Thursday, February 01, 2007
SORRY, I WAS RIGHT...ABOUT BEING INDEPENDENT
Party-politics and politicians don't interest me much - never have been a good 'joiner' of things for the last 53 years on the crust of this spinning rock hurtling interminably round a ball of fire in space - along with everybody else.
But politics and people do interest me - so I have never regretted standing as an Independent in the Ifield local elections quite a few times - and once in Pound Hill. I've been a successful failure on every occasion...much to the amusement of some...but I know it was right for me to stand - and it was good clean (and unclean) fun too.
I hope to stand as an Independent candidate for this May's local elections, and - after getting myself more than a little confused about the subject this week...I will stand either in the Horsham District Council elections (Rusper and Colgate Ward - Ifield Parish), or the Crawley Borough Council elections (Ifield Ward - Ifield Parish).
There is a month or two yet before I have to choose which one...
Pity it can't be both - especially if the BNP field a candidate in both (which is more than likely).
But politics and people do interest me - so I have never regretted standing as an Independent in the Ifield local elections quite a few times - and once in Pound Hill. I've been a successful failure on every occasion...much to the amusement of some...but I know it was right for me to stand - and it was good clean (and unclean) fun too.
I hope to stand as an Independent candidate for this May's local elections, and - after getting myself more than a little confused about the subject this week...I will stand either in the Horsham District Council elections (Rusper and Colgate Ward - Ifield Parish), or the Crawley Borough Council elections (Ifield Ward - Ifield Parish).
There is a month or two yet before I have to choose which one...
Pity it can't be both - especially if the BNP field a candidate in both (which is more than likely).
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Is there anything to stop anyone standing in two different elections - providing they qualify?
Qualification is the thing. To stand in a district/borough election you have to either reside in the area of that authority, be employed there, or own property there.
As far as I know you only qualify for Crawley Borough. You do not have to live/work/own in the ward where you stand, but must be within the same authority - so you would be OK in Ifield, or Pound Hill or anywhere else in Crawley, but not in Horsham District - even if it is a part of the Ifield parish.
It is the authority boundary which matters - not the parish one, which is a bit of an anachronism if you ask me, but lets not go there eh?
You would be able to stand in Horsham for county elections though - because you are within the West Sussex authority.
(All to the best of my knowledge. If any anorak wnats to correct me...)
Qualification is the thing. To stand in a district/borough election you have to either reside in the area of that authority, be employed there, or own property there.
As far as I know you only qualify for Crawley Borough. You do not have to live/work/own in the ward where you stand, but must be within the same authority - so you would be OK in Ifield, or Pound Hill or anywhere else in Crawley, but not in Horsham District - even if it is a part of the Ifield parish.
It is the authority boundary which matters - not the parish one, which is a bit of an anachronism if you ask me, but lets not go there eh?
You would be able to stand in Horsham for county elections though - because you are within the West Sussex authority.
(All to the best of my knowledge. If any anorak wnats to correct me...)
Thanks for that, Skuds.
If that's correct, and I don't qualify to stand for the HDC elections, that rather skudders (sorry, scuppers) my original plans - highlighted on Page 3 of today's West Sussex County Times - "Taking on council leader" - February 2).
I can only assume, therefore, that BNP's Richard Trower ("from Crawley") - who stood in Horsham's Denne Ward recently - either has property within the HDC boundary, or works there ?
If that's the case, then it's goodbye HDC elections - and hello CBC elections - for me.
Sad - I was really looking forward to a tussle with HDC's Leader, Liz Kitchen.
Well, I suppose I could always buy a property in Horsham - got £250,000 to spare, anyone ?! Or get a job there - gizza job, anyone ?!
I don't think so - and I have no wish, or intention, to travel down the same political road as Mike Weatherley (Con, Furnace Green) - who is, as you know, a Crawley councillor but lives in Brighton...
If that's correct, and I don't qualify to stand for the HDC elections, that rather skudders (sorry, scuppers) my original plans - highlighted on Page 3 of today's West Sussex County Times - "Taking on council leader" - February 2).
I can only assume, therefore, that BNP's Richard Trower ("from Crawley") - who stood in Horsham's Denne Ward recently - either has property within the HDC boundary, or works there ?
If that's the case, then it's goodbye HDC elections - and hello CBC elections - for me.
Sad - I was really looking forward to a tussle with HDC's Leader, Liz Kitchen.
Well, I suppose I could always buy a property in Horsham - got £250,000 to spare, anyone ?! Or get a job there - gizza job, anyone ?!
