Why we need more candidates for 4 May elections.

In the 2013 election 8 out of 20 Penzance Town Councillors 'duly elected’ received no votes at all!  Electors in Newlyn/Mousehole, Heamoor and Gulval had no choice as to who represented them.  Their representatives had already been ‘duly elected’ simply because they had put themselves forward and nobody had stood against them.  This is not to discredit those public spirited individuals who put themselves forward but it is an indication of local democracy undermined by apathy.  

The Note of Election will be published by Cornwall Council on the 20 March 2017 and the deadline for nominations will be 4 pm on 4 April 2017.

 

Independent Councillors for Penzance Wards

We are campaigning for more individuals to stand for election to Penzance Town Council.  We want to see a Town Council that is more representative (it is rather old and male currently) of the electorate, that is free of national  political affiliations and that is ambitious for Penzance.

We take our inspiration from ‘Independents for Frome’, who in 2011 won 11 out of 17 seats on their Council and who then went on to transform Frome.  In doing so they sent a shock wave through the political establishment inspiring change where change was long overdue.

We are encouraging candidates to stand as independent councillors because the issues at Town Council level are not party political in the national sense.  Party affilations can create divided loyalties and voting by party affiliation (by clique) rather than in the best interests of the electorate.  

Standing as an independent councillor for the first time can be lonely and intimidating so we have created Independent Penzance  - a campaigning and support group for reform minded independent councillors who want to make a difference in Penzance.

If you are interested in standing as an independent candidate on the 4 May 2017 and if you support the core values and ways of working adopted by Independents for Frome (view here) then contact either of us.

Cllr Nigel Davis (Independent) Newlyn & Mousehole Ward (Nigeldavis401@gmail.com)

Cllr Dick Cliffe (Independent)  Promenade Ward (dick.cliffe@gmail.com)