At Mendip District Council, it's Lib Dem, Green or Tory, same old story

 

Lib Dems, Greens, Tories
all robbing your council tax

Somerset Independents Co-Founder Denise Wyatt spoke at last night's Mendip Council Budget Full Council. Her full speech is below. 

She asked councillors to not increase council tax, but they did. Every councillor did except one, Green Councilor Francis Hayden, who was barred from voting - because he had not paid his council tax. 

Yes, really.

Denise Wyatt

Responding, Denise says: 

"Lib Dem, Green, Tory - same old story. Whether it is Mendip Council or Somerset County Council, these councillors think YOU should pay more council tax. They all voted to increase it. Mendip councillors and Somerset County Councillors are a disgrace."

Denise's Full Speech is below.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Barry O'Leary, in presenting the council tax increases, said that residents should not be getting a refund of their council tax, which was suggested by Denise in her speech.

Lib Dem Councillor Garfield Kennedy, who earlier supported spending more money on "the arts", said it is a "false economy" to freeze council tax. Cllr O'Leary agreed.

Incredibly, despite residents struggling during the Pandemic and the failures of Mendip Council to provide services and value for money, ALL Mendip District Councillors voted FOR the council tax increase. 

All that was, apart from Green Cllr Francis Hayden who said that he had been told that he was in arrears, and has not paid his council tax.

So these councillors want to tell you to pay MORE council tax, but there was one who has not paid his own council tax. Isn't that the height of hypocrisy?

Several councillors mentioned at the meeting that they thought councillors might have been voting without having heard all of the debate. "We're all grown-ups", says Chair Lib Dem Councillor Helen Sprawson-White, and did not ask for any councillor's vote to be discounted.

The Chair claimed that the vote to approve the increase in council tax was "as unanimously as we could have done". She was glossing over the fact that a councillor has not paid his council tax, and is in arrears, so was barred from voting on the council tax of everybody in Mendip.

So there we have it - yet another increase to our council tax, to add to the Police and County Council increases. 

During a pandemic, they increased our council tax.

Lib Dems, Green and Tory councillors take our money for granted. They need to be removed.

Denise Wyatt Full Speech to Mendip District Council Full Council, 22nd February 2021

This budget is shocking.

Why is our council tax increasing? We should be getting a rebate

It’s not just Council Tax you want to increase - is it?

You propose to Increase the charges for - Garden waste bins and worse burial costs.

Bins that’s another subject. Less service or no service at all.  Have you seen the complaints on social media? If you’re lucky enough to get your bin collected, it now only happens every three weeks.

It’s also no surprise that fly tipping in Mendip is worse than ever.

Also you are expecting residents to do your litter picking and street weeding for you. What other services do you expect the public to do?

In your report your expectation is and I quote “Society will assist in the delivery of services.”

Your accounts - My objection to your accounts was regarding your Investment Property. This only occurred because you didn’t listen to me over your governance. So I had no choice but to contact the External Auditor Ernst and Young. Who because of my objection is investigating what has been going on?

On this point, I would like to thank your s151 Officer.

With regard to income from these investment properties, several of your tenants are falling behind with their rental payments to the tune of just under half a million.

It is also no surprise that the Council is currently maintaining an over-borrowed position.” You are gambling with public money.

Again what’s worse from your reports I gather you are expecting us to pay more money by crowd funding your pet investment schemes? Can’t you get the money from the banks?

Reorganisation costs, even the Councils rigged consultation shows that residents don’t want it.  If reorganisation goes ahead the Council has no funding allocated for transition costs. According to your reports you intend to take money from reserves or “Flexible use of Capital Receipts” So you are going to flog assets for reorganisation and fail more services.

You have also failed to spend grants to build social housing.  I refer you to the Saxonvale disaster and the Easthill  tragedy. 

What sort of a Mickey Mouse council are you?

You are providing fewer services, and likely even fewer

Expect the public to go out and do your job for you 

You are also proposing, the Lib Dem death tax to charge the dead more to be buried

You are being investigated by the external auditor

 

This Council is a disgrace and I repeat the public should be getting a rebate not an increase.

 

At the County, it's CONFIRMED - Lib Dem or Tory, Same Old Story

 

Denise Wyatt
Somerset Independents Nominations Officer

At yesterday's unbelievable Budget Full Council meeting, our Leader Andrew Pope spoke to ask that councillors reject the Budget proposed by the Tory-run councillors and make them think again about asking for more millions from hard-pressed taxpayers during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Andrew said:

"You can’t get away with it. Not during a Global Pandemic when residents have been sacked, been furloughed, been ill or died, and businesses have folded, had to shelve expansion, or lose staff."

Andrew's full speech is below. The SomersetLive report by Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby is here. Some of Andrew's speech is reported in it.

 

The Liberal Democrats, who are supposed to be the largest group of councillors in opposition, did not oppose the Tories' Budget.  

