Jarrow Tories, young and enthusiastic!
Much new support on the streets of Cleadon Village and East Boldon
Just as we were discussing last week the state of some local parties on South Tyneside and the apparent resistance of people in South Shields to join their local parties or volunteer (for either the Conservatives, Labour, or the Liberal Democrats), news comes from the Jarrow constituecy of a resurgence in interest in party politics, particularly from the younger age groups.
You will remember that I mentioned an influx of younger members to the Jarrow Conservative Association in my last post on the subject, and notwithstanding the lingering problems they have over the eventual resignation of independent councillor David Potts, association chairman cllr. Jeff Milburn happily tells me that they are enthusiastically getting on with the job of fighting the local elections in Jarrow. More than that, the Jarrow Tories can call upon almost 200 members for support many of them in the 17 – 35 age group! This influx of new blood has happened over the past couple of years putting them in the position of having “competition” for the opportunity to stand as a candidate and represent the party in the local government elections. Jeff is delighted with the current state of affairs in the Jarrow association where fund raising has been going on for aome time in preparation for this month’s campaign. Jeff knows that Labour’s Joan Atkinson will prove stiff opposition in the Cleadon and East Boldon ward, she networks well with two Twitter pages and a blog, but he is confidant that his large team of young enthusiastic keen young legs will help sitting councillor Donald Wood successfully defend his seat.
Jeff (who is younger than I) told me:
“I really want to emphasise and let people know that there is a world of difference between South Shields and Jarrow, we have very much a young vibrant party of people here, we are well organised keen and energetic. We have no shortage of volunteers, of course we will always welcome more if anyone wishes to join us, who wouldn’t? However, there is certainly a different balance to the party here in Jarrow and the future looks great for the association”
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Curly's Corner Shop, the blog! 
Enthusiastic enough to join the new Jarrow March perhaps, or raise c£30k to cover the costs of studying for three years at one of their local universities. One certainty is that they will not become trainee frontline librarians, EHO’s,local government lawyers, trading standards professionals, police officers, or RAF pilots…
LL.B
April 20, 2011 at 7:09 am
Problem is that David Potts unethically signed most of the young members up and paid their dues out of his own pocket and took them out for meals to ensure his reselection. Doubt many of them will show any interest now he’s gone.
Allan Steward
April 20, 2011 at 3:15 pm
He did that for years. You would only see them once or twice a year when he wheeled them out for his own reasons. Before he resigned he was moving to have the Jarrow Chairman, David Fettis kicked out.
Selfish and arrogant as he was, without Potts Jarrow CA will not last long
Janet Cross
April 20, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Watch out there’s a Carter Ruck hovering…
LL.B
April 20, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Not even a leaflet in most of the South Shields wards.
Ispy
April 21, 2011 at 8:06 am
That is not true, my own weary legs and feet will testify to that. Delivering more leaflets today too!
curly
April 21, 2011 at 8:27 am
Young at heart with dodgy knees, even the most accomplished Shane Warner could not spin half a century off your age, Curly.
LL.B
April 21, 2011 at 8:58 am
Must admit I have not seen hordes of young Hagues, Osbornes, or CleggCams out canvassing on these mean streets, methinks that it is not just Campbell who does a Shane Warne.
LL.B
April 21, 2011 at 8:23 am
Wish someone could spin three decades off my age, I’d be able join Jeff Milburn’s bunch.
curly
April 21, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Bunch of flowers from local florist to lay on the grave of compassionate conservatism perhaps, before “Typhoon” Pickles succeeds in destroying local services.
LL.B
April 21, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Should you reach the far boundaries of Cleadon Park do call in.
BTW postal votes were received a couple of days ago so you probably need some more people delivering. Those enthusiastic youngsters perhaps.
Ispy
April 21, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Yes this is the peak period, I’m back out in a few minutes!
curly
April 21, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Enthusiastic youngsters enthusiastically enjoying a meal in St Marks Square, perhaps, whilst eagerly awaiting passing gondoleri, meanwhile Curly’s knees ache and knock…
LL.B
April 21, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Well, we’ve got our leaflet, delivered by a very tired looking Eddie Russell. But it ain’t worth the effort.
ARE you really saying that a Tory led Council would NOT have sought the best value contract for supplies?
OR would scrap car parking charges?
AND would reduce Metro passes back to £12?
AND would spend more on street cleaning?
Oh, and by the way,on Councillors allowances,has not your leader, Cllr Potts, claimed over £3000 whilst in a Rehab clinic in South Africa?
Mrsdoasyouwouldbedoneby
April 22, 2011 at 12:14 am
These are my personal thoughts (as you know I am NOT a member of the party, and therefore Mr. Potts is not my leader and I have already published my thoughts on that matter).
Q1. No
Q2. No, but I would hope to see more innovative solutions involving partnerships with town centre retailers, I have wrote at length about this previously.
Q3. I would support any measures that sought to improve funding for these, but is Nexus funding totally within the remit of local authorities?
Q4. NO, but I would be looking to outsource the service.
