More Community Policing
We need more Police in Southwell………….. That was the message to the Police and Crime Commissioner, Paddy Tipping, and the Area Inspector. After the Town Survey identified concern about local police numbers, Councillor Stuart Thompstone asked the Town Council to invite Paddy Tipping a public meeting, which was held in January. Nearly 100 residents came to the Library and expressed their concerns.
Government Funding Cuts
They heard that years of Government cuts in Police funding had an inevitable impact on rural Neighbourhood Policing, leaving Nottinghamshire with 730 fewer police officers. Recently, crime and drug activity has increased sharply. In the East Midlands, knife crime has increased by 44 percent in seven years. Further police resources had to be directed to areas with the highest level of criminal activity, particularly Nottingham. Instead of locally based Police Officers, Southwell now relies on one Police Community Support Officer and patrol cars passing through the town.
Extra Police Money
This year, Nottinghamshire police want to recruit 40 more officers with 33 deployed to community policing. To pay for it, our Council Tax precept for the police will increase by 12%, adding £24 a year to a band D property tax.
Demand Better
Responding, Stuart Thompstone felt that "we have every right to demand more local policing. After all, (as one resident at the meeting observed), Southwell alone provides more than £500,000 in council tax to fund the police".
Local Election Results May 2023
A spectacular set of elections both nationally and locally here in Newark and Sherwood!
Overall Lib Dem gains were 405 nationally, which posed a problem for Sky News, whose swingometer apparently was not able to contemplate a set of gains of this magnitude. We exceeded 'Exceeded Expectations'!
Our local gains at the district level saw the addition of our third District Councillor with the victory of Keith Melton in Trent Ward. We also kept 2 of 3 councillors for Southwell, now Karen Roberts and Peter Harris. We were encouraged to see the increase in our share of votes in other seats where we were able to field candidtes. Congratulations to everyone.
We had a very good performance in Southwell Town Council, gaining 10 of the 14 seats for which there were candidates, with 6 of these won in elections and 4 being uncontested. Two Conservatives, one Labour candidate and one Independent were also successful. One place on the council remains to be appointed to.
The Conservatives had a terrible set of district and parish elections, losing about half of their district councillors and many PCs. The final DC result was Conservative 14, Labour 11, Independents 11 (8 for Independents for Newark and 3 for other Independents) and Lib Dems 3. Discussions will take place for some time on the composition of the new administration, which is unlikely to include Conservatives for the first time since 2007.
On behalf of the executive, we are extremely grateful to everyone who stood as candidates, as well as everyone who performed the various roles which were necessary for the campaigns. We are a small party and many of you worked very hard.
We are very grateful for their past work to councillors who have stood down at this election, including Peter Scorer and Stuart Thompstone. Malcolm Brock has stood down from the District, though continues to serve on Southwell TC.
We welcome new members to the party, who were motivated by this campaign. This phenomenon was particularly marked in Trent Ward. Upton support has to be singled out, evidenced for anyone who drove through, by the huge number of LD stakeboards and posters.
Philip Barron
Chair, Newark Liberal Democrats
7 May 2023