RESULT: Tories win control of Richmond Council (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)
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RESULT: Tories win control of Richmond Council
9:03pm Friday 7th May 2010 in News By Chris Wickham and Helen Barnes
The Tories have won control of Richmond Council.
The final result of the night in Kew sealed the victory and also claimed the biggest political casualty.
Council leader Serge Lourie, who had served on the authority for 28 years, lost his seat by just six votes.
A delighted Nick True, the new leader of Richmond Council, said the victory was tinged with sadness at the loss of his colleague Martin Seymour.
Mr Seymour failed to secure enough votes to win a seat in the Hampton North ward.
Coun True said Mr Seymour would have played a big part in the new administration.
The Tories won control with 30 seats to the Lib Dems' 24.
Coun True said: "It is a big swing. It is a slap in the face for the Lib Dems both in the parliamentary count and the local count.
"They need to learn lessons from that.
"We have won in all parts of the borough. We won in Richmond, but also in Heathfield, Whitton, St Margarets and Hampton Wick.
"We picked up seats across the borough and our aim will be to consolidate over the next four years.
"I am incredibly grateful to all the people of the borough who supported us. We will need to be worthy of that."
Comments(45)
jeremyhm
says...
9:24pm Fri 7 May 10
Peter N
says...
9:30pm Fri 7 May 10
ericm
says...
11:22pm Fri 7 May 10
Phillip Taylor
says...
7:55am Sat 8 May 10
Good luck to all the councillors for the next 4 years in what will be challenging times.
Phillip Taylor
jimmybond
says...
8:07am Sat 8 May 10
It will be a failed administration in my view if, in 2 years time, the Riverside is still derelict. I'm all for other ideas but if we go back to square one with endless proposals and debates then this will be all for nothing.
jeremyhm
says...
11:38am Sat 8 May 10
Bear in mind that if the LibDems had retained control and continued with the Countryside plan, nothing would happen at all until Countryside submit their annual financial report (scheduled for July, but they were late last time). This would then have to be perused to make sure it was OK, then detailed plans drawn up and planning permission sought. The Environment Trust would also have to produce a viable Business Plan to run the River Centre (so far they haven't). So it would have been ages before anything was done. Also remember that it has already taken 4 years to get as far as the LibDems did - and still an empty site. Let us just wait and see.
alex twickenham
says...
4:28pm Sat 8 May 10
"So South Twickenham apart this may not be much of a reflection on the performance of the council". Dream on Peter N! Have a look at the result in Twickenham Riverside where three unknowns thrashed two cabinet members and the near invisible councillor Wilson. What was the issue in that ward? The controversial riverside scheme. It really isn't too hard to spot a "reflection on the performance of the council" in that voter decision is it? Lourie and his chums rubbished the RUG referendum which proved overwhelming objection to his plans so he really shouldn't be surprised that they have been unceremonially booted out of power.
If ex-Councillor Lourie and his cabinet and policies were so popular why wasn't he re-elected? Likewise, why did that LibDem elder statesman, Sir David Williams struggle to hang on to his seat with a single figure majority? Half the cabinet have lost their seats. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the performance of that inept council was it?
On second thoughts Peter N probably got his wards confused - I wonder if he is local? South Twickenham, my ward, seems to have been perfectly satisfied with it's Conservative Councillors so I'm puzzled why we were singled out.
Even Gordon Brown didn't manage to lose half his cabinet at election - Lourie did. Says it all really, doesn't it?
I'm with jeremyhm.
Alex
kingpin
says...
6:22pm Sat 8 May 10
Julie Hill
says...
6:43pm Sat 8 May 10
alex twickenham
says...
8:24pm Sat 8 May 10
"Thrashed? Naylor got just 70 odd more votes than Carr. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the candidate"
I had a look at the 2006 results and compared them with the latest results: In '06 C'llr Carr had a majority of 846 now minus 70 over her nearest Tory rival, C'llr Williams majority was 645, now 9 and C'llr Lourie's was 415 now minus 6
That looks like a well deserved thrashing to me - perhaps Kingpin could explain why I'm wrong.
