Conservative Election Address

[simonesaffron]

A fair point Si, my thoughts on the Conservative address were that they seem to be the only party prepared to address the cost problems of local authorities which should be the number one issue.

The point that I would make is that the Conservatives for many years have never had to make a budget in Stockport. It is the Libdems in Stockport that have had to find ways of making the town work for the last 20 years and find the recent savings the coalition cuts have imposed upon the services used by the people of Stockport. All the Conservatives in Stockport seem to have done (according to my reading and understanding) is oppose and obstruct the Libdem proposals without actually putting forward a realistic, workable, budget plan themselves. They continually say that they will cut "waste" but they never actually say how. When you press the question all they seem to come up with are jibes about the "back office", "council publicity" and of course the old chestnut,cutting Councillor's allowances which to me is just petty electioneering.

What significant effect can taking £900.00 off each Councillor have on the massive deficit that we have had imposed upon us, save to make our Councillors feel even more undervalued than they probably do already ?

[Duke Fame]

A fair point Si, my thoughts on the Conservative address were that they seem to be the only party prepared to address the cost problems of local authorities which should be the number one issue.

[Carl Rydings]

Carl,

You're starting already with the excuses and you're not even elected yet..."I don't have a magic wand"..."people on here think"... Carl we don't think anything,
we don't know, you're an unknown quantity that's why we ask the questions. We know what we get off Shan, we've had her for a dozen years.

We want to know what you think you can do, not what you can't and why you can't do it !

Hi,
I am sorry if I offended anyone with that post, it was not my intention. All I was trying to say was I am running the campaign the best I can with the resources I have.
I am more then happy to answer questions which are about policy, I just don't think conversations about posters are a good use of your/my time.

I accept that you are doing the best you can. The question was about your campaign not about posters, posters are just an example of your campaign. If they are not right, then maybe nothing else is.  Neither am I offended in any way at all

Like I say they are brand new correx boards with brand new painted stakes holding them up.
In High Lane, I believe I am winning on the number of posters, but I accept in Marple I am not.

[simonesaffron]

Carl,

You're starting already with the excuses and you're not even elected yet..."I don't have a magic wand"..."people on here think"... Carl we don't think anything,
we don't know, you're an unknown quantity that's why we ask the questions. We know what we get off Shan, we've had her for a dozen years.

We want to know what you think you can do, not what you can't and why you can't do it !

Hi,
I am sorry if I offended anyone with that post, it was not my intention. All I was trying to say was I am running the campaign the best I can with the resources I have.
I am more then happy to answer questions which are about policy, I just don't think conversations about posters are a good use of your/my time.

I accept that you are doing the best you can. The question was about your campaign not about posters, posters are just an example of your campaign. If they are not right, then maybe nothing else is.  Neither am I offended in any way at all

[Carl Rydings]

hi carl
what do you think about the closure of station ticket offices in stockport ?
lookforward to your reply
cheers rob

I think it's this one Carl.

Thanks, Duke Fame.

bluebelly, I wouldn't want to see the ticket office closed, the office provides a valuable service to
customers - much more then just selling tickets.

I believe ticket machines are a good addition to the service as it can be quicker, if you just want
a ticket and your in a rush but I don't think the machines should replace the ticket office altogether.

Hope that answers your question.

[Carl Rydings]

Carl,

You're starting already with the excuses and you're not even elected yet..."I don't have a magic wand"..."people on here think"... Carl we don't think anything,
we don't know, you're an unknown quantity that's why we ask the questions. We know what we get off Shan, we've had her for a dozen years.

We want to know what you think you can do, not what you can't and why you can't do it !

Hi,
I am sorry if I offended anyone with that post, it was not my intention. All I was trying to say was I am running the campaign the best I can with the resources I have.
I am more then happy to answer questions which are about policy, I just don't think conversations about posters are a good use of your/my time.

[simonesaffron]

Carl,

You're starting already with the excuses and you're not even elected yet..."I don't have a magic wand"..."people on here think"... Carl we don't think anything, we don't know, you're an unknown quantity that's why we ask the questions. We know what we get off Shan, we've had her for a dozen years.