 

Much, much worse - in a sign of abject surrender, and the opposition of a limp lettuce, all Lib Dem councillors even voted for the Tories' Budget!

 

Somerset Independents Nominations Officer* (see note below) Denise Wyatt says:

"I was shocked but not surprised that the Liberal Democrat County councillors voted with the Conservatives on the Tory budget.

Andrew Pope was right to say at today's meeting that the Opposition is pathetic and Lib Dem or Tory, it's the same old story.

It's ludicrous that the Lib Dems voted with the Tory budget.

Where was the Lib Dem Opposition as the largest opposition group?

Where was the Lib Dem's Alternative Budget? They have a duty to provide one, to stand up for Somerset's residents against the Tories. Did the Lib Dem Spokesperson Liz Leyshon even read the Tory's Budget. She even stated that the money, at the direction of the Tory councillors, was being managed well by officers! 

The Lib Dems have all the strength of a limp lettuce in standing up for Somerset. Councillor Jane Lock is supposed to "lead" the Opposition. All she did was agree with the Tories!

As Somerset Independents has been saying for the past year, it's Lib Dem or Tory, same old story."

*In a political party registered with the Electoral Commission, the Nominations Officer is responsible for the candidates that Somerset Independents stands at elections.

Andrew Pope's speech and his Statement, sent prior to the meeting to all councillors, is below:

 

Andrew Pope
Leader of Somerset Independents

"Good Morning. I’m Andrew Pope and I’m the Leader of Somerset Independents, a pressure group and political party formed during the first Covid-19 lockdown. I speak to my written Statement, where I ask you to refuse the 4.99% increase in council tax.

At the Police andCrime Panel, I asked for the £15 increase to be refused. It was. Your increase is over four times higher!. It’s not on. Like the County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner has repeatedly asked for increases. It is almost as if you all take Somerset’s money for granted. No taxation without representation.

Like the Commissioner, the County has not spent wisely. Like the Commissioner, millions spent on the wrong priorities. Like the Commissioner, hoping to get away with it. No.

You can’t get away with it. Not during a Global Pandemic when residents have been sacked, been furloughed, been ill or died, and businesses have folded, had to shelve expansion, or lose staff.

The right Council services have not been delivered, but your Council asks for more money. Is it justified? No, it is definitely not.

OFSTED and Ombudsman criticism, unsafe roads, huge disruption by roadworks at Prestleigh.

You councillors are supposed to be the custodians of taxpayers’ money. But you have not spent according to residents’ priorities or delivered the services that residents need. And still you want more millions from the taxpayer. No, it is not justified, but you think you can get away with it.

Councillors, in my Statement, I said that you have not done your jobs - the Conservative-run Council’s councillors and the opposition has been pathetic. Lib Dem, Labour or Green, you are all weak. As today’s report says, there are no recommendations from four committees. Why? How? You are not standing up for residents, so members of the public like me have to do it for you as volunteers!

No taxation without representation. That is how democracy is supposed to work, when it comes to public money. If you do not spend wisely, we vote you out. If you do not oppose properly, we vote you out. Lib Dem, Labour, Green or Tory, same old story. So out you should go.

But the majority of you councillors even voted to stop us voting you out! Not because of the dangers of Covid-19, did you want to stop residents voting, which would be sensible. You did it merely to protect your own allowances, to protect your own Tory Party and to backup your ownproposal to change our councils, AND continue to mis-spend millionsof pounds of public money.

So you ask for more millions, you stop residents delivering their verdict at the ballot box, and the merry go round continues.

NO. No more. No taxation without representation. When the time comes, even if elections are delayed, Somerset residents must vote you out.

You have the opportunity today to show that you stand up for Somerset residents. This is your chance. I suggest that you take it, and vote this budget down to make you Tories think again.

Thank you for listening."

Andrew Pope Statement to Somerset County Council at Budget Full Council 2021

Dear County Councillor,

I appeal to you to refuse the 4.99% increase in council tax. Ask yourself whether this is really justified when there has been money wasted on One Somerset which no residents of Somerset asked for, and where the County has a budget report which is deliberately opaque, long-winded and hiding the truth.

The Cabinet Member responsible, as it is Councillor Chilcott’s report after all, could have made it clearer, by asking officers to do so. Instead, the public has to interpret a total mess hiding the mis-spending of public funds on a huge scale. Why do I say the public? Because you councillors aren’t doing your jobs.

There should be no taxation without representation. And the County Council has not listened to residents who want a referendum before any changes to how we are governed. In 2007, 82% of residents voted against a unitary. Even your own rigged consultation showed a lack of support. Please just stop it now.

Not only has this money been wasted, you are proposing to pay for other past, present and future mistakes by increasing council tax. £17 million for something that residents don't want, plus countless millions on who knows what in the future. No taxation without representation.

