Twenty years serving Bingley Rural - a pleasure and I've done all right I hope

I've been the councillor for Bingley Rural for approaching twenty years. Come next year's elections it will be twenty years. And in that time I've helped, mostly in small ways, loads of people in the villages (at first four but, since 2004, five) with their issues. A lot of the time I get stuff sorted, grease the cogs of local government and allow people to get back to living their lives. Sometimes I fail, the problem isn't - or can't be - solved and this is as frustrating for me as it it for the people who've asked for my help.

When I look back, I remember the things that didn't work out - whether it's getting a beer garden approved for The George or trying to help a resident get permission for a hay store so she could better care for her motley collection of retired horses. And the bigger stuff like the planning permission at Crack Lane in Wilsden - a load of houses on a site that floods all the time and can only be accessed via the narrowest and steepest of rural roads. A planning consent rammed through by a Council seemingly obsessed with delivering on some sort of fictional housing need - macho planning at its worst.

Then I think about the things that aren't so straightforward - the traffic calming schemes that everyone wants until they're in place when everyone hates them. We really have to find a better way - the schemes going in today simply don't fit the bill. As one resident explained - he doesn't drive through Harden because his wife's bad back is exacerbated by the sleeping policemen in the village. Yet council officers are ever more defensive when challenged - pointing to "national guidance" and "good practice" to justify jarring, rattling physical speed controls. I'm minded not to support any more of these until this problem is sorted - the current schemes simply aren't right.

I was once asked - quite late in the evening when I was less than sober and in The Fleece in Cullingworth - "what have you done for me?" I stumbled over my answer but wish, in a classic piece of l'esprit d'escalier, that I'd responded with "what have you asked me to do for you?" But in the spirit of a genuine response here's a few of the big things I've help happen in Bingley Rural.

Parkside School - back in 1999 when Labour was doing its best to utterly ruin Bradford's education there was a schools reorganisation that abolished the middle school system the City had had since the 1960s. Had we not campaigned for a secondary school at Parkside, children from Cullingworth and Denholme would have been bused into Bradford or Keighley for school.

Manywells tip - the tip getting its permission was before I first joined the council but the efforts we've put in to stop the tip polluting the village and surrounding countryside have paid off. In time what was a smelly, fly-infested and bird-ridden rubbish dump will become a grassed and wooded hill above the village.

Buck Park Quarry - most of the credit goes to Denholme Residents Action Group (DRAG) but I've helped them through the long struggle to stop landfill at Buck Park. From the first application when, sat behind Cllr Harrison, I was muttering (as loud as possible) "refuse it David, refuse it" - it was turned down, the council didn't turn up at the public enquiry and the developer's failure to comply with conditions finally killed the idea of dumping putrid and toxic waste in Denholme

Cornerstones, Cottingley - I forget how many millions the development was but that probably doesn't matter. Again someone else, Cllr Baroness Eaton, had a bigger role but we bashed enough council heads together to get a fantastic community facility, a new church and a new medical centre for the village. I was talking to Irene, the chair or trustees recently and she reminisced about walking with Prince Charles (a long story) through the estate talking about what was needed. And we have what was need now.

Cullingworth Primary School - I was a governor at Cullingworth Primary during the incredibly protracted negotiations to get the land for the new primary in the village. I remember meeting with Philip Robinson, the Council Chief Executive at the time and him describing the land transaction as the most complicated and fraught he'd handled in 30 years as a council officer.

St Ives Country Park - Great place, isn't it? Well the refurbishment, the adventure playground, the new trails - these were a priority when I was Executive Member with the culture and regeneration portfolio. We now have a fantastic free facility for local people and visitors alike

Cullingworth Village Hall - just a month ago the planning committee agree to set aside £410,000 of s106 funding for a new village hall for Cullingworth. Again most of the credit is down to the Village Hall Renewal Committee but I helped - it is my pet scheme after all.

This is what Councillors do. It's not about debating the great issues of the day in the Council chambers or playing endless games of petty politics or in-party backstabbing. It's not the grand stuff but the every day things that bother ordinary people.

I think I've done all right. Perhaps my friends and neighbours in Bingley Rural will keep me on for another four years next May?

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Councillor Ellis and the sheep...

One of those priceless moments for which cameras were invented. Shame then that I didn't have one with me!

We're putting up posters for Margaret Eaton's re-election campaign and pull up to a field gate on Keighley Road in Mike Ellis's big people carrier. The field beyond the gate is filled with sheep and lambs that, on hearing the van draw up and the hatch open come bounding, skipping and (in the case of one particularly ugly ram) marching down to the gate.

There's bleating in every possible tone from soprano to the deepest bass. These sheep clearly expect something and I'm prepared to bet that it isn't a 'Vote Conservative' poster - unless of course those have become edible recently.

So Mike enters the field - a little gingerly - clutching the poster and the string to attach it to the fence. The sheep close in, their bleating rising to a cacophonous crescendo - they are all but nibbling at Mike. The old ram is leaning hard against the gate - perhaps his aim is to stop the Councillor leaving the field until food is provided.

