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.

EXCLUSIVE: Both Parties Prevent Shirley Voters from Voting - Labour or Tory, Same Old Story AGAIN

 

Southampton Labour Has Robbed People of their Vote

At Thursday's Shirley by-election, voters complained to Independent Network  candidate Andrew Pope that they were prevented from voting.

The by-election was very close, being won by big political party Liberal Democrats by just 21 votes. 

Andrew says: 

 

Andrew Pope in Shirley Towers
Photo: Southampton Independents

"People told me they could not vote by post. And they could not vote in person either. It's a double whammy and an attack on democracy. 

The lift in one block was broken for more than a week, with the Labour-run Council failing to fix it. I asked the housing office to fix it so that people could vote. But they did not fix it, so people could not vote. Why? How? 

In Milner Court, there are two pensioner blocks with some people having mobility problems.

Without the lift, some people cannot get up or down the block, and so they could not get to the polling station. So that's Labour preventing voters from voting, just like I had to make them fix the sprinklers in Shirley Towers by shaming Labour into action.

And the Tories in Government put through the Elections Act 2022 which forced a lapse and timeout on postal votes. So some residents with mobility problems were unable to get their postal votes renewed in time, and then could not get to the polling station.

This was a close election. According to my team's sampling at the count, I did well in some areas and beat or was close to the Tories, Greens and Reform, but I lost votes in Milner Court because of Labour and the Tories failures. I am trying to bring a purer form of democracy back to Southampton.  

Do Labour and the Tories care? No, it's their parties' failures and deliberate attacks on democracy that meant that voters could not vote.

Labour or Tory, same old story.  

I will continue my work with the Independent Network and Southampton Independents to bring democracy back to Southampton."

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: When Will Illegal Migration Be Stopped? Starmer Record Now Worse Than Sunak - Tops 30,000 in 2024 - Full Breakdown Per Day

 

Illegal Migration Under Tories and Labour in 2024

 

An exclusive analysis by Southampton Independents has shown that Keir Starmer's Labour Government is even worse at preventing illegal migration than "Southampton boy" Rishi Sunak's Tory Government's disastrous failure to "stop the boats".

The graph below shows the number of illegal migrants arriving on small boats per day during 2024, up to 27th October. 

 

Southampton Independents Graph of Illegal Migrants to UK
Source: Home Office and Border Force

 

When totalled for the periods under Tory and Labour Governments, as shown in the graph below, it is clear that it has got even worse under Labour.

 

Illegal Migration Under Tories and Labour in 2024

(N.B. The resemblance of the graph to the French tricolore is entirely coincidental.)

Far from "smashing the gangs" that Starmer repeatedly promised before July's General Election, the official Government figures that we have analysed show that the number of illegal migrants that have arrived during the Labour Government has now topped 17,000 in just four months, from 5th July to 27th October 2024.

The total number of 17,087 during Starmer's Labour Government far exceeds the 13,574 recorded under Tory Sunak in the six months from 1st January to 4th July 2024. Sunak's record was bad enough and people did not vote Conservative in the General Election because of it. Their votes went elsewhere.

Having plummeted in his approval ratings to be the most unpopular Prime Minister in record time, and with Labour losing the recent Shirley by-election and more by-elections across England and Scotland, Starmer and his hapless Home Secretary Yvette Cooper now appear to be in panic mode.

Starmer has met with "far right" Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seemingly to get advice on how to deal with illegal migration, which Labour has pathetically rebranded "irregular" migration.

Now the Prime Minister is due to make some new announcements and form new units, in what seems to be a pattern of behaviour of creating units, adding bureaucracy, writing strategies and making public relations announcements that make no difference, yet at the same time declaring "no more gimmicks".

Co-founder of Southampton Independents Andrew Pope, who stood in the recent Shirley by-election as an Independent candidate, says: 

 

Andrew Pope

"When I stood in the recent Shirley Council by-election, I asked residents what was concerning them. Some residents told me on their doorsteps that they want to know when the boats will be stopped and when our borders will be brought under control.

Residents are concerned about the impact of illegal migration and the out-of-control legal migration on Southampton and our housing, our jobs, our education system, on social care and NHS, and on social integration and cohesion.

They were already concerned before the EU Referendum, when our borders were supposedly to be brought under control - another failure of the Tories.

But now, the impact of migration is bigger... much bigger. It's too much and it's too fast.

I pointed out to those residents that controlled migration can have a positive impact on all of those things, if Government gets a grip and a measure of balance, and communities are given time to adjust. But clearly, that isn't the case.

The Labour-run Council is no help on this issue either. 

My investigation and report has shown that just weeks after the General Election, the Labour councillors that run the Council abandoned its 2014 policy of Southampton council housing for Southampton people.

Now they are allowing people who live outside Southampton to get on the waiting list. Officers said they don't even have any record of having rejected any applications from people who did not live in the City.

