Lib Dem no-shows block Town Council meeting

 

The September meeting of Hedge End Town Council could not go ahead this evening, 20th September. So there is nothing to report this month. 

There have to be at least six councillors present for the meeting to go ahead.

Only five of the 18 Lib Dems elected in May this year turned up. Let's thank and acknowledge them for taking their democratic responsibilities seriously: Councillors Shepherd, Jupe, Hadaway, Mitchell and Nichols.

This would have been just the fourth meeting of the Council elected in May. It's a bit disappointing and embarrassing, not to say disrespectful of the stand-in clerk, that less than one third of councillors were present so early in their term of office. 

Hedge End Labour Party wants to hear from you

 

Hedge End Labour party is keen to hear from you if you live in Hedge End or one of the nearby villages. Just copy and paste these questions with your answers into an email and send it to hedgeendblogger@gmail.com. We can't wait to hear from you.

 

Q1 Whereabouts do you live?

A1 (delete those that do not apply) Hedge End, Botley, Hamble, Netley, Hound, Bursledon, elsewhere

Q2 What single thing could Hedge End Labour Party do to HELP improve life for you, your family, friends and people you live and work with?

A2:

Q3 Which of these do you worry about most?

A3 (delete those that do not apply and number the rest)

Climate change

Cost of living

Wildlife and biodiversity

NHS

Social care

Anything else?

Q4 How do you think you will vote in the next local elections?

A4 (delete those that do not apply)

Labour

Green

Conservative

Lib Dem

Other

Q5 How do you think you will vote in the next general election?

A5 (delete those that do not apply)

Labour

Green

Conservative

Lib Dem

Other

Q6 Would you like us to keep your email on file so we can keep in touch all year round

A6 YES / NO

If you would like to be registered as a Labour supporter, please let us know your address too.

You can join the Labour Party here: Join the Labour Party today!

 

The Labour Party uses your personal data for a variety of reasons related to engaging in the democratic process. Where we rely on consent, you are always able to opt out. To find out more about how we use your data and to view our Profiling Notice, please see labour.org.uk/privacy-policy

Eastleigh Borough Council launches first electric bin lorries

 

Botley councillor Rupert Kyrle was on the BBC's Politics South programme this morning (17 September 2023).

Rupert is borough councillor for Botley and cabinet member for the environment at Eastleigh Borough Council.

He was announcing the first all electric bin lorries to work out of the Hedge End depot. 

There are benefits of lower emissions, less noise pollution, better air quality, and claimed financial benefits in the cost of charging the vehicles compared with filling a tank of diesel on the older vehicles. Eastleigh can be rightly proud to have the first of these vehicles operating in the Hampshire County Council area. 

Most of the secondary authorities in Hampshire are Conservative run so it is not surprising they are lagging behind Eastleigh in green initiatives.

However even Eastleigh is two years behind Labour councils in Oxford and Reading where similar vehicles have been on the road since 2021.

Your local Labour campaign team in Hedge End

Hedge End Labour campaigning all year round

Regular readers of this blog will know that as Hedge End Blogger, I (Keith Day) have been keeping in touch via this blog since 2011. That is when I resigned from the Lib Dems and sat as an independent councillor on Hedge End Town Council for a single term.

I am proud to be campaigning for the Labour Party now, and keeping in touch all year round. I have been keeping an eye on local politics for decades, calling both Lib Dems and Tories to account.

In that time the Lib Dems have broken promises about protecting green fields around Hedge End, and hiked charges for council services.

Just as they lied about being opposed to the Conservatives in the 2010 general election and then let themselves be used to prop up Cameron’s austerity government.

Just as they lied about scrapping tuition fees when they got into power.

Even now the Lib Dem leader on Eastleigh Borough Council sided with the Tory government as they tried to scrap vital protections designed to prevent even more pollution in our rivers and water ways.

As Hedge End moves into the new Hamble Valley constituency, experts put the Lib Dems a poor and distant third.

