Councillor Mike Flower

Guess what I was doing a year ago today…. election night

I was featured in the Walsall Advertiser today having recycled my election posters at Merchants Way. The Council have now banned election posters so I’ll have to find another use for my step ladders!

Well this evening was my first Full Council meeting in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall.

I get to sit next to my colleagues, Cllrs Anthony Harris and Keith Sears, on the Conservative side of the chamber. I was delighted to see Keith Sears presented with a long service award by the Leader of the Council for 30 years service as a councillor. Congratulations to Keith on this fantastic achievement.

So what business did we conduct?

Election Posters

I was very pleased that all political parties agreed to ban political posters on lampposts during election time. This was an issue in the by-election where there were 5 candidates and it just annoys people and litters the landscape. I shall not miss climbing up a lamppost in the early hours and pouring rain trying to get them to stay up!

Member’s Allowances

Always contentious. It should be emphasized that this report was a result of an independent panel and not councillors. Allowances for councillors haven’t changed since 2003 and it was agreed that the pot of money for councillors should remain the same and therefore not put an increased burden on the council tax payer. Therefore the cake was effectively resliced with backbenchers like me getting an increase to £10,000 from £9,744 - £4.92 a week gross. This will be funded by cutting the amount given to some committee chairs and vice chairs. Cabinet members also receive a larger slice. Councillors pay tax and NI on their allowances. No doubt headlines will read that councillors vote themselves a payrise but in reality it isn’t going to cost any more - so no real change. This will take effect in April.

Other business

Policy on high hedges was adopted as well as an annual report on Religious Education, welfare rights and a referral to the cabinet about meals on wheels. Scrutiny will also be looking into railway provision between Brownhills and Walsall. Oh and council approved the report confirming my election!

To read reports and the agenda please click here: http://www2.walsall.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Meeting.aspx?meetingID=712

The latest Intouch leaflet is currently being distributed across the ward. As you can see brown bins are important for those houses who haven’t got one and I am lobbying the council to provide them in the next budget. Download the leaflet here.

Have you thought of joining the Conservatives or helping?

We need people to help distribute leaflets and organise events. Can you help? You may also want to join the Conservative Party for just 30p a week. Contact me if you would like more information.

Original Post

My letter to the people of Aldridge North and Walsall Wood was published in the Walsall Advertiser today:

“I would like to thank the people who voted for me in the recent by-election. I am both proud and delighted to be given the opportunity to represent all of the residents of Aldridge North and Walsall Wood.I very much hope that I can work hard to repay the faith and trust you have placed in me over the coming months. Thank you again.

Councillor Mike Flower
Conservative, Aldridge North and Walsall Wood

http://www.walsalladvertiser.co.uk

Original post
My ‘Thank You’ leaflet will be coming through your letterbox shortly!

I was most suprised and excited to find a letter from David Cameron on my doormat this morning. Not only had he personally signed it but it shows that he is really taking an interest in the West Midlands which can only be a good thing for us all. Perhaps he reads this blog…

I appear to have made the local paper! I’ll try and post a link to the article later.

Update: Link to Walsall Advertiser

Well the removal of the last of my signs marks the end of the campaign. As today is Thursday the local newspapers are out with the election results in. My phone has already started buzzing so shortly i’ll start posting what a new councillor gets to do.

Ok appears I got the election results muddled. So appears I got 1157, then UKIP with 309, Labour 222, BNP 160 and Lib Dem 132.

Original post

Here are some of the people who came to the count with me:

Starting on the Front (L-R) - Cllr Eddie Hughes, Me, Cllr Keith Sears, Maggie Throup
Back (L-R) - Cllr Anthony Harris, Simon Jevon, Steve Fleming, Cllr Tom Ansell, Richard Shepherd MP

Original post

Of more interest than me is the long row of tables behind me. This is where the ballot boxes were opened and counted into the trays you see - one for each candidate per box. We cannot take photos of the count or the ballot papers but could take this shot after all was done and dusted.

Original post

I have a few photos I didn’t post yesterday as they were on another camera. Here is the first.

Shadow Secretary for Local Government and Communities, Caroline Spelman MP came to visit and see how the campaign was going. We are pictured here looking at the surveys, maps and battle plans along with Cllr Anthony Harris.

Original post

Beautiful view across from the edge of my ward across to Lichfield. This was taken from Greenwood Road. Aldridge North and Walsall Wood is right on the edge of Walsall and therefore the West Midlands and so this view is looking across rural Staffordshire, towards the M6 Toll road and on a clear day I am sure I can see Lichfield Cathedral - unless the light is making mischief with my eyes!

Well today has been a difficult day. It has rained all day, as per my previous post, which has made campaigning very hard. Its difficult to keep the leaflets dry! I also got badly bitten by a dog on my right wrist and ended up in A and E! That cut campaigning short but i hope to finish delivering the first leaflet tomorrow. There are ten thousand people in the ward so this has been a grueling and yet worthwhile task. Surveys are beginning to steam back so it’ll be interesting to read your comments. The council have also accepted my nomination form so i’m officially in the running which is excellent news. We wait until Monday to see who else will be standing.

The great thing about this blog is that it is in realtime! I am currently delivering out in the rain by one of our primary schools.