Category Archives: Election

Reminder: Surrey ‘Be a Councillor’ event for Independents Saturday 16th January from 10am to 12pm

An event for anyone who is considering standing as an independent candidate in the local elections in May 2021, election agents or anyone who has expressed an interest in being a councillor.

This virtual event will provide current and prospective independent Surrey County Council (SCC), Surrey Borough and District candidates and election agents with:

  • Insights to develop your election plan
  • Information to develop themes and key messages for your manifesto
  • Guidance on how to use social media to engage the electorate
  • Provide insight and tips on running your campaign

Due to the sensitivity of the event, individuals will need to sign up and they can do so via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/133243166899 The virtual conference details will be sent to signed up attendees closer to the date of the event.

We have an excellent group of speakers including:

  • SCC Independent Cllrs Nick Darby, Eber Kington, Nikki Barton and John Beckett
  • Cllr Julia German, Leader Cornwall County Council and Vice Chair of the LGAs Culture, Tourism & Sport Board
  • Cllr Neil Prior, Cabinet Member for Transformation at Pembrokeshire County Council and Deputy Chair on the LGA Improvement & Innovation Board 
  • Cllr Paul Woodhead, Cannock Chase District Council and Leader of Chase Community Independents Group
  • Cllr Jason Zadronzy, Leader of Ashfield District Council and Independent representative on the District Council Network (DCN)

Thank you

This is the result of the Haslemere by-election for Surrey County Council, 2019:

  • Nikki Barton, Independent – 2,665 votes – ELECTED
  • Malcolm Carter, Conservative – 1,159 votes
  • Adrian Paul La Porta, Labour – 263 votes

This is the announcement:


Below is an interview with Rebecca Curley of the Surrey Advertiser.

Interview with Rebecca Curley after winning the seat

These are the results of the Haslemere Town Council seats for the Haslemere South ward:

  • Nikki Barton, Independent – 972 votes – ELECTED
  • Gareth David, Conservative Party Candidate – 466 votes
  • Simon Paul McMillan Dear, Conservative Party Candidate – 587 votes – ELECTED
  • David William Dullaway, Conservative Party Candidate – 480 votes – ELECTED
  • Kirsten Lisa Ellis, Independent – 505 votes – ELECTED
  • Jennifer Mary Radford, Liberal Democrats – 468 votes
  • Tom Van Den Broek, Conservative Party Candidate – 384 votes
Announcement of results for Haslemere South ward of Haslemere Town Council, 2019

Thank You

It is polling day tomorrow.

I’d like to say thank you to all the unpaid volunteers who have helped my local election campaign –  Whether you engaged on social media, gave guidance on messaging, erected and/or displayed a campaign signboard, delivered leaflets, knocked on doors, drove around town with a campaign magnet on your car, helped with leaflet/signboards input and design, manned street stalls, appeared in/helped produce videos and/or offered kind words (often in the supermarket aisle). Also, thank you to the local Greens and Lib Dems who stepped aside for me in the County by-election.

I also thank my husband and daughters who have put up with our home being a delivery centre and campaign HQ and who have also given invaluable feedback and support throughout the campaign.

Good luck to all candidates standing in the local elections. Whatever the results (Surrey County Council seat for Haslemere will be announced on Friday and the Haslemere South seat will be announced on Saturday), I look forward to elected politicians working with the community and putting Haslemere first.

Why Haslemere Library is So Important To Our Town

Surrey County Council is facing cuts across many of its services.

Documents published in March 2018 suggested the council was looking to cut the budget by around £2.3 million by 2021, chiefly by reduced spending on libraries, but the cabinet papers from October 2018 indicate a larger cut is now planned. (Source here.)

I talked with Emily from Haslemere Bookshop about why the library service is so important to her. Emily grew up going to the library and it started her love of books from a very young age.

Should Haslemere’s fantastic library be at risk at any time, we will of course work together as a community to save it.

Independent Street Stalls in Haslemere Today

I could not have chosen a more blustery day to have pop up campaign street stalls but, it was great to have so many positive conversations.

The elections are being held on 2nd May 2019. Please vote for Nikki Barton, a voice for Haslemere.

