Seagulls Party to fight by-election in Lewes District

[The Seagulls Party]

Is it a ward that is currently held by the Lib Dems?

And if so what is their majority and could this impact it?

The ward elected three councillors in May 2003. Voting went like this:-

Elected:-
FLETCHER John Cedric Independent 1,123
WILSON Ian Patterson Conservative 877
SMALL Andrew Leslie Lib Dem 766

Not elected:-
WILKINS Amanda Jane Lib Dem 678
STECHLER David Jan Lib Dem 647
LUNDIN Dean Matthew Oskar Conservative 491
MORGAN Kelly Jane Labour 456
SHERWOOD Andrew Godfrey Purvis Green 241

John Fletcher died in June.

Ian Wilson was suspended from Lewes District Council for a period of a year until earlier this month, following a decision of the Adjudication Panel after a complaint to the Standards Board for England.

Andrew Small has since left the Liberal Democrats and sits as an Independent councillor.


The Seagulls Party wants to do more than dent the Lib Dems. We want to win.

 

[Kent Seagull]

I'm suprised at how few votes would be needed to win this seat, surely there must easily be around 1,500 albion supporters eligable to vote in this election? We could win this easily!

 

[Wardy]

The ward elected three councillors in May 2003. Voting went like this:-

Elected:-
FLETCHER John Cedric Independent 1,123
WILSON Ian Patterson Conservative 877
SMALL Andrew Leslie Lib Dem 766

Not elected:-
WILKINS Amanda Jane Lib Dem 678
STECHLER David Jan Lib Dem 647
LUNDIN Dean Matthew Oskar Conservative 491
MORGAN Kelly Jane Labour 456
SHERWOOD Andrew Godfrey Purvis Green 241

John Fletcher died in June.

Ian Wilson was suspended from Lewes District Council for a period of a year until earlier this month, following a decision of the Adjudication Panel after a complaint to the Standards Board for England.

Andrew Small has since left the Liberal Democrats and sits as an Independent councillor.


The Seagulls Party wants to do more than dent the Lib Dems. We want to win.

Sorry by majority I meant on the council not number of votes in that ward.

 

[The Seagulls Party]

Sorry by majority I meant on the council not number of votes in that ward.

From the Lewes District Council website:-

There are 21 wards in the Lewes District, each of which returns one, two or three councillors. There are 41 councillors in total.

The political composition of the Council is as follows:

Liberal Democrat Group 26
Conservative Group 11
Independent Group 2
Independent 1
Vacancy 1




The vacancy is the seat that we are contesting. Whatever the outcome on 17 August, the Lib Dems will still control the council - at least until May next year, when ALL seats are up for election.

 

[Wardy]

From the Lewes District Council website:-

There are 21 wards in the Lewes District, each of which returns one, two or three councilors. There are 41 councilors in total.

The political composition of the Council is as follows:

Liberal Democrat Group 26
Conservative Group 11
Independent Group 2
Independent 1
Vacancy 1




The vacancy is the seat that we are contesting. Whatever the outcome on 17 August, the Lib Dems will still control the council - at least until May next year, when ALL seats are up for election.

Cool thanks.

One last question I promise, how do The Seagulls Party stand on issues in relation to the independents? Come next may should you not win enough seats to gain control in your own right, would you consider an Alliance with some of the Independents to avoid either a hung council or a small lib dem majority?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Will you have 41 would-be councillors standing for election

 

[ac gull]

Would suspect we won't have 41 candidates - realistically we need to win between 5 and 10 seats for the Lib Dems to lose control of the council.

i.e. 41 seats - they need 21 seats for 1 seat majority

say lose 7 seats to us they are at 19 councillors = no overall control of council

we would I assume then get a seat or two in council cabinet making all the secret decisions to continue Falmer appeals etc until about 2014 via European Court Of Human Rights etc

 

[The Seagulls Party]

Our opponent.

From the Lewes LibDems website:-

Peter Gardiner announced as Lib Dem by-election candidate

Norman is delighted that Peter is standing for the Lib Dems.


