No Election Bliss for Conservatives

Conservative Councillor Robert Bliss (for he remains the leader of Shepway District Council) has lost his seat on Kent county council by 11 votes to Lib Dem Tim Prater. The Shepway Conservative website is bemoaning the influence of UKIP for splitting their vote (http://www.shepwayconservatives.org.uk/index.php?sectionid=3&pagenumber=400), and looking at the results on the Kent county council website and attempting to use my rudimentary and very rusty maths they seem to have a point.

While the Lib Dems are pleased with becoming the official opposition, they are a tiny minority in a sea of blue(http://www.kent.gov.uk/Kcc.eGov.Elections.Public.Site/CountyPage.aspx).

Across the county, Labour lost 19 of 21 seats. In Folkestone North the proportion of the conservative vote dropped by over 11% the Lib Dem share also dropped by over 6%. In Folkestone South the Tory share dropped by over 5% while the Lib Dem share also fell by over 3%.

In losing by 11 votes (less than 0.1% of the vote), perhaps Conservative HQ and councillor Bliss might reflect on the standard of their communications (see posts below). In addition to poorly written letters, the Lib Dems have been much more media savvy in comparison. Tim Prater and the Lib Dems have been seen to be more active over local issues such as pot holes, street lighting and the Leas Lift, while the Conservatives seem to do little except get exasperated at queries to their decisions.

The Leas Cliff lift saga has been something of a gift to opposition parties. The water powered lift is leased from the Radnor estate and although it is a loss making exercise, it is seen as something of a symbol and a selling point for the town. The terms of the lease place onerous financial obligations on the council. On March 18 the Conservative-dominated Cabinet of Shepway council voted (with press and public excluded due to sensitive commercial information being discussed) to terminate the lease with immediate effect.

This prompted a hastily organised protest (with, of course, the Lib Dems http://shepwaylibdems.org.uk/news/001485/this_is_shepway_report_folkestone_leas_lift_protest_draws_crowds.html). Petitions on the Lib Dem website followed, as did letters to the local rags chimed with vocal locals. The decision was ‘called in’ – sent back to the cabinet by the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee - who on April 15 decided to keep the lift running, but the damage had been done. It may be best to close the lift, but the way the conservatives on the council went about it gifted the Lib Dems photo calls, petitions and an opportunity for populist politics.

At the time of writing a final decision has not yet been reached on the future of the lift. I am not suggesting that the Conservatives are wrong or right on the lift issue – without transparency how will we know? I am suggesting that with some foresight, some empathy with local issues and an understanding that they need to connect with local voters 12 more people may have voted and councillor Bliss would still have his seat on Kent county council.