I don't think so - and I have no wish, or intention, to travel down the same political road as Mike Weatherley (Con, Furnace Green) - who is, as you know, a Crawley councillor but lives in Brighton...
Perhaps people will realise that opting for two different posts might mean insufficient assurance that the elligible person is qualified for either of them.
To confirm, Trower runs a haulage company which is based on the Ifield-Charlwood Road, opposite the Browns depot, which is inside the HDC boundary.
He lives in Southgate, and so is entitled to stand in both.
Weatherly says he lives in Northgate when he is in Crawley.
He lives in Southgate, and so is entitled to stand in both.
Weatherly says he lives in Northgate when he is in Crawley.
Weatherley says he lives in Brighton when he is in Brighton...
Oh dear, it looks as though I have some apologising to do...
It seems - and thank you Skuds & Danivon for pointing it out so soon - I can only stand in the CBC election (Ifield Ward)...
So this better go in the bin :
http://www.horshamonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=507&ArticleID=2019642
Oh dear, it looks as though I have some apologising to do...
It seems - and thank you Skuds & Danivon for pointing it out so soon - I can only stand in the CBC election (Ifield Ward)...
So this better go in the bin :
http://www.horshamonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=507&ArticleID=2019642
So I better bin this :
News Richard Symonds.
Taking on the leader
IFIELD Society founder Richard Symonds says he is to take on Horsham District Council (HDC) leader Liz Kitchen in a head to head election battle in May.
Mr Symonds, a long-time fierce critic of HDC's controversial Local Development Framework (LDF) plans to build 2,500 new homes on land west and north west of Crawley, announced this week he will stand as an independent candidate in a bid to win the Rusper and Colgate seat, held since 1987 by the council's Conservative leader Mrs Kitchen.
Father of two, Mr Symonds, 53, of Lavington Close, Ifield, has railed against the LDF since its inception, through regular internet blog warnings on the potential threat of development to Ifield Golf Course and Ifield Brook Meadows Village Conservation Area.
In a exclusive interview with the County Times, Mr Symonds said: "I am standing because 2,500 new houses are to be given the green light by HDC, and crammed into the parish of Ifield.
"I hope to achieve a genuine independent voice within the district council – a much needed one.
"The changes I want to make, are the changes which people who passionately believe in genuine local democracy want."
Mrs Kitchen said: "I am not surprised that Mr Symonds is planning to stand in this ward and am battling as he is.
"I have been battling for three or four years since we heard that there may have to be houses in this area.
"I am in there to make sure that if we have to have houses it is minimised and the beautiful countryside around here isn't ruined.
"I am extremely unhappy that effectively a large chunk of Horsham district is being fingered for Crawley.
"I shan't be standing on the one issue ticket, however, I intend to represent everybody and look at every important issue in the ward.
"Although the potential development is an important issue, there are other very serious problems in my ward and I will continue to do everything I can to put them right."
02 February 2007
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News Richard Symonds.
Taking on the leader
IFIELD Society founder Richard Symonds says he is to take on Horsham District Council (HDC) leader Liz Kitchen in a head to head election battle in May.
Mr Symonds, a long-time fierce critic of HDC's controversial Local Development Framework (LDF) plans to build 2,500 new homes on land west and north west of Crawley, announced this week he will stand as an independent candidate in a bid to win the Rusper and Colgate seat, held since 1987 by the council's Conservative leader Mrs Kitchen.
Father of two, Mr Symonds, 53, of Lavington Close, Ifield, has railed against the LDF since its inception, through regular internet blog warnings on the potential threat of development to Ifield Golf Course and Ifield Brook Meadows Village Conservation Area.
In a exclusive interview with the County Times, Mr Symonds said: "I am standing because 2,500 new houses are to be given the green light by HDC, and crammed into the parish of Ifield.
"I hope to achieve a genuine independent voice within the district council – a much needed one.
"The changes I want to make, are the changes which people who passionately believe in genuine local democracy want."
Mrs Kitchen said: "I am not surprised that Mr Symonds is planning to stand in this ward and am battling as he is.
"I have been battling for three or four years since we heard that there may have to be houses in this area.
"I am in there to make sure that if we have to have houses it is minimised and the beautiful countryside around here isn't ruined.
"I am extremely unhappy that effectively a large chunk of Horsham district is being fingered for Crawley.
"I shan't be standing on the one issue ticket, however, I intend to represent everybody and look at every important issue in the ward.
"Although the potential development is an important issue, there are other very serious problems in my ward and I will continue to do everything I can to put them right."
02 February 2007
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