Local man Professor Peter Gardiner has been unanimously selected to stand as the Lib Dem candidate in the forthcoming by-election in the Ouse Valley and Ringmer ward of Lewes District Council which will take place on 17th August.

Peter is familiar with this area, having been in Sussex most of his life. He lives on Lewes Road near Paygate Corner in Ringmer with his wife and four children. He is a recently retired Civil Engineer and was Professor for Civil Engineering and Head of the School of Environment at the University of Brighton for many years.

Peter is keenly aware of environmental issues and successfully directed the Brighton Environmental Body which enjoyed much success through its recycling and waste management programmes which included setting up a trial plant for recycling car body parts in Newhaven.

Peter has the backing of local MP, Norman Baker: "Peter is an excellent choice. He is a Sussex man through and through whose enthusiasm and energy on the part of the people of this ward will make him an excellent councillor for this area as John Fletcher was before him."

Speaking about his selection as candidate Peter says: "I am delighted to have been chosen to stand; it will be a privilege to stand up for the people of the ward in which I live. I am very much looking forward to contesting this by-election and am optimistic about the outcome.

"There are many crucial issues that need to be addressed in the ward from the proposed reservoir at Plashett to the campaign to stop an incinerator being put up close to residents in South Heighton. I want to provide the strong voice for local people that the area now lacks."

 

[The Seagulls Party]

And another one.

From the Lewes Conservatives' website:-:-

LOCAL MAN TO STAND FOR RINGMER AND OUSE VALLEY BY-ELECTION

Ringmer resident Paul Gander will be the Conservative Party’s candidate for the Ouse Valley and Ringmer council by-election on 17th August.

Paul was born in Lewes and moved to Ringmer in 1984. He runs his own kitchen fitting business.

Paul wants to see the following done in the local area:

A pedestrian crossing on the Lewes Road near to the Harrisons Lane junction in Ringmer

More affordable housing, especially for local people, without allowing overdevelopment

Regular cleaning and maintainance of public drainage in Ringmer

Measures to ease traffic in South Heighton, Firle, Glynde, Beddingham and Ringmer – particularly lorry traffic

Paul will also campaign against the reclassification of Ringmer as a satellite of Lewes

 

[hitony]

any idea when the cards will be out ? i know the cheque has been cashed, but ive still not recieved anything for me and my wife, i realise these things take time by the way, just enquiring, thats all

 

[The Seagulls Party]

any idea when the cards will be out ? i know the cheque has been cashed, but ive still not recieved anything for me and my wife, i realise these things take time by the way, just enquiring, thats all

The Membership Secretary has just returned from holiday. He has hundreds of applications to process.

We hope to start sending out membership cards soon.

 

[The Seagulls Party]

Our Candidate:-

Ed Bassford has lived in the ward since 1975 and knows it well. He has been a member of his local parish council for fifteen years and served for two years as its Chairman. His children attended primary school at Firle and Ringmer and then went on to Ringmer Community College. Ed is a former governor of Firle Primary School.

Ed worked as a public transport planner in local government for over 25 years and he now manages a community transport operation in Brighton and Hove, delivering accessible bus services that are a lifeline for older people, people with disabilities and many community groups.

He is a former advisor to the government on transport issues affecting disabled people and has also acted as an advisor to the Local Government Association on transport and social exclusion.

One of the founder members of The Seagulls Party, Ed has been a member of the Falmer For All campaign group that was set up by supporters to back Brighton and Hove Albion's plans for a community stadium for Sussex. He attended every session of the 2005 Public Inquiry and wrote a daily diary of the proceedings that was published on the football club's website and in matchday programmes.

In December last year, Ed presented a petition to Lewes District Council, signed by over 5,000 residents of Lewes District, opposing the decision of the council's cabinet committee, taken behind closed doors, to challenge the government's decision to give planning permission for the stadium.

As well as following the Albion, Ed is well known locally for his involvement in bonfire. He has led the clog dancers in procession through Lewes on November the Fifth for thirty years. He performs regularly in a pub pantomime and enjoys walking his dog on the downs. 'It's all part of living in this delightful area', he says.