I spoke at the Police and Crime Panel recently, and for the first time, they refused an unjustified 6.6% increase which amounted to £15. They are councillors just like all of you apart from Councillor Hunt – national party politicians. Despite this, they stood up for residents and voted 11 for and 1 abstention. Your proposals are more than four times higher. Why? How?

I suggest to you that this level of increase is not justified, so you must refuse it today. Residents feel that you've got a cheek asking for any more money, let alone 4.99%, when your Conservative-run Council has provided no pushback whatsoever on the Conservative Government's failure to protect our county and its residents from the Pandemic. Instead, you beg for letters to and from failed Prime Minister Johnson. If you think Boris Johnson’s support bolsters support for you, you are very much mistaken. He and you have failed us.

The public expect the county council to be responsible. Instead of this, you are proposing to cut support for Freedom of Information, spend millions on a solar farm that won't pay back for many years, plus more wasteful IT spending. These are just some examples but there are many more. Please think again.

You've squirreled millions of un-ringfenced Government Covid money to bolster Council's reserves, asking suffering residents to pay more again. What a cheek.

You should be standing up for us. You should be refusing this increase today. I say again, the Police and Crime Panel finally found some backbone. So should you, because you should respect the dire situation that residents find themselves in, and vote against this misguided budget. No taxation without representation.

Thank you for listening and I hope that I will get a written response, and there will be a healthy debate, about the points that I have raised. You can contact us at somerinds@gmail.com.

Andrew Pope

Leader

Somerset Independents

Somerset County And Bristol Councillors Gambling with YOUR MONEY!

 

Labour Mayor Marvin Rees
Spent EVEN MORE MILLIONS

Somerset Independents was formed to stand up for Somerset residents. Yet we could not help but notice what has been going on in neighbouring Bristol. Yet another case of councillors gambling with public money - and it's all gone wrong!

Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporter for Bristol, has been reporting on the £50 MILLION wasted by Bristol City Council on Bristol Energy.

The Labour-run Council and its Mayor Marvin Rees are now trying to pretend that they had nothing to do with it, having requested a Public Interest Report by Auditor Grant Thornton. 

The reality is that more money was thrown at it by Labour, after they took control of the Council. And this disastrous "project" was started by the previous Administration, which was a coalition.

Commenting, one resident suggested that "the councillors should be in prison".

It is an enormous sum of money to gamble.

And it is not private money. It is public money, paid for by YOU.

And now, it appears that councillors are trying to pretend that they didn't have the powers to stop it. They did.

They just didn't use them, or try hard enough.

It's another case of Labour, Lib Dem or Tory, same old story.

Somerset Independents have already challenged the decision in Somerset for South Somerset District Council to underwrite £23 MILLION for a theatre in Yeovil.

Somerset Lib Dems
Bristol Labour
Somerset Tories
What's the Difference?

 

And we have exposed Lib Dem-run Mendip District Council by challenging their accounts. Auditor Ernst and Young are investigating them, following our work to object to their accounts, with Cabinet Member Councillor Barry O'Leary being responsible for the Council's finances.

And now we learn that the Tories on Somerset County Council are going to gamble on an energy scheme in Bridgwater.

Are they ever going to learn? 

IT'S OUR MONEY THEY ARE GAMBLING WITH. 

VOTE THESE TORIES, LIB DEMS AND LABOUR OUT WHEN THE TIME COMES!

 

UPDATED: VICTORY - Frome and Wells Saturday Markets Must Be Re-Opened

 

More Mendip Madness

VICTORY - BREAKING NEWS: BBC Politics Reporter Ruth Bradley has informed us this morning that Mendip District Council has caved in, after over 700 people signed the petition.

Andrew Pope says:

"As I told Ruth Bradley, I wasn't listening to BBC Radio Somerset this morning and neither were our other supporters, it seems. It is perhaps no wonder considering the poor quality of politics reporting by the local BBC. SomersetLive and the County Gazette are far superior.

This latest gaffe by Mendip District Council just shows, as we said in the letter to Cllr Wyke, that Mendip District Council is reactive, and not pro-active. It just shows that Councillor Ros Wyke is a follower and not a Leader.

She should never have closed these markets in the first place. Traders have lost revenue and members of the public have had to go without the open air markets.

We supported Frome Chamber of Commerce, Independents for Frome (their update from 4th Feb is below), the Frome Town Council, and all residents and traders affected, to oppose this.

I contacted Independents for Frome Town Councillor Scott Ward on Sunday 7th February to offer our support, as we had previously been in touch.

I expressed concern to Scott about Mendip District Council's handling of this.

If you look at our website, and on Facebook, you will see that how the Council handles things is an all too common concern amongst Frome residents.

Mendip District Council and Councillor Ros Wyke must now explain why they closed them in the first place, and created such aggravation and worry for all concerned."

---

 

Mendip District Council is upsetting residents again.