I'm stood there watching and trying not to laugh at the sight of a Tory councillor hemmed in on every side with sheep and lambs all yelling their heads off with the ovine equivalent of "where's our food then, mate!"

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Is there an election on already? Thoughts from the (sort of) campaign trail

Spent a fair old chunk of today traipsing round Bingley Rural banging in posters - around 40 put up today in assorted strategic (and not so strategic) locations. We've also got the deliveries more-or-less sorted for just over half the ward.

As ever, it was a real pleasure to go round the ward - everyone we met seemed pretty cheery. Lovely chat with a chap at The Bullfield in Harden - not about politics but about the seemingly endless task of sweeping up underneath trees and the testing of assorted different tools (those sucker-blower things are useless by the way) for this purpose.

Other subjects of conversation included Bradford Bulls - there were 24,000 plus at Odsal last night cheering on the Bulls and make their contributions to keeping the club going. It looks OK for a while but, as John (who I was speaking with) pointed out, "this doesn't solve the problem of bad management." And then there's the little gripes and grumbles - the latest one being flyposting. Or rather attaching advertising posters to lampposts without permission.

The thing with local campaigning is that you don't spend a whole lot of time engaged in serious debate about the great issues of the day. Not only do people not raise these things with you but there really isn't the time for such indulgence. When some politician pops up in parliament or (more likely) the council chamber and starts talking about what he is hearing on "the doorstep" don't believe a word. Most people tell answer your question - yes they'll vote for you, no they won't vote for you or, very, often something like:

"Er, is there an election?"

"I haven't thought about it"

"I'll read all the leaflets and then decide"

"I haven't spoken to my wife/husband yet so I don't know"

"I'm not interested"

Or maybe I've been asking the wrong questions "on the doorstep" for the past 35 years!

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Election 2012 - always a pleasure for the Baroness!

Once again we're campaigning for Margaret - one of the best councillors and a very caring, hard-working woman

 Roll on May 3rd!

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Campaign Diary: Meeting the 'enemy'

Before the main substance of this post, just to mention that Betty - who talks to a load of people in the village - thought my leaflet was good! Mind you she'd not had a leaflet from anyone else to compare it with!

Which rather takes me to today and to meeting my Labour opponent. And doing so during what was by far the best canvass of the campaign so far - found just one Labour voter, a few 'won't say' (which I put down as against) and plenty of Conservatives. Met some old friends who'd already given me 'two ticks' in their postal votes and a woman who wouldn't say how she voted but wished me 'very good luck'!

Plus the Labour candidate plodding up the street delivering his leaflet - wearing a purple hat. Good to see some opposition - not something we've had in Bingley Rural since the end of the 1990s. At least it stops me getting asked whether anyone else was standing this year!

Finally, it's very clear that older voters see no reason to change the way we pick MPs. After all, the current system has served us pretty well for the past hundred years and more! In terms of the arguments - the real ones rather than the endless ad hom nonsense from folk like Chris Huhne - the only 'yes' argument with any purchase is the idea of an MP needing 50% or more. But even then people are unsure whether AV actually delivers this in reality.

Expecting Bingley Rural to vote solidly 'no' on Thursday.

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Campaign Diary: Day Six - well it is Bingley RURAL!

Spent a really pleasant day exploring the rural in Bingley Rural. The picture above is the view looking back over Whiteshaw Estate towards Denholme.

Our journey started in the late morning with a circumlocation of Cullingworth. Chatted with walkers on the path to Sugden End Farm (weren't going to vote Tory but didn't live in my ward so who cares!) while waiting for half a dozen cyclists to struggle up the slope - rather them than me! Dropped in on Mrs Wood on Lees Moor - safely sat in her new bungalow (the one the planners didn't want to let her have - yours truly went to committee and helped secure the permission). Met some nice folk in the gorgeous little hamlet of Ryecroft - had a series of planning, water supply and environment issues there so they mostly knew me and appreciated the support. And then - via Leech Lane and a discussion about dog poo - to lunch in our own garden.

After lunch up to St Ives - absolutely heaving with families taking advantage of the free adventure playground, woodlands and walks. One of the best playgrounds you'll see and a facility we worked hard to get.  Here's a picture (taken on a much quieter week day!):

Great stuff - shows what Council's can do and fantastic to see so many people enjoying what we've put in. From St Ives - via the controversial barn at Beckfoot - to Hallas Bridge, one of the hidden wonders of the ward. A sweet little hamlet set down by Hallas Beck just along from Goit Stock waterfalls.

Up Bents Lane dropping in a farms, barn conversions, livery stables and cottages - ending up at Wheelrace Cottages where the lovely Mrs Lee gave us a cup of tea and we sat in her wonderful garden for half-an-hour. Then the final circle - round Denholme - Whiteshaw is all closed off now with big gates, codes and such making it a tricky place to deliver - shame but an illustration of how security conscious folk have become these days. Finished along Trough Lane - real mix between the conversions filled with well-off folk and the obvious struggle that is hill farming - you can see why farmers want to turn their fine stone homes and barns into posh living when it's evident that farming doesn't pay its way. It's a real shame that all of us who take advantage of the hard work these men put in looking after the hills and moors don't put a little back in - maybe stopping acting like we own it all would be a start.

