Landslide victory for Lib Dems in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Ormesby Ward

Redcar Liberal Democrats are delighted to have held on to the Ormesby Ward with a landslide result in a by-election held yesterday. 

Nunthorpe resident Carole Morgan, a former teacher at Nunthorpe School, was comfortably elected as the new councillor in Ormesby, which includes part of Nunthorpe.

The result was: 

Carole Morgan (Lib Dem) 980 

UKIP 138 

Labour 126 

Con 41 

North East Party 15 

The by-election was caused by the resignation of popular Liberal Democrat Councillor Ann Wilson, who sadly died during the campaign. New Lib Dem Councillor Carole Morgan said:

“Naturally I regret the circumstances that led to this by-election. Ann Wilson was a superb representative for the area and was liked by all who knew her.

“I am delighted that the people of Ormesby and Nunthorpe have put their trust in me. I am looking forward to working with fellow Councillors Glyn and Irene Nightingale to serve the local community and protect the area from unsuitable development.

“I will try to be a councillor for all residents, regardless of how they voted.”

Lib Dem council group leader Josh Mason added: “I am delighted with the result and am sure that Carole will be an excellent representative for Ormesby and Nunthorpe.

“The Lib Dem Group on the council will continue to hold the Labour administration to account and fight for the best possible deal for residents across the borough.”

Councillors rushing to criticise colleagues often get it wrong but the damage is done!

Redcar and Cleveland Councillors are at their best when they work together

I was disappointed yesterday to read a post on the Facebook page of a fellow Councillor, a Labour member for Coatham Ward, sniping at me in a very patronising way. It claimed I should have contacted the Council before complaining in the press about the lack of action to repair Redcar Town Clock (see previous item below).

The comment attracted some rather nasty comments in support including one from the other Labour Councillor for Coatham Ward also suggesting I should do like him and contact the Council.

Had they bothered to check they would have found that I DID contact the Council first and I got a very helpful response. However, the number of people who contacted me to complain about the clock not working was the reason why I felt it a necessary and newsworthy action to press release my comments and publish them in my blog.

In addition to that I also complained about the fact that the Council appears to be the only local authority in the country that plants green shrubs in flower beds and boxes.

Two entirely different issues but linked because the Labour leadership of Redcar and Cleveland likes to cut maintenance budgets when faced with having to reduce spending so that people notice and they can then blame the Government.

Both these Councillors post numerous stuff on Facebook daily and send out press statements. It is a bit rich to criticise me in such a patronising way when they do exactly the same themselves.

This reminds me of a similar incident in May, shortly after I received the honour, after 31 years on the Council, of being elected Deputy Mayor. The Council's only UKIP member posted a rant on Facebook about him not getting elected as the Vice-Chairman of something because some of my Lib Dem colleagues had refused to vote for him in spite of a deal agreed between opposition members. 

He singled me out for criticism because, he said, he had voted for me to become Deputy Mayor and I had not voted for him. This vote took place before the vote for committee chairs and vice chairs. This posting prompted a comment from an Independent Councillor claiming that he did not want to vote for me but did so because the UKIP Councillor said he should. Another person claimed I was a "low life."

The truth is I DID vote for the UKIP Councillor and not only that I later strongly criticised my fellow Lib Dem Councillors for not supporting him as well. The Lib Dem Group does not have a whip so members are free to choose but I felt they were wrong on that occasion.

The UKIP Councillor later apologised but the damage was already done, my daughter and granddaughter had already read the comments, which had upset them and no doubt many others would have believed them.

There is a code of conduct for members but some members think that allowing others to make nasty comments on their postings is a way of subjecting opponents to abuse without them being responsible. I beg to differ and would delete any such comments

Get the basics right, repair Redcar town clock and plant flowers not green shrubs.

Redcar Town Clock is not working and has been out of action for some time. 

Redcar and Cleveland must be the only Borough in the country that fills its flower beds and planters with horrible green shrubs.

We had this problem prior to 2003 following a similar period of stringent cuts. We were told the clock was unserviceable but it was only seized up through lack of maintenance and the grass was not cut causing public outrage. 

The Council is failing to get the basics right. These type of cuts are more about making a political statement than a genuine money saving effort. People blame the Council not the Government when these things are done and it harms the Council’s reputation as a caring authority.

Redcar Town clock is relied upon and people hate it when it is not accurate. The Rev Alan Powers, said, when he attended Yorkshire Day in the High Street yesterday as John Vaughan to Chris Foote Wood’s Henry Bolckow, "Redcar town clock was known as the four faced liar," when he was the Methodist minister in Redcar.

Our approach roads to town centres are looking shabby with horrible green shrubs in planters and beds instead of flowers.

I realise the Council is running a ‘Love It’ scheme to get volunteers to plant flowers but every other Borough in the land appears to be able to provide decent flower displays without having to do this why can’t we?