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Post by ibnu on Jan 21, 2022 6:46:01 GMT
Shouldn't the Lib Dems Make a play over here, try to see if it can still win urban seats as they did under the Blair areas and perhaps use an unpopular labour council as a nice bit of leverage for their usual by-election strategy?
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Post by iainbhx on Jan 21, 2022 7:32:27 GMT
Shouldn't the Lib Dems Make a play over here, try to see if it can still win urban seats as they did under the Blair areas and perhaps use an unpopular labour council as a nice bit of leverage for their usual by-election strategy? Questions to which the answer is no. I would do something in Castle Vale and Pype Hayes, the other areas have been unworked for just under two decades. I think Jerry did a reasonable amount in 2005. |
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Post by LDCaerdydd on Jan 21, 2022 9:45:08 GMT
Shouldn't the Lib Dems Make a play over here, try to see if it can still win urban seats as they did under the Blair areas and perhaps use an unpopular labour council as a nice bit of leverage for their usual by-election strategy? I’d love us to be competitive in more urban seats, but this isn’t the time, it’s also not the place. Politics is cyclical, give Kier/Labour 4-6 years and we’ll start to be competitive again. This is not a by-election prospect like NS or C&A. |
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 38,889
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Post by The Bishop on Jan 21, 2022 11:46:35 GMT
What specifically has the council done that people don't like?
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Post by woollyliberal on Jan 21, 2022 12:28:02 GMT
What specifically has the council done that people don't like? They spend big money on big projects like repaving Centenary Square while making cuts to other areas like parks. The bin collections are a mess. the roads are full of potholes. They won't tackle flytipping or littering unless it is in the city centre. They were in 'special needs' or whatever it's called for several years. SEND provision has been taken over by the government it is so bad. Most people shrug their shoulders. They're not that bad. |
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Post by ClevelandYorks on Jan 21, 2022 12:51:54 GMT
What specifically has the council done that people don't like? They spend big money on big projects like repaving Centenary Square while making cuts to other areas like parks. The bin collections are a mess. the roads are full of potholes. They won't tackle flytipping or littering unless it is in the city centre. They were in 'special needs' or whatever it's called for several years. SEND provision has been taken over by the government it is so bad. Most people shrug their shoulders. They're not that bad. I think the phrase you’re looking for is special measures… In spite of all this, is there much chance that Labour will still make gains in the city elections? |
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bd
Labour
Posts: 109 
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Post by bd on Jan 21, 2022 13:05:19 GMT
What specifically has the council done that people don't like? They spend big money on big projects like repaving Centenary Square while making cuts to other areas like parks. The bin collections are a mess. the roads are full of potholes. They won't tackle flytipping or littering unless it is in the city centre. They were in 'special needs' or whatever it's called for several years. SEND provision has been taken over by the government it is so bad. Most people shrug their shoulders. They're not that bad. There isn't the slightest chance Labour will lose control of the Council in May. That might not have felt as certain 6 months ago but even then it would have had to have been a very bad night for Labour for them to slip below 51 Councillors. Now, I would assume they may even pick up seats. Having said that, given the suddeness of Jack Dromey's passing which means (in contrast to, say, Leicester East) there is no existing ground game by the opposition, a snap byelection makes a lot of sense from a tactical point of view and can hardly be criticised on any other basis. Had it been closer to the May elections there might have been a point in combining them as it could bring a number of council seat wins in Kingstanding, Erdington, Castle Vale and Perry Common. Most of those would fall on a swing of approximately 5%, the current national change in voting is about a 6-8% swing from 2018 to date. Given that control of the Council is not in doubt it doesn't make sense to delay the byelection and doubtless there will be a good deal of voter ID that will be available for May in any event. There's already lots of Labour boots on the ground. |
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bd
Labour
Posts: 109
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Post by bd on Jan 21, 2022 13:09:59 GMT
They spend big money on big projects like repaving Centenary Square while making cuts to other areas like parks. The bin collections are a mess. the roads are full of potholes. They won't tackle flytipping or littering unless it is in the city centre. They were in 'special needs' or whatever it's called for several years. SEND provision has been taken over by the government it is so bad. Most people shrug their shoulders. They're not that bad. I think the phrase you’re looking for is special measures… In spite of all this, is there much chance that Labour will still make gains in the city elections? Harborne, Castle Vale, Quinton, Kingstanding, Perry Common, Allens Cross, Frankley, Longbridge are all potential Labour Gains. I don't think they will win them all but they will probably win some. |
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Post by woollyliberal on Jan 21, 2022 15:42:01 GMT
They spend big money on big projects like repaving Centenary Square while making cuts to other areas like parks. The bin collections are a mess. the roads are full of potholes. They won't tackle flytipping or littering unless it is in the city centre. They were in 'special needs' or whatever it's called for several years. SEND provision has been taken over by the government it is so bad. Most people shrug their shoulders. They're not that bad. I think the phrase you’re looking for is special measures… In spite of all this, is there much chance that Labour will still make gains in the city elections? Six months ago I would have said a flat out no. The local Tories were giddy at the prospect of making further gains. But that was before events happened. From memory, there have been 5 recent by-elections. 4 Con vs Lab, one LD vs Lab. The Tories won 2 of their 4. The Lib Dems held theirs against Labour. I'd say there was no chance of a Lab gain from LD. Whether they can take back one from Con remains to be seen. I personally doubt Labour's total will go up. Thanks to Boris, there's much less chance of the Tories going up either. |
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Sibboleth
Labour
'Sit on my finger, sing in my ear, O littleblood.'
