LITTLE Thurrock Blackshots has been dominated by veteran councillor, Joy Redsell for a number of years.
There doesn’t seem to be a council meeting that goes by without Joy handing in a petition in relation to the needs and concerns of the good people of Blackshots.
In many ways, it is a simple business and Joy appears to do the job most effectively.
In 2008, cllr Joy Redsell won by 456 votes. In 2014, the Conservatives only won the seat by 43 votes as UKIP went close.
Will it be close again? Again, the seat will be a gauge of whether UKIP have peaked in Thurrock or are they on the wane?
Considered opinion is that they still have legs in Thurrock. Enough to take this ward?
Will cllr Redsell’s close association with Jackie Doyle-Price impact on her. Probably not.
In many ways, if UKIP were serious about this ward then they would have found a candidate quite a long time ago and got them to work it. The reality may be, and this applies to all parties that it is hard to find candidates.
We think the UKIP candidate, Jennifer Coleman from South Ockendon, came from the No to Thames Crossing movement.
We know nothing of the Labour candidate.
YT prediction: Cons hold: 160 votes
Little Thurrock Blackshots
Jennifer Coleman – UKIP
Jacqui Dobson – Labour
Joycelyn Redsell – Conservative
