REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN: Andrew Pope Writes To Leaders of Councils and Groups Again About A Referendum... and Complains About the BBC

 

Andrew Pope on BBC South Today about "Devolution"
Photo: Southampton Independents

Andrew Pope says: "A sham consultation of Southampton and Hampshire people is not enough to change how we are governed. The big political parties should be made to persuade us, not force us, in a vote, just like the EU Referendum but conducted in a more informed and balanced way by a citizens jury first". 

After yesterday's dreadful announcement that Southampton City Council is to be merged with others in the Region, Andrew Pope has given another chance to leaders of Hampshire councils, and leaders of political groups of councillors, to support a Referendum on (a) council reorganisation and (b) an Elected Mayor.

He has written to the leaders of the following councils:

• Hampshire County - Conservative Councillor Nick Adams-King
• New Forest District - Conservative Councillor Jill Cleary
• Test Valley Borough - Conservative Councillor Phil North
• Portsmouth City - Liberal Democrats Councillor Steve Pitt
• Southampton City - Labour Councillor Alex Winning

and previously had been in touch with the Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Independent Phil Jordan.

Some of these leaders had responded to previous correspondence on the issues at hand. Others did not.

None had supported a Referendum. 

Andrew has also written to the leaders of all political groups in Southampton City Council again. Some had engaged with a debate, but again...

• Conservative Group Leader Councillor Peter Baillie
• Liberal Democrats Group Leader Councillor Richard Blackman
• Labour Group Leader Councillor Alex Winning
• Both Green Councillors Matt Renyard and Katharine Barbour
• The sole Reform Councillor Sarah Powell-Vaughan 

None have supported a Referendum, although the Southampton Liberal Democrats did, and then changed their mind.

The author of the article Jason Lewis, the Local Democracy Reporter funded by the BBC, that only includes the views of Labour elected representatives in Southampton, and nobody else in Southampton, was cc'd. The BBC is required to be impartial. Andrew has written to Jason Lewis and the Editor of the Echo, Ben Fishwick, to complain.

 

 

Andrew Pope's Essay on "Immigration"

 

Andrew Pope on BBC South Today

Our co-founder and member of the Independent Network Andrew Pope has published an essay on "immigration".

It is on this page here.

Agree? Disagree? Get in touch.

 

EXCLUSIVE MP WATCH: Both Southampton Labour MPs Kaur and Paffey Voted to Whack Southampton Businesses with Higher Taxes

 

Satvir Kaur when Leader of the Council
Photo: Southampton Independents

You may not have realised it from the lack of coverage of the Labour MPs actions by local media, but both Darren Paffey (Southampton Itchen - East of the City) and Satvir Kaur (Southampton Test - West of the City) voted to increase taxes in the form of national insurance contributions (NICs) for employers. 

 

Councillor Darren Paffey when Deputy Leader of the Council
Photo: Southampton City Council

 

Southampton Independents is watching, and holding the MPs to account.  Satvir Kaur is now a Junior Minister in Keir Starmer's struggling Government. More on that below.

Critics of the NICs hikes have said:

"With employers shouldering more of the national insurance burden, the worry is they could simply pass these costs on to their employees.

“With a higher cost per head, we could also see some employers choosing to reduce other benefits such as wage increases or even pension contribution matching.”

This includes local businesses who have criticised the Labour Government's decision.

If you remember, Keir Starmer stood on a pledge to not increase taxes on "working people", without being clear on what that meant.

 

How Can Someone With This Finance Track Record Join the Government?

Kaur was Leader of the Council at the same time as Paffey was her Deputy Leader. She had previously not been able to answer questions from Independent Councillor Andrew Pope on the financing of the Arts Complex, during Full Council Questions to the Executive. The Chair of the meeting, the Mayor Labour Councillor Stephen Barnes-Andrews, prevented Cllr Pope from asking more questions of Kaur. The Mayor had abused his position for party-political purposes.

Kaur led the Council to its financial knees and was urged to resign. She also denied at the time that the Council was bankrupt when she was Leader. And she claimed that she was being "open and honest" about the Budget for that year - implying that her predecessors, including Steve Leggett and before him Simon Letts, had not been honest in previous years.