I fought for the "local connection" policy of a minimum 3 year residency  when I was still in the Labour Administration back then. I put it in the Labour Council Manifesto.

Apparently the policy was brought in in 2014 - Council officers confirmed this with copies of the policy - but it has been abandoned at some point during the last ten years. Exactly when is not clear.

I've written to the Housing Cabinet Member Councillor Andy Frampton about the Council's response to my Freedom of Information request, but have received no answer in a fortnight. You would think he would be able to explain.

The Leader of the "opposition" Tories Councillor Peter Baillie has also not replied when I asked him whether he supports the Labour abandonment of the policy.

Local people agreed with me in my conversations with them that on illegal and legal migration, in Government and at the Council, it's another case of Labour or Tory, same old story.

That's why Labour is losing elections across the country and why the Tories have had to elect yet another new Leader after losing the General Election.

Trust and confidence in Government will continue to go down unless these Westminster parties start to control our borders and restore some sense of harmony and balance to society, and to halt the continuing immigration chaos and panic. 

Migration can be a positive force but at the moment it is totally out of control."

If you would like to know what support asylum seekers get, you can see it here on the Government gov.uk website. They receive free money, free healthcare, free education and free housing.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Residents Demand End to Labour and Tory Councillors' 20mph Failure

 

Vigilantes Have Taken Steps
Because the 20mph Fantasy Has Failed

Over the last few years, Southampton motorists, cyclists, lorry drivers and pedestrians have been subjected to disruption and confusion by Southampton City Council.

Labour, Green Party and Conservative councillors have pushed for 20mph "limits" to be put in place. But it is difficult to find residents who wanted them.

Instead of improving road safety, the evidence of residents who live near them suggests that the 20mph signs have created confusion and actually increased danger through frustration.

The 20mph signs have been vandalised by vigilantes. The signs can't be called limits as according to residents and motorists, the vast majority of drivers seem to ignore them and there are little or no reports of any enforcement by the Police. The vandalism by the vigilantes shows how unpopular the signs are, and how out-of-touch these councillors are.

Andrew Pope stood as an Independent candidate in the recent Shirley by-election, and asked residents what issues were important to them. 

Andrew Pope on BBC South Today

Andrew says:

"Enough is enough! There is almost universal disapproval of the safety failures on Hill Lane. The top of Hill Lane, with its two roundabouts, a pelican crossing and two zebra crossings, and more, is already dangerous.

It must be revised and measures put in place that actually work. That's where money should be spent, not on daft schemes that don't work and which cause disruption and danger.

The 20mph signs on Hill Lane are actually creating confusion and danger, and this location is one of the last places this should happen.

What is incredible is how Southampton City Council and its Shirley Labour councillors thought this would be a good idea in the first place. Now there is one less Labour councillor, after the by-election. It's easy to see why they lost.

It should be obvious that it would not work. Residents have said it would not work. The original trials of 20mph signs in Maybush Triangle, where I was councillor, did not work. The signs remained up though. It was deemed "expensive" to take them down.

But the Council ignored that data and what sensible residents thought and councillors such as Councillor Eamonn Keogh, who is Labour Cabinet Member for Transport and Deputy Tory Leader Councillor Jeremy Moulton have carried on putting the 20mph signs up. I have challenged Cllr Moulton over this, and he came back with some figures from Edinburgh, of all places.

The Council claims to have "consulted" residents. But during the Shirley by-election, finding residents who said that they had been consulted proved impossible.

In hundreds of doorstep conversations, and requests in letters to residents about the issues that mattered to them, ZERO residents said that they had been consulted about the Hill Lane 20mph signs or the Shirley Road 20mph signs. It's a fantasyland by Labour and Tory councillors who seem to have been influenced by a tiny minority of "Green" lobbyists.

I have listened very carefully to residents, and come to the conclusion that these 20mph signs on Hill Lane and Shirley Road must be removed immediately before someone is injured or killed.

The Labour-run Council claimed that it was going to do so back in May, just before the Council elections, but five months later, it has failed to do it. Their abuse of election purdah should not have been allowed by Council officers. But they got away with it. And despite saying it would be done quickly, they still haven't done what they said. Labour lost hundreds of votes in Shirley in just five months and decisions like this played a part in that.

I am calling for these 20mph signs on Hill Lane and Shirley Road to be removed NOW, and for proper road safety measures to be put in place that work, where they are thought-through and proven. That's what residents and motorists want.

I know from my work as an interviewer on the Department of Transport's National Travel Survey that the vast majority of journeys are made by car or foot (89%), whether Labour, Tory or Green fanatic councillors like it or not. Cycling and bus journeys are a tiny proportion of journeys. Even when trains are included, it's still only 10% of trips.

In a democracy, the majority should win out, not a tiny minority of cycling lobbyists. It is well-known, including by officers of the Council, that Cllr Eamonn Keogh is a cycling fanatic. Being a councillor and Cabinet Member, he is supposed to put personal views aside in the interests of our City. But Keogh seems to think it's his role to put his own, minority, views first. He's wrong.

