Waller will contest the Westfield ward for the LibDems

Local residents Sue Hunter, Sheena Jackson and Cllr Andrew Waller will contest the Westfield ward for the LibDems

Wherever possible, local ward branches have selected candidates who live in or near the neighbourhoods that they seek to represent.

The other parties have also announced most of their candidates and it looks like around 200 – a record number – will be contesting the elections which take place on the same day as the parliamentary poll.

Click here for details of the LibDem candidates.

Policy manifestos are expected to be published in early April

The current make up of the Council is

Lab – 21

LibDem – 9

Tory – 9

Green – 2

Ind Lab – 2

Ind – 4

Westfield Liberal Democrats reveal their team for May’s local elections. 

The candidates – Sue Hunter, Sheena Jackson and Cllr Andrew Waller- all live in the ward.

DSCF5580

Andrew Waller who regained the seat in the by-election caused by the sad death of Cllr Lynn Jeffries in October with a 25% swing from Labour, will be joined by two fellow local residents.

Sue Hunter who runs the local Florists and former local youth worker Sheena Jackson.

Cllr Andrew Waller said

“I believe it is important that anyone who seeks to represent a local community should have a stake in  that community. 

We need mature Councillors with good all round experience of life and a commitment to improving local public services”.

 “This is a very strong team and will ensure that Westfield once again has three hardworking local councillors in May.

I am pleased over recent years to have worked with Sue and Sheena and their commitment to the local community has been demonstrated beyond doubt.

I have worked with Sue through Acomb Alive! and with Sheena through the youth groups in Chapelfields and the Urbie Bus which the council used to run. It has been the axing of these valued services which have drawn Sheena into working with the local Lib Dem team”.

The team will be supported by Steve Galloway who represented the Westfield area on the Council for 38 years. He will act as their election agent.

Further details of the candidates

(more…)

Vote Liberal Democrat in todays euro elections

 

LibDem Euro MP Edward McMillan Scott with Westfield residents last year

LibDem Euro MP Edward McMillan Scott with Westfield residents last year

Liberal Democrat supporters living in the Westfield Ward may phone York 701727 if they require a lift to the polls.

The polling stations are open between 7:00am and 10:00pm.

A message from Edward McMillan Scott

With the European Elections taking place today, a new piece of research predicts that the consequences of Britain leaving the EU would be even worse than first thought.

A brand new study by Centre of Economics and Business Research estimates that now 4.2 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to our membership of the EU.

This is up from the 3 million jobs predicted by previous studies. It’s clear that British jobs are becoming even more closely linked with our membership of the EU, and the market of 500 million customers that it provides.

The dangerous policies of UKIP and many Conservartives, to withdraw Britain from the EU, would put these jobs at risk.

Over 350,000 of these jobs are right here in Yorkshire & Humber. Indeed experts predict that the North of England would be worse hit than the South.You can read more about this here.

UKIPs policies would isolate Britain and jeopardise our economic recovery just as we are turning a corner.

By staying quiet on the issue Labour and the Conservatives are no better.

The Liberal Democrats are the only party brave enough to fight for Britain’s place in Europe, for sake of British jobs and British influence in the world.

On May 22nd you have a clear choice between the party that wants to be IN Europe, and the party that wants to be OUT. Make sure that you use your vote to protect the future of over 4 million British jobs.

Best wishes,

Edward McMillan-Scott