She also said that the Council would not need government assistance. 

Kaur was also Leader in response to a dire financial report to the Council, according to the BBC:

"Last week the council warned the government it may run out of money this year.

The move came as a report revealed the council had relied on reserves to meet gaps in its budget in recent years.

Labour leader Satvir Kaur previously said the problem had been created by the government's handling of the economy."

and

"Ms Kaur blamed the Conservatives for "the economic disaster" she said every "household in Southampton and councils across the country are experiencing right now".

She previously said the authority had a "robust recovery plan" and would not need government funds."

It turned out that it needed a lot of government assistance, when Simon Letts took over the finances, with Lorna Fielker as Leader. Kaur had left a real mess.

Satvir Kaur is now a Junior Minister in Keir Starmer's Government (yes. really). She has mentioned a "robust recovery plan" again - this time in relation to the disastrous civil service pension scheme that has been given to Capita. One hopes civil servants won't be subjected to the same level of disaster of the Council's finances in Kaur's hands, although it beggars belief that Capita have taken over the pensions. Capita were removed from handling Southampton City Council work.

And now, she claims the council was pushed to the "brink". Paffey and Kaur have "welcomed" a "council funding boost", without commenting on the remaining crisis at the Council.

 

Satvir Kaur's Revisionism and Careerism

So it seems if she is to be believed, that the Council was on the brink, as long as Kaur was out of the picture and according to her, not responsible for it. Yet she was responsible, the buck stopped with her as Leader.

Paffey and Kaur also this week voted with their Labour MP colleagues, and against amendments from the House of Lords for the NIC hikes.

Who knows how the decision was made to add her to Starmer's Government?

How did Kaur get there? 

Let's not forget that Satvir Kaur had convicted violent criminal and expelled Labour Party Member Shere Sattar's £10,000 in her register of interests. Southampton Labour accepted his money, and only paid it back when they got found out.

How many other dodgy connections does Satvir Kaur have?

Have a look around our website for more. There's more about Kaur.

** Please note that the other Southampton MP for Romsey and Southampton North is a Deputy Speaker so is not able to vote on this NICs Bill.

 

 

ROAD SAFETY: Checking The Safety of the City to Western Cycle Route - For Everyone

 

Western Cycle Route Sign
Photo: Andrew Pope

Today, safety campaigner Andrew Pope checked the road safety of the Western Cycle Route SCN1 from the Civic Centre, Southampton, through the West of the City and out to Totton over the River Test.

 

Western Cycle Route Millbrook Road
Photo: Andrew Pope

Andrew walked from the City Centre to the Redbridge Roundabout, checking as he went along and taking photos.

 

Cycle Route Sign
Photo: Andrew Pope

Andrew says:

 

Andrew Pope on the Western Cycle Route
in Redbridge Ward
Photo: Andrew Pope

  

"I put in a lot of effort to get the Redbridge ward section of this route right. So I did not want to see it degrade over time.

The Redbridge ward used to go right up to Millbrook Roundabout, and that is where I took action - from Redbridge Roundabout to Millbrook Roundabout.

The original plans were dangerous, including bringing trucks into the same zone as cyclists at the UPS and Selco sites, on the pavement side. I stopped this by moving the cycle route to the far side.

I was the only councillor of the three Redbridge councillors who took action. The other two (both Labour) just went along with the original plans.

I worked with businesses, cyclists, the Southampton Cycling Campaign, Council officers, local residents and managers of the sites adjacent to the route.

It took years and great effort to get it right. I tried hard to minimise the risks:

• to residents
• to cyclists
• to motorists
• to pedestrians
• to truck drivers

I am pleased to report that the Redbridge ward section was the safest part of the route, containing a lot of segregated cycle paths from the road. And it still is the safest part.

I know from being a cyclist, a pedestrian and a motorist, what risks there are.

So I mitigated those risks by working in partnership, and being patient and thoughtful. Council officers eventually understood what I was trying to achieve, once I brought the Cycling Campaign out on site to meet them.

I spoke to Roy, a cyclist today that I flagged down on the route. I asked him what he thought of the route. 