They can't be trusted.

They don't listen.

They are tin-eared.

We intend to make them listen, even when they don't want to, and just like we did over their governance and their accounts.

Over the weekend, we supported the campaign and the petition to re-open the markets on Saturdays.

We have written to the Leader of the Council, Lib Dem Councillor Ros Wyke.

What's the point of voting in Lib Dems, if they are the same as the Tories?

The full letter from our Leader Andrew Pope, is below:

Andrew Pope

Letter from Somerset Independents to Mendip District Council Leader

Councillor Ros Wyke

Leader

Mendip District Council
Cannard’s Grave Road
Shepton Mallet
Somerset
BA4 5BT

By e-mail,

cc: Frome Town Council, Frome Chamber of Commerce

Re: Frome Market

Dear Councillor Wyke,

We are residents of Somerset who continue to suffer from the authorities’ failure to deal properly with the Covid-19 Pandemic. We are also registered officers of Somerset Independents, a pressure group and registered political party which listens and acts for Somerset residents.

We write in support of Mendip residents who want to shop at local markets, in the open air and with socially-distanced safety in mind, not shopping in enclosed spaces. And we write in support of local traders who are trying so hard to survive during the Pandemic. We need to have the markets open on Saturdays.

The Pandemic has been handled so badly by Boris Johnson's Conservative Government. However, there has been inadequate pushback from the Conservative County Council nor the district councils such as Mendip District Council, which you supposedly lead with your fellow Lib Dems. Lib Dem or Tory, same old story, residents tell us.

Your Council was only too glad to hand out Government Covid grants to businesses. and try to take the credit for it. But now you are putting traders at risk, and public health at risk – whilst ignoring residents, traders and Frome Town Council.

Mendip Council is not trusted by Mendip residents. Despite your frequent claims of openness and transparency and regular other reactive and delusional press releases, Mendip Council cannot be trusted by Mendip residents.

Mendip is not trusted because it does not listen. Mendip’s inability to listen is proved by your councillors’ failure to change the Constitution, despite repeated requests by Somerset Independents. Your decision to ignore us was proved so damaging by the Saxonvale debacle at the recent Planning Board, where councillors failed to allow adequate public speaking time for such a controversial scheme. They voted 2 to 1 to ignore residents and 258 objections, even when given another chance to listen.

Mendip is not trusted because it failed to ensure adequate governance over taxpayer’s finances, and the investigation by Ernst and Young into your accounts, following the formal Objection from Somerset Independents Officer Denise Wyatt. Why didn’t you listen? Because ignoring residents is your habit.

And it is proved by the fact that former Chair of Scrutiny, Councillor Philip Ham, was named in a Private Eye article in September 2020, in relation to conflicts of interest on planning applications affecting Frome at Sandys Hill Lane and Coleford. Ironically, Councillor Philip Ham subsequently resigned in November as Chair of Scrutiny, citing a lack of scrutiny over Easthill and scrutiny being "ludicrous", "farcical" and "controlled by officers". Mendip shuts down debate.

Now Mendip District Council has been the subject of embarrassing articles over grave-digging on the apparently locked Easthill site, instead of at the adjacent Cemetery, with articles appearing in SomersetLive, The Times, Daily Mail and BBC. Once again, your Council bungles and tries to cover it up with PR spin.

You are reactive, not pro-active. You are not in control. You are tin-eared.

The situation with the markets is of your own making, Councillor Wyke.

Why didn't you try to work with Frome Town Council, traders and local residents, before Lib Dem Councillor Joshua Burr made this rash decision over licensing? You still have the chance to. Your press release was all spin¹.

Frome Town Council has come to you with a proposal, but you aren't listening.

With Easthill, the Council's Constitution and governance, Sandys Hill Lane and Saxonvale, you weren't listening to residents.

And unless you change now, it's the same with the markets.

On the markets, Somerset Independents supports Independents for Frome, Frome Town Council, Frome Chamber of Commerce and the petition to re-open the markets.

We are promoting the petition. At the time of writing, the petition already has over 700 signatures. Somerset Independents will continue to put pressure on you, until you sort this mess out.

You need to listen. You need to act.

You need to agree a solution. And now.

At the Scrutiny Board, over Easthill, it was you Councillor Wyke who spoke at the beginning to shut down debate and not listen to the public. It’s typical for Mendip District Council, sadly.

And now you have literally shut down the market on Saturdays.

Under the Tories and now the Lib Dems, it seems that Mendip District Council does not listen, and is anything but open or transparent. What is the point of voting in the Lib Dems to run Somerset’s councils, if there is no change?

It seems that it really is Lib Dem or Tory, same old story.

