On Your Side

I have decided to stand in the elections for Somerset County Council, as an Independent. Why am I standing? Because the existing administration is making such a hash of things. From the illegal libraries closure plan, to the boom in flytipping and the wilful neglect of our road network, Somerset Conservatives appear to be on a mission to dismantle our beautiful County. They have just agreed to disband the Council’s Countryside Team one of many attacks on the environment. Against this background, I feel compelled to stand and do my part in halting these misguided plans. Why an Independent? Partly because none of the political Parties adequately represents my view of the direction that we should take, but mainly because representing a Party would mean that I must conform. I am not prepared to ignore the interests of the people of this area in favour of the interests of a Party. The people must come first and only by being an Independent can I do that. For example, our existing (Conservative) County Councillor voted through the budget that led to the Council’s (unlawful) attempt to close the only library in this Division, at Bishops Lydeard.  That’s not a decision made in the interests of this area, it’s a decision made because Party-affiliated Councillors have to toe the Party line. That’s no good to us. A vote for me is a vote for the interests of the electors, unfettered by Party orders.

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TAUNTON FIRE AND RESCUE COVER

April 18th, 2013

LogoAs you may know, there are plans to reduce the cover at Taunton Fire Station from two full-time crews to one full-time crew and one retained (on-call) crew in a lighter duty engine. Concerns have been raised, particularly by outlying communities covered by Taunton Fire Station. Bishops Lydeard and Cotford St Luke are both currently on the edge of the 13 minute response time. Under the new proposals, they both fall well outside that time zone and even a fair chunk of Norton Fitzwarren (currently entirely covered) would fall outside the 13 minute zone. It has also been suggested that the lighter duty engine to be operated by the retained crew is not able to deal with a house fire as it carries an inadequate number of fire-fighters. So upon arrival, there is not much that they could do until a second engine arrived. Continue reading “TAUNTON FIRE AND RESCUE COVER” »