We want to know what you think you can do, not what you can't and why you can't do it !

   

[Duke Fame]

hi carl
what do you think about the closure of station ticket offices in stockport ?
lookforward to your reply
cheers rob

I think it's this one Carl.

[Carl Rydings]

carl you still havent replied to my question !!

I am sorry if I have missed your question,
can you please repost it.

[Carl Rydings]

Another important issue for me - who is fighting the hardest campaign. I noticed in South Marple the place is festooned by the latest bright, orange, correx,posters, I've not counted them but must be at least 100 whereas Conservatives have got about ten,insipid, worn out, paper posters. So the libdems have won the poster war by about ten -nil. But do posters a Councillor make?

Marple South has many brand new Conservative correx boards (mainly in High Lane). You have to remember the Lib Dems have been
in power for a long time, therefore they have collected lots of addresses over the years, we expect them to have more posters.
Shan is doing everything she can to stay in power this year. For the first time in many years we have put out leaflets and put up boards
for the local elections. I am concentrating my resources in High Lane, as that's where I live and that's where I feel the majority of my
vote will come from. I can't bring a Ward from very little being done there to a full campaign in under 1 year, I have to build it up over time.

Carl,

I've seen some of your posters in High Lane. The locations are interesting but they say little for your persuasive powers. There are three outside High Lane Conservative club ( no surprise ) and one outside your house (no surprise again) however, the house opposite you, as you know, has a libdem poster erected. I would have thought that in a 12 month period you could have walked across the road and persuaded at least your close neighbour to vote for you.  If you go down Shan's street its all Libdem posters, There's no trace of anybody else.

Are you standing as Councillor for Marple South or Councillor for High Lane?

As you say you are concentrating on High Lane which we all know is a Conservative stronghold. Does that mean that if you get elected and if I don't live in High Lane then my representation will be diluted as you concentrate on where your votes are. Marple Sth is either the largest or second largest ward, ( I'm not sure ) in area, in Stockport - it is not just about High Lane!!  Most of the people that live in Marple Sth, don't live in High Lane. People in High Lane won't be effected by...say... a Supermarket on Hibbert Lane. In fact, many, would probably like one. So when you're elected are you going to change your mind about that?

If I am elected everyone in the ward is important to me, as a
councillor I wouldn't care who you vote for or where you live.

My decision to target High Lane is purely based on resources.

My view on the supermarket will not change, I have had Conservative voters in High Lane ask for the supermarket to go ahead and I have had to say I am against it, I am not the sort of politican to say one thing to one person and something else to another.

My neighbour across the road is a long standing Lib Dem activist, but he has been a Lib Dem all his life, you can't win everyone.

I think people on here seem to think after years and years of Lib Dems being in power, and people voting Lib Dem all/most of their life, in under 12 months I can come in and change all that. I don't have a magic wand, I am building Marple South's campaign up from almost nothing - I am doing my best.

[simonesaffron]

Another important issue for me - who is fighting the hardest campaign. I noticed in South Marple the place is festooned by the latest bright, orange, correx,posters, I've not counted them but must be at least 100 whereas Conservatives have got about ten,insipid, worn out, paper posters. So the libdems have won the poster war by about ten -nil. But do posters a Councillor make?

Marple South has many brand new Conservative correx boards (mainly in High Lane). You have to remember the Lib Dems have been
in power for a long time, therefore they have collected lots of addresses over the years, we expect them to have more posters.
Shan is doing everything she can to stay in power this year. For the first time in many years we have put out leaflets and put up boards
for the local elections. I am concentrating my resources in High Lane, as that's where I live and that's where I feel the majority of my
vote will come from. I can't bring a Ward from very little being done there to a full campaign in under 1 year, I have to build it up over time.

