The County Council Elections – Abingdon Candidates on the internet

Abingdon East has a fascinating contest for their next County Councillor this coming Election Thursday. But will you vote?
Candidates
Count Nikolai Tolstoy is one of the candidates – representing UKIP (the UK Independence Party). UKIP are fielding candidate for the first time in every Abingdon ward. He currently lives in Southmoor a few miles outside Abingdon, but has Russian origins.
Candidates
He will be up against Mike Badcock, former two time Mayor of Abingdon, representing the Conservative Party. Mike was instrumental in renaming Abingdon to Abingdon-on-Thames and instigating the bun throwing contest.
Candidates
Alison Rooke, another former Mayor, is the Lib-Dem Party candidate. She helped lead a campaign while Mayor to save Abingdon Community hospital from closure, and after experience of looking after her dad suffering from dementia will do all she can to improve care services.

Julius Bullock is the Green Party Candidate for Abingdon East, and an engineer at the Rutherford Labs. His Bio says “He knows Abingdon East well and will take an engineer’s problem-solving approach to its problems of flooding, traffic and lack of affordable housing.”

The Abingdon Labour Party candidate is Mike Gould.
Candidates
The new Abingdon South boundaries, redrawn in 2012, has confused people, particularly those living in the Fitzharris Estate. Up to now they never considered themselves to be Abingdon South but they are now. They too have an enthralling contest, but without a UKIP aristocrat, …
Candidates
Marilyn Badcock, a former Mayor, and partner of Mike Badcock, is the Conservative Party Candidate. In her bio she says “Abingdon-on-Thames is a thriving community, and it is a privilege to serve as a town, district and county councillor, working for local people.”
Candidates
In the write up for Neil Fawcett, a former County Councillor, and candidate for the Lib-Dems, it says “As County Councillor he won major investment in Thameside and Caldecott Schools, helped put together the plan that led to the new Family Centre and got the classrooms that now house Riverside Pre-School on the Thameside site.”
Candidates
Carolyn Guillot, the Green candidate says “I feel Abingdon South needs development particularly in the area of schooling, traffic congestion and amenities for the young and protection from further housing development unless the above issues are resolved.”
Candidates
Chewe Munkonge ‏has been campaigning in Abingdon South for the Labour Party. A few weeks ago one person told me he was the first person they’d seen on the doorstep. Also saw him at a flood meeting.

Candidates
David Weaver is the UKIP candidate. He send me his profile. Here is an extract … “I was a Parish Councillor for 13yrs with Cholsey Parish Council, Deputy Chair for 2yrs and Chair for 3yrs.

I was one of the 70,000 volunteers chosen for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Why UKIP? From my early teen’s I have believed that elected Members of Parliament and local Councillors are there to do the bidding of the
electorate, they are, the servants of the people. UKIP is unique in local government, because we do not ‘whip’ our councillors to follow party diktats, or toe the party line. Instead, we expect our councillors to represent the wishes of the electors at all times….”

Finally North Abingdon where
Candidates
Chris Caddy is standing for the Greens. Chris has a rich portfolio. He was a senior manager at the Vale of White Horse District Council and since retiring has achieved much with various voluntary organisations.

Tom Fleming is standing for UKIP but I have found no information about him on the internet.
Candidates
The Conservative Candidate is Sandy Lovatt, the current leader of the town council. He is a campaigner for small business. He says “The cost of running council services can and must be kept efficient without damaging essential services. The Conservatives have already proven that they deliver proper planning and value for money.”
Candidates
Helen Pighills is the Lib-Dem candidate. Her party aims, if elected, are “Halt the four-fold rise in Day Centre charges for elderly people; Increase funding for the youth service; and Increase funding for flood prevention and road repairs.”

George Ryall is the Labour candidate.

The Oxford Mail did much better and got submissions from most candidates which were printed last week. I’ll update this if people point me at the info and send comments.

96 thoughts on “The County Council Elections – Abingdon Candidates on the internet

  1. Janet

    The boundaries of South Abingdon being redrawn are ridiculous. Many people now considered to be in South Abingdon know nothing about South Abingdon and the issues in this area.

    Reply
  2. Ishtar

    I’m in the Abingdon South ward and the Labour candidate is the ONLY one who has knocked on my door. I’ve had loads of leaflets from the Conservative and Lib Dem candidates, which are useful, but seem to give the same information over and over again. I’ve also had one from UKIP and nothing from the Green party.

    It’ll be interesting to see how votes are cast based on previous years….

    Reply
  3. Col

    Lots of leaflet drops: Only visited by Lib/Dems
    (Pat knocked on my door and spoke to me).

    Close call between them and ‘Tories’.

    I for one will be voting. I know two of the Candidates through Phab Club or All Saints Methodist
    (I am not in either of their Wards so cannot vote for them).