He said in 2012 it was unusable and dangerous. He said that I should be congratulated for my work, because it is now excellent, especially the segregated sections.

I am pleased. But on the way, I did find some concerns, which I will be acting on. I prioritise safety when other councillors either do not look, or do not see it or do not act."

Segregated Cycle Path
Photo: Andrew Pope

For Information: SGN Gas Main Replacement Affecting Maybush Corner Area of Southampton

Gas Main Works at Maybush Corner
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

Andrew Pope of the Independent Network and Co-Founder of Southampton Independents, has received the below information from Southern Gas Networks (SGN), who are working on gas mains in the Maybush Corner area of Southampton. 

Andrew says: 

Andrew Pope

"I asked for this information direct from the private gas company SGN, and they've provided it, so I'm passing it on to residents and businesses.

I've visited the site several times and spoken with staff. They are replacing the gas main and the works are deemed to be essential, according to them.

I've listened to bus users who have complained about the bus stop being moved. This included an elderly man Derek who has mobility problems. So we sat down and talked about it. And I've raised it with the bus company.

I've also spoken to Council officers about the bushes and trees that were cut back, because there may have been nesting birds. They said there were none.

While I was there, I took some photos for Guess the Pothole and reported potholes, two of which are now fixed. There is still a long rut in the middle of the road though.

The Labour-run Council's contractors Balfour Beatty are there checking up that SGN are doing it right according to the regulations. Regulations put in place by Tories. Like SGN, Balfour Beatty are also private contractors, contracted and extended under successive Tory and Labour councils, as documented on our website.

It seems like everything has been split up from central control and sold off, so it's no wonder the public feel the country and the Council is badly run and in constant chaos.

It is worth noting that the Thatcher Tory Government privatised gas, starting forty years ago in 1986. Labour has promised to bring at least part of it under national Government, but like many other broken promises that they've made, Labour has not. Labour or Tory, same old story."

The gas main works are causing disruption on the roads, with the bins, with wildlife, trees and bushes, and more. Get in touch if you want. You can also contact SGN at the details below.

We provide the information straight from SGN, without further comment, for your information. Emphasis has been added. 

"[SGN] would like to provide an update on our programme of gas main replacement work taking place in your local area.  Due to unforeseen engineering challenges our programme, and its traffic management, have changed from what was originally communicated, our plans are now as follows: 
 
14th March to Week Commencing 23rd March: Rownhams Road and Romsey Road – Road Closure and Traffic Lights
Rownhams Road will remain closed. We will be working under two light heads on Romsey Road. However, please note we will be flipping the works area and the live running lane. The light head at Wimpson Lane will remain as per the current traffic management set up. 
 
Week Commencing 23rd March to 30th March: Romsey Road – Traffic Lights
Following completion of reinstatement at Romsey Road junction Rownhams Road, the team will continue along Romsey Road between the junctions of Winchester Road to Rownhams Road under lights. 
 
30th March to 10th April: Romsey Road – Directional Road Closure
After this, we will amend traffic management to a westbound directional road closure between Winchester Road and Redbridge Hill, to complete a connection. 
 
10th April to 4th May: Romsey Road – Traffic Lights
The team will continue works along Romsey Road, from the junction of Winchester Road to Ashmead Road, under lights. Please note, the four-way junction of Romsey Road and Rownhams Road will be unaffected during this phase.
 
4th May to 29th May: Wimpson Lane – Directional Road Closure
We will have a southbound directional lane closure in place on Wimpson Lane. Northbound traffic will remain unaffected.
 
We understand our work can be disruptive for road users and residents; our engineers are committed to completing these works as quickly and as safely as possible. These works are essential to ensure we can continue to provide a safe and efficient gas supply to residents and wider community and avoid further disruptive gas leaks in the future. 
 
If you need to speak to us about these works, please email our customer service team  customer@sgn.co.uk or call us on 0800 912 1700, they will direct your enquiry to a member of the team for response. 
 
We’re sorry for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience and understanding. 
 
