Local Elections

Well, we began the day being told by the BBC and other media outlets, that the Tories were not doing so badly as first thought, and in any case just look at the fact that Starmer, who has just won London, is being re-investigated for having a works lunch.

Well we have now ended the day with the Tories having lost a disastrous almost 500 seats and 11 councils.

The false equivalence being touted will soon be seen for what it is - a staggering load of nonsense.

There are 16 events held at number 10 being investigated by the police.
80 fines so far with more to come
Karaoke, ABBA, quiz nights , suitcases of booze, birthday parties, leaving events, quiz nights

We still have further police reports to come and of course the Sue Gray report.

All this compared to a working lunch attended by Starmer and other Labour Party members.

The media have tried very hard to take away the attention from the fact that the Tories have done disastrously in the elections and they still have the police and Sue Gray to face.

The election results showed that people are no longer being fooled.

Crikey. Maybe it’s because he seems like a really decent bloke who cares about the people in Wales. Who’d’ve’thought it.

21 of 22 results now in for Wales. The Tories have lost 82 seats here, and their only Council control. They won 107 seats, and are now in fourth place behind Labour, independents and Plaid. Not a good day at all for them. The media are attributing Labour’s success to the ‘Drakeford factor’. It must be that elusive counter-charisma, only understood by the Welsh, and not by Labour’s left wing either.

Conwy is actually a County Borough Council Pantglas, with towns and rural - the same principle applies though, it was too complicated to go into the detail of every local authority, eg Cardiff is called Cardiff City Council - but they are all LAs with the same range of functions as each other.

Casdon

It is simpler in Wales, there are 22 Local Authorities, all run separately. They are a County Council if they cover a rural/market towns county, and Borough Councils if they cover a city. They do the same thing though, there’s no duplication.

Not sure your second sentence is correct Casdon - Conwy county has a Borough council and we definitely don’t have a city within the area.

growstuff

Casdon

It is simpler in Wales, there are 22 Local Authorities, all run separately. They are a County Council if they cover a rural/market towns county, and Borough Councils if they cover a city. They do the same thing though, there’s no duplication.

There's no duplication of responsibility here. It's just that people don't understand who is responsible for each area of local government. They also seem to think that local government is responsible for how many doctors and dentists there are. I guess it suits some people in charge because they can shrug their shoulders and say "it's not me guv".

Our Health Boards are coterminous with the local authorities as well. It just makes life easier for everybody.

Callistemon21 I can’t get my head round the English system, it just feels like too many layers, at least in Wales it’s clear who to blame when things go wrong!

Casdon

It is simpler in Wales, there are 22 Local Authorities, all run separately. They are a County Council if they cover a rural/market towns county, and Borough Councils if they cover a city. They do the same thing though, there’s no duplication.

There's no duplication of responsibility here. It's just that people don't understand who is responsible for each area of local government. They also seem to think that local government is responsible for how many doctors and dentists there are. I guess it suits some people in charge because they can shrug their shoulders and say "it's not me guv".

Oh dear

Some boundaries have been changed recently,

Casdon

It is simpler in Wales, there are 22 Local Authorities, all run separately. They are a County Council if they cover a rural/market towns county, and Borough Councils if they cover a city. They do the same thing though, there’s no duplication.

Thanks Casdon, I was trying to work out how to explain it!

Some boundaries have been recently, we have moved ward without moving house but it was a logical change in our instance.

Thurrock and Southend City on Sea are both unitary authorities and they had local elections.

Definitely an over complicated system, DH and I were talking over dinner and we came to the conclusion that if every seat on a council was up for election at the same time it could be a car crash. Local civil servants would have far too much responsibility until new councillors bedded in

It is simpler in Wales, there are 22 Local Authorities, all run separately. They are a County Council if they cover a rural/market towns county, and Borough Councils if they cover a city. They do the same thing though, there’s no duplication.

This is a summary of local government in Essex:

www.essex.gov.uk/local-councils

In addition, there are parish and town councils.