    I see in one part of Oxford The Mad Hatter standing for the Monster Raving Loony Party. Boy would I love to vote for them just 1 time…..

    Reply
  4. Sir Cyril

    Labour candidates don’t live in Abingdon…

    UKIP candidates don’t live in Abingdon…

    Not enough information about Green candidates…

    So toss-up between LibDem & Tories as usual….

    After the Nick Clegg lets-promise-things-then-change-our-minds-as-we-cant-now situation, not sure….

    Reply
  5. DKR87

    the greens are part of the problem promoting their crazy self-righteous agenda….voting for them will shake up nothing. UKIP are the only ones standing on an essentially anti-politics ticket.

    Reply
  6. Angela

    so liberating not being a member of any party any more. I shall vote for the people – we have town and Distrcit by-elections in my ward – I know will work hard and be good representatives for the ward . Just as it should be.

    Reply
  7. Francis Littledrive

    Not a LibDem anymore Angela? Ha! Does that mean you didn’t vote for ‘the people’ when you were a LibDem?

    Reply
  8. Janet

    I am all for the hands off British Jam campaign. Apparently the E U want our jam to be like German jam. The manager of the Goring hotel said that the new consistancy was like slop and his customers did not like it. The E U is also going to lift the regulations about fruit content so jams can contain little of the fruit on the label. They have already banned various varieties of British apple. Enough is enough. Sod off I say.

    Reply
  9. Aloysius

    Is it true Sam Bowring is standing in Bicester? I didn’t think it was legal for candidates to stand so far away from where they live? I’d like to vote for a local candidate living in their home-ward. I know that’s not always possible, but it’s right.

    Reply
  10. DKR87

    ‘homophobic-racist-antisemitic UKIP party’ – what utter nonsense….simply parroting the things said by the tories who are terrified of the threat posed by UKIP….

    the people of britain are slowly waking up to these ridiculous smear tactics. there are far worse things in life than the aforementioned bigotries anyway….they’ve simply become a mantra chanted by the liberal-consensus political mainstream in this country to shut the doors of power to anyone other than themselves. they don’t want anyone elses noses in the expenses trough…

    Reply
  11. Angela

    Francis, I realised as soon as I’d posted that my posting might imply that. I HAVE always voted for people I truly believed would be good and hardworking councillors.
    As I used to be one of those vetting the Lib Dem candidates it’s not surprising that I was happy to vote for them. I will admit that sometimes, come the election, it has been a difficult choice because there have been candidates who have been members of a party whose idealology is not to my liking, but who I have known to be conscientious and hard working councillors.
    It really is a pity that local government elections are fought on political lines. But I can say, hand on my heart, I have never voted for anyone who I didn’t believe would do the job well.

    Reply
  12. Angela

    Yes, Sam can stand in Bicester. You can stand for any division within the County so long as you live in that County or your main place of work is within the county. Sam lives in Oxfordshire, Bicester is in Oxfordshire. The residents in Bicester might take a dim view of being represented by someone living so far away, but it’s up to Sam to convince them that she can still do the job.

    Reply
  13. Eleanor Walter

    Let us review UKIP

    Youth Chairman of UKIP removed for supporting Equal Marriage…
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-youth-leader-olly-neville-sacked-for-supporting-gay-marriage-8444330.html

    UKIP Candidate makes Anti-Semitic “Zionist” comments…
    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/25/anna-marie-crampton-ukip-candidate-suspended_n_3154709.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

    UKIP Candidate does “Nazi Salute”…
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-22349676

    UKIP Candidate says “PE stops you becoming gay”
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10027315/Ukip-candidate-PE-prevents-people-becoming-gay.html

    UKIP Candidate once stood for the ‘National Front’…
    http://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet_extra/news/2013/april/30/ukip_candidate.aspx

    UKIP Candidate preaches homophobia…
    http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/04/30/ukip-candidate-dr-gasper-pinknews-readers-should-be-sectioned-under-mental-health-act/

    UKIP makes sexist comments…!
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316348/UKIP-Fraud-racism-homophobia-allegations-dog-election-drive.html

    Reply
  14. DKR87

    oooh!! a ‘nazi’ salute!! how shocking!! lol….

    you know very well that the fella is denying that is what it is…yet you post that headline as a soundbite to tarnish the name of UKIP.

    ‘When asked about the first picture, Alex Wood told BBC news: “The supposed wrong hand salute is actually me grabbing after a friend’s phone.”‘

    the level of vitriol being thrown at UKIP in the last few days shows just how much they have got the mainstream rattled….

    Reply
  15. Vik99

    Big surprise DKR87 is pushing the UKIP agenda after his lengthy (and barmy) anti-muslim tirade a few weeks ago in which he suggested ALL muslims support paedophilia as a core belief.

    As for UKIP, one is forced to conclude that either UKIP has NO procedure for vetting candidates, or that ranting bigots are all they have to choose from.

