RSH: Clarke looks forward to “serve my ward”
Posted by Alan Collins on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 17:33

Medway’s newest Councillor, Trevor Clarke, has responded to those who voted for him in the Rochester South and Horsted by-election on Thursday, May 8.

Cllr Clarke, who was elected with a majority of 1028, has thanked all those who voted for him and looked forward to serving his ward, drawing inspiration for the next three years from the Old Testament book of Micah:

I am absolutely thrilled to have fought and won this by-election campaign alongside a fantastic team of local councillors and party members marshalled and inspired superbly by our Agent, Andrew Kennedy.

My deepest thanks go to the electorate who turned out in record numbers and have put their trust in me. In considering how best to serve the residents of this great ward we live in as their councillor for the next 3 years I am minded of a verse from the book of Micah in the Old Testament. To the question “what does God require of me” comes the answer “to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly” – I hope to serve my ward in just such a way.

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Alan Duncan dinner
Posted by Alan Collins on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 17:29

Cllr Rehman Chishti, Alan Duncan MP and Alan Collins at the Gillingham and Rainham Conservatives’ dinner

Alan Duncan MP, the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, was the guest speaker at a Gillingham Conservatives Association dinner last Thursday, May 8.

Mr Duncan, who appeared on Have I Got News For You last week alongside guest panelist Marcus Brigstocke and guest host Brian Blessed, was well received by the audience of around 50 people at the Masonic Hall in Gundolph Square, Rochester.

Mr Duncan started his visit by talking to the local media, and then meeting all the guests. Following the dinner, Mr Duncan made his speech and then answered questions from the assembled guests (including yours truly, who asked “how is your left ear?“).

Mr Duncan’s visit follows visits from Tim Boswell MP, Francis Maude MP and the late Benazir Bhutto, with more prominent Conservatives due to visit in the next few months.

More photographs can be seen on my Flickr account.

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RSH: Trevor Clarke elected to Medway Council
Posted by Alan Collins on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 07:14

Conservative Trevor Clarke has been elected to Medway Council following a by-election in Rochester South and Horsted.

Update at 07:53

Cllr Clarke has won a fantastic victory. The Conservative majority in 2007 was 518, whilst Cllr Clarke’s majority last night was almost double that at 1028. The turnout also increased from 37.1% to 41% - very close to the turnout at the London Mayoral election and beating the turnout in 6 of 22 wards in 2007.

A YouGov poll last night showed that the gap between the Conservatives and Labour nationally is 26%. Well, in RSH, the gap is 27.1%, with the Conservatives on 48.7%, Labour on 21.6% and the Lib Dems on 20.2%.

I have updated the results page, list of councillors and added a profile page for Cllr Clarke.

Update on 11/05/08 at 17:16

Full results

	Candidates	Party	Votes
	Trevor Anthony Clarke	Conservative	1847
	Simon Philip Marchant	Green	104
	Viv Parker	Liberal Democrat	767
	Adam Robert William Price	Labour	819
	Brian Christian Ravenscroft	British National Party	257

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New Mayor of Medway elected
Posted by Alan Collins on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 08:02

Alan Collins congratulates Cllr David Carr on his election as Mayor of Medway

Rainham North Councillor David Carr has been officially elected Mayor of Medway, at the Annual Meeting of the Full Council.

Cllr Carr took over from Cllr Val Goulden, who has served Medway fantastically over the past year, at the meeting at the Corn Exchange in Rochester last night.

Over the coming year, Cllr Carr will have to perform a good few hundred duties, beginning with an official photo shoot today and then the Medway Rugby Club’s Annual Dinner on Friday.

I believe that Cllr Carr is an excellent choice of Mayor, a position elected from and by Medway’s 55 councillors, and have no doubt that he will undertake his duties professionally, independently* and with great enthusiasm.

* The Mayoralty is a non-partisan position, so I have refrained from referring to Cllr Carr’s political group and will continue to do so for the duration of the Municipal year.

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RSH: Vote Conservative, vote Clarke!
Posted by Alan Collins on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 07:00

If you are a resident of Rochester South and Horsted then I have a simple message: the polls are now open, go out and vote for positive action!

Your Conservative candidate is hard-working local resident Trevor Clarke, whose mentality and principles are firmly rooted in his faith, and whose determination to achieve something positive for the wider community is unwaivering.

Trevor is taking the common sense approach, leaving petty bickering and attacking the opposition to the opposition, and instead campaigning and working hard for you. Conservatives have an established history of getting their hands dirty to improve communities, and Trevor will be no different.

You’re choice is between voting for a candidate from a party wishing to halt the progress of regeneration and improvement across Medway and voting for a candidate from a party with a proven track record of positive action.

So go out and vote for Trevor Clarke in the Rochester South and Horsted by-election today!

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