Local Election Results 2003

I was looking through the Medway Council archives and came across the 2003 election results for Medway which included Princes Park.
As you can see from the link, the voting results were quite tight.
But remember, only your Conservative Councillors can and will fight to stop the proposals to build on Capstone Valley.
We have won once before and we can win again.

SAVE CAPSTONE VALLEY

Also, as explained in an earlier story Medway Labour Councillors voted against to introduce half price bus fares to school children!!
Where's their logic in that vote?
There is always a lower turn out in local elections, but local issues matter more to local people.
On May 3rd, don't take it for granted that someone else will vote and everything will be ok. Every vote counts.
Vote Conservative on May 3rd to let your local Conservatives continue the fight to keep Capstone Valley.
Only the Conservatives are against the destruction of Capstone Valley for another mass house build.

posted by matt bright.

Medway Council Conservative Group

Here is a website that may interest residents of Princes Park. It is based on Medway Conservative Councillors raising local issues within Medway and the positive work that has been carried out.

posted by matt bright.

Half Price Bus Fares

I recently wrote a story on half price bus fares that are being introduced to Medway soon.

Here is the story from the Medway Council Conservative Group website.

It states on the website;

'Unbelievably the Labour Councillors in Medway VOTED AGAINST this policy!

This just proves that the Labour Councillors in Medway seem to be losing the plot on very important and key decisions.

posted by matt bright.

Oh Dear !!

I am currently a very depressed football fan. I have kept my football passions away from this blogsite but after yesterdays 5-0 demolition I feel I have to make some comments.

We are not good travellers this season, we struggled in East London, so Cumbria was always going to be a serious challenge!

The last few seasons, no matter what division we are in we always seem to languish between 15th and 20th.

Just hovering above relegation can make for an exciting end of season, but I would rather just be hovering just outside the play-offs.

We have 2 important weeks coming up, at home to Brentford (23rd in the league), then away to Rotherham (bottom of the league), if we get 4 points from these 2 games then we should be ok.

Hopefully we will avoid 'the drop' this season and look to re-build for next season, but something tells me unless we get the new stadium in place in the near future we will just be hovering around in the lower leagues again for a while.

posted by matt bright

Hilly Start

When Tracey and her friend offered to help deliver leaflets, they didn't realise the extent of the hills and steps in Princes Park.
They had over 650 leaflets presented to them, and a map with several highlighted roads in which had to be completed.
They started at Devon Close, working their way round Heron Way to finally finish up 3 hours later at Freshwater Road.
So if you received an 'In Touch' newsletter on or between them roads you have Tracey and her friend to thank.

posted by matt bright.

Deadline Day

The deadline day to register for a postal vote is 18th April 2007.

If you would like an application form please contact the Conservative Campaign HQ on 01634 853322.

posted by matt bright

Capstone Valley Campaign

Myself (Matt Bright) and Pat have often been asked how much of Capstone Valley will be swallowed up by 9,250 additional houses.

After speaking with Council colleagues, we have been informed that all of it will be gone.

The estate (if built) would be as big as Princes Park, Walderslade and Lordswood combined!

You can only imagine the impact that would have on local life in the surrounding wards if these proposals became reality.

Only your local Conservatives are fighting this on your behalf, and we can only continue to fight this proposal if successful at the local elections on Thursday May 3rd.

posted by matt bright.

More Energy Tips

It appears saving energy is one the top topics to be discussed these days.

Whilst scanning through the Medway Council website I found a page containing the top 10.

Click here to see the full list.

Some of the items on the list are a good idea, some just being common sense.

posted by matt bright.

Clean Kent Campaign

It appears that not only Princes Park suffers from a litter problem, as suggested by some parties.

A website has been created for Kent to tackle the county wide problem.

Clean Kent Campaign has created partners with all the Kent councils, Highways Agency, Environmental Agency and others in order to tackle this problem.

Medway Council, being one of the partners have dedicated phone lines in trying to beat fly-tipping, abandoned cars etc.

On the campaign website, there is a nomination page you can contact if there is an area of Kent that has suffered from rubbish recently.

Hopefully with all the partners, we can try and clean up Princes Park and Kent in general.

posted by matt bright.

More Pictures from the Litter Pick Day

Here are a few more snaps of myself (Matt Bright) and Pat with some of our Conservative colleagues last week at our litter pick in Princes Park.
We managed to fill 12 'black sacks' to the rim, which were later disposed of via the tip.
Us volunteers and the council can only clean and clear so much litter.
It is everyones responsibility locally and beyond to tackle litter. Some people need to be re-educated in how to dispose and recycle rubbish. All the litter we picked up has been thrown there by someone, unfortunately trying to change peoples habits is a lot harder then organising a group of volunteers to clean the hedgerows.

posted by matt bright

Half Price Bus Fares for School Children

Your Conservative Run Council have introduced half price bus fares for the residents of Princes Park.

As well as the popular yellow bus scheme that has already been introduced your Conservative run council will be investing heavily in extending school transport.

This is a ground breaking scheme, being the first of its kind in the whole of Kent. Hopefully if fully utilised by the parents it could help in reducing the traffic in and around Princes Park.

The scheme will be introduced from September.

posted by matt bright.

March 13th 2007 - Medway Council Cabinet Decisions

Here are the latest decisions taken by the Council Cabinet at the meeting held on the 13th March 2007.

There are some interesting points ranging from half price bus fare for children travelling to and from school to a proposed football academy in Beechings Cross playing fields, Gillingham.

Click on this link for the whole report from the Medway Council website.

posted by matt bright.

Litter Clear up in Princes Park !!

A Few Action Shots from the Day

Myself (Matt Bright) and Pat Gulvin were joined today by fellow local Conservatives in helping to clear litter in a small part of Princes Park.

