We only have a single by-election to report on this week, the Bettws ward of Bridgend. Despite having run the council as recently as 2008, we not only didn’t stand a candidate but we hadn’t run one last time either. Whilst that means our vote-share hasn’t decreased, a growing reputation for not showing up is something the party might wish to avoid!
Admittedly, a Lib Dem presence on the ballot might not have dented the Labour Party’s eventual eighty per cent share of the vote, but there is still a principle at stake and we hope that no stone was left unturned in the search to give our supporters in Bettws something to vote for. The only other statistic of interest is an eye-watering drop of just over twenty per cent in the Green’s tally and, on a healthy by-election turnout of thirty-nine per cent, the figures shouldn’t be lightly dismissed.
As there isn’t any more news, ALDC would like to put in a quick word about the 2012 Campaigner Awards. They will be taking place immediately after our AGM in the Alexandra Room of the Grand Hotel in Brighton, from 8:15pm on Saturday 22nd September. There are £1,000 in prizes available, a £500 prize for our Overall Winner, and £100 for each of the following categories: Best Focus, Best Innovation, Best Ward Campaign, Best Community Campaign, and Best By-Election. Please send any entries to our Campaigns Officer John Bridges (john.bridges@aldc.org). Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 9th September, so act now! You can find more details here.
That’s all the news for this week. We’d like to wish all of our councillors, candidates and campaigners the very best of luck in their campaigns.
Craig Whittallcraig.whittall@aldc.org
Tomoaki says
Hi I am concerned that the parnkig in Cowan Drive and other streets around the hospital will get much worse if the work reported in the Express and Star goes ahead, the parnkig will move from the hospital drive into all the side streets off the Weston Rd.An easy answer to the problem would be to put up No Entry signs except for access to premisses on all cull desac streets, after all the only people needing access is residents or visitors.I have sent in a letter to the paper about my concerns.Ian Ryder