I wonder whether he or she and Peter N would be better employed thinking about the reasons for this turnaround rather than doing the standard LibDem thing which is to go into attack dog mode - perhaps its in the genes? If so it needs to be bred out.
Alex
MacGregor
says...
8:56pm Sat 8 May 10
So it’s no wonder that the electorate gave the Lib Dems a kick in the ballots – resulting in their leader Lourie being politically decapitated.
Moreover – as Julie Hill pointed out – it’s no surprise that the Lib Dems’ opponents have been dancing in the streets. And now we are being treated to excuses from Lib Dem supporters who have been supping from the grapes sour as they attempt to justify their defeat!
kingpin
says...
9:27pm Sat 8 May 10
MacGregor
says...
10:53pm Sat 8 May 10
Alex, Twickenham suggests the Lib Dems’ ‘attack dog mode’ is in their genes – no, it‘s in their codified book of ‘dirty tricks’ entitled “Effective Opposition” – published in 2002 by the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors. Their mantra is “be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly”, and they are encouraged to engage in negative campaigning, and “exaggerate”.
alex twickenham
says...
11:13pm Sat 8 May 10
Hampton Wick and Samuels? I haven't a clue, nor do I understand why Martin Seymour, an extremely able and intelligent councillor lost his seat by half a dozen votes. That was a loss to us all. You only need to look at the General Election results to see how fickle the electorate can be. Who would have thought the LibDems would do so badly after the Cleggmania hype? Why didn't Susan Kramer romp home on the supposed LibDem surge?
As usual voters are much smarter than party apparatchiks would care to acknowledge - more fool them.
Look whats happened to Michael Wilson - ex Councillor for Twickenham Riverside. Who would know why he was ever nominated, could it have been a thank-you for his services as an election agent? Apparently he was far too busy with his day job (at LibDem HQ) to fulfill his duties as a Councillor until the last six months - strange that, wasn't it?
Alex
kingpin
says...
11:32pm Sat 8 May 10
metis
says...
11:53pm Sat 8 May 10
Still practised in 2010.
Peter N
says...
11:58pm Sat 8 May 10
MacGregor
says...
12:40am Sun 9 May 10
“Effective Opposition” has started to be a topic for national journalists, but I shall pick just one article – from Andrew Gilligan in the “Daily Telegraph” of 22 April 2010. The paper has a copy of what Gilligan calls their “election manual”, and he says it’s “still in use:
“Lest we think these merely local excesses, it may be worth quoting from an official Liberal Democrat election manual, Effective Opposition, obtained by The Daily Telegraph, published by the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors in 2002 and still in use, judging by the techniques seen around the country. On page 21, it instructs Lib Dems to "be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly". Page 23 advises: "Don't be afraid to exaggerate. For example, responses to surveys and petitions are always 'massive'. If a council is doing something badly, public expressions are always of 'outrage'." Page 4 advises: "Positive campaigning will NOT be enough to win”."
The rest of the article is here: http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/election
-2010/7617709/Genera
l-Election-2010-Nick
-Clegg-uncovered.htm
l
mark mellor
says...
2:27am Sun 9 May 10
I wonder if the main reason for the Lib Dems loss is more down to Trigg than the riverside issue?
Scott Naylor
says...
6:46am Sun 9 May 10
May I thank KingPin for his/her comments regarding Twickenham Riverside. Myself and my two colleagues Samantha Salvoni and Susan Chappell are delighted to be elected as the highest polling candidates in the ward by the residents themselves to represent their interests on Richmond Council, and with a massive swing of nearly 20%.
This is one of the most beautiful stretches of River Thames, enjoyed and stuck in people's minds as a favourite by by visitors and locals alike, our most blessed natural resource, which we must preserve, embrace and celebrate, and most importantly relate to our very shabby and neglected town, both sympathetically and with a view to Twickenham's future prosperity.