    Today it’s Somerset candidate Alex Wood, pictured clenching a knife between his teeth and giving what looks like a Nazi salute to a pot plant.

    At the weekend it was Leicester’s Chris Scotton who had been Facebook-liking “ethnic banter” and the streetfight-prone English Defence League.

    Last week it was Anna-Marie Crampton of East Sussex, who reckons the Rothschild banking dynasty “use the Jews”, caused the Holocaust and engineered the Second World War.

    It’s self-destruction in slow-motion. Nothing good will ever come of voting for them.

    Reply
  16. DKR87

    i suggested no such thing. i pointed out a fundamental fact surrounding the man that muslims worship and claim to be infallible…that he hed sex with a 9 year old girl…who he married when she was 6.

    do you deny that fact vik99??

    you call me barmy for having an opinion!?! is this what passes for political debate around the cosy middle class coffee tables of abingdon? if someone disagrees with your point of view then they are ‘barmy’?

    to address your points:

    the ‘nazi’ salute – he claims it was no such thing…i should think if he was some card carrying neo-nazi then there would be far more evidence. we have politicians in parliament who have stolen money from the electorate and manipulated immigration policies to gain votes yet you give them a pass and instead focus on a young man with his hand in the air with no other suggestion of him having the ‘wrong’ political views.

    the knife between the teeth – lol!! wow!!! what’s your point? that he has a warped sense of humour??

    someone ‘liking’ the EDL – so what? i have no problem with the EDL…believe the trash you read in the papers if you must but even anti-facists admit that the EDL have black, asian, sikh, hindu and jewish divisions / members. their issue is with militant facist islam and the inverted racism which allows islamists to say things that others would be prosecuted for.

    ethnic banter!?! is that wrong?? are we not allowed to talk amongst the races?

    this sort of thinking comes not from any particular ethnic minorities themselves but is fuelled by middle class academia…

    anna marie crampton is quite clearly an utter loon though…i’ll give you that one! i have absolutely no time for genuine racism or anti-semitism…it disgusts me frankly….on an intellectual level more than anything else.

    it’s instructive tho that you condemn UKIP for the views of some of their members…for ‘liking’ something on facebook….yet a religion with a paedophile as it’s prophet is fine within your paradigm….why is that Vik99? some UKIP members are bigots…..some muslims are terrorists….yet in your world that makes UKIP a party of bigots….but muslims should not be judged on the actions of individuals.

    hmmmmmmm!

    exactly the kind of double standards and hypocrisy that has poisoned political debate in this country to the point where people can now be locked up for saying things.

    we’re sleepwalking into a totalitarian society…to prevent it the first thing we need to do is exit the EU.

    Reply
  17. David Weaver

    As the UKIP candidate for South Abingdon I have found the residents I have spoken with very supportive of the UKIP arguement that. UKIP stands for bringing power back where it belongs – with the people. We beleive that local councils should more directly responsive to local people, and less in thrall to central goverment. Elected councillors should put there communities first, not party politics. Important local issues should be put to binding referenda. Councils should exist to serve their communities, not just spend their money. Millions of people have voted UKIP in recent elections, and we now have councillors all round the country taking resposibility in local goverment, saving tax payers money, rolling up our sleeves, working hard and serving the people.

    Reply
  18. Iain

    Im curious David (and i’ll happily declare i am a conservative town coubcillor but i am not standing in the county election) as a south Abingdon voter on two things:

    Do you seriously believe that any of the other fiour candidates would disagree with points you raise above?

    Why do you think you will do a better job of represeting the people of south abingdon than one of the three candidates who actualy live there? Im not sure that our needs are that similar to those you have in the village of cholsey.

    Reply
  19. Shell Suit

    Here in Abingdon East, 5 leaflets from the Lib Dems, one from the Conservatives, nothing from the others but no one has called. It seems only the Lib Dems really want our votes but personal contact would be nice. Probably won’t vote.

    Reply
  20. BenW

    I live in South Abingdon and we’ve had no-one call round at all yet, still a couple of days to go though!

    I did see Chewe out campaigning tonight, drove past him down by the river. And I have had a LOT of leaflets from Neil, all of which appear to say the same thing. Quite surprised I haven’t had anyone from the LibDems knock on the door actually based on the frequency of literature. I may have missed them but I don’t recall seeing anything at all from the other three candidates.

    Reply
  21. Abingdon Resident

    BenW you should of had Conservative ones? I live on Wilsham Road and I’ve had 3 Conservative ones in the last two weeks. Two LibDem ones and 0 Labour ones.

    Reply
  22. Gloria Biograf

    Has Neil Fawcett decided to stand as an Independent in view of the fact that his leaflets say ‘vote for Neil’ and not ‘vote LibDem’?