Regards,

Andrew Pope

Leader

Somerset Independents

1 Mendip District Council, “Mendip Markets continue daily, despite COVID”, https://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/9754/Mendip-Markets-continue-daily-despite-COVID

 

Statement by Independents for Frome on 4th February 2021

PLEASE READ - IMPORTANT MARKET INFO (emphasis added)

Frome Town Council (Councillors and Staff) have been working hard behind the scenes to try and get the Saturday Market back up and running but so far have been unsuccessful and we here at ifF have made the decision to explain why that is.

On January 16th our much-loved Market Traders were informed that due to staff being reassigned to help work on the COVID vaccination program, all markets across Mendip would be closed. It then soon became known that markets on Wednesdays in Wells would continue.

On January 17th, MDC confirmed that Frome Market could stay open on Wednesdays (other Towns Markets open on various weekdays and were also allowed to stay open on these days). MDC cited a reduce in footfall and trader numbers, something which has been debunked by the Market Traders of Frome who say that while the number of people at the market has fallen (due to restrictions on the number of people that can meet up) they have not seen a significant reduction in spend.

The Market Traders have been working hard to get support to re-open the market, offering their own time to manage the market safely or to replace the market manager in other areas to free her up to run the Saturday Market. Members of the public who work in events have offered to run the markets for MDC.

Frome Town Council have contacted MDC with several propositions that would allow the market to reopen, safely this coming Saturday 6th Feb. All of which have been shot down, dismissed or not even looked at.

Possible Solution Suggested:

Frome Town Council runs the Market in the interim on behalf of MDC with their insurance. It has been confirmed by the insurer that the market would be covered if the landowner (MDC) gives permission. MDC have said this is incorrect and FTC would need to be issued a market license which MDC Leader Ros Wyke has said would be 'Impossible' to arrange for this coming Saturday. Once again, our insurers say that all we need is for Mendip to say Yes and the market could be back on by Saturday Feb 6th!

Frome Town Council and Frome Chamber of Commerce have also offered to incur the costs for someone to replace the Market Manager in the duties that are stooping her from being at the market this Saturday, whether that be with an FTC Staff Member or an MDC Staff Member. We are still awaiting a response on this proposal.

Frome Town Council have also offered to cover the costs of management and administration of the market while no revenue is being generated by the market.

FTC have tried so hard to get the market back up and running for this coming Saturday but have been met with indifference, red tape and a small group of people who are not interested in listening, it’s just unfortunate that the people who don’t want to know are the people who can make this happen. In fact, Ros Wyke, the leader of MDC has stated that she would not even be looking at any proposals for a month after the initial closure which would be this coming Tuesday 9th February.

None of this is good enough! Most residents in Frome support reopening the market on Saturdays immediately, the Market Traders are losing their livelihoods and the Liberal Democrat led Mendip District Council is once again showing how completely out of synch they are with the needs of Frome and other Towns in Mendip.

We will be calling on all District Councillors who represent Frome to state their views on the Market and whether they believe that Ros Wyke (leader of the Council), Josh Burr (Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Markets) are doing the best they can to get the markets open again as soon as possible because we believe that they are failing to serve the people of this town and the traders that work here.

The work that MDC is undertaking with the vaccination program is vital and so important but we can’t see why it’s not possible to do both. Please let Frome Town Council help to get our Saturday Market back open. Just say Yes!

 

 

COVID-19 Vaccinations: Has Somerset Caught Up With Gloucestershire?

Leader of Somerset Independents
Andrew Pope

 

After all of his failures to protect us, Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants us all to forget the over 100,000 dead, the worst figures ever, families strained and businesses ruined. Who is he trying to kid?

Hapless Boris Johnson and his useless Health Secretary Matt Hancock are trying to convince us that they did all they could to protect us, and that they now have the virus under control. Johnson's Tory Government are claiming that England's vaccinations are ahead of other nations.

A couple of weeks ago, Somerset Independents discovered from figures published by ITV News that Somerset was lagging behind on Covid-19 vaccinations for people over 80 years old, with Gloucestershire way ahead of Somerset. 

We stand up for Somerset residents, so we wanted to know why Somerset was lagging behind and to hold those responsible to account. This is what we do. 

We have already challenged the County Council directly at the local "Covid-19 Engagement Board", chaired by Conservative County Council Leader David Fothergill.

We asked more questions in a formal letter from our (volunteer) officers to the County Council that was answered, but which was not very helpful.

And we had already challenged a wide range of local authorities on the Pandemic throughout 2020 - from the County Council to the PCC to the Director of Public Health and local hospitals.

So to challenge the performance on vaccinations, our Leader Andrew Pope got in touch with the Somerset County Gazette to ask them to report this. 

And they did. In Jess Chaffey's excellent report, which is at the link here, she reported: 

"only 56.6 per cent of those over 80 had been given their first vaccine dose by January 21. The total number of doses given out in Somerset by January 21 was just 45,713 – the second lowest region, compared with the rest of the UK." 

One week later, they claim that it is now up to 80%. This is a good improvement.

