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NEWS
Letters
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Wednesday May 16 | 2018
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THE ICING ON THE CUP CAKES Tunbridge Wells Alliance took votes away from Lib Dems and Labour
Alliance split the Complex vote and failed protesters in the end Hugo Pound told the Times that the Conservative vote across the Tunbridge Wells borough had reached 43 per cent [May 9]. And, in the interest of the health of a council, it was refreshing to see the Tories losing two seats. One to the Liberal Democrats, one to the TW Alliance. A Town Hall will always operate more effectively with some kind of opposition. However, even with these two seats being lost, the Conservatives did win 12 out of 16 seats and now control 41 out of 48. This is hardly a fair representation of feeling, considering 57 per cent of the town did not vote Tory. Mr Pound, the Labour Chair for the borough, said the result showed the Tories did not have a mandate for their controversial Civic Complex and theatre plan. He might be right, as
Get to work behind the façade
candidates said the former was one of the biggest talking points on the doorstep. If this was the biggest issue, it was frustrating to see the anti-Civic Complex vote split between parties competing for a Conservativeheld ward. New party Tunbridge Wells Alliance stood several candidates in wards where the Liberal Democrat and Labour candidate also opposed it and took a large share of the vote. In Broadwater, Sherwood and Culverden wards, the Lib Dem or Labour candidate may even have won the seat if the Alliance candidate had not stood. That would be three extra seats the Tories did not win and further decrease their stranglehold on Town Hall. Could the Alliance’s agenda have been better served by not standing candidates at all? Scott Christian Via email
Despite the local protests, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council seems determined to go ahead with its Civic Complex. Yet the photograph of the façade of the council building [May 2] is so in keeping with the epithet of a ‘Regency town’. Surely, as they have done in London, why not keep the façade and refurbish the interior? It cannot cost anything near the £90million the council hope to spend? Knowing of other councils who had grand plans, this will definitely overrun and the final cost will be unbelievable. You only need to visit the City of London, where so many buildings look like they have existed for years but are in fact very modern on the inside. If they can do it, so can we. However, would anyone listen? The people who elect the councillors are just silent voices as they get trampled underfoot. The councillors seem to have their own agendas and the public just have to accept. A sad day. John Pearce Tunbridge Wells
If my calculator is correct, the Conservatives in Tunbridge Wells Borough won 11 [12 actually] of the 16 seats on an overall combined vote of just 40 per cent. How’s that for a productive return? In fact, only five of these seats individually achieved 50 per cent of the vote. So the council will continue to ignore the 60 per cent who didn’t vote for them and continue to drive unpopular policies. So much for democracy. Clearly, this is selling most of the voters short and must be remedied if we have any real ambition to realise true democracy. This, of course, shows its ugly head in the matter of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s headlong pursuit of new offices and a theatre complex, against the wishes of many residents. Some would say you get the politics you deserve, which is of great comfort to [Council Leader] David Jukes, who continues to display a dismissive complacency towards his constituents’ feelings on the matter. Martin Dawes Via email
Election wasn’t true democracy
Sherwood’s reasons to be proud
It seems obvious that local politics, like national politics, is distorted by a first-past-the-post electoral system. Yet again a minority vote is the kingmaker and the majority can go hang.
There were a record number of five candidates in Sherwood, and a very engaging campaign was energetically fought. I was seeking a third term and I shall be a councillor now until 2022.
In the past only UKIP have campaigned here, and I was astonished to hear from residents, by phone and on the 277 bus, about the cohorts of people dropping leaflets – some not from Sherwood, which is why I think they stood out. Moreover, some regretted the need to denigrate Sherwood (or ‘slagging us off’ as some stated it colourfully). I made a pitch for Sherwood based on the solid work we’ve done in the community. For example, the money invested in new roads has led to more employment. When I arrived in 2008, unemployment was over nine per cent; now it is barely one per cent. Nationally, more people are in employment than ever (32million) and more women are in the workforce. Over £42million was invested in new housing by the Town & Country Housing Group, and a new 550-plus development is being built on barren land. No social/affordable housing was built from 1997 to 2010 but we’ve achieved some 300. These facts were ignored, and that is why people were angered. Residents can earn up to £12,000 now before tax and our council tax only rises by just £5 per year. The issue that caused angst was the proposed Civic Centre, which is why the campaign was strongly fought. I was able to retain my seat owing to our record of support in the community Bob Backhouse Conservative Councillor for Sherwood ward
Calverley
Observations on life and more important things
POT LUCK? Pick a paint…
REGULAR readers (admirers) might recall the tale of Calverley’s experience when Mrs Calverley decided the lounge needed a lick of paint. He was required to buy more than a score of sample pots in the search for a new colour for the ‘statement’ wall. Some pots cost £4.50. In the end Mrs C decided to paint the wall a shade of red – exactly the same colour as it was. Some followers of this column doubted the veracity of such a tale, believing things like that just did not happen. Thanks, then, are due to the reader who sent this picture highlighting samples bought during a similar experience. Calverley will respect his request for anonymity.
One bus gained is another lost It is interesting to note that Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark has identified a shuttle loop for Arriva bus service 281 to link Rusthall with High Brooms via Tunbridge Wells town centre. For more than 70 years the 281 – and its predecessor, 81 – has linked Rusthall with the town centre and High Brooms. At one time there were spurs to Oak Road Estate, Southborough Fountain and Tonbridge (via Yew Tree Road). But, of course, improvements come at a cost somewhere, and this is borne in Tonbridge, where there is a 25 per cent reduction in the basic Monday-to-Friday frequency of services 218 and 219 between the town centre and North Tonbridge, with the last weekday bus at either 8pm or 8.10pm, depending on whether you go by the timetable leaflet or the roadside publicity. No tectonic efficiency in this area. Tony Russell Tunbridge Wells
Wrong, there’s no junction right of way I only moved to Blackhurst Lane a few months ago and I must agree with Alan Bullion [May 9] that the junction at Hall’s Hole Road and Blackhurst Lane is very, very dangerous. Cars coming from Hall’s Hole Road and turning right into Pembury Road do not have right of way turning right, but they keep doing it all the time. There have been many near misses and some crashes already, albeit minor so far. Can the authorities do something about this issue before someone gets killed here? At pick-up time, there are lots of schoolkids crossing the streets around this junction. Gerard Lazaroo Tunbridge Wells
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SOME people are really sneaky. Calverley happened to be having coffee (and no it wasn’t an Irish coffee) at one of those nice places in town when he noticed a chap in a Mercedes bump into another vehicle as he pulled out of a roadside parking space. Himself was most impressed when the driver got out, wrote a note, tucked it under the windscreen of the damaged car, then drove off. What a nice, honest gesture. However, being a cynic, Calverley could not resist reading the note, which said: “People think I am writing down my insurance details – I am not.” What a rotter. RARELY are the Beckhams (he of football fame, she of fashion) out of the headlines. So no big surprise when David, Victoria and family celebrated his 43rd birthday with a visit to a restaurant, an event they shared with their 75million followers on Instagram (as you do). What caught Calverley’s eye, though, was mention of the gift that daughter Harper apparently bought her dad: A Louis Vuitton wine case costing £4,500. Such a thoughtful prezzie from a six year old. OVERHEARD – man talking on Tunbridge Wells train about the local election results that saw one of the ‘rebel’ Alliance candidates snatch a seat from the Tories. “Don’t worry if you don’t like the result,” he told a friend, “you can always get the House of Lords to change it.” Out of the mouths of Brexiteers…
Chin Chin, readers
Calverley is away this week visiting vineyards (again)