    Reply
  23. Joe

    Has the LibDem “brand” been so tarnished by Chris Huhne, Lord Rennard and Nick Clegg that they changed their leaflets to say ‘vote Neil’ instead of ‘vote LibDem’ as a damage limitation exercise?

    Reply
  24. Jennifer West

    The thing i’ve been most struck by is the way the leaflets are produced. The UKIP one had absolutely no pictures so I have no idea who wants me to vote for them. The LibDem one however has the phrase: ‘all the following people vote for Neil because’ with photos of his fans but I’ve noticed he’s used the same photos twice on the same page in a different place to give the impression of more fans than he in fact had. Do twins and LibDem voters have a gene in common? and UKIP have no friends? I mean wtf?

    Reply
  25. Neil Fawcett

    Hi all, nice to see so much interest in the elections, particularly whoever is posting under the above series of pseudonyms 😉

    I’ve been out knocking on doors for the past five weeks, and did a lot of Residents’ Surveying before that, but with the best will in the world it’s difficult to get round all 4,600 houses during the few weeks of an election campaign. I’ve done my best to knock on some doors in each part of the division.

    And when I have been out the average hit rate has been about 30% of people being in. I suspect candidates of all parties find much the same.

    The people who have been in when I’ve called have generally been very friendly, and very interested in the issues facing our community. Win or lose on Thursday, it’s been nice to meet everyone.

    On the ‘branding’ issue – we’ve found that a lot of people are much more interested in the track record of each candidate, and their experience and priorities, as much as they are about party politics and that’s the basis on which I and other Lib Dem candidates are running.

    Reply
  26. DKR87

    so you agree then neil that the lib-dem / conservative coalition has been a disaster for the lib-dems? hence your comments distancing yourself from party politics….rather disingenuous i believe…

    Reply
  27. David Weaver

    31.ian. UKIP councillor a are not shackled by party policy as are the other parties. Therefore able deal with any issue without resorting to making excuses . As a case in point HS2 it does not run through Oxfordshire but that does not mean it will not have repercussions for the county. Locally roads, social service cuts, the list is endless. Vote UKIP.

    Reply
  28. Iain

    David – i note you omit an answer to my question on location – maybe more of a politician than you imply?

    I think youre view on how shackled local politicians feel by national party positions is naive – the overwhelming majority will support what is good for their local community over their national party view. Take recent proposed drayton road development as a good example

    Reply
  29. Col

    Interesting Angela, I have always thought ‘local’ elections should be based on the person who I know would do so much for my area. In the general election, slightly more difficult. In the past, it was the MP for Abingdon who did so much for Mum and Dad (‘ignoring’ the party they were in).

    What I DO hate, is the leaflets. Instead of showing what they would do locally, its an ‘argument’. What the other party
    has not done. Then when they are elected, the money suddenly isn’t there, so promises won’t be honoured.

    Reply
  30. Emma

    I plan to vote tomorrow and as yet I am undecided. We have had plenty of literature from most of the candidates, but like most others we don’t appear to have had anyone knock on our door.
    As an aside from the main ‘political’ issues our candidates stand for, I may decide to vote based on who has a good grasp of grammar and can spell properly! It may seem petty to some but I believe these things are important in an elected representative.

    Reply
  31. Angela

    I think most people would agree with you, Col, on both counts.
    The problem with elections is that only a very small percentage of voters know who any of the candidates are. We siitting councillors flatter ourselves that we have a personal following based on how hard we have worked, but the sad truth is that the majority of voters haven’t needed our personal help, and haven’t a clue who we are.
    That is why party politics is so powerful. You want to vote, you don’t recognise any of the names on the ballot paper so you choose a party, and even then the choice is often based on which one will stop the party you dislike from getting in.

    Re. being called on. Don’tassume you haven’t been called on because you haven’t seen anyone. Most candidates do call round, but there is a huge number of houses to call on, so even to call on every house once is quite a feat. Whenever I I have ever been canvassing in any road at any time of the day there are far more out than there are in. It is unlikely that a candidate will have chance to call back. Most leave a “calling card” so you if you do want to meet them you need to let them know.

    Reply
  32. DKR87

    go away greens!! so called ‘green’ biggest con-trick in political history…only slightly ahead of the ‘recycling’ nonsense…..

    Reply
  33. DKR87

    it appears that there’s a HUGE national groundswell of support for UKIP following the mainstream parties pathetic attacks on them in recent days…let’s hope this translates into votes tomorrow…

    vote UKIP and give the career politicians a bloody nose.

    Reply
  34. daniel

    DKR87 – I’d like to agree with you….but what’s all that got to do with the dire traffic at the end of my road?

    I may well be naive beyond my years…but I do not understand what local councils have to do with national party politics.

    Whilst I may (or may not) care that Nick Clegg went back on a promise about tuition fees… i think I am able to separate that Lib Dem issue out from what I want done about traffic in Abingdon.

