Back to Blogging

One of the sad things about being a candidate, Councillor and activist is finding the time to do the things you enjoy over and above the things you need to do. Blogging is something, like many things, which I intend to pick up on as the election approaches.

It is with some dismay that my usual partners in blogging John Ward, Alan Collins and Chris Sams have taken a step back from active politics when I begun in 2008; in fact very little now goes on from all sides locally. I suspect blogging has become a bit old fashioned now that twitter has stepped forward. 

Last week really was the beginning of the long campaign into the General Election. Aside from the usual resident PACTs, Planning meetings, letter draftings, leaflet editings and events I saw the launch of a baby project; the Labour Communications Network. A network of those Labour-aligned who work in the communications industry ostensibly in-house or in the private sector. It was fantastic to see three months work pay off and some inspiring speeches from Chuka Umanna and Tristram Hunt.  

Chuka and (the other) Tris

The weekly activity continues too. With activists working all sorts of hours and patterns we have organised a series of activities to fit with whatever works. Managing kids, a career and a political campaign is not easy and it is inevitable as the election gets closer that new committments will creep in and people may have to step back. This weekend we had teams out across Princes Park, Chatham Central and in the Villages. I also discovered that the name Osborn is not new to Chatham; indeed when canvassing in Chatham Central it was discovered that many years ago a Mayoress no less:

I have been answering a lot of correspondence from parents on Primary admissions that revealed some 45% of our intake into Primary School pupils attend below average schools. It has to be said that in any other local authority this should perhaps have led to some soul-searching in the ruling group but not in ours. Instead however, the usual Tory infighting has begun; this week it is over the bizarre u-turn on Planning. Despite a slap on the wrist from the Planning Inspector for managing a shambles on the £2m Core Strategy it seems we are about to repeat it. This latest spat (after the takeaways, anti-whip sentiment and selection bungles) surround that fact that the Tory leadership on Medway Council have been ignoring their own Council membership over affordable housing quotas (quite sensibly I might add). Bitterness has now come forth in the form of quite nasty internal arguments in public. I warned months ago that because of incompetence we were about to enter a free-for-all in Planning across Medway; alas it has come to pass. 

Talking of refunds; the idea of Boris Island has finally been dropped after almost six years since the idea of an Island was first floated. I remember saying at the time that complacency was the biggest danger and that we needed to send a hard message that no meant no. The idea of an early referendum was suggested, but dismissed, only to be taken up elsewhere successfully. I have every sympathy with the residents on Hoo who have seen house prices hit for six years by a Tory mayor. The relief for many will be palpable. 

I recall those however who back in 2009/2010 thought the proposal was a joke simply to get Boris elected. Fast forward a few years and not one taxpayer or Hoo homeowner will be laughing now the bill has come through. The total cost to London taxpayers sits in the multiple millions. Medway Council budgeted out some £250,000; and that perhaps does not include lost output in business and revenue from housesales. I am all for asking the London Conservative Mayor to give back £250,000 of taxpayers money, and the position suggested by Paul Clark, and now tabled at Full Council will be welcome, if sensibly written. 

Serving fries

And the fish and chip night at Papa's Barn in Ditton was a big success with Hilary Benn MP coming down to serve some fries and have some fun with some of the staff and the C&A membership. What I did not know was the Hilary was a vegetarian! Fortunately they did a great pie. A great venue and a good spirit; though I was slightly concerned to note that the chocolate biscuit set went before the signed Mandelson book 'The Third Man' in the usual Vince Maple-led raffle. 

Selfie with Hilary Benn MP