It no longer makes sense in Hedge End to vote Lib Dem to keep the Tories out. A Lib Dem vote is now a wasted vote. 

Keep your eyes open for more news soon about your local Labour campaign team. 

Labour action on road safety

 

Your Labour team are more and more concerned about increased on road parking at the west end of Turnpike Way.

This is mainly during the week, and during working hours.

Traffic heading towards Upper Northam Road is forced onto the right side of the road, and possibly face to face with buses and cars turning into Turnpike Way.

Hedge End Blogger (aka Labour campaigner Keith Day) raised this at a recent Town Council meeting. 

Lib Dem Borough councillors at the meeting admitted that all highway matters had recently been transferred back to Hampshire County Council (so much for not cutting services at Lib Dem Eastleigh).

Your Labour team will keep pressing for action. We will keep you updated on this blog.

If there is a traffic issue in your street, let us know at hedgeedblogger@gmail.com.

We are here to help.

In case you missed it - Hedge End in the news in August

 

In case you missed something while on summer holiday, here is a catch-up of stories reported by local online media in August. These are stories covering Hedge End and neighbouring villages. Do let me know if I have missed anything.

Eastleigh News reported on:

Boorley Park - new play area

No local schools affected by concrete scandal

Council grant for COVID recovery support

Botley local plan

West End hospice memorials

West End plans for solar farm

West End - Hampshire Cricket boss stands down

Boorley Park - Families move in to new homes

Hamble and Netley councillor defends Hedge End station ticket office

Hedge End care home residents day out at the cricket

West End hospice benefits from Southampton festival

Hedge End - new care home opens

Hedge End - Arrest in relation to building site burglaries

Botley and Bursledon planning applications await decision

The Daily Echo reported on:

Hamble burst water main causes chaos

Hamble burst water main causes delays

Eastleigh Borough Council COVID recovery grants available

Hamble - comedian moving into village

West End - Ageas bowl development consultation ends

Hamble - mystery surrounding man found dead

Botley and Bursledon planning applications

Hamble quarry plans in limbo

(Photo credit: Ruth Hartnup)

Labour set to beat Lib Dems – expert prediction

When the next general election comes around, Hedge End will be in a new constituency called Hamble Valley.

Expert political forecasters Electoral Calculus looked at recent results in the areas which will make up Hamble Valley.

They initially predicted the Lib Dems would come a poor and distant third, giving them a 1 in 100 chance of winning the new seat. Labour came out as 16 times more likely to win.

They have subsequently updated their figures but still show Labour comfortably beating the Lib Dems into third place.

You can see all the working out on the Electoral Calculus website together with a map of the new constituency: New Seat Details - Hamble Valley (electoralcalculus.co.uk)

Labour candidates are overturning huge majorities in by elections as more and more disgraced and discredited Conservative MPs resign their seats. Who would predict the same thing couldn’t happen here?

Hedge End Labour are pleased and proud that an independent team of experts make us favourites to kick out the Tories here.

In Hamble Valley Hedge End a Lib Dem vote is now a wasted vote.

Labour still best placed to overtake Tories in Hamble Valley

Labour reveals huge hike in Town Council budget

 

Labour's summer newsletter leads on Town Council budget

Hedge End Labour Party were shocked to see local Lib Dems set a budget over a million pounds for the first time.

The Town Council - run entirely by Lib Dems - agreed the £1 million  budget earlier this year.

Hedge End council tax payers will be asked to stump up £836,000. The rest will be made up from fees for sports pitches, community halls, allotments etc.

In 10 years the council tax precept for Hedge End Town Council has gone up by 30% when inflation has been in the region of 2-3% for much of that time.

Meanwhile Lib Dems  have hiked council charges across Eastleigh.

Famously Lib Dem Eastleigh Borough Council now charges £20 if you forget to put out your wheely bins and ask the council to come back to empty them.

They used to do this for free as recently as 2013 - at least for a first "offence".

We first reported this back in June: The Hidden Costs of Lib Dem Councils

Budget spreadsheet showing total budget of £1,099,910