    I don’t see how one relates to the other.

    I agree with lots of what’s gone above, and disagree (or perhaps don’t understand) about a lot more.

    As much as i would love to see the government get a bloody nose…i don’t want to do that at the expense of a real local issue being tackled. Or am I missing something?

    Personnally, the more anyone distances themselves from party politics in these elections, the more likely I am to listen to what they have to say. I got another leaflet last night – this time from the Blue team, but it needn’t really matter, telling me about all these wonderful things that have been done – but not ‘locally’, but nationally. And not by the CC – but by the Vale(?!)

    I can only assume they think I am stupid and won’t notice that one deosn’t seem to relate to the other (or I don’t realise the connection).

    For the record, I have umpteen yellow pieces of paper, a couple of blue ones, 2 red ones and a purple pamphlet. I have spoken to the Yellow team who was happy to chat, and tried to with the Blue team – but she seemed keen to get away.

    To all concerned, the more they telll me about what they are actually going to do – and how, and what changes we could hope to see…rather than just condeming what’s gone before, the more fruitful their efforts might be, and the more likely I’d be to listen to what they have to say.

    Taking the A34 Lodge Hill intercahnge as an example: They have all (virtually) said that they’ll lobby for the Lodge Hill interchange. So what? What does that mean? Write a letter? I can write a bloomin’ letter! What will they do that’s different this time? Has no one thought of “lobbying” before?

    If all the teams want the same thing…I suggest they give a few more details as to what they’d do that might get things done. What their approach is and hwo it will be different and more successful than another approach.

    For what it’s worth…I’m going to lobby for a full interchange at Lodge Hill too. (By that it means i’m going to write it on here and hoep for the best).

    Just some thoughts whilst bored during my lunch break…Am happy to be educated.

    Reply
  35. David Weaver

    For the record Ian I did not comment as it appeared to me a none question. However I have a long association with Abingdon, having done bussiness with various companies over the years not least of all the MG Works that was, I was also a local goverment officer for 9 yrs VWHDC so I have experience in the private sector and public sector. I note you do not make any ref/ to HS2?

    Reply
  36. DKR87

    daniel – i may be mistaken but i believe that i was a lib-dem controlled council who totally destroyed the centre of abingdon along with the huge expense incurred by altering the one way system….i fail to see how they would now sort anything else out.

    personally i feel that party politics should be kept out of local govt but unfortunately that isnt the case.

    nice post tho daniel.

    Reply
  37. Iain

    David – maybe HS2 is an issue in Cholsey but I’ve yet to hear anyone in Abingdon mention it!

    So on location i think you’re saying you’ll be able to represent our views because you used to work here?

    By the way my name’s Iain not Ian (sorry to be picky)

    Reply
  38. Jennifer West

    I have absolutely no idea who to vote for at the moment but I certainly won’t be voting for Neil Fawcett after his assumption that I’m a pseudonym.

    As for those saying that people haven’t knocked on their door, I’ve had no-one, but that’s because i’m out a lot!

    Reply
  39. David Weaver

    Iian. HS2 is a national issue, therefore it will affect all local goverments, the present costing is £32bln by the time it is completed it will be double that figure, who will finance it? we will, who will it benefit? not the general public so, UKIP says NO to such a waste of public funds. The CONS/LIB, and LABOUR politicians and there local councillors are bound by their parties to hold the party line, answerable to their whips not to show any opposition to this innane project. I am sure the residents of Abingdon are concerned about wasteing public funds, and I am pleased I am the first to bring the HS2 issue out in the open for discussion. Iian. It may have missed your attention, but Cholsey is on the dark side of the moon.

    Reply
  40. Iain

    Devoid – if you think hs2 is the most important issue that we are facing in abingdon then i think you have amply demonstrated the level of local insight and understanding you would bring to the job

    Reply
  41. Cllr Jason

    David Weaver, I am a South Abingdon Councillor and I have never had a resident mention HS2 to me, they are mainly concerned about things that affect them directly, which If you lived in South Abingdon like I do, you would understand.

    As for my stance on HS2 for anyone interested, I am against it as it is expensive and largely unwanted. The Conservative South-East MEP’s are no supporting it, so we certainly do not need UKIP to fight against HS2 for us.

    Reply
  42. Jenbms

    I am appalled. I am possibly one of the northernmost residents of Abingdon. A couple of years ago I decided to register for postal voting, just to make things more straightforward – no having to remember to go to a polling station on voting days, no diverting from normal routine, etc. About a week ago I received my postal voting papers, and was curious to see that I was now voting for Abingdon South – strange redrawing of the boundaries, I thought, as I posted my vote. Today, 1st May, I got home from work to find new postal voting papers had been delivered. Apparently it was an error I had been sent South papers, and the vote I had made was erroneous and would be cancelled. No chance now, of course, of getting a correct postal vote in, as it is too late. I phoned the helpline number, and was told someone will come to my house before I leave for work tomorrow to collect me real postal vote. I will wait for them, and if they are late, then I will be late for work.

