Lest we forget

🇬🇧 Please RT 🇬🇧 96 year old War Hero George Thompson has no one to attend his funeral - http://t.co/kL3KCMl1vc #hero pic.twitter.com/mqGe3E0pf2
— Carl (@AirForce_Carl) May 26, 2014

He fought so we could vote. 

Vote UKIP get Labour? Well that's what you get in Pontefract.

Firstly thanks ever so much for the kind words and encouragement from so many people. 

It looks very much as if I have been part of a national trend. In Pontefract a number of voters used their votes presumably to get rid of the status quo and to see a change in the local elections, to send a message maybe?

Well they certainly achieved that and by voting Ukip we now have six members of the Labour controlling group representing Pontefract.

The reality at this election was vote Ukip get Labour. I hope that my former Labour colleagues find their voices and turn the volume up for Pontefract to see we get the resources that we need for the Towns survival it is time that they did.

For the 1434 who voted with me I really appreciate your vote of confidence. I promise that if I should get the chance I will do my best to stick up for Pontefract whenever and wherever I can.

Now the electorate have given me the opportunity to take it easy for a while, even so please say hello if you see me around.

Geoff

Today is Polling Day come out and vote!

Remember to vote today. Generations before us fought for the right to vote. #HaveYourVoiceHeard pic.twitter.com/b3ZZOHn49d #Vote2014
— Mark Fox (@MarkFox__) May 22, 2014

If you have already voted, Thank you!

Polling stations stay open until 10 pm. If you can please come out and vote.

Geoff

Say NO to the Wakefield Labour Party on Thursday!

Simply put. I need your help!

As your Pontefract South Local Councillor since 2006. I have worked to see improvements & to challenge the 40 years of Labour lack of care in Wakefield that all to often damages Pontefract and its interests.

Speaking to local residents, they share my concerns about lack of investment in our town & the dash for more housing without the infrastructure to support it.  

We already see Pontefract Hospital failing to reach its potential despite our MPs promises & the challenges of air quality & congestion at Town End still unresolved. The impact of new houses on the Prince of Wales site & the resulting traffic chaos on Park Road have been mentioned, as have the closure of local swimming pools to be replaced by a £13million new build at Glasshoughton or in Pontefract Park, with less than half the current  capacity.

In addition to investment in Pontefract, we need to see first class education for our children and tackling of local low level crime early, improvements that will make our town a better place to live in.

I work with, support, promote and endorse, the Pantomime Society (Oh yes I do!), The Lions & Lionesses, Scouting & Cadet activities, Pomfret Nursery, the Pontefract Education Trust, St Giles, St Marys, Central Methodist & the work of the Saviour Trust. Community & Friends Groups, the activities of Darrington & East Hardwick Parish Councils & Pontefract Civic Society. I promise to continue  with this work if you trust me with your support in Thursday’s local election.

If you have already voted by post, Thank you!

If you prefer the traditional approach of a visit to the ballot box, please come out and VOTE. Thank you, Geoff

How will they spend your money?

Some parties lavish cash on campaigns. We are all still in austerity, imagine how they will spend your taxes. http://t.co/M82eUNi87z
— Morley & Outwood (@mandoconserv) May 20, 2014

Its interesting, in Pontefract, the Labour Candidate has access to a phone bank to run a telephone canvassing campaign. Although there are questions as to if they are running their data through the Telephone Preference Service to ensure that they do not ring TPS registered phone numbers, (£5000 fine per call for infringements).

I am aware of one person whose number is TPS registered who received a call from no less than our Mp's office Manager which was suddenly terminated without explanation. Maybe they realised.

Labour Controlled Wakefield Council fails Wakefield District again!

Wakefield's Labour Council routinely complains about government cuts.

Yet has a bigger budget in 2015 than 2010.   Labour talks about a cost of living crisis yet they raised Council Tax in Wakefield this year and they want to put it up again next year.

The Labour Council  spent £3 million on a new indoor market in 2008 which it now wants to demolish.

Last November Labour Councillors en masse forced through a 321% pay rise for a Labour Committee Chairperson using local taxpayers money, challenged by the Conservative and recorded for posterity as first webcast of a Wakefield Council meeting.

The Labour Council spent £1.4 million of its road budget last year on an insurance premium and to settle claims for damaged vehicles, rather than spend the money on the backlog of road repairs

The Labour Council pays £227,000 of tax payers money a year to fund 6 full time Union Convenors

The Labour Council spent over £1.2 million last year on outside management consultants, because they can't make their own decisions?

The Labour Council plans to spend up to £450 thousand pounds of local tax payer's money on purchasing and repairing the Wakefield Crown Court building, empty since 1994, but claims it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools in the 5 Towns or in the South East of the district.

The Labour Council plans to spend up to £663 million pounds of tax payer's money and Council reserves this coming year (source Labour Councillor's elections address) but claims it cannot justify maintaining front line or leisure services, yet still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

The Labour Council is spending £2 million pounds of tax payer's money to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall, says it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools, but still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

The Labour Council is spending £4.1 million pounds of tax payer's money on the Northern Relief Road, people have already labelled it "the road to nowhere" the money could have been better spent on reducing the £68 million pound backlog of road repairs across the district.

The Labour Council paid the former Chief Executive £545,000 as a payoff when he stopped working for Wakefield Council.  He says he was paid to leave Wakefield because of a "political decision by the Leader of the Council."  You may wonder how often this happens but details of special payments such as this one are typically blocked using gagging clauses or confidentiality agreements. 

Freedom of information requests are rejected, the Council really does not want you to know. Is your money used wisely? 

How do you know?

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Delivering Real Change in Europe

For all those who voted for the Credit Union of States in the first place and for all those younger than 57 who were not around to vote.  Here is the plan to deliver real change in Europe. It involves you and this will be your best chance to sort things out..

Action. Renegotiation. Referendum. I'm backing the @Conservatives' plan for #RealChangeInEurope: http://t.co/SnjT1kIEcJ
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 19, 2014

Keep pushing on to get that important result...

Post by Geoff Walsh.

Between now and Thursday like other people all over the country, I will be meeting as many people as I can to explain what I have been doing and what I intend to do to help my community.

In my case to see that Pontefract gets its fair share of the more than half a billion pounds Labour controlled Wakefield Council spends each year.. that we don't see.

If you see me say hello!

If you can support me please come out and vote on Thursday and I will keep supporting you in the times ahead.

Thanks 

Geoff

Appearing on a Doorstep near you?

Thanks for the well wishes and encouragement over the last weeks. The local elections typically vanish beneath the rhetoric of the European elections but you also get the chance to vote on who you want to represent you in Wakefield. I for one with your support on the 22nd pledge to keep sticking up for the people of Pontefract as we fight to get our share of the more than half a billion of taxpayers money that they spend each year.

If you see me out and about and have a question please ask, but in any case say hello. I am the one with the sunblock and a hat ;)

Geoff

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again. Yet another example of waste of resources and little will to resolve it.

At the December Council Meeting I asked the Portfolio holder for Communities and Environment to detail the amount the Labour Controlled Wakefield Council spends on picking up and disposing of litter She undertook to provide an answer. I  finally had a definitive answer at the April council meeting, actually two depending on who you listen to. Is it £3 or £4 million pounds? Whichever figure is right, this figure is nearly as large as the annual amount spent on highway and footpath maintenance. 

This money could have been put to much better uses. It would cover the costs of several nurseries, swimming pools or a couple of primary schools. It would allow us to further fund neighbourhood policing to help bear down on anti-social behaviour. We could renovate and improve War memorials across the district, better maintain parks, support youth groups and community organisations, help  to improve education services or care of the elderly. We could buy books for our libraries, better support local institutions like Pontefract Museum tourism events such as the Pontefract Liquorice Festival and complete improvement work at  Pontefract Castle  OR we could reduce the tax load on local residents.

It is time that we made it clear that littering, graffiti, fly-tipping and other sorts of environmental anti social behaviour is just not acceptable or welcome. 

We can use the money for other things!

Interestingly the Dog Warden service issued only 4 penalty tickets for dog fouling in November and again in March and April. 

You could not make it up.

Proud of colleagues across the district standing up for their communities

The Horbury Conservatives are canvassing today..fighting for #horbury votes. Still no sign of UKIP or the Lib Dems. pic.twitter.com/5TpYGm588p
— JDearnshaw (@JDearnshaw) May 11, 2014

@JDearnshaw #Conservatives have track record of delivering for #Horbury - Margaret Holwell will fight hard for the town, please support her
— Simon Wilson (@SimonFWilson1) May 14, 2014

Did they ever intend to deliver the Pontefract Masterplan?

For those who have asked me for more detail about the Pontefract Masterplan, you may wish to have a look at it. Here. Alternatively I can send you a PDF of this public document, send me an email.

Those of you who live in Pontefract, have a really close look. The remarkable thing is that there is no single element that has been delivered or for that matter looks like it will be in the foreseeable future.

Magna Carta in Pontefract

We will be working with Pontefract Magna Carta Group towards 2015 - 800th anniversary celebrations! It will be fun @civic_voice
— PonteCivicSocietySec (@PCSSecretary) May 14, 2014

Celebrating our heritage and history. "Pontefract Castle is the Key to the North"

22nd May 2014 Why vote.

Delivery over talk. Plans over gimmicks. Optimism over pessimism. Why you should vote Conservative on 22nd May: https://t.co/QkWewcTkUX
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 11, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 11 - £545,000 settlement paid to former Chief Executive.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council paid the former Chief Executive £545,000 as a payoff when he stopped working for Wakefield Council.  He says he was paid to leave Wakefield because of a "political decision by the Leader of the Council." 

You may wonder how often this happens but details of special payments such as this one are typically blocked using gagging clauses or confidentiality agreements. Freedom of information requests are rejected, the Council really does not want you to know. 

Is your money used wisely? How do you know?

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 10 - £4.1 million spent on a "road to nowhere" rather than fixing existing roads.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council is spending £4.1 million pounds of tax payer's money on the Northern Relief Road, people have already labelled it "the road to nowhere" the money could have been better spent on reducing the £68 million pound backlog of road repairs across the district

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Support a brilliant local business

Post by Geoff Walsh.

BBC Question Time - Truest Comment last night

This rather says it all pic.twitter.com/ZrN9EsVfdJ
— Colin Bloom (@Colin_Bloom) May 9, 2014

Nigel Farage Told 'I Have No Time For You Sir' By Question Time Audience Member (VIDEO) http://t.co/EUP9zIzTpk via @HuffPostUKPol
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 9, 2014

Labour talk about a cost of living crisis but only too happy to spend more of your money.

Grant Shapps: If Miliband is so worried about prices, why is he happy to see Council Tax rise? | Conservative Home http://t.co/MFlmgI8X1j
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 9, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 9 - £2 million spent to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council is spending £2 million pounds of tax payer's money to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall, yet says it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools, but still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Gold Reserves? What Gold reserves?

It's 15 years today since Ed, Ed & Gordon sold the gold. Don't let them crash Britain again pic.twitter.com/uHwTC2KGXM
— Matt Hancock (@matthancockmp) May 7, 2014

Daily Telegraph and Thomas Pascoe's view Gordon Brown sold our gold at a knock down price

Boris Johnson on Ed Milliband, the game is up?

The economic sunshine has left Miligoblin groping in the dark | via @Telegraph http://t.co/5LXZ77uovQ
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 7, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 8 - Plans to Spend £663 Million in coming year on what?

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council plans to spend up to £663 million pounds of tax payer's money and Council reserves this coming year but claims it cannot justify maintaining front line or leisure services, yet still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 7 - Using Public Money to bail out developers.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council plans to spend up to £450 thousand pounds of local tax payer's money on purchasing and repairing the Wakefield Crown Court building, empty since 1994, but claims it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools in the 5 Towns or in the South East of the district.

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 6 - Paying outsiders to make decisions for them

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council spent over £1.2 million last year on outside management consultants, because they can't make their own decisions?

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 5 - Council Taxpayers Money Funds Union Convenors Payroll and Expenses

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council pays £227,000 a year to fund 6 full time Union Convenors

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 4 - Money to fix roads used to settle road damage claims

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council spent £1.4 million of its road budget on an insurance premium and to settle claims for damaged vehicles, rather than spend the money on the backlog of road repairs

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 3 -Too busy looking after their own perks.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Councillors forced through a 321% pay rise for a Labour Committee Chairperson using local taxpayers money. 

In it together? I don't think so.

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 2 - Wakefield Market fiasco.

Wakefield's Labour Council routinely complains about government cuts, yet spent £3 million on a market which it now wants to demolish.

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour and the Lib Dems won't. UKIP can't.

Labour and the Lib Dems won't. UKIP can't. Only the Conservatives can and will give you an EU referendum. pic.twitter.com/9Gp1dZ0NGi
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 1, 2014