I think most counties have the same kind of pattern, which is different from unitary authorities and cities such as London and Manchester.

PS. I agree - it's overly complicated and means many people don't know who's responsible for what.

Callistemon21

Did Essex have Borough Council elections, then?
It seems to me that all this is overly complicated.

Not where I live. Some areas of Essex have unitary authorities and I think some of them had elections.

Cambridgeshire is just over the border and I know South Cambridgeshire District Council had elections, but not Cambridgeshire County Council.

Did Essex have Borough Council elections, then?
It seems to me that all this is overly complicated.

Callistemon21

growstuff

Urmstongran

After the counting is done & dusted, let’s hope the local councils fix the pot holes, keep the streets and parks tidy etc rather than going on about cakegate etc

Mind you - Not a chance whilst there are trans issues etc to be addressed. Watch out now for a growth in the numbers of diversity related jobs.....

In this area at least, it's the Tory County Council which is responsible for fixing potholes. Today's elections weren't for the county council.

Well, I'm

I thought this election was for County Councils and Unitary Authorities?

Not in Essex (and in some other places). There were no elections for the County Council and they are responsible for potholes. It's different in other areas, where there are unitary authorities. Where I live, there are three layers of local government and there weren't elections for any of them.

growstuff

Urmstongran

After the counting is done & dusted, let’s hope the local councils fix the pot holes, keep the streets and parks tidy etc rather than going on about cakegate etc

Mind you - Not a chance whilst there are trans issues etc to be addressed. Watch out now for a growth in the numbers of diversity related jobs.....

In this area at least, it's the Tory County Council which is responsible for fixing potholes. Today's elections weren't for the county council.

Well, I'm

I thought this election was for County Councils and Unitary Authorities?

Had a look through other posts and I'm to be the only one commenting on Cornwall, where I live.

No local election here.

Cornwall Council held its elections last year and the council operates on a four-year cycle so the next elections will not be held until 2024.

Last year’s elections saw the Conservatives take control of Cornwall Council after winning 47 of the 87 seats available. However, while they won the highest number of seats, they only took 37% of the votes cast.

I'll continue to vote for this to change.

Urmstongran

After the counting is done & dusted, let’s hope the local councils fix the pot holes, keep the streets and parks tidy etc rather than going on about cakegate etc

Mind you - Not a chance whilst there are trans issues etc to be addressed. Watch out now for a growth in the numbers of diversity related jobs.....

In this area at least, it's the Tory County Council which is responsible for fixing potholes. Today's elections weren't for the county council.

paddyann54

Roza Salih ,asylum seeker- Glasgow Girl now Glasgow city councillor.I and many of us are as delighted for her as she is for herself .Onwards and upwards Roza well done.

That's so good paddyann!

I've just seen the Edinburgh results. Tories have slipped from second to fifth place. Which is last place.

After the counting is done & dusted, let’s hope the local councils fix the pot holes, keep the streets and parks tidy etc rather than going on about cakegate etc

Mind you - Not a chance whilst there are trans issues etc to be addressed. Watch out now for a growth in the numbers of diversity related jobs.....

Callistemon21

Is it just in Wales or throughout the UK?

I don’t know, but it’s been done through the Electoral Commission, so it’s a legitimate pilot.
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/you-can-vote-wales-council-23825710
Has anybody in England, Scotland or NI heard of similar going on anywhere else?

Is it just in Wales or throughout the UK?

Callistemon21

Casdon

62% of the voters in Blaenau Gwent voted for Brexit, which was the highest percentage in Wales. Labour have today regained control of the council.

It was rather odd because, in some areas, voters were able to go to a polling station on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to cast their votes.
It's a pilot scheme I believe.

I did see that - they were piloting it in a few areas to see if would improve voting percentages, particularly in the student population, who don’t usually bother to vote. If it brings up the number of voters it’s a good thing I think.

paddyann54

Roza Salih ,asylum seeker- Glasgow Girl now Glasgow city councillor.I and many of us are as delighted for her as she is for herself .Onwards and upwards Roza well done.

Excellent news!