    I am appalled, because it is entirely possible that some people may have been deprived of the right to vote in this election. One of the reasons some people go for a postal vote is because they know they will not be in the local area over the time of the election. Imagine if someone is on holiday (extended bank holiday weekend, entirely possible), and returns home next Tuesday to find that the vote they placed in good faith is invalid, and they missed the chance to vote legally. And how many people may have placed an initial postal vote, but not actually be inspired to go the extra mile and make an effort to get their valid vote collected, or drop it off at a polling station – which is what they wanted to avoid in the first place.

    Not sure what it should be, but there should be some penalty for the council for letting an administrative error cause this sort of disruption.

    Reply
  43. David Weaver

    Well, Inane, and Cllr Jason. I have not said HS2 is the most importartant issue in these elections but by voting against the CONS, LIB and LAB parties which support this inane project the people of Abingdon will be helping to STOP THE WASTE OF £32bln that could and should be used to support local councils.

    TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH ABINGDON

    UKIP local goverment policies include…….

    Enpowering local people by giving you the right to call binding referendums on local issues.
    Letting you the people, decide major planning schemes like supermarkets, wind farms, large housing developments and major transport schemes.
    Balancing budgets, cutting waste and ensuring efficient use of taxes.
    Introducingelections for county health, educationand police boards. UKIP will give you the power to decide how your health service, police and schools are run.
    Letting local authorities set and keep a large proportion of lcal business rates so they can provide incentives to encourage growth.
    Giving councilsthe powerto reduce local business rates, in order to stimulate growth and employment in the local economy.
    Ending uncontrolled immigration to ease the pressure that limited services are under.
    Improving road maintenance as a priority and upgrading all transport, especially retaining rural bus routes that many communities depend on, and which feed town-centre businesses and markets.
    UKIP does not believe that councils have to stand by and just wave through the wishes of central goverment and big business. We stand up for local decission making and fight proposals that ruin the character of our communities.

    Reply
  44. rudi

    must admit, i do like to have councillors/potential councillors having a lively discussion to win our votes – it’s almost democratic!

    Reply
  45. Vivienne

    Shall we take apart UKIP policies one by one?

    David Weaver says:

    “Enpowering local people by giving you the right to call binding referendums on local issues.”
    – Referenda are EXPENSIVE – Do residents really want their taxes spent on deciding everything? They elect people to decide, not so UKIP can sit by and do nothing whilst they spend taxes on letting the people decide every tiny bit of detail!

    “Letting you the people, decide major planning schemes like supermarkets, wind farms, large housing developments and major transport schemes.”
    – UKIP want to create a Socialist state where the government decides who builds what where, there’s no legal allowance available for people to decide where supermarkets or wind-farms go. That’s what PLANNING COMMITTEE is for. How “Libertarian” of them!

    “Balancing budgets, cutting waste and ensuring efficient use of taxes.”
    – What most fair councils do anyway.

    “Introducing elections for county health, educationand police boards. UKIP will give you the power to decide how your health service, police and schools are run.”
    – We have School Governors and Community Boards for hospitals already.

    “Letting local authorities set and keep a large proportion of lcal business rates so they can provide incentives to encourage growth.”
    – The Vale gets business rates from Scottish Widows anyway. The LibDems signed Scottish Widows a 200 year licence so that’s a deal out of everyones hands.

    “Giving councilsthe powerto reduce local business rates, in order to stimulate growth and employment in the local economy.”
    – Doesn’t that go against the previous comment?

    “Ending uncontrolled immigration to ease the pressure that limited services are under.”
    – How will a council do this? What provision is there? The government is tackling this anyway. Impossible to do as Tony Blair signed the Open-Doors policy to the EU anyway.

    “Improving road maintenance as a priority and upgrading all transport, especially retaining rural bus routes that many communities depend on, and which feed town-centre businesses and markets.”
    – County Council is doing this anyway

    “UKIP does not believe that councils have to stand by and just wave through the wishes of central goverment and big business. We stand up for local decission making and fight proposals that ruin the character of our communities.”
    – With candidates that don’t live in the wards they are standing for or representing.

    Reply
  46. Cllr Jason

    No problems, I hope you get it sorted. No matter who you vote for you should be able to vote! It’s a basic right!

    If worst comes to worst you can get a neighbour or someone to drop your sealed postal vote off at the polling station for you.

    Reply
  47. Iain

    Well argued Vivienne.

    I read the ukip leaflet that was posted to me (maybe their deliverers were busy focusing on whoever beat David to the ukip candidacy in cholsey) and it only talks about national issues.

    It seems to have escaped their notice that these are local elections and the parliamentary ones arent until 2015.