Focus through the election campaign was resounding on the door-step; bring back the sense of place, community, civic pride, and most importantly an aesthetic sense of awareness of our historical past as well as keeping an eye on the future.
Twickenham Riverside became a political emblem of representing both the worst form of ignoring the electorate, as well as deying the local electorate, and overshadowed by the flawed reliance on the General Election pull locally to maintain power. Not one subject completely dominated the doorstep, albeit the poolsite was never far from people's minds.
Major areas of concern in education, transport, finance and health/seniors support were all strong issues on the doorstep, as well as environment in the broader sense of stopping the destruction of our main interface potential between the town and the river, and the huge opportunity to create a primary people focus for the town, as well fighting to stop the blight of garden-grabbing and any of the sell-off under dubious arguments of infill.
The next local government elections in four years time will not be crossing over with the General Election, which will be good for fully representative local issues to be voted on exclusively, rather than the overshadowing of the National issues, and inevitable confusion this created between the two at the actual ballot box, as identified and commented on by both parties in the election count and recount.
We are hugely heartened that the Conservative Council has been won despite the inevitable local effect here in Twickenham Constituency of the General Election, and the clean campaigns that have been fought on both sides of the river by the Conservatives, a unifying of two communities joined by our richest natural assets of the River Thames and Royal Parks.
We now look forward to a much more transparent form of local government under the Conservatives, and far greater involvement of the local community as outlined in our manifesto, and demanded by the electorate.
We look forward to the challenges going forward
Scott Naylor
says...
7:10am Sun 9 May 10
May I thank KingPin for his/her comments regarding Twickenham Riverside and the local elections three days ago. Myself and my two colleagues Samantha Salvoni and Susan Chappell are delighted to be elected as the highest polling candidates in the ward by the residents themselves to represent their interests on Richmond Council, and with a massive swing of nearly 20%!
This is one of the most beautiful stretches of River Thames, addressing two sides of the river with the charms of the industry and past music wealth of Eel Pie Island, enjoyed and retained in millions of people's minds as a favourite spot by visitors and locals alike, our most blessed natural resource, which we must preserve, embrace enhance and celebrate, and most importantly relate to our very shabby and neglected town, both sympathetically and with a view to Twickenham's future prosperity.
Focus through the election campaign was resounding on the door-step; bring back the sense of place, community, village, civic pride, and most importantly an aesthetic sense of awareness of our historical past as well as keeping an eye on the future.
Twickenham Riverside became a political emblem of representing both the worst form local governance of ignoring the overwhelming community feeling, as well as defying the local electorate, and overshadowed by the flawed reliance on the General Election pull locally to maintain power. Not one subject completely dominated the doorstep, albeit the poolsite was never far from people's minds, as was the 28/30 years of dereliction as admitted in council under questioning by the recent past leader.
Major areas of concern in education, transport, finance and health/seniors support were all strong issues on the doorstep, as well as environment in the broader sense of stopping the destruction of our main interface potential between the town and the river, and the huge opportunities this offers us as a primary focus for the town, and the huge opportunity to create a primary community focus for the town, as well fighting to stop the blight of garden-grabbing and any of the sell-off under dubious arguments of infill.
The next local government elections in four years time will not be crossing over with the General Election, which will be good for fully representative local issues to be voted on exclusively, rather than the overshadowing of the National issues, and inevitable confusion this created between the two at the actual ballot box, as identified and commented on by both parties in the election count and recount.
We are hugely heartened that the Conservative Council has been won despite the inevitable local effect here in Twickenham Constituency of the General Election, and the clean campaigns that have been fought on both sides of the river by the Conservatives, a unifying of two communities joined by our richest natural assets of the River Thames and Royal Parks.
We now look forward to a much more transparent form of local government under the Conservatives, and far greater involvement of the local community as outlined in our manifesto, and sanctioned by the electorate.
We look forward to the challenges going forward.
acaciaave
says...
10:31am Sun 9 May 10
Scott Naylor is also capable of hectoring as his bullying and arguing with one of the returning officers at the Hampton North recount demonstrated.
