Thank You

Huge thank you to over 18,000 people who voted for our team members in this election. Huge thanks to our members for standing and flying the flag of Lincolnshire Independents, Independents who carry the kite mark of quality.

Thanks also to all Independents who have shared the value of standing up for residents, supported, but independent of any party political control. We all retain the right to speak and vote independently and are determined to work for what local residents need and want.

At County level, all Independents together came second with 20% of the vote, just under 35.000 votes (34,995). Although we had 20% of the vote, we have nine seats (15%). Of the Independent groups, Lincolnshire Independents got the highest vote at County level.

Our Lincolnshire Independent Police and Crime Commissioner, David Williams, came third with well over 18,000 first choice votes. I watched the ballot papers being verified, and could see that David’s second votes were huge, but sadly, not counted, as the winning candidate got over half of the first votes.

Congratulations

Congratulations to all who were elected and commiserations to those who live to fight another day. We were up against a year of lockdown just waiting on the daily conservative party politician to tell us what we were allowed to do, then the PM even released news of sending in the gunboats on the day of the election! (Not sure where the guns would be facing, since the PM’s EU “deal” or lack of it, allows French fisherman in our waters!)

Boosting the same message about the value of supported Independent representatives across the County is really important to be credible and create a cohesive force for good now and in the future. Our Independent team is growing nationally and locally. We have two years to do as much as we can for our residents and get ourselves organised for the next elections in two years’ time. We have a working group just starting to refine our strategy. Let me know if you would like to be part of it. We all look forward to working closely with every willing person to get the best possible outcomes for all our residents.

The Day Job

• Real Action on highways and flood prevention
• Championing local services, businesses and communities
• Secure a clean, green and safe environment, including tackling climate change
• Strong support on local planning

Forthcoming new challenges

• Funding and recovery from Covid
• Re-organisation of Councils into bigger areas is likely to be unhelpful as the bigger the areas and the authority, the harder it is for us to connect with our residents and harder to be effective in influencing what goes on in our home patches. Decisions would be made ever further away by ever larger organisations. If it does occur, we will need to establish a strong foundation to withstand the re-organisation. So onwards and upwards!
• Local decisions are also important in planning, and government moves to take powers away from local councils will need to be challenged and I hope, tempered.
• Changes to the NHS and to care, care being currently run by the County Council, have already undergone consultation and legislation is coming forward. The opportunity for democratic influence through our Councils is important and it would be a shame to water that down or counterbalance it with private interests.

Police and Crime Commissioner

A thank you letter from David Williams is below, in case you missed it first time round. With over 18,000 votes, he overtook the other parties, save Conservative and Labour.

Subject: Thank you for all your help in my campaign to be PCC

“Hi Everyone,

By now you will know the result of the PCC election in which I came a creditable (I think) third. I knew it was always a long shot but if I hadn’t had a go I would always have looked back and wondered what if….!

Anyway, with over 18000 votes I wanted to say a huge thank you for helping me in my campaign. I know your assistance will have made a massive difference to the votes I received and I really do appreciate the time, effort and support that you gave me. If I could ask you to pass on my appreciation to anyone else who helped to post out the leaflets on my behalf I would be grateful.

Once again my sincere thanks and very best wishes to you for the future.

Regards

David Williams”

References

Full results are here: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/elections

Is this a reason for proportional representation? Conservatives got 55% of the vote but 70% of the seats, at the expense of all the other groups. Proportional representation would mean the Council balance reflects the vote. Turnout increases as people know every vote has an impact on the make-up of the Council.