    Reply
  48. David Weaver

    Well now we have 3 heads hello Viviiene. Perhaps you can put them together and tell the people of Abingdon your policies………… Do not bother it will be more of the same.

    Reply
  49. Neil Fawcett

    Jenbms – we spotted that a number of residents who should have been in Abingdon North had wrongly been put in Abingdon South and informed the Vale of the problem on March 6th.

    There was a similar issue in the Cumnor area.

    The Vale then redid the Electoral Register to correct the problem, but I spotted on Tuesday that a group of houses on Wootton Road were still wrongly allocated and again informed the Vale.

    We also picked up that some residents of the Fitzharris Estate, who should be in Abingdon South, had been sent postal ballot papers for Abingdon North.

    The Vale staff are aware of this and have been trying to sort the problem out during the last 24 hours.

    Reply
  50. Neil Fawcett

    57 Jennifer West – I’m terribly sorry if I’ve offended you by accusing you of being a pseudonym. It is obviously just a coincidence that three posts appeared in quick succession, all making similar points about ‘LibDem’ literature and you were unlucky to be the real person that followed ‘Gloria Biograf’ and ‘Joe’.

    If Jennifer West is your real name, are you on the electoral register and able to vote for anyone?

    Reply
  51. Neil Fawcett

    52 DKR87 – You are indeed mistaken – it was the Conservative controlled County Council that implemented the changes to the town centre traffic system in 2006.

    Reply
  52. Iain

    Neil – I’m sure you’ll correct me if i’m wrong, but wasn’t abits decided in conjunction with the the liberal controlled vale and town councils, and weren’t you one of the individuals involved in the decision?

    Reply
  53. David Weaver

    Good morning Abingdon South.

    Please note there is now a face to my name with my profile.

    I wish you all an enjoyable day (I always think waking up is a good start) Please use your vote, I hope it is for me and UKIP if it is not, then,I still wish you well.

    As a democracy we have the right to vote for whom we feel will do the best for us, and the community.

    I would like to thank the Abingdon Blog for the opportunity given,to express the views of the many.

    Reply
  54. cst

    If any of the above was any good they would have had the traffic sorted years ago ,Most of them are sheep following the party line or say it just cant be done, No money BLA BLA BLA.
    Whats wrong with just opening the A34 at Drayton for just an experiment? Just to see how it goes ?The tarmac is already there for gods sake.

    When are they really stand for the poeople of Abingdon?

    I know there are other issues in town but i think this is a major one that will not go away so why are they not dealing with it?

    Reply
  55. DKR87

    ladies and gents – the tories and the lib-dems have had their chance….chance after chance after chance…their arrogance and hubris has almost destroyed abingdon as a desirable location…the change to the traffic system resulted in hundreds of thousands of pounds of wasted money and virtual gridlock everywhere but stert st every morning…we’re losing businesses on an almost weekly basis from the centre of town…there is no correct planning procedure in place…etc etc etc…..

    perhaps UKIP don’t have the answers…but i am not going to vote for the same old same old any more….the definition of idiocy is doing the same thing continually and expecting to get different results.

    it’s time for a change. vote UKIP and give the career politicians a bloody nose.

    Reply
  56. Bob Lightsoot

    So if I’m reading this leaflet right. If I bring myself to vote in the local election today, Tory Marilyn Badcock gives a “pothole guarantee” they’ll be looked at by her. What about her last few years of office where she has done sweet nothing about them? The roads are joke.

    I like how this other Tory “Cllr Jason (Fiddaman?)” who does absolutely nothing as well (and dare not even speak to the electorate!), is springing out links about UKIP. What about the classic Facebook group where you, yes you, “Cllr Jason” rant about your hate for “Abingdon”, “Princess Diana” “Dead People” “Disabled” and a whole host of other things…with a Lib Dem Councillor! Was bad enough that Oxford Mail story when Bricknell starting ranting about “mongs”, because this group is a million times worse. I should go get the link to how that group looked historically from the WebArchive again because it’s a joke for two people who hate the town to represent it. Actually, I’ll wait until you’re next up for election you total hypocrites. Stop wasting money on pointless £3 million lifts that don’t work, to places with nothing to see, and sort the fucking potholes already for crying out loud. Donkey!

    I won’t bring myself to vote Lib Dem either. Nothing against Fawcett. But the propensity for local Abingdon parties not to vet their other candidates is all pervasive. II won’t vote for parties that put up people who hate Abingdon and rant about “mongs”.

    I like UKIP’s style. Good luck Mr Weaver. But I don’t want us to leave the EU. It would be bad for the business I do. I might have considered a vote your way, but I’ve had no leaflet and don’t know where you stand locally. Labour…well, they’re essentially Tory Party all the two in all but name. Same difference.