The reason the LibDems won in Hampton North is they fought a positive campaign not taking anyone in that ward for granted. It is a pity they could not take all three seats as their third candidate would have been an intelligent and thoughtful addition to the Council.
MacGregor
says...
12:34pm Sun 9 May 10
When the Conservatives swept the Lib Dems from power in 2002 they found their fiscal legacy was a SIXTY MILLION POUND ‘black hole’, and dangerously low reserves. If the council had been a private company, the Lib Dems left it teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. The Conservatives had to increase council tax, and build up reserves.
In 2006, the Lib Dems dubbed the reserves “unspent council tax” – although it was earmarked for services – and made a doorstep promise of a £750 council tax rebate. However, as soon as they were re-elected, the Lib Dems instantly reneged on that promise saying the money was earmarked for services!
Another example of local Lib Dems’ “nasty practices” was the issue of Buckingham Fields in Hampton. On 25 March 2002 the decision for a 3.5m high, cranked top, ball retaining fencing was ratified by the Lib Dem cabinet under the chairmanship of their now-former leader Cllr Lourie, and on the recommendation of their deputy leader, the Executive Member for Education Cllr Knight. After losing power on 4 May 2002, the Lib Dems proceeded to scapegoat Conservative Cllr Geoffrey Samuel – with vicious attacks – on a situation that they had created. Compounding the Lib Dems’ hypocrisy – Twickenham’s Lib Dem MP Vincent Cable – who has said recently that he doesn’t get involved in council matters – even joined the protest against this fence. In contrast, Cable abandoned his constituents when they protested in large numbers about the Lib Dem plan to concrete over part of Twickenham Riverside for luxury housing. However, former Comrade Cable – who was a Labour councillor in the 1970s – was able to travel all the way to Glasgow in February 2009 to protest at something the Labour council was possibly planning. Cable is supposed to represent his constituents’ interests – not his own!
As a further example of how Richmond borough’s Lib Dems are very adept at creating situations which people protest about, but they then try and blame others – appearing to follow the Pontius Pilot School of Political Responsibility – check out this extraordinary exchange recorded on 25 April 2010 by Sunday Times journalist Rod Liddle:
“I would vote for anyone to get rid of the Lib Dems,” this large blonde woman snarls, with real venom. She howls accusations about school places for her kids and parking restrictions and how utterly useless the Lib Dems are and is batted off by the council leader who explains that it is nothing to do with them, not their fault, all someone else’s fault, wish we could help, etc.”
The rest of the article is here: http://www.timesonli
ne.co.uk/tol/news/po
litics/article710725
3.ece
ChrisSquire
says...
8:18pm Sun 9 May 10
There was a swing TO the Lib Dems in 5 of the 11 Middlesex wards and 1 Surrey ward. The average swing across the borough was only 4.0 % which is not a landslide. The loss of 3 cabinet members will mean rapid promotion for some of the Lib Dem councillors who have been waiting in the wings.
The key point is that opposition is much easier and much more fun than governing, as experienced politicians know and novices like Scott Naylor will find out soon enough. Taking the flak when services are cut is a miserable role.
alex twickenham
says...
11:03pm Sun 9 May 10
On the plus side, we do not face the prospect of an early election so I look forward to the ruling Conservatives delivering on their promises - sooner rather than later. Other readers might like to remember that the first actions of the last unlamented LibDem administration was to hike up the pay of the leader and cabinet members and launch their stealth CO2/CPZ tax. Needless to say there was no mention of either action in their manifesto. No wonder they were booted out - it wasn't just the Twickenham riverside that did for them - it was their arrogant disdain for those who pay for them. We deserve better and I hope we will get it.
Alex
ChrisSquire
says...
12:46am Mon 10 May 10
I too, for different reasons, look forward to seeing how the the ruling Conservatives deliver on their promises - sooner rather than later.
The campaign of 2010 is over - the campaign of 2014 is about to begin.
kingpin
says...
11:09am Mon 10 May 10
Peter N
says...
