Councillor Mike Flower

Well i’ve had lots of sleep since Friday night and a good rest. So what happens now the elections are over?

Firstly the Conservative Group of Councillors will meet early in the week to elect a Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Whip, Secretary and Treasurer. The Leader of the Group will become Leader of the Council as we are the largest party and he or she will select from our group of 33 councillors that will sit on the Cabinet.

The Conservative Group will then reconvene a week later to decide who will sit on what internal committees like Planning, Licensing and Scrutiny committees. The Group will also decide on representation on external bodies like the Police, Fire Services and various others.

This will be followed up by the Annual Council Meeting at which the new Leader and Cabinet are approved and the new Mayor (Conservative, Cllr Melvin Pitt) will be installed. Then the business of the Council gets on with the job….

I currently don’t sit on any committees or external bodies (with the exception of the Walsall Wood Allotments Charity) as I was elected during the middle of the year. However I will now need to decide which ones to put my name forward for - so plenty of thinking to do! I will also be publishing dates for my surgeries shortly.

Thank you for voting for me and for voting Conservative. The Conservatives gained one seat (Pleck), held the rest and now have a majority of three on the Council. Lets hope we can do some good stuff in the year ahead.

Don’t forget polling is this Thursday between 7am and 10pm. There are no election boards on the lampposts this year, but the election is still on! Everyone (I hope) has now received an election address from myself and the Conservatives and i’ve been out and about all around the ward. If you need a lift to the polling station please ring 01922 451449 and we will try to assist.

Click on the images below to read my election address:

Well I’ve had a busy weekend in Aldridge North & Walsall Wood campaigning. I hope you have received my election address and i’ll post it online shortly. Many thanks to friends, family and colleagues who have helped me this weekend. We’ve all got a cracking suntan from the great weather we’ve had!

Three parties are standing - Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats. No doubt you will be getting our leaflets through a letterbox near you shortly!

Now back to work…..

Make sure your voice counts!

Enroll on the electoral register

If you are not currently on the electoral register (but are elligible to vote), you may fill out forms to return to the Council here. Please return them to Walsall Council. Being registered gives you the right to vote.

Postal votes

Political parties do not deal with postal votes. If you will be away on holiday or cannot get to the polling station why not get a postal vote? You can apply for one through the Council here.

Well nominations are in for the forthcoming local elections. My term of office expires this May as I was elected in November to complete the term of office originally held by Roger Collins until his passing.

Aldridge North & Walsall Wood Conservatives selected me as the candidate to fight this May’s election and the elections office have accepted my application, after securing ten signatures, as a valid nomination. I will therefore be seeking re-election for a term of four years as your councillor.

I’ll try and cover council work and elections work on the blog between now and May 3rd. I’d like to thank you for originally giving me the opportunity to work as your councillor and I hope you will consider re-electing me this coming May.

Francis Maude MP met with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce over breakfast in Walsall Wood. He was joined by local MP, Richard Shepherd and newly elected councillor Mike Flower. He is seen in the video talking to John Murray, Chairman of Aldridge-Brownhills Conservative Association.

It was great to have Francis join us in the ward for second time in four months. The discussions held were very useful for Black Country businesses to meet with our Party Chairman and hopefully influence the policies our Party will come up with for the next election. It was also really good to have an event like this held in our ward and can only help raise the profile of the area.

I have already distributed 1000 of our Spring Intouch leaflet and got completely soaked! Look out for it through your door soon or download it above.

If you see me wandering around do say hello!

I was pleased to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Aldridge North and Walsall Wood Conservative branch this evening. It was great to see it so full and to see new members come along with some really good ideas. But let me throw the gauntlet down to you - the public.

- Are you fed up with the way the Labour Government are running the country?
- Are you fed up with particular issues in Aldridge North & Walsall Wood?
- Could you help me make a positive difference to our community and achieve things like regeneration, community events and dealing with other important issues?

Now is the time to make a stand. Please come and help me, my fellow councillors and our hard working MP, Richard Shepherd. Together we can really make a difference. We are already doing so as I hope this blog demonstrates, but lets continue the momentum. I cannot do things alone.

Please consider joining the Conservative Party locally. It is just £15 to join and that money will help us to communicate with the public through leaflets and canvassing. I will be more than happy to talk to anyone about this. That is what politics needs - people to talk to each other.

If you don’t want to join the party, could you help deliver leaflets, or help organise non-political community events like they do in Pelsall? Lets build a community spirit.

Please do contact me if you can help. Lets do something good for our area - together.

Not everything is heavy politics! Last Thursday Streetly Conservative Branch held a function in the Portobello resturant in Aldridge. It was a lovely occassion and packed out. I managed to grab a chat with Richard Shepherd MP and update him on issues in our ward. If you would like to attend functions like this please contact our office on: 01922 450449

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

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

One of the most enjoyable parts of being a Conservative member are the events the Association hold. This evening was the Christmas buffet which is always a good spread. The people who organise these events always put a tremendous effort in. People are always welcome at our events. If you would like further information please ring the office.

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

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