SGN Southern Replacement" 

 

 

Three Southampton City Councillors Fail To Vote on 2026/27 Council Budget

 

Labour Councillor Lee Whitbread
Photo: Southampton City Council

Three Southampton City Councillors failed to attend the February 2026 Budget Full Council - two Labour and one Conservative. One of them is already suspended by Labour, pending investigation.

The Budget Full Council meeting is where the Council's budget is considered and voted on by all fifty-one councillors. There are three councillors per council ward and there are seventeen wards.

The Councillors who gave apologies were:

1. Councillor Lee Whitbread (suspended as Labour pending investigation, Redbridge) 
2. Councillor Val Laurent (Conservative, Harefield) 
3. Councillor Vivienne Windle (Labour, Banister and Polygon).

Lee Whitbread is under investigation by Labour, and is described as an Independent. As we have said before, that is inaccurate. He is a fake independent and nothing to do with Southampton Independents.

As they were not at the meeting, they could not speak, or vote for, against and abstain, at the Council Budget.

Their constituents will be left wondering whether they supported the Labour-controlled Council's spending priorities and decisions.

City Council Fails To Respond To Councillor Council Tax Arrears Freedom of Information Request in Time

 

Independent Network campaigner Andrew Pope has submitted a Freedom of Information request for information on all fifty-one Southampton City Councillors, and whether they paid their Council Tax.

It was accepted on 20th February 2026.

Under the law, public bodies have twenty working days to provide the information.

That time expired on 20th March 2026.

Andrew says:

 

Andrew Pope in Shirley Towers in 2026
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

"Why the delay? It is required by law that they respond to me now.

When I lived in Somerset for three years between 2019-2022, I found many councillors who had not paid their council tax to the same councils at which they were elected - not for just a month but some over months or even years.

Some were even unapologetic about it, and even brazen, particularly one Green Party councillor. 

You can see the results of this investigation and campaigning on the Somerset Independents website.

I accelerated the end of the political career of almost all of those councillors.

I also found some councillors who did not attend the budget setting meeting, where council tax is decided.

Sometimes, there appeared to be a relationship between those who did not attend that meeting to set council tax, and those who had not paid their own council tax.

We will see whether this applies to any Southampton councillors, when the Council finally replies to my request."

 

Is this lateness unusual at Southampton City Council? No. In October 2025, Jason Lewis of the Daily Echo reported that (emphasis added):

"More than a third of requests for information from Southampton City Council took longer than the statutory deadline.

The local authority received 1,303 requests under Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations in 2024/25.

A cabinet report said across the year just 63 per cent were responded to within the required 20 working days – the council’s target is 90 per cent.

The average time taken for a response to be given was 36 days."

REFERENDUM DEMAND on "Devolution" and Council Reorganisations: Andrew Pope's Letter To Daily Echo

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope
on BBC South Today About "Devolution" in 2017
Photo: Southampton Independents

Member of the Independent Network Andrew Pope has had a letter published in the Daily Echo. The wording is below.

Do you agree with him? 

Then get in touch and help the campaign for a Referendum. Andrew forced one in Somerset and helped to defeat previous proposals here in Southampton by working cross-party before. He was the ONLY councillor of forty-eight on Southampton City Council to fight the previous proposals and defeat them.

Andrew says in the letter:

 

Andrew Pope

 

"Dear Editor, as I have said since 2016, there should be a referendum before any changes are made to how we are governed.

Neither Labour nor Tory governments have stood up to Whitehall mandarins who want to take local democracy away.

I have, both here with Southampton Independents and when I was there for three years, in Somerset Independents. I forced a referendum in Somerset.

We defeated the "Solent Devolution Deal" here in Southampton and in the region before, by my working together across the region with political parties and independents, but it came back from the dead like the vampire that it is.

I disagreed with the former Hampshire County Council leader Roy Perry on almost everything, but he was right when he said that a stake needed to be driven through its heart.

I demand a referendum and ask that residents do the same to save themselves from democracy being watered down.

Regards, Andrew Pope, Independent Network, Southampton Independents"

Roads Contract Council Officer Turned Tory Councillor's Loose Words Costs Council More Than £25,000

 

Conservative Councillor Rob Harwood
Photo: Southampton City Council

A former senior Council officer who left his role and in the next year became a Conservative Councillor at the same Council, has now cost Southampton City Council more than £25,000 in costs for an investigation into him.