This is how Somerset Independents volunteers get improvements - by holding those responsible to account and putting pressure on them to increase performance. We thank the good local reporters and journalists for helping uphold democratic values.

We await the latest figures on vaccinations in Somerset, and have asked local media for an update report.

What can be the explanations for Somerset's early poor performance, relative to other parts of the South West?

Andrew Pope asked Conservative County Councillor for Shepton, John Parham:

We are grateful to Councillor Parham for his response. He told us, and we quote:

"Every dose of vaccine that we've received has been administered pretty much the day we get it, we don't carry stock, so the rate is entirely due to how quickly we get the vaccine.

As for percentages, Somerset has a higher percentage of older people than many other areas, nearly 50% of the population are over 65, therefore the same amount of vaccine will inoculate a lower percentage of the target audience."

This is not really answering the question that Andrew asked Cllr Parham, which was, in full:

"Regarding Somerset lagging behind on vaccinations and now increasing... I got in touch with the Somerset County Gazette to ask them to report this. And they did: "only 56.6 per cent of those over 80 had been given their first vaccine dose by January 21. The total number of doses given out in Somerset by January 21 was just 45,713 – the second lowest region, compared with the rest of the UK." One week later, they say it is now up to 80%. Why the slow start?"

This follows Somerset County Council claiming on BBC Radio Somerset that the vaccine would be given "quickly". (see below for an excerpt* - the full transcript is available on this website).

Yet Somerset has lagged behind the rest of the South West. It seems that quickly means more slowly than most parts of the South West.

Once again, we find a big difference between the Conservative Government and Conservative County Council's claims... and the reality experienced by residents.

Now, there is a report by Tomas Malloy of SomersetLive that the Bath and West vaccination centre is not being utilised to its maximum extent. There appear to be peaks and troughs, as other residents have reported that it was busier at other times.

And there are concerns that there is a reluctance to be vaccinated from some people.

We will continue to ask the difficult questions, because the local Conservative councillors want to pretend everything is OK, when it clearly is not. And we have already made our views clear to them in writing and "in person" (in virtual meetings during the Pandemic).

* Excerpt from BBC Radio Somerset interview with Somerset County Council Public Health Consultant, Alison Bell:

"Where would you like to see that (the vaccine) prioritised in Somerset?

Well it's not down to me sadly. It's down to a National Committee but

I think they've taken, they're experts and are prioritising it to the

elderly, people in care homes, and our health and care staff. And as you

know, that's already being rolled out in Somerset. We've got the new

vaccine that was registered yesterday. And that's really good news.

That will mean we can reach more people with the vaccine more quickly."

VICTORY: Somerset Independents Succeeds In Halting Increase to Taxpayers on Police Costs

Leader of Somerset Independents
Andrew Pope

UPDATE: Councillors finally caved in to the PCC's Budget in a hurriedly-organised second meeting, only making a minor change to the Budget.

It proves that tou can't trust party politicians to do the right thing unless you are directly challenging them, and increases our concerns about three Independent members positions on the Panel being vacant.

---

BREAKING: Following Andrew Pope's speech to them today to stand up for taxpayers, the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel have just voted by majority to veto the 6.6% increase asked for by Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and Chief Constable Andy Marsh.

Somerset Independents listen and acts for residents. 

As Leader of Somerset Independents, Andrew Pope listened to residents who said they did not wish to pay more for the Police and questioned the increase during a Global Pandemic and when families are feeling the crushing weight of Covid-19 on their lives.

Andrew sent a written statement that was forwarded by the officer to all members of the Panel. It is shown in full below.

Andrew had listened to residents who asked why the Police were spending so much money on relocations and buildings, and asked what had happened to the money from the sale of police stations such as in Wells.

Andrew questioned the budget proposals, pointing out to members of the Panel that Somerset residents were really feeling the strain of Covid on their finances. 

When he spoke at the Panel in the virtual meeting today, Andrew said that there was no mention of delays to police buildings, the use of reserves or better use of the massive IT budget.

The Chief Constable responded to Andrew's points.

Then after a long debate, members of the Panel deliberated.

They voted by 11 votes to veto the budget, with 1 abstention.

Andrew says:

"Somerset Independents was formed to stand up for residents. We listen and we act on residents' concerns.

The Commissioner should have looked harder at the budget, and provided more options, instead of just one alternative.

So I am pleased that Sue Mountstevens and the Chief Constable Andy Marsh have been asked to think again.

They will now have to re-consider the budget and come back to the Panel."

Andrew also spoke to appeal to the Panel for help to delay the May 2021 elections - something which Somerset Independents believes is right and has contacted MPs and council officers to suggest. Sadly, not a single mention was made by members of the Panel at the meeting. However, the meeting was cut short after 3 hours on the budget, with later agenda items postponed until a future meeting.