Posts: 16,025
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Post by Sibboleth on Jan 21, 2022 15:54:38 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections.
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Post by elinorhelyn on Jan 21, 2022 17:48:03 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. This is what happens when austerity meets with our highly centralized form of goverment. |
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Post by andrew111 on Jan 21, 2022 21:43:08 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. Well, it is true, but some councils do still seem to find ways to waste money on vanity projects in a colossal way if they are given the chance |
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timmullen1
Labour
Closing account as BossMan declines to respond to messages seeking support.
Posts: 11,823
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Post by timmullen1 on Jan 21, 2022 22:11:47 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. Well, it is true, but some councils do still seem to find ways to waste money on vanity projects in a colossal way if they are given the chance Although so much money is ring fenced by central government nowadays - without wishing to defend Stoke City Council, in the last six weeks they’ve been rejected for funding to increase subsidised bus routes, pothole repair, but have been given about £3 mill to prepare derelict land for an indoor arena that hasn’t had a sniff of private sector interest in building/operating it, and is far too small, 3400 capacity, to attract major tours or sports events anyway. |
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Post by Adam in Stroud on Jan 21, 2022 22:50:32 GMT
Well, it is true, but some councils do still seem to find ways to waste money on vanity projects in a colossal way if they are given the chance Although so much money is ring fenced by central government nowadays - without wishing to defend Stoke City Council, in the last six weeks they’ve been rejected for funding to increase subsidised bus routes, pothole repair, but have been given about £3 mill to prepare derelict land for an indoor arena that hasn’t had a sniff of private sector interest in building/operating it, and is far too small, 3400 capacity, to attract major tours or sports events anyway. You have your finger on it - half these "vanity projects" arise from funding streams where central government decides it wants some whizzy thing and will let councils or voluntary agencies bid for cash, with no thought for what are the real priorities of the local authority or agency. Central government has no interest in bread-and-butter council services (though they don't mind imposing duties) but likes to play Santa with a big sack of cash for the minister's pet scheme (which he gets to plug in the HoC or on the Today programme. |
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timmullen1
Labour
Closing account as BossMan declines to respond to messages seeking support.
Posts: 11,823
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Post by timmullen1 on Jan 21, 2022 22:55:49 GMT
Although so much money is ring fenced by central government nowadays - without wishing to defend Stoke City Council, in the last six weeks they’ve been rejected for funding to increase subsidised bus routes, pothole repair, but have been given about £3 mill to prepare derelict land for an indoor arena that hasn’t had a sniff of private sector interest in building/operating it, and is far too small, 3400 capacity, to attract major tours or sports events anyway. You have your finger on it - half these "vanity projects" arise from funding streams where central government decides it wants some whizzy thing and will let councils or voluntary agencies bid for cash, with no thought for what are the real priorities of the local authority or agency. Central government has no interest in bread-and-butter council services (though they don't mind imposing duties) but likes to play Santa with a big sack of cash for the minister's pet scheme (which he gets to plug in the HoC or on the Today programme. And the council, whatever its political hue, then gets flak in the media for missing out on potential investment irrespective of how useless it might be. |
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Post by greenhert on Jan 22, 2022 11:36:15 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. And yet the government keeps ploughing on with unnecessary mergers of existing authorities, especially in rural areas. |
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Post by elinorhelyn on Jan 22, 2022 11:39:20 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. And yet the government keeps ploughing on with unnecessary mergers of existing authorities, especially in rural areas. I think that has more to do those mergers turning into Conservative controlled councils |
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Post by jakegb on Jan 22, 2022 12:18:26 GMT
Shouldn't the Lib Dems Make a play over here, try to see if it can still win urban seats as they did under the Blair areas and perhaps use an unpopular labour council as a nice bit of leverage for their usual by-election strategy? I’d love us to be competitive in more urban seats, but this isn’t the time, it’s also not the place. Politics is cyclical, give Kier/Labour 4-6 years and we’ll start to be competitive again. This is not a by-election prospect like NS or C&A. The Lib Dems (in parliament, and to a lesser extent, locally) are too middle class for seats like this - and that's why they've been ramping up the pressure on the Tories in the Blue Wall. We would need another Labour government (in hot water, like in 2003-10) before they can mountain a challenge in urban centres again e.g. Manchester Withington, Birmingham. Yardley etc. And then they would face the challenge common to the : crafting a manifesto that would appeal to the upper middle classes Richmond/Kingston and working class voters in the city/large town centres (outside London). |
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neilm
Non-Aligned
Posts: 25,023
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Post by neilm on Jan 22, 2022 12:28:47 GMT
The reality of local government in the present era is that large local authorities - especially large unitary authorities - are essentially set up to fail. It is a model of local government that only works if adequate funding is available, which has not been the case since the Coalition. It barely matters who actually runs them, because for the most part you would be stuck facing the same range of dire options no matter your party label. All of which makes a bit of a mockery of local government, local politics and (sorry, but it's true) local elections. And yet the government keeps ploughing on with unnecessary mergers of existing authorities, especially in rural areas. What are your criteria (or, indeed, criterion) for mergers? |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2022 12:41:22 GMT
And yet the government keeps ploughing on with unnecessary mergers of existing authorities, especially in rural areas. What are your criteria (or, indeed, criterion) for mergers? Don't |
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