Q5. Cllr. Potts ought to resign his seat ASAP.
curly
April 22, 2011 at 9:30 am
Even at £25 the Nexus pass is extraordinarily good value, and you can pay in two instalments to cover Summer and Winter travel periods. Why outsource such a basic service as street cleaning, regrettably there are profligate litterers and sources of litter that were not so evident in past decades, and the source of much litter is the private sector, who need to do far more to try and promote the anti litter message and support local community efforts to try and minimise littering. Parking is a significant issue,and, as with litter, there is a need for innovative partnerships.Loss of credibility and respect is a very serious brake on effective performance, whether in public service or the private sector; unfortunately the “allegiance culture” that exists amongst many voters means that votes are given to unlikely candidates for office, a fact which AV will not change, because many voters will only vote for one candidate as first preference.
LL.B
April 22, 2011 at 9:57 am
There is no chance in the next few hundred years will a tory ever be elected in Jarrow,there may be the odd enthusiast but thats all.Jarrow people have long memories about the conservative party …
TORY = Taking Officially Ordinary Royalties which translates to Take everything you can from the working class and place it in the hands of the middle .
The taking part is classed as theft if commited by a normal working man but it is heavily disguised by the middle class and re named as investment banking.
Austerity
April 22, 2011 at 8:13 am
We are talking about the local elections here and for some time now three Conservative councillors have traditionally been elected within the Jarrow constituency.
curly
April 22, 2011 at 9:35 am
Which wards Curly ?
Austerity
April 23, 2011 at 8:00 am
Cleadon and East Boldon, the most affluent area of South Tyneside, where “allegiance culture” amongst the voters resulted in what can only be described as an ill advised choice.
LL.B
April 23, 2011 at 8:28 am
Better off in work so we now reduce benefits indeed,
By the time you pay your rent,council tax,travel to work,cost of living feed the family… your lucky if you have 20 quid left a week .
Austerity
April 22, 2011 at 8:20 am
Spend a couple of years working with people who have financial problems and debt issues, often the innocent victims of untoward events then see if you are critical of those who earn cash in hand to supplement benefits. Wealthy people who plan their tax affairs or in some cases evade paying tax are not living life at the margins, they have several houses, they enjoy ultra luxurious lifestyles, contributing another £1 million in tax would be a matter of small change for them. Alleged benefit “cheats” may in some cases be making a few hundred pounds and that can be the difference between homelessness and hanging on to a property and feeding their families. One of my boyhood pals had a father who was a Conservative councillor, yet he espoused free rail travel for all and low cost subsidised public transport. Furthermore, his view was that the black economy ended up generating tax because VAT was paid on a lot of the goods and services purchased. He would have been appalled at the laxity and leniency shown to local politicians who simply do not deliver, he ran a successful business, yet rarely missed a council meeting and had a great deal of respect for his Labour opposite numbers; and respect is something which certain local politicians have forefeited in spades.
LL.B
April 22, 2011 at 9:39 am
I still think anyone living in the north east who votes conservative are crackers and helping to create a country with ghettos , Look at the USA , thats he way the conservatives want this country.
Austerity
April 23, 2011 at 8:11 am
LLB, rumour has it that Potts and Co are taking another not-so-well-earned break in France as we speak. Four less legs for the Cleadon push perhaps, although I doubt Jarrow Tories want his assistance this year
Janet Cross
April 22, 2011 at 12:09 pm
C’est la vie…
LL.B
April 22, 2011 at 12:18 pm
So, setting aside the position of Cllr Potts, you seem to be working your socks off delivering a leaflet which, judging by your answers, is not worth the paper it’s written on.
You can only hope that the army of young volunteers in Jarrow is a bit more enthusiastic about it.
Mrsdoasyouwouldbedoneby
April 22, 2011 at 12:10 pm
It has as much value as Labour’s high cost all colour glossy leaflet advertising your commitment to continue driving down council tax!
Better spinners than Shane Warne – we all know that Labour’s past record is to increase council tax year aft year after year after year.
Remove the mote from your own eye etc.
Curly
April 22, 2011 at 8:51 pm
After a few more years of this profit and private sector driven ideology in power and we will be paying through the nose upfront to have those motes removed, and for our dodgy knees to be replaced.
LL.B
April 22, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Curly did you listen to this morning’s debate on BBC Newcastle? Donald Wood made a laughing stock of the local tories. With that kind of opposition it’s no wonder Ian Malcolm and his croanies have such a tight grip on the reigns of power. Give the Tories a shake Curly. Better yet, get yourself elected for them
Allan Steward
April 27, 2011 at 10:13 am
No I didn’t hear it Allan, how did Mrs. Branley perform too?
I have often made it plain in here that one of the major reasons why Labour persist in winning elections in South Tyneside is the quality of the opposition it faces.
curly
April 27, 2011 at 6:49 pm
She was quite measured by her standards actually. Don’t think she was very happy with issue of middle docks being raised though. But Donald Wood was just awful. I know we can’t expect town councillors to have the same stabndards of media savvyness of their national counterparts, but really he was shockingly bad
Allan Steward
April 28, 2011 at 4:39 pm
To date no leaflet received from the Conservative candidate. Heaven forfend that you are only delivering to the posh streets Curly.
Ispy
April 28, 2011 at 7:03 pm
I’ve been to a mixture of both this evening, chatting to folks and delivering more literature, whistling The Birdy Song as I go.
Curly
April 28, 2011 at 8:34 pm
….good..i am think so..
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