Andrew Pope Statement to the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel, 4th Feb 2021

Dear Police and Crime Panel,

 

Firstly, I would like to appeal to you to refuse the 6.6% increase in the precept for the Police. Ask yourself whether this is really justified when there has been money wasted on Police moving from station to station - for example in Shepton Mallet. The public expect police to be on the beat, and out of the office, so police stations are not the priority of the public. At least, that's what the public has been told by the police - that front desks and police stations are not really needed. Yet your press releases on the budget make multiple mentions of police buildings. This level of increase is not justified, so please refuse it.

 

Secondly, I would also question whether the surveys quoted in the reports before you today, are representative samples of the population of Somerset. If they are not, then why are they being used to make decisions? As a Panel, you should demand better, to make better decisions and provide better advice.

 

Thirdly and finally, regarding the May 2021 elections. I am Leader of Somerset Independents, a pressure group of residents and registered political party that is considering, amongst a group of Somerset residents, whether to stand a candidate in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections. We are aghast at the £5,000 deposit and the strange decisions made by MPs prior to the last PCC elections.

 

I note that today there are no Independent Panel members present, with two recent resignations, a vacancy and an illness. I find this all rather worrying.

 

Somerset Independents has this week sent its view to all Somerset MPs and all returning officers, plus SOLACE and the AEA. Our view is that the May 2021 elections must be delayed, in the interests of public health, public safety, scrutiny and for free and fair elections. When they are safe, they can be held. If this is not until October, or even next year, so be it. I hope that you agree, but I am here to listen.

 

I would ask you, therefore, that in the event of a delay that you consider very carefully how you deal with such a delay. I suggest very strongly that you do not consider appointing any PCC without an election, even on a temporary basis. Any previous or existing candidate should not be appointed. This would be anti-democratic and set a dangerous precedent. I would also question the wisdom and legality of such a move. I hope that you agree.

 

Thank you for listening and I hope that I will get a written response, and there will be a healthy debate, about the points that I have raised. You can contact us at somerinds@gmail.com.

 

Andrew Pope

Somerset Independents

 

COVID-19: Unsafe May 2021 Elections Must Be Delayed Until Safe

 

Boris Johnson's Government has FAILED

As we've said elsewhere on this website, Boris Johnson's Tory Government has failed to protect us from Covid-19. And his Government has autocratic tendencies, attacking democratic and human rights ever since he became Prime Minister.

As it has been for public health, so it is for democracy under Johnson's Government.

If Johnson resigned, it would change little, Why? Because there are a whole lost of incompetents in the Tory Party who would take over. The recent list of Cameron, May and Johnson proves it. And look at what happened when Johnson was in hospital with the very virus that he was supposed to protect us from - more chaos with no succession planning in place.

Johnson's pattern of dither, delay and chaos goes on and on. Meanwhile, we are all put at risk.

The numbers on Covid-19 are now worse than ever. Johnson tries to explain his way out of over 100,000 deaths and counting. He can't explain. There is no justification. Normal life won't return any time soon, if at all.

Schools are closed, pubs and restaurants are closed, social life is cancelled, family life is cancelled, spectator sports still remain a happy memory.

Yet Johnson's Government says that elections planned for May 2021 will still go ahead. In Somerset, this will include County Council elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections for Avon and Somerset.

Very little has been done with public health in mind to protect us during an election.

As it has been for public health, so it is for democracy under Johnson's Government.

HOW CAN CANDIDATES, ACTIVISTS, ELECTORAL OFFICERS AND RESIDENTS BE SAFE? 

HOW CAN ELECTIONS BE SCRUTINISED TO BE FREE AND FAIR? 

WHAT SORT OF ELECTION WILL IT BE?

WILL A SINGLE LEAFLET BE DELIVERED, ANY DOOR KNOCKED, ANY VOTER LISTENED TO?

These are all questions, points and concerns that Somerset Independents has expressed to all of Somerset's MPs. They are all Conservative MPs and some of them are members of Boris Johnson's Government.

Somerset Independents stands up for Somerset residents' democratic and human rights - we were formed to do it and we have. But we know that it is simply unsafe to have a normal election now.

In a letter to all Somerset MPs, officers of Somerset Independents have asked them for assistance in delaying the elections. And for assistance in bringing about a referendum of Somerset residents before any council changes are made during a Global Pandemic.

Our full letter is below.

Tell us... Contact us at the details at this link.

What do you think?

Do you think the elections should be delayed?

If you do, when do you think they should be delayed until?

What would stop you from voting at a polling station?

Would you feel safe?

Would you open the door to a campaigner?

Would you read a leaflet?

Do you think leaflets should be delivered?

Tell us... Contact us at the details at this link.

