IT IS an electoral pattern, that even when you are a leader, there are always seems to be more candidates than usual.
Grays Riverside in 2012 is no exception as council leader, John Kent sees himself standing against four other candidates.
Cllr Kent has been the leader of Labour for some time and leader of the council since May 2010. In that time, he has grown into a deft and reasoned leader and developed strong partnerships with officers.
His critics within the party feel he is too much like an officer but perhaps John is aware of the situation the council were in back in March 2009, when the audit commission lambasted Thurrock Council for the “fundamental schism” between officers and councillors.
As a ward member, cllr Kent regularly holds surgeries, is in touch with the issues that dominate his ward and seems just as happy meeting these demands as the requirement of leadership.
Crime will be high on the agenda in the ward as matters such as minor drug dealing continues to go unchecked. Voters will or should also want higher educational attainment at the local schools, especially when compared to the other schools in the borough.
The Tories took this seriously in 2010 when Charlie Key ran a very accomplished campaign and gained 1355 votes. This time, former independent candidate, Michael Abodiun was set to stand. Indeed leaflets had been delivered around the ward and a Facebook campaign endorsed by other Tories started up.
Suddenly, Michael stood down and Chris Scalise was put in his place.
UKIP stalwart is once again standing. Fair play, they have a full slate in Basildon and an impressive number in Thurrock. Much of their campaigning involves getting on the doorstep and having a good old moan. But in some wards it works and last year they took 4,169 votes. Clive will no doubt be full of his charismatic bluster. But he speaks from the heart and speaks for a lot of local businesses in the borough.
The Lib-Dem candidate, Kevin Mulroe works hard and as we said in his individual feature, will do well to imprive on 121 votes from last time.
And as for the other candidate, in the words of Heaven 17: “We don’t need this fascist groove thing.”
Full list of candidates
Chris Scalise
Conservative Party
Clive Herbert Broad
UK Independence Party
John George Kent
Labour
Kevin Barry Mulroue
Liberal Democrats
Thomas Edward Mayhew
British National Party
So vote Labour then seems to be the message from your thurrock. John Kent is a life long taker of the public purse. Maybe in his time on various public bodies raking in public cash he has hjad the time to brush up on his PR skills. Probably had a few chats with sister Polly. UKIP ranting and moaning, the Tories in disarray, the nast fascists of the BNP. Perhaps we should all be re-educated Labour style. It’s like invasion of the body snatchers.
I agree with NoVoice, what has happened to YT? you used to be an independant Mike and yet all I read about is how good Labour are, Why is that?
Careful Candour you’ll be sent to political re-education camp and assimilated into the comradeship.