If Councillor Harwood had been more careful with his words, the Council could have spent this on services instead. 

Rob Harwood's name appeared on reports for decision at the Council by councillors, up to 2017. These included two reports relating to the Council's deal with Balfour Beatty for the Highways Service Partnership. 

One report had his name on it in 2010 when the Tory-controlled Council signed the original deal. And Harwood's name was at the top of another report in 2017 on the same subject.

In 2018, Harwood was elected as a Conservative councillor for Bitterne Park ward.

In 2022, he lost his seat, being defeated by Tony Bunday, who later quit Labour.

And in 2024, he was elected to a different ward, this time Harefield.

Not that you would know from the Council's website. His current Councillor page does not mention that he had been a Councillor before. It must be an oversight.

Not many months after being elected, Councillor Harwood made some loose comments in the Council Chamber and on LinkedIn.

As reported by Local Government Lawyer and the Daily Echo, these resulted in an investigation into him (and another councillor who was exonerated, so is not named publicly).

He was found to have breached the Code of Conduct.

The internal investigation cost £6,703. The external investigation cost another £18,964 and 31 pence.

This is a total cost of £25,667.31 that had to be found from Council reserves.

If Councillor Harwood had been more careful with his words, the Council could have spent this on services instead.

You would think that he would have learned his lesson.

But it seems not.

Because he has been offensive in his response to questions that Southampton Independents sent him about how he managed any potential conflict of interest in relation to the Balfour Beatty deals, bearing in mind he had been an officer first and a councillor in the next year.

He first ignored our questions. Then when pressed again, after we copied in his Group Leader Peter Baillie, he refused again to answer them, and said our questions were "irrelevant", and that Southampton Independents is "irrelevant".

Our questions are very relevant, because the Tories signed the deal and Labour extended it. We hold them to account for their failures.

They did the deal and extended it at taxpayers expense, despite the failures of the deal in the eyes of the Southampton people.

The people of our City constantly complain about the state of our roads.

Yet neither Labour nor Tory councillors have cancelled the deal with Balfour Beatty.

Labour or Tory, same old story.

Southampton Independents has obtained detailed information about the deal, and this includes how decisions were made in secret without the public being able to see. We are not talking about small amounts of money, either. 

We think this lack of transparency is wrong. Do you?

We will be publishing more information when the time is right.  

 

Labour or Tory, same old story. Your money robbed.

Who Turned The Lights Out? Labour Councillors including Now MP Satvir Kaur Did!

 

Labour Robbing Your Money to Pay for "Arts"

In 2023, Labour councillors on Southampton City Council turned the lights off on Southampton streets from 1am to 5.30an.

At tht time, now Labour MP Satvir Kaur was the Leader of the Council. A consultation was launched. Kaur said:

"We’re really keen to listen to the results of the consultation but also make it an evidence-based decision.

Satvir Kaur in the Daily Echo

"We’re really keen that people do feel safe within our local communities and within the city so this isn’t coming as a detriment to that." 

It seemed like another sham consultation where Labour pretended to listen, and went ahead anyway. 

Co-Founder of Southampton Independents and campaigner on safety, Andrew Pope, says:

Andrew Pope Finding Safety Issues in Shirley Towers
Photo: Southampton Independents

"It was such an obviously bad idea for the safety of Southampton residents. But Labour councillors did it anyway. Another sham consultation, just like the Portswood Bus Gate disaster.

If Southampton people did not want street lighting, they would move to the countryside!

Labour MUST reverse this decision NOW.

Perhaps Satvir Kaur turned the lights off so that people could not see how badly she was running the Council, and who she was doing deals with. Somehow, she is the MP. It's wrong.

I have campaigned on fire safety. I have campaigned on road safety. I have campaigned on fan safety at Saints.

 

Andrew Pope Fire Safety Campaign at Redbridge Towers
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

I am campaigning to change another of Labour's stupid policies that put Southampton people at risk, in the guise of saving money. 

Labour robs your money to pay for "arts" and other pet projects that fail Southampton, instead of doing the basics like keeping the lights on at night."