    Which leaves the Green Party. I’m not the typical Green Party voter, but I’ll give them a shot. They’ve got some sensible policies. Candidate has a good background.

    Reply
  57. Denny Crane

    “David Weaver, I am a South Abingdon Councillor and I have never had a resident mention HS2 to me….”
    you’ve spoken to a resident? it’s more likely pigs can fly.

    Reply
  58. Vik99

    UKIP supporters! Voting is cancelled today. Because of immigrants or something. Don’t try to vote, write to the Mail or whatever you do.

    Reply
  59. DKR87

    vik99 – again you display your anti-democratic principles.

    interesting to note that you’re that worried about UKIP that you’re telling lies on a blog to try to prevent people from actually exercising their democratic right to vote…also our comment re; the daily mail – i have no love for that rag but your arrogant ASSumption of superiority over those who do clearly demonstrates, yet again, that you, along with the political mainstream, hold the people of this country in utter contempt unless they agree with your line of thinking. you simply cannot countenance disagreement…your mind cannot understand it….how very hitleresque of you.

    btw – which paper do you read?? the (snigger) guardian? personally i’m an independent reader though i feel it important to get all sides of the debate and so also follow the mail, the guardian and the times.

    Reply
  60. DavidM

    Of all the candidates Chewe is the only one who has knocked on my door (twice actually) ans had a lengthy chat. He seems to have a well articulated vision for the ward. And much as he doesnt live in the area his knowledge of South Abingdon and it challenges is remarkable. More over he and his family will be moving here soon.

    Fow your own information Neil Fawcett’s wife is also standing in Bicester – an area where she doesnt live. I have confidently voted labour

    Reply
  61. Kelly Simpson

    The Conservative controlled County Council technically implemented the changes to the town centre traffic system in 2006, but they were rubber stamping the recommendations from the then Lib/Dem Vale and town councils.
    I remember standing at a display in Abingdon market place and telling a group of Lib/Dem councillors that it wouldn’t work. Unfortunately it has been no pleasure to say ‘I told you so’.

    Reply
  62. DKR87

    great results being reported for UKIP nationally…fantastic performance!

    @vik99 – much as your contempt for the democratic process and peoples right to choose shines thru – #englandisademocracy

    Reply
  63. DKR87

    @vik99 i must say tho i’ve been called many things over the years….but daily mail reader is a new one to me! i’m a blairite libertarian….not really your stereotypical daily mail reader….

    but vik99…this relationship is all one way..are you going to let us know which paper you read so we can pigeonhole you??

    right now i’m guessing ‘take a break’ or perhaps ‘hello’? daily star?? the beano??

    @ pete – ‘alf garnett in a suit’ – do you mean members of the white working class??

    Reply
  64. Janet

    Ooh does Count Nikolai Tolstoy read the Mirror and talk like Alf Garnett?. Well you learn something every day. Now now boys, enough prejudices and vitriol.

    Reply
  65. David Weaver

    Thank you for voting for me, and UKIP 389 votes=13% of the vote. UKIP will be back better prepared, knowing we have the backing of some south Abingdon residents and there are more who will vote for UKIP next time round. Please, for those of you voting UKIP would you please pass on my “thank you” to those that do not use computors telling them I meant everything I have stated. I wish you all well for now and the future.

    “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning”.

    Reply
  66. Neil Fawcett

    Iain + Kelly – AbITs was a County Council initiative which it undertook jointly with the Vale + Town Councils and there was a Steering Committee made up of councillors of all three parties. I was not a member of it.It mirrored similar initiatives in Banbury, Bicester and Wantage. The study and recommendations were done by planning consultants Halcrow Fox.

    There was huge opposition to the initial proposals for the town centre which suggested pedestrianising Stert Street and having two way traffic on High Street! Local Lib Dems and Cons opposed that, along with a group of local businesses, and the business group then drew up the revised plan that was then adopted.

    The plan included both short and long term measures. The town centre changes were the first stage with measures such as a second river crossing and a full interchange at Lodge Hill as longer term measures. These were subsequently included in the County Transport Plan.

    The whole plan was put out to consultation and won majority support from those responding. It was then adopted by the Steering Group and subsequently by the then Con/LD County Executive of which I was a member.

    The Conseratives then took control of the County Council and could, if they had wanted, have changed or dropped the plan. The two Conservatives elected as County Councillors in Abingdon could have put down motions or questions or otherwise lobbied for it to be changed or dropped if they thought it was not going to work.

    The County Council then implemented the plan, with exception of making High Street one lane, and without the ‘SCOOT’ traffic light system working fully.

    A few years ago the still Conservative run County Council dropped the long term measures from the County Transport Plan, as far as I know with the full support of Abingdon’s then four Conservative County Councillors.

    I will now be lobbying for the longer term measures to go back into the County Transport Plan and will be seeking a meeting with County Transport officers to find out the best route to acheiving it.

    Reply

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