 

[hitony]

The Membership Secretary has just returned from holiday. He has hundreds of applications to process.

We hope to start sending out membership cards soon.

i hope he had a nice time, we donated all this years holiday money to the seagulls party

(look forward to getting the cards )

 

[smudge]

Peter has the backing of local MP, Norman Baker: "Peter is an excellent choice. He is a Sussex man through and through whose enthusiasm and energy on the part of the people of this ward will make him an excellent councillor for this area as John Fletcher was before him."

Is he really from Sussex though. Most of those Lib Dem twats over in Lewes aren't. They settled there, (at the same time as pushing up property prices) because they see it as a lovely little quaint bubble where they can keep all the nasty common people out. I fecking hate them.

 

[Gwylan]

Peter has the backing of local MP, Norman Baker: "Peter is an excellent choice. He is a Sussex man through and through whose enthusiasm and energy on the part of the people of this ward will make him an excellent councillor for this area as John Fletcher was before him."

Is he really from Sussex though. Most of those Lib Dem twats over in Lewes aren't. They settled there, (at the same time as pushing up property prices) because they see it as a lovely little quaint bubble where they can keep all the nasty common people out. I fecking hate them.

"Peter is familiar with this area, having been in Sussex most of his life"

That tends to suggest that's he's not from Sussex.

 

[Dandyman]

"Peter is familiar with this area, having been in Sussex most of his life"

That tends to suggest that's he's not from Sussex.

Although given that ( I think) Ed, in common with more than a few of us, was also born outside of the county it might not be a good tactic to turn it into an issue.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Ed will wipe the floor with the opposition. This guy is extremely intelligent and having witnessed his tour de force destruction of the LDC members in 12/05 when he wiped the floor with De Vecchi and her poodle Commin , Ed will win this one.

Kick some arse Lord !.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Ed will wipe the floor with the opposition. This guy is extremely intelligent and having witnessed his tour de force destruction of the LDC members in 12/05 when he wiped the floor with De Vecchi and her poodle Commin , Ed will win this one.

Kick some arse Lord !.

Just the recommendation he wants, I'm sure

 

[The Seagulls Party]

From today's Argus:-

Seagulls party set to fight its first election
by Rob Hustwayte

The pro-Falmer stadium Seagulls party is to field its first political candidate in a by-election later this month.

The party was formed in June as a direct challenge to the ruling Liberal Democrat regime at Lewes District Council, which it accuses of ignoring the wishes of the electorate by pursuing a High Court challenge against the Falmer stadium planning permission.

Brighton and Hove Albion fan Ed Bassford will stand for the Seagulls Party in the Ouse Valley and Ringmer ward byelection on August 17 following the death of respected independent councillor John Fletcher.

Mr Bassford, 58, from Firle, said: "We are not an established party but I think there is every chance we could win this byelection.

"This ward has a strong tradition of electing independent members free from the shackles of party politics. That was evident in John Fletcher. It's a great chance for us."

Mr Bassford's campaign will focus on improving accountability and public involvement in the council's decision-making process.

He said: "Local people are fed up with hearing of decisions being made behind closed doors.

"The council has committed money to challenging the government's Falmer stadium decision, when it is clear most people in the district want to see the football club settled in its new home as soon as possible.

"We easily collected 5,000 signatures opposing the council's action in a week.

"But it is not just the stadium issue that is making people disillusioned with their councillors. It's time for a change and I look forward to knocking on doors and talking to voters in the next few weeks."

Mr Bassford, who has lived in the ward since 1975, has served on Firle Parish Council for 15 years, spending two years as chairman.

He is well known among Albion fans after attending every session of the lengthy stadium public inquiry and writing a diary for the club's website and matchday programme.

He manages a community transport service in Brighton and Hove for elderly and disabled people and community groups.

Lewes District Council leader Ann De Vecchi has dismissed the Seagulls Party as "purely a single issue" outfit.

Mr Bassford said: "A lack of democracy and a failure to consult or engage with the electorate is an issue which spans the entire political spectrum so we're hardly single issue."

 

[eastlondonseagull]

You tell 'em, Ed