We have listened to local residents about the litter problems, so we decided to do something constructive about the issue.

We were joined by another 6 volunteers who are local Conservative

Councillors and candidates to help clear the rubbish.

We managed to clear a piece of waste land on Swallow Rise between

the bus stop and Maundene school. The rubbish had gathered there

for a while, but now it looks like a piece of natural shrubland again.

The local Conservative Councillors are also looking to place a litter

bin at the bus stop to hopefully try and resolve the problem in that area.
We only managed to clear a small piece of land from rubbish compared to the total size of the Princes Park ward, but we did it voluntary and it took a couple of hours. We have certainly improved that part of the ward, lets hope it stays litter free.

Me and Pat are determined to try and help the ward in anyway we can and are totally commited to the residents of Princes Park.

posted by matt bright.

Community TV Screen heading to Princes Park

Medway Council have announced that Princes Park will be benefitting from a new scheme that supplies public information via a 42" plasma screen.
The screen will be situtated in or around Morrisons.
As well as providing public information the screens can broadcast different information relevant to Princes Park. It can also be used to convey important information in the event of an emergency or provide details about a missing person, for example.
There will be another 11 similar screens located in and around Medway.
Click on this link for the full story.

posted by matt bright.

Water Shortage

I had a interesting email from a local resident concerned about the proposed building venture on Capstone Valley.

The point raised to me was the water shortage we all suffered during last summer and autumn.

If another 9,000 house were built, this would add to the water shortage already here in Princes Park during the warmer months.

The only way we can prevent this mass house build on your doorstep is to vote Conservative.

Your Conservative Councillors are fighting this proposal, we have already won before and there is no reason why we couldn't win again.

But, we can only prevent this if we keep Labour out (who want the house building to go ahead) and to not let the smallar parties reduce the Conservative vote.

Your local Conservatives are also looking to create an online petition, details to follow.

We will fight this on your behalf !

Remember, May 3rd

Vote Conservative!

posted by matt bright

Calling All Weight Watchers

I am not really coming up with a new diet. What I am going to say is, if any of you would like to get fitter, come and join us with our leafleting. Going up and down the steep hills in Princes Park is much better than an hour in an expensive gym.

Now, on a more serious note. If you have ever thought you would like to influence politicians, or have an idea on how to improve the area you live in, you can. People who influence politics are like you or your neighbour. They are not some elite band! Just by getting involved with your local party you can have your say. If enough people put a point of view forward they really do have to listen. So come on forward and become one of those who can make a difference to this country of ours.

posted by Pat

Save Capstone Valley

Saving Captone Valley will help preserve the lifestyle for residents of Princes Park !

If the houses are built it will directly affect residents locally, leading to increased traffic, noise and pollution in and around Princes Park. You will also lose a fantastic piece of greenbelt land right on your doorstep. Just imagine 9,000 more houses adding pressure onto your local schools and local services.

Myself (Matt Bright) and Pat Gulvin are helping to lead the fight to save Capstone Valley along with Lordswood and Walderslade Councillors and candidates against the Medway Magna proposals to build over 9,000 houses in the area.

Some of the land in the valley is owned by Medway Council, and the Conservative Group on Medway Council are pledged not to sell any council land in the valley for housing.

But, we can only continue this fight on your behalf if we are elected in the local elections on May 3rd.

The Labour Government are trying to steam roll through their house building project in the South East, but surely it would be more appropriate to build on brown field sites or regenerate in areas that desperately need it.

If you would like to assist by raising a petition against this proposal then kindly ring either Alan Jarrett on 01634 684640 or David Wildey on 01634 863416 and ask for a petition form. They are both Conservative Councillors for Lordswood and Capstone.

Alternatively, you could write to Chatham & Aylesford Conservatives, 200 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5XG.

posted by matt bright.

It is an Offence to Fly Tip !!

There appears to be a problem with Fly Tipping and Litter in general in and around Princes Park.

Medway Council can and will clean up the mess as best as they can but it seems to be a never ending battle against the fools who appear not to care about their local environment.

Some people need to be educated in how to dispose of rubbish!

If you see someone dropping vast amounts of litter or are fly tipping in and around Princes Park (especially Heron Way) then you can report them in confidence to Medway Council.

To report environmental crime call; 01634 336699 or

Kent Crime Stoppers; 0800 555111

Click on this link for full details from the Medway Council website.

Remember- This is a crime and if people are caught they will be prosecuted!

posted by matt bright.

Fantastic Response to Residents Survey in Princes Park !!

We would like to thank the thousands of people who completed the Chatham & Aylesford Residents Survey.

During January we distributed our questionnaire to 12,000 households of which just over 2,700 where delivered in Princes Park. We are delighted at the response rate which has reached 20% in some wards – a very high rate for a postal survey of this nature.

Included in the findings:

*The Health Service, Crime and Immigration are the top issues causing concern for local voters

*Only 37% of respondents support the introduction of ID Cards

*77% of respondents believe Inheritance Tax should either be significantly reformed or abolished completely.

*78% believe a future Conservative Government should continue to oppose the Euro Currency.

*92% of respondents did not believe that local A&E services were adequately funded by the Labour government.

Hundreds of local issues were also brought to our attention with graffiti, vandalism, fly tipping and litter at the top of the lists in Princes Park. Wherever specific problems have been reported we have done our best to get these dealt with.

Myself (Matt Bright) and Pat Gulvin have been busy phoning or visiting the many respondents who asked to speak to a local Conservative councillor or candidate. Many of these issues are personal or confidential so we cannot report them here – but everyone that has asked for a visit will be contacted as soon as possible.

We would also like to thank the dozens of people who have offered to help us by delivering leaflets or joining the Conservative Party.

posted by matt bright.