Letter from Officers of Somerset Independents Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt

31st January 2021

To: All Somerset MPs via e-mail

cc: All Somerset Returning officers, SOLACE, AEA

RE: Elections in May 2021

Dear Somerset MP,

We are residents of Somerset and the Registered Officers of Somerset Independents which is a political party registered with the Electoral Commission. We were formed in 2020 during the first lockdown. Our Party acts for Somerset residents.

We write with a number of points and concerns about elections due in May 2021. This includes Somerset County Council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in Somerset. Somerset Independents is considering whether to stand candidates, and would appreciate your views and assistance.

When our Leader Andrew Pope spoke at the Somerset Covid-19 Engagement Board this month to hold local authorities to account, the numbers on Covid-19 were worse than ever. Whilst there may be early signs of improvement, the crisis continues.

“Normal” life is not going to resume soon. So we are very concerned to hear as recently as 13^th January, that the Government has no plans to delay the elections in May. One voter could infect entire communities at a polling station.

We cannot see any guidance from the Electoral Commission that reassures us, in terms of safety and in terms of holding free and fair elections under Covid-19. The Government has not taken steps to ensure this, either. Electoral officers are not being helped, and are under unacceptable levels of strain.

We note the concerns expressed by the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA), despite their professionalism in trying to bring about elections in these unacceptable circumstances¹. Peter Stanyon, the chief executive said:

“It seems conversations are taking place with political leaders while we are working on the practical arrangements.”

As local public health officers have done, these officers are conducting themselves with considerable grace, despite continuing Government dithering and delays that continue to place democracy in peril, as well as the lives and livelihoods of Somerset residents – this is not just our view, but that of the Editor of LGCPlus², Nick Golding.

We understand from a source close to them that Somerset’s returning officers have asked for the elections to be delayed, although we are attempting to corroborate this with written evidence. This may have been confused with the news of the AEA and SOLACE’s concerns, which is why we are checking (cc’d).

The managing director of SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers), Graeme McDonald, was quoted by LGC as saying that “Solace will continue to press government to delay elections until October”³.

We have listened to residents’ concerns about the elections going ahead, as well as the concerns of council officers.

Not only are there concerns about the count itself, and the ballot, but there are also concerns about the campaigns. Nominations will not even be able to be done safely. Quick wins such as separate nomination papers, are absent.

As things stand, there is simply no way that free, fair and socially-distanced elections can be held, because steps have not been taken. As the AEA and SOLACE have said, clarity is needed. Steps need to be taken. They have not been. All that we have heard are vaguaries and hubris. This mirrors the way the Global Pandemic has been mishandled by the Government.

So as it is for democracy now, as it has been for public health. These elections will mix the two. As things stand, candidates, officers and activists will be put at risk. As things stand, a “normal” election would put everyone at risk. As things stand, schools are still closed, infections continue to rise. As things stand, deaths continue to mount.

Therefore we suggest that the elections are delayed, until steps are taken and the public feel confident that they can be done safely, done socially-distanced and done with adequate scrutiny to ensure free and fair elections.

Whether this delay is until September or October, will depend on whether the steps taken are adequate, and how the Pandemic pans out through the Spring and Summer of 2021. If that is not possible, then we regretfully suggest that the elections be delayed until 2022.

This could have been avoided if the Government had not had one of the worst records in the world, in dealing with Covid-19. Somerset Independents was formed to stand up for Somerset residents, and their human and democratic rights. But given the situation, and in the interests of pragmatism, democracy and public health, it is not worth the risk.

We want democracy. We campaign for a referendum on any changes to our councils. The district councils and county councils are arguing over which form of unitary, during a Global Pandemic. But none of the councils have agreed a referendum, despite our repeated calls to councils and their councillors to do so. We are alarmed at the call by Conservative county councillors⁴ on Minister Jenrick to delay county elections. They did not seem to consider the Covid crisis, but purely because they wished to force through unitary changes and hang on to their seats. A referendum is essential before change – WHEN SAFE.

Please confirm that you support our positions as underlined above – on the 2021 elections and the unitary Referendum, and please confirm the actions that you will take to bring about what we ask for in this letter.

Regards, Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt

Leader and Nominations Officer, Somerset Independents

1 “Growing calls for clarity on local elections amid conflicting reports”, https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/growing-calls-for-clarity-on-local-elections-amid-conflicting-reports-11-01-2021/ , 11^th Jan 2021

2 LGCPlus – Nick Golding, https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc-briefing/johnsons-last-minute-approach-adds-to-the-covid-agony-05-01-2021/ , 5^th Jan 2021

3 LGCPlus, “Minister tells MPs ‘high bar’ needed for postponing local elections”, https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/minister-tells-mps-high-bar-needed-for-postponing-local-elections-13-01-2021/ , 13^th Jan 2021

4 Somerset County Gazette, “Conservatives accused of “running scared” after party voted to ask for delay to next year's local elections”, https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/18888915.conservatives-accused-running-scared-party-voted-ask-delay-next-years-local-elections/ , 23^rd November 2020