Best day of the campaign so far - highlights including gatecrashing a house party, talking about campaigning in Clayton back in the 1960s and, of course, Mrs Lee's tea.

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Campaign Diary: Day Five - gardening and e-mails

I know, it's Saturday and the sun is shining - should be out there voter bothering! But we took the day off to do so gardening (see results above) - still managed to get some leaflets dropped with deliverers and to get a new deliverer too!

Also I've got off a load of e-mails to people I dealt with over recent times - always careful with this as we all get plenty of spam. However, it's a good idea to send a nice, personal note to people I've helped over the past few years - so I've done so.

As far as the politics is concerned, the good news of the pension changes is swamped by the annoyance among existing pensioners - who, of course, aren't getting the extra money! And it's the pensioners with savings or a second income who are squealing - they don't get all those pension credits.

Back tomorrow - after a day charging round the farms, barns and cottages that fall into the delivery round entitled: "remote".

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Campaign Diary: Day Four - Denholme, the AV referendum and curry!

Of the 40 delivery rounds in Bingley Rural, only 16 remain on my dining room floor - this is excellent. Took some down to my ward colleague, Baroness Eaton - had a bit of a giggle about being a "Lord" plus some ace gossip that I can't tell you about! Spent the morning in Denholme though - sad to see the way in which some folk are obviously struggling - evidence of aborted DIY projects, maintenance left undone and a depressing feel about parts. Sad that the good times passed so many folk by - hopefully the tax changes and such will help a little.

Also got a new deliverer - on the back of wanting to campaign against AV. Which was excellent news as the regular deliver for that patch can't do it any more! And reminded me that I've yet to encounter anyone on the doorstep who thinks changing to a new system of voting is a good idea - bear in mind that I'm not mentioning the referendum (selfishly I find my election to be more important).

I've received a few e-mails and phones calls following delivery - shows people are reading the leaflet which is good. One or two of these are real issues with the Council while the others are more political - will respond appropriately!

Last part of the campaign day was canvassing on Long Lane in Harden - really good response, nothing like a bit of sunshine to get a smiley response on the doorstep! And plenty of Tories too so we rewarded ourselves with a curry - at the fabulous Moghul's in Keighley (where we did some actor spotting).

A good day!

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Campaign Diary: Day One - adventures in fairyland!

On the fairy estate at Cottingley this evening – Lysander Way, Goodfellow Close, Titania Close, Oberon Way – plenty of support but more conversation than I remember. People raised some real concerns – some national like tuition fees, some local like the lack of police cover after 11pm and the parking problems outside Cottingley Village Primary (something of a long-standing nightmare, that one). And I had a long chat about gritting – real issue on these newer estates as the gritters can’t turn round in the shaped dead end streets.

Good to hear a mostly positive response from the Asian voters on the estate – and to note the normalisation of this place. Nice Tory voting white bloke in a house he bought from equally nice Tory voting Asians!

One big worry – the register is poor, three or four examples of people who should be registered but aren’t which is very sloppy. When we get to Hill Crest in Denholme the gap in the register reaches one in ten houses – all occupied.  It worries me that people are losing the opportunity to vote because the bureaucracy can’t be bothered.

Day One positive – lots to do and a few e-mails from today’s delivery which is good. Thirty days to go before polling day, feet a little sore but pleased by what I’ve seen and heard.

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Lunch and a thought or two on politics

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Spent a very pleasant lunchtime celebrating Margaret Eaton’s DBE with the Shipley Constituency Party. I made comment on Margaret’s honour here so won’t revisit except to say how impressed I was by her today. If you want to learn what class really is you could do no better than work with Margaret for a few days.

Two things struck me about the gathering.

Firstly, how old we’re getting. I’ve been active here for about 20 years and it’s the same faces – just all those years older. This shows the problem that all political parties are facing – indeed I had a conversation along these lines with some fellow guests. The parties – once a million or more strong – are now shadows of their former selves, only help together by our longevity and a trickle of new activists.

Secondly, how important places like Bradford are to the Party. And that – as I’ve said before – our strategy in such places might be slightly misplaced. These people want steak and chips not polenta – we need to put a little blood in the water. The voters of Bingley Rural – 60% of whom will vote Tory – are not the cartoon middle-class beloved of the BBC. They are people who go to the pub, smoke, drink more than the BMA says they should and holiday in Torremolinos. They hate Gordon – I know because they tell me they do – but without that red meat, without a real sense that the scrounger state will be capped, they might not bother.

Some of the stuff we hear is good – promises of business friendly tax cuts, sorting out the deficit, scrapping quangos and handing across a little more local control. But the stuff about countline bars, booze prices and sex education is rubbish – just more of the nanny state that we all hate. Bingley Rural voters know smoking’s bad for them, that they shouldn’t drink too much, too often and that chocolate bars can make you fat (as part of a calorie controlled diet) – what they don’t want is the government to ram that in their face all the bloody time.