Labour:Coast&Country
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The most important town council by-election of the year – Hywel Lloyd
This Thursday, May 12th, sees a by-election in Tiverton, yet it isn’t the one you’re thinking of…. It is the by-election for Lowman Ward of Tiverton Town Council, a seat that is only being contested between Labour, Conservative and an Independent (so much for the Lib Dems’ “winning here”). LCC has long argued that when our members campaign…
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NALC opens nominations for Star Council Awards 2022
By Niamh MacElvogue, Communications intern, National Association of Local Councils The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has opened nominations for the Star Council Awards 2022. As the only awards in England recognising the contribution local (parish and town) councils make to their communities, the Star Council Awards are an opportunity for the local council…
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The cost-of-living crisis in a rural community – Cllr Kate Ewert
Kate Ewert, Cornwall Councillor for the Rame Peninsula and St Germans. I am fortunate enough to represent the beautiful coastal and rural community of the Rame Peninsula and St Germans division on Cornwall Council. We have miles of stunning coastline, rolling fields, beaches galore and an extraordinary amount of second homes and holiday lets, extortionate…
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A view from Rutland – Cllr Leah Toseland
Back in November 2021 there were headlines in the local papers and even on BBC News saying ‘Conservatives shocked as Labour win first seat on Rutland County Council in more than 20 years.’ Rutland has been well known as a safe-seat for the blues, a tory heartland. I am the first Labour Party councillor on…
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Worthing – town politics transformed – Paul Falcini
Anyone joining Coast and Country’s campaign day in Worthing on the 2nd April has the opportunity to be a part of making history; Labour taking control of the town for the first time ever. Worthing is a tightly bounded urban borough with two parliamentary constituencies East Worthing and Shoreham and Worthing West (both formed 1997…
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Laying foundations for the future: No “no-go” areas. – Claire Hazelgrove
As Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Skipton and Ripon, a seat we came third in in 1997, I was under no illusions about the very likely outcome for me and us in the 2010 election. Selected in 2007 before the “election that never was”, I and the committed CLP team there set local objectives, relevant to…
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View from Bradley Stoke – Cllr Angela Morey
It was a rainy grey Wednesday last January when scrolling through Facebook I saw a post: Vacancy for a councillor in Bradley Stoke North. Friends started ‘tagging’ me to tell me they thought I should go for it, having been very active in my community for many years. I wondered if it could be the…
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The View from Southend – Cllr Ian Gilbert
Southend-on-Sea has much featured in national headlines of recent time. The murder of Sir David Amess shocked the nation, and even now it is hard to take in that such a terrible event could have happened in Southend. We now have to look forward to the bittersweet accolade of city status. Southend-on-Sea is a diverse…
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Empowering coastal communities through marine citizenship – Pam Buchan
In a recent Ocean Conservation Trust and DEFRA public survey, only 19% of people have heard of and feel they have some understanding of the term marine citizenship. What is the understanding that 19% has? Probably something about reducing single use plastic to protect the ocean, beach cleaning, reducing carbon emissions generally, and making ethical…
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Some thoughts on being a parish councillor – John Barnes
In May, I was elected onto my local parish council in Wiltshire. Rather unusually for a parish council in this area, this was through a contested election; parish councillors are often elected unopposed. I came onto the council with it facing significant challenges – it was at less than half strength, and our Parish Clerk…