Some pictures from Wey Hill this morning:

And, in the High Street this afternoon. The wind really got up so the table was abandoned but, the conversation was good with a positive response for an Independent candidate for Haslemere.

Claire Matthes came and said hello.
She is a Green Party candidate for Shottermill for Haslemere Town Council

Surrey County Council’s poor performance

It is a challenging time to be standing for election as a Surrey County Councillor. The council itself has significant challenges. In the past few years, note:

  • Failure to deliver some of the most basic services (Failed Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services, Failed HMI inspection of Fire and Rescue, cuts to local highway budget)
  • Poor Financial Management (CIPFA Report)
  • Cuts to Services
  • High spending on high level permanent and interim staff and the rejection of an RA/Independent proposal for the open monitoring of the high salary costs
  • Additional allowances for Conservative councillors

There has never been a greater need for Independent councillors who are able to scrutinise and challenge decisions free from party politics.   

The council is composed of 81 elected Councillors, and in all but one election since 1965 the Conservative Partyy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey_County_Council has held the majority- there are currently 59 Conservatives, 9 Independent/Residents Assoc, 9 Lib Dems, 1 Labour, 1 Green. And, 1 vacant seat.

I am contesting the vacant seat.

More detailed reading below:

December 2018 CIPFA Criticism

Residents will no doubt be aware of the poor state of Surrey County Council’s finances.  It is of course partly the result the Government’s reduction of the grant funding allocated to the County Council, but an independent Report by the well-respected Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and commissioned by SCC itself, has severely criticised the County Council for its financial management and budget planning. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-county-council-faces-unbridgeable-15161504 

January 2019 SCC Fire & Rescue service declared Inadequate

Following on from the 2018 Ofsted Report which severely criticised SCC’s Children’s Services as failing, an Inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has reported that SCC’s Fire and Rescue service is “Inadequate” at efficiently keeping people safe, and is failing to make the best use of its resources.  This is further worrying evidence of a council failing in the delivery of some of the basic services which it is legally required to provide. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-fire-rescue-rated-inadequate-15575032

February 2019 Spending on High Level Temporary Staff

At a time of cuts to services it is interesting to note that over the past year SCC has spent almost £2.5 million on temporary and interim staff, mostly on high level salaries.  In one case SCC paid a recruitment company over £294k “to source and manage an interim Adult Social Care director” for a year.

Council Meeting March 2019

Conservatives voted down an RA/Independent recommendation to “amend the Terms of Reference of the People, Performance and Development Committee to provide for the monitoring of the costs of senior management salaries, interim appointments and redundancies” thus rejecting openness and transparency in regard to senior management pay.

Budget 2019 Included

  • Closure of Children’s Centres
  • Additional charges for household waste – construction wood and roofing felt, despite concerns over am increase in fly tipping
  • The free travel concession for disabled pass holders will no longer start at 9.00am but will in future start at 9.30am on weekdays, all day at weekends and on bank holidays
  • Further cuts to the local highway budget, the money allocated to fund locally determined highway maintenance work & improvements. So more bad news for our highways

Children’s Services rated as Inadequate by OFSTED in May 2018

SCC was rated inadequate for its services supporting children “who need help and protection”, and in leadership, management and governance. In its 2017 report, SCC was told “a number of children in Surrey who have been at risk of serious harm were not assessed, helped or protected quickly enough”. https://www.eagleradio.co.uk/news/local-news/2373475/serious-weaknesses-found-in-surrey-childrens-services/

May 2018 Surrey County Conservatives Vote Themselves More Money

At the May 2018 Surrey County Council Meeting, the Conservatives voted to create four new Deputy Cabinet Member posts to be filled by Conservative county councillors, with an allowance each of £10,000.  In addition, and despite an Independent Review Panel recommendation that allowances be not paid to all Committee Vice Chairmen, the Conservatives also decided that they should continue to be paid.

In 2013, Haslemere voted for its first ever Independent Councillor for Surrey County Council.

Vote for Nikki Barton to turn that bottom corner of South West Surrey white again.

(Press release from SCC RA/Independent Group re council budget cuts).