Carl,

I've seen some of your posters in High Lane. The locations are interesting but they say little for your persuasive powers. There are three outside High Lane Conservative club ( no surprise ) and one outside your house (no surprise again) however, the house opposite you, as you know, has a libdem poster erected. I would have thought that in a 12 month period you could have walked across the road and persuaded at least your close neighbour to vote for you.  If you go down Shan's street its all Libdem posters, There's no trace of anybody else.

Are you standing as Councillor for Marple South or Councillor for High Lane?

As you say you are concentrating on High Lane which we all know is a Conservative stronghold. Does that mean that if you get elected and if I don't live in High Lane then my representation will be diluted as you concentrate on where your votes are. Marple Sth is either the largest or second largest ward, ( I'm not sure ) in area, in Stockport - it is not just about High Lane!!  Most of the people that live in Marple Sth, don't live in High Lane. People in High Lane won't be effected by...say... a Supermarket on Hibbert Lane. In fact, many, would probably like one. So when you're elected are you going to change your mind about that?

[bluebelly]

carl you still havent replied to my question !!

[Carl Rydings]

On the Lib Dems joining the coalition, as a chap who voted Lib Dem in the last election, I can't understand the upset at this. When you vote Lib dem, you can ONLY hope for your vote to count by way of a coalition. As most people wanted rid of the awful Labour governmetn, a coailition with ht eTories was the best anyone who voted Lib Dem could wish for.

Very true, did people who vote Lib Dem really think they could win an outright majority on their own?
If that did happen (and in theory it could) it would happen over many many elections, not just one.

[Carl Rydings]

Another important issue for me - who is fighting the hardest campaign. I noticed in South Marple the place is festooned by the latest bright, orange, correx,posters, I've not counted them but must be at least 100 whereas Conservatives have got about ten,insipid, worn out, paper posters. So the libdems have won the poster war by about ten -nil. But do posters a Councillor make?

Marple South has many brand new Conservative correx boards (mainly in High Lane). You have to remember the Lib Dems have been
in power for a long time, therefore they have collected lots of addresses over the years, we expect them to have more posters.
Shan is doing everything she can to stay in power this year. For the first time in many years we have put out leaflets and put up boards
for the local elections. I am concentrating my resources in High Lane, as that's where I live and that's where I feel the majority of my
vote will come from. I can't bring a Ward from very little being done there to a full campaign in under 1 year, I have to build it up over time.

[simonesaffron]

Door stepped by Annette Finnie and cold called by the Lib/Dems it must be close. Brief chat advised i wouldn't be voting for her party as a point of principle, but she would be gaining a vote indirectly as i also wouldn't be voting for the Lib/Dems this time, as i have always done in the past to keep her party out, they seem to have forgotten their principles, as demonstrated by jumping into bed with her party for 5 years of fame, with our local MP at the forefront of the negotiations. Off she went happy.

Belle,

I do think that we should separate local elections from National ones. I am not the biggest fan of the coalition  and I definitely believe that some of the Libdem leaders have deluded themselves into thinking that they are doing what is right for the country when the truth is that they are actually guilty of "shiny car syndrome" which has turned their heads. Saying that, I don't know what else (as a party) they could have done. It is worthy of mention that despite their poll ratings in Election 2010 they actually came out of that election with less seats than they entered it with. Had they not joined the coalition the Conservatives would have probably soft-peddled for a year then called another election which they would have won outright and wherein the Libdemns would have been wiped out for the simple reason that it costs money to fight an election and they have not got any.  They needed this five years to re-group and get some funding for 2015 election. It is all very complicated, isn't it?

So in a sense whosoever from the libdems actually said yes has given the party the chance to fight another day. It should always be rememberd that they have 60+seats not 2/3 hundred.

What has all this to do with Marple 2012? IMHO, absolutely nothing ! Is it Candler or Finnie or Alexander or Rydings? Another important issue for me -who is fighting the hardest campaign. I noticed in South Marple the place is festooned by the latest bright, orange, correx,posters, I've not counted them but must be at least 100 whereas Conservatives have got about ten,insipid, worn out, paper posters. So the libdems have won the poster war by about ten -nil. But do posters a Councillor make?