1999 - But No Party

After finally catching up on the last few sleep deprived days, this is the first opportunity that I have had to thank the residents of West Shoebury who put a cross by my name last Thursday and re-elected me as a councillor for West Shoebury.

Whilst it is an honour to top the poll last Thursday, I have to say that I have very little appetite to celebrate the result. If the truth be told, I shouldn't have been elected. It was only due to the resignation of my former colleague Liz Day, who passed away on the 23rd April, that I was a candidate at these elections.

Liz's sad passing caused a 'double header' election in West Shoebury. Liz had a year remaining of her term of office and it was my colleague Derek Jarvis who was defending the four year term. How the system works, whoever tops the ballot wins the four year term with the candidate who finishes second taking the remainder of Liz's term of office.

If there was any justice in the world it should have been Derek who topped the ballot. When the result was declared at 14:30 on Friday, I suppose it was a quirk of fate that Liz's funeral had started half an hour earlier. Liz, this victory is for you.

Now the real work starts. I want to re-assure residents that Shoebury Common in safe in our hands. I pledged that it will be residents, not the politicains who will decide what flood defence scheme happens at Shoebury Common and will work constructively with the Administration with the current on-going review.

This week, I intend to meet with officers to discuss the apparent lack of progress on junction protection and road safety schemes which have been agreed by Council.There are a number of pockets of fly tipping across the ward which will be reported first thing tomorrow morning.

One cast iron guarantee that I can give residents of West Shoebury is that they will get the representation that they deserve.