11:34am Mon 10 May 10
Scott Naylor
says...
12:50pm Mon 10 May 10
The time of the count is the time to challenge, and I by watching a number of eagle-eyed Lib Dems, the once-only chance to ensure the vote is correctly recorded. I am still rather surprised how often the words 'bullied and hectored' come out, when the matter is going against you, and how quick you are to use smear and exaggeration in the opposite sense too, all straight from your yellow-book?
This is why the electorate turned off the likes of Susan Kramer, who ran a hugely negative campaign, I want to see the end of this 'superlative' language, and tone it down to what you would be saying to the man in the street, not this political mantra which even Nick Clegg said he wanted to see the back of, and yet even his side-kick Cable used the same tactics to attack Zac Goldsmith with out of constituency.
Isn't it about time to lower the tone, rid ourselves of this 'political speak' which alienates us all from the public, and which does nothing more than make politics a complete turn-off to the local electorate, and something that appears to be agreed even during the recount by Senior Lib Dems is that the vote splits where more than one party was voted for was very difficult to understand, to my mind and many others?
The large number of odd splits where for instance the first three boxes were checked, or one of each party was picked, or just one vote was cast, demonstrated a significant part of the local electorate disenchanted with this and the level of obvious untruths cast around in newsletters, claiming work that wasn't yours etc, demanding a rebuttal in public from the opposite party.
Surely more concern and respect should be shown to the public through accurate relating back to public records, not mythical representations which cannot be verified and therefore are very unhealthy for the public to read?
I don’t know how representative the authors from the opposite party are of their newly elected councillors, I sincerely hope this call for a new style of cleaner politics is heeded from within the party, it is certainly the style the Conservatives have demonstrated with the Parliamentary and the Local Government elections this time round in both Richmond and Twickenham.
kingpin
says...
1:48pm Mon 10 May 10
ChrisSquire
says...
1:49pm Mon 10 May 10
• Median swing : Surrey side = 5.7 % ; Middx side = 3.5 % .
• About 1/4 of Cable's vote went to non-LDs in the council election: 1/3 each to C, L and Other.
• 7 % of Kramer's vote went to to non-LDs: all to Labour.
• The Council labour vote doubled on the Surrey side and more than doubled on the Middx side.
ChrisSquire
says...
1:54pm Mon 10 May 10
Some more political facts:
• Median swing (LD to C): Surrey side = 5.7 % (Kew); Middx side = 3.5 % (Whitton).
• About 1/4 of Vince’s vote went to non-LDs in the council election: 1/3 each to C, L and Other.
• 7 % of Susan’s vote went to to non-LDs: all to Labour.
• The Council labour vote doubled on the Surrey side (from 4 % to 8 %) and more than doubled (4.5 % to 10.5 %) on the Middx side.
Peter N
says...
3:24pm Mon 10 May 10
alex twickenham
says...
3:34pm Mon 10 May 10
Alex
ChrisSquire
says...
4:36pm Mon 10 May 10
I suggest you do this for yourself - it is quite easy once you have the idea.
MacGregor
says...
1:10am Tue 11 May 10
As for Cllr Geoffrey Samuel having once been a Labour councillor – like Vincent Cable – the great difference is Cllr Samuel became a Conservative, and hasn’t exploited the fact he was a Labour councillor. In contrast, Cable has exploited being a former Labour councillor because the Lib Dem PPC for Glasgow North posted on her website – in February 2009: “Former councillor for the Wyndford area, Vince Cable MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Shadow Chancellor, came to Glasgow to protest at the threatened closure of the two schools at the heart of the community he used to represent.” AND Cable said: “When I heard about the threat to schools in my former ward, I was determined to come in person to join the chorus of protest against this ill thought our proposal”.
