Bolton Journal Article - Councillor John Walsh OBE

BOLTON JOURNAL ARTICLE

Councillor John Walsh OBE 

Leader of the Conservative Group, Bolton MBC

I must begin by thanking all those who voted Conservative at the recent local elections. A quick overview of the results makes interesting reading. Across Bolton over 29,000 people voted Conservative compared to only 22,000 voting Labour and just 14,000 Liberal Democrat. Only 1 voter in every 3 who voted supported Labour. On the day Conservatives won 9 seats including Breightmet and Little Lever for the first time in 4 years with Labour winning only 7. In Bolton West Labour did not win a single seat. But for Labour’s previous inbuilt majority Conservatives would now be the largest party and running the Council but that is the nature of politics and Labour is still the largest Party. I want to assure readers that the newly elected councillors in the wards we won from Liberal Democrats in Horwich and Blackrod and Westhoughton North and Chew Moor join a Conservative team determined to put Bolton First.

One further election fact. Had it been a General Election Conservatives would have won both Bolton North East and Bolton West. No wonder that Labour is worried. This was not just down to Gordon Brown’s inept performance with the 10pence tax. Time and again voters said they felt let down by Labour on local issues like congestion charging and the threat to small builders with the proposed Contractors Framework which we forced Labour to defer introducing just before the election. Other issues like the decline in Bolton with empty shops and litter, chewing gum and graffiti everywhere, the lack of facilities for young people and the chaotic parking policies were regularly mentioned on the doorstep.  

If the economy does stagnate as some economists forecast the next few years will be tough because like the Labour Government Labour councillors have raided the coffers and left no room for manoeuvre.   

Even since the election Labour have announced that they are to adopt several Conservative policies which we published in our manifesto including a proposal to review job vacancies. We will watch to see what they propose and where appropriate give our full support. When however it is just a watered down version we will fight to get the best deal for council taxpayers.

As a sensible opposition Conservatives will continue to hold Labour to account. We will remind them that the public of Bolton do not want congestion charging which Ruth Kelly and the Labour Government wants to introduce.

Just before the elections Labour councillors supported Conservatives and agreed to oppose post office closures by seeking ways to share services with the Council. They have not acted even though the threat of closure is just a few weeks away. Other councils already have, acted to save a vital local service. Labour’s Chairman of Planning, Councillor Hornby, who is now their Chief Whip as well, claimed that he had a letter saying that there would be no post offices closing in Bolton. When I challenged him in Council he failed to produce such a letter. I again ask him to do so or we can only assume it just another Labour empty promise.

Councillor John Walsh OBE

18^th May 2008