Cyclists, motorists and pedestrians should be protected by road safety schemes that actually work, not a fantasyland of putting up some signs and hoping, which seems to be the Council's current policy."

Park and Ride or Clean Air Zone: SHOULDN'T YOU DECIDE?

Councillor Andrew Pope

The Daily Echo is reporting criticism of Southampton City Council's proposed "Clean Air Zone". 

Our Councillor Andrew Pope says:

"Southampton Independents is listening to your views.

Do you want a Clean Air Zone? The Labour Council and Tory Government think they can impose it on you and local businesses.

Do you want a Park and Ride? Residents tell us regularly that they do. And we are campaigning for it. The hospital have listened. But the Council hasn't listened or acted for you.

And the Council hasn't delivered a park and ride for you, despite lots of talk.

Businesses and the Tory MP for the East of the City (Royston Smith) think that the Labour Council's Clean Air Zone is a bad idea. Do you agree?

Yet according to the Labour-run Council, it is the Tory Government that is imposing the Clean Air Zone on Southampton. They've claimed they wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

Once again, it is a case of Labour or Tory, same old story, with adults and children continuing to suffer from air pollution and its affects on our health."

Leader of Southampton Independents

Our Leader Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents says:

"Once the Labour Council have pretended to listen to you and then approved this anyway, Labour councillors can easily change it to make you pay to use your car in our City, by simply asking the Government whether they can do it.

Southampton Independents has confirmed this with Council officers, and that they wouldn't need to ask you, the public. Do you think this is right? We don't.

We already pay enough for the reducing services and poor communication by the Council. People get bad services and can't contact the Council easily.

Where is our Park and Ride? Areas of the City such as Redbridge already have a higher-than-average level of asthma. This can't carry on. 

Tell us what you think."

SAFE STANDING: Government to Review the Rules

Since last year, our Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope has been leading the local campaign for Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium.

Andrew was interviewed by Julian Clegg on BBC Radio Solent this week. The interview is below.

Photos of rail seats, which are proposed for the trial of Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium, are below and in the video that accompanies the interview. Other photos that help to explain the campaign are also on the video stream, including the dangers of "unsafe standing" as currently.

"Passionate Paula" is behind a trip hazard

When "Passionate Paula" gets excited...
... she could trip on the seat in front of her

And "Passionate Paula" can fall on other fans...

The local petition for Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium is here. If you have not signed it already, please sign it and share it with your contacts, colleagues, friends and family. At the time of writing, over 800 Saints fans have signed it.

As a result of the national campaign led by the Football Supporters Federation across England for Safe Standing at English grounds in the Premier League and Championship, and because the Government said they would not be looking at Safe Standing despite our campaign, a national petition was started. The e-petition gained over 100,000 signatures in a short time, and resulted in a debate in Parliament on Monday this week.

At the end of the debate, the Minister responsible Tracey Crouch MP, confirmed a review of the rules that currently prevent safe standing.

Councillor Andrew Pope says:

Councillor Pope showing
Rail Seats for Safe Standing
at St. Mary's Stadium

"This is a major step in the right direction for the campaign for Safe Standing across England and at St. Mary's Stadium.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the campaign so far:

• Southampton fans who signed my petition
• Jon Darch and the Safe Standing Roadshow
• The Daily Echo and That's Solent TV who have covered the campaign
• BBC Radio Solent and Wave 105 who have interviewed me several times
• the majority of Southampton City councillors who supported my motion supporting Safe Standing.*
• the Total Saints Podcast who have helped to promote the campaign
• MPs that spoke in the debate in Parliament on Monday

But we are not there yet. The rules have not been changed yet and this review appears to be taking until at least early 2019.

This may be an attempt to kick safe standing into the long grass.

We have not campaigned for years to allow this to happen.

We have to keep up the pressure.

If you want to help with our Safe Standing campaign, or if you want to help us with our other campaigns across Southampton, contact Southampton Independents by emailing us at sotonindies [at] gmail.com."

*(N.B. None of the Coxford councillors voted for the motion - Don Thomas, Keith Morrell and Tammy Thomas - and not all Labour councillors supported it - including Shirley Councillor Satvir Kaur. But the vast majority of Labour and Conservative councillors did support the motion.)

UDPATED (19th May): WOW! WHAT A RESULT! WE MAKE REDBRIDGE A MARGINAL SEAT

Denise Wyatt, who was the Southampton Independents Council Candidate for Redbridge Ward, says:

"Wow! What a result!

Thank you for the amazing support, all the well-wishers on the doorsteps and in the streets and thanks for all your votes!

I am delighted to have the trust and confidence of so many people.

Sadly, I almost won but not quite. I am delighted with the result and I hope residents are too.

JUST 199 VOTES WERE IN IