Your local Conservative team for Normanton Pontefract and Castleford 2016

Today is polling day your turn to have your say.  In addition to PPC candidates you are also likely to have had a variety of candidates of varying political parties turning up on a doorstep near you.

Our local team is backing a very capable Allan Doherty, who is standing against Mark Burns Williamson in the PPC Election. The local candidates who hope to serve as your representatives on Wakefield Metropolitan District Council are :

Geoff Walsh - Pontefract South (that would be me then).
Chris Hyomes - Pontefract North
Anthony Hill - Altofts and Whitwood
Mathew Gilligan - Normanton
Amy Swift - Airedale and Ferry Fryston
Joanne Smart - Castleford and Glasshoughton
Eamonn Mullins - Ferrybridge & Knottingley

As you see us out and about today please say hello.

Please pass this on.  Its time that the people of Five Towns got their voice back.

Cheers

Geoff Walsh

Action for Pontefract - Why vote for Geoff Walsh? I will work for you

Why Vote Walsh for Pontefract South?

    I will work to see that Pontefract has a voice in Wakefield a fair share of resources and action for Pontefract all year round.

    I will support our local economy, jobs, training and apprenticeships to help local businesses grow.

    Too often the big decisions for Pontefract are taken in Wakefield by people who do not understand our needs, challenges or heritage.

Many local residents share my concerns about lack of investment in our town and the dash for more housing without the added infrastructure to support it.

In response to the huge growth of new housing in Pontefract we also need to ensure we have first class education and sufficient school places for all our children, enhanced 7 day a week access to GP services and improved leisure facilities. Improvements that will       make our town a better place to live in.

I will support local businesses and individuals, organise events and, lobby Wakefield to make the best of business rate subsidies.

I will challenge our MPs and the directors of MYHT to move more services back to               Pontefract Hospital.

I have eight years of practical experience as a councillor to offer and a track       record of addressing issues for people across Pontefract.

Given the opportunity to represent you again, I’ll work with individuals and groups across Pontefract to see your issues are taken seriously. If you agree, help me to help you. 

Vote Walsh for Pontefract South on the 5th of May.

25 Jan 2008 I think I just promised to eat my hat... UPDATED

Revisiting a post from 2008 when I promised to eat my hat for charity if WMDC fixed the traffic congestion and air quality issues by October 2008. In fact it took them till 2016 to make a start, to go back to the future (removing the mass of traffic lights that created jams of stationary trucks, buses and cars at peak times or when the A1 closes for repairs or rescues) reinstalling roundabouts at Town End to ease matters. Well they reluctantly dragged their heels until the issues were so significant they had to do something. Eight years later...

There is much to do!

Eight years later we still see collapsing roads, a need to resolve our infrastructure issues, improved road and rail services more school places, GP and Healthcare provision as the Town faces surging growth with up to 4000 additional homes being built around it. Not forgetting the town itself and the need to make the most of our heritage and improve what we have. 

Thursdays local election has real significance. Please cast your vote and a vote for Walsh is a vote for Pontefract. In Pontefract North please vote for my colleague Chris Hyomes.

THE CHARITY EVENT WILL BE IN AID OF TINY TICKERS. 

A Yorkshire based Infant heart research charity

25 Jan 2008

I think I just promised to eat my hat....

Last night, I attended Carleton Neighbourhood Watch's monthly meeting. Always an interesting evening, good mix of people from across the community, if Carleton had a Parish Council it would look like this and do good work.

Anyhoo a member was sharing some information about the proposed traffic survey about Pontefract's traffic problems. This has been wheeled out smartish as our MP and one of the ruling group councillors gave an interview to the local paper saying that they intended in conjunction with senior officers of WMDC to have a summit to find solutions for our problems.

Thing is Yvette was promising something and included Trevor the councillor, she usually does something similar each year with whichever Labour Councillor is up for re-election or to introduce their candidate. In 2006 on election day she was found in a local chip shop at Carleton Park drumming up support from the evening rush to go out and vote for the person announced as the next Deputy Mayor (in this case it seemed not to work 42 more people voted for me than him and the rest is history).

Well this time somebody checked the story by asking a WMDC senior officer in a public meeting what WMDC knew about Yvette's initiative.

Nothing was the reply, more questions were asked and it suddenly starts to look like this was one of Yvette's aspirational press releases. Nobody at Wakefield knew anything. Result piece in paper shortly followed by an embarassed Trevor having to say details not agreed yet.

Then all of a sudden we do get some officers of the council doing a version of a human suggestion box in Pontefract Town Hall to avoid any embarrassment. So after the comment that this was really the consultation to end all consultations and would really get things sorted, I reminded the assembled group that the same exercise happened in 2002, 2004, 2006 and that if any real action resulted that lead to a significant improvement before October this year, I will eat my hat at a charity event organised for the purpose

I have a cunning plan...

Out and About in Pontefract South

The bulk of the last ten days has involved visiting doorsteps across Pontefract South. Catching up with people that I have worked with over the years and meeting new faces. People really appreciate a personal visit and whilst many have said that they do not normally vote in local elections they realise the importance of this one. As a lady in Darrington said "We seldom see a candidate its good to see you getting out to visit, you are very much the exception, thank you". It is a pleasure and doorstep surgeries are a great way to find out developing issues.

Chance to meet Allan Doherty the PCC Candidate with a plan for West Yorkshire

Many of you will have noticed that there are two elections taking place on the 5th of May, the original PCC elections slipped by for many without notice and as few as 15 in 100 who could have voted did in West Yorkshire. The current PCC has kept a low profile but has built up one of the biggest empires in his period of office. Former policeman Allan Doherty says he is determined to see a West Yorkshire Police force where victims are put first and officers spend more time out policing.

I spent a day out on doorsteps with him today across Pontefract and like many members of the public were impressed with his candid and clear approach to do the best by us.

I will certainly be voting for him on the 5th of May.

Time to fix the roads - Again

In February 2014 I spent a day out with the Highways Network Manager to introduce him to roads that needed attention.

What followed has been a number of activities that have fixed some surfaces and patched others. Luckily I kept a list of wonky roads, it is really good to see where there has been action. But the list grows, I can and will push for Pontefract to get some of the Government money that is being made available to fix the roads. It would also be helpful to see some local taxes coming back to improve matters.

Traditionally WMDC has treated highways money as discretionary to be used on their other projects or for when the numbers don't add up. We get left with a highway network that is becoming more dangerous for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.   So in Pontefract not only do we need improvements in infrastructure but we also need existing roads to be fixed.

It sometimes feels like pulling teeth to get money from Wakefield but needs to be done.

Are you thinking what I am thinking?

Let me know.  Cheers

Geoff