Town Council Elections

[Pat-H]

Even if people don't want to vote because they aren't presented with anyone they trust or policies they agree with I implore them to attend the polling station and spoil their ballet.
If more people did that it would draw attention to just how undemocratic the process really is. Spoilt ballets are declared at the count and it would be great to see a winning candidate with a lower count than spoilt ballets.

I don't agree that local elections have no bearing on national parties. If you want to stand as an individual you are completely free and able to. If you choose to stand under a party flag then you are declaring you support and allegiance to that party and their views and policies.

So local Tory candidates support and are supported by their national party and therefore fundamentally agree with their national parties aims and aspirations. Granted Lib dem candidates likewise do the same for their national party but at least their aims and aspirations are clearer in being part of any power deal what ever the cost to their principles. I'm really surprised to see previously well respected local lib dem candidates sticking with the national party after the past 5 years and the broken promises. Personally I think all would have gained far more local support if they'd stood as independents.

[The Masked Woler]

You can spoil as much as you like, the winner is still the winner and I doubt they care.

What was said was that there should be no place for party politics in WTC, they have no relevance at all and in my view parties should not be permitted, people should stand on their own merits and town issues. The way EHDC treat WTC supports this view.

When was the last time an independent won? In a ward where people vote for the rosette you have no chance, I doubt most have any idea about the person they are voting for. I knew a well respected man who was active in the village who ran, people apologised for not voting for him but "we always vote Conservative".

David Perman ran as an independent and lost - it would be hard to find anyone more interested in Ware then him.

[David Oldridge]

Very little through the door as yet - just the Con leaflet which takes credit for everything positive over the last years - presumably as they were almost exclusively in power they also have to take the blame for all the negatives too, they don't mention them. Not impressed with Mr Oldridge, much about his connections with Hertford and Broxbourne but no mention of anything he does in the town, so I must assume he has no involvement.

Hi The Masked Woler

Very sorry to see you weren't impressed with me from the leaflet, it is nice however to see someone has taken the time to read it...so thank you.

I'm keen to increase political engagement in the community and so it's great to see the elections being discussed on forums such as this.

My profile picture on the leaflet is also not the most impressive, but luckily for Ware Trinity I'm not trying to get elected as a model or a photographer but rather as someone who loves the community and wants to work really hard on behalf of its residents.

I've lived in Ware for four years and think it's a great place to live and, although I've not had much chance to get more involved locally these past years, I want to help keep Ware a great place to live which is why I decided to stand for the District and Town council.

It's true that most of my current community activities physically occur outside of Ware however several of my past students and past/present colleagues and Hockey team do actually live in Ware and so my experience is not as remote as it first appears.

Finally, I am trying to get around as many houses as possible, although with 2000 to get around it's hard to see everyone and evidently I've not made it to yours yet, however if you let me know your address I can try and knock on your door to say hi in person if you would like.

Kind regards

David Oldridge

@WareOldridge
Oldridge4waretrinity@gmail.com

[Alexander Curtis]

Hello,

This is my first post here. I am the Vice-Chairman of the Ware Conservatives (and the author of those leaflets you have been receiving!) and as I am standing in Christchurch for town council, I thought that I should say hello in case anyone has any questions. Like David, I have been knocking on doors. However, as David says; it is difficult to get round to see everyone given how many people live in each ward! I can be contacted at christchurch.curtis@gmail.com if anyone has any questions or If you would like me to knock on your door specifically!

[JCB]

I am pleased to see comments from candidates and parties on WoL it shows that they are monitoring local opinions, however this approach seems limited to UKIP and Conservatives so I look forward to when the other parties deign to grace us with a statement.

[The Masked Woler]

It's good to see prospective councillors prepared to engage here - particularly in the light of the attitude of their predecessors to this site and social media in general.

One thing which is very noticeable in the Con leaflet is there is no mention at all of the elephant in the room, the District Plan presents the biggest challenge for Ware for the next 30 years and Trinity Ward in particular, the Neighbourhood Plan is mentioned but that is, of course, on hold due to EHDC being uncooperative as usual.

One point which concerns me is the inactivity of WTC on heritage issues. Ware has more than the usual number of listed building but there seems no interest at either WTC or EHDC in looking after them or other pieces of Ware's heritage. Musley School was allowed to fall apart for years and no action was taken, the Independent Chapel is going the same way. It took years for WTC to take action over the Common Wharf. We all know about the Southern Maltings.

Some buildings in the Conservation Area are tatty, William Hill particularly (it's not as if they don't have the money - £277 million profit in 2013) in my view WTC should be contacting owners and trying to get things done, often all you have to do is ask, as with the removal of the Dominos banners on the Quaker Burial Ground. But all WTC seem to do is talk and talk.

[Alexander Curtis]

It's good to see prospective councillors prepared to engage here - particularly in the light of the attitude of their predecessors to this site and social media in general.

One thing which is very noticeable in the Con leaflet is there is no mention at all of the elephant in the room, the District Plan presents the biggest challenge for Ware for the next 30 years and Trinity Ward in particular, the Neighbourhood Plan is mentioned but that is, of course, on hold due to EHDC being uncooperative as usual.

One point which concerns me is the inactivity of WTC on heritage issues. Ware has more than the usual number of listed building but there seems no interest at either WTC or EHDC in looking after them or other pieces of Ware's heritage. Musley School was allowed to fall apart for years and no action was taken, the Independent Chapel is going the same way. It took years for WTC to take action over the Common Wharf. We all know about the Southern Maltings.

Some buildings in the Conservation Area are tatty, William Hill particularly (it's not as if they don't have the money - £277 million profit in 2013) in my view WTC should be contacting owners and trying to get things done, often all you have to do is ask, as with the removal of the Dominos banners on the Quaker Burial Ground. But all WTC seem to do is talk and talk.

One of the main reasons I am standing is to protect Ware's heritage. We have a historic town that we need to take care of. In regard to the Neighbourhood Plan, it is essential that one is put together which makes provisions for ensuring that all future development in the town is sustainable. There is a need for some houses, yes. After all, we do all need places to live in! However, there is no reason why much-needed local infrastructure such as schools, shops, and community facilities cannot be provided as part of these future development plans. Bishops Stortford recently passed a neighbourhood plan via a referendum for two of the town's wards. There is no reason why Ware cannot do the same.

[The Masked Woler]

Ware cannot do the same because EHDC are withholding the information they need.

[Alexander Curtis]

EHDC isn't withholding the information needed for Ware to create a neighbourhood plan. I have been on the steering group that is trying to put the foundations for a neighbourhood plan together for over a year now, and the issue simply is that Wareside PC isn't willing to co-operate with WTC (most of the proposed Ware broad area of development is situated within land which is presently part of Wareside CP) on putting a neighbourhood plan together until EHDC has produced its final version of the emerging district plan. District Plans are extremely comprehensive documents that take time to properly produce. EHDC simply hasn't finish creating the District Plan yet, therefore it is definitely not the case that information is being withheld from Ware by EHDC.

[The Masked Woler]

Then clearly I was misinformed by the person I spoke to - I was told that WTC can't finalise the plan until EHDC provide information relating to the boundaries.
Since the developments are in Wareside presumably they get the new homes bonus while Ware gets the fallout.