For more see: http://www.katygordo
n.org.uk/2009/03/05/
ex-wyndford-cllr-vin
ce-cable-mp-protests
-at-glasgow-schools-
closure/
So Kingpin can you explain why Cable is reminding people he was a former Labour councillor in Glasgow – or to use your words “he is a red under the bed”? And why did Cable – who said he didn’t get involved in council matters when he justified abandoning his Twickenham Riverside constituents – travel all the way to Glasgow over a potential council problem in an area he hasn’t represented for thirty years?
Moreover, as Cable announced that he doesn’t get involved in council matters, he has now constrained himself from attacking the incoming Conservative council – otherwise it suggests he was in a conspiracy of silence with his Lib Dem council cohorts, and would be open to the charge of double-standards.
Peter N
says...
10:39am Tue 11 May 10
kingpin
says...
12:39pm Tue 11 May 10
Answer the rest of acaciaaves points
ericm
says...
1:13pm Tue 11 May 10
This emotive issue has divided the community; if you look at the Riverside Ward local results it isn't quite the landslide win that its being painted as (7,051 cumulative votes for Conservative councillors, 6240 votes for Lib dem). Yes a lot of people were against the plans, but to say the whole community was against them is just not true as these results show. A lot of people wanted these plans to go ahead because we DO need to regenerate the area, not just the Riverside, but the High Street as well.
As beautiful as parts of the Riverside are, the Swimming pool blights the area.
However there's no point stirring up the pros and cons of the old scheme. That's irrelevant now. The reality is that we have a Tory Council, so I think we now need to hear from the Council what the plans are over the next 3-6 months for this area.
alex twickenham
says...
1:28pm Tue 11 May 10
Whatever the outcome, I suspect that the electorate will show their disgust if or when another election is held this year.
Where's Vince?
Alex
Phillip Taylor
says...
2:59pm Tue 11 May 10
And where is Vince when it comes to the disgraceful state of the Co-op building in Whitton High Street?
The Liberals had plenty of time to do things and have treated the neglected parts of the borough with complete contempt..that's why they are out of office again. Good riddance to the real 'nasty' party.
Phillip Taylor
MacGregor
says...
7:42pm Tue 11 May 10
As for acaciaave’s points – I have no idea what that person is referring to regarding election literature. And acaciaave never explained why the Lib Dems made a 2006 doorstep promise of a £750 council tax rebate which they instantly broke once they were re-elected.
And contrary to acaciaave’s suggestion, Cllr Samuel – with now former Cllrs Seymour, and Howard – never took the electorate of Hampton North for granted. They worked very hard for them – all year round.
And Kingpin I am still waiting for an explanation why Cable was able to go all the way to Glasgow on a council matter, but abandoned his constituents in Twickenham Riverside after informing them he didn’t get involved in council matters?
Thank you, Alex, and Phillip Taylor for your supportive comments. As I mentioned in a previous post – some Lib Dems have been supping from the grapes sour – and are struggling to come to terms with the fact that the Conservatives have won control of Richmond Council – and Zac Goldsmith won Richmond Park for the Conservatives, too.
RiverLover
says...
2:15pm Wed 12 May 10
Barry Edwards
says...
5:38pm Wed 12 May 10
I understand good debate; however endlessly stirring may meet a political imperative for some, but in the real world it seems rude, inconsiderate, tiresome etc etc; from whichever party!!
Do you know that underneath it all, I don’t think any of the LibDems are inherently nasty, just a bit misguided? So let’s call an end to the stirring, let’s within the context of the new coalition try and listen to each other; this Borough would do well from some co-operation for a change.
Common sense works, community first is the way forward. Have we all got so entrenched in the battle, that we can no longer see the reason for the fight?
It is time to set understandable terms of reference for the debate, so everyone can appreciate the subject matter under discussion and the difference between right and wrong is evident within it. It is simple, people just want the truth.
I don’t think the Conservatives national resurgence, or the personal dislikes of individuals caused the change of the Council, things were just not going in the right direction for local people and it is now time to move on.
I look forward to seeing swift and imaginative changes which improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the Borough. (inc Twickenham Riverside).
Please go to www.richmondunitedgr
oup.com for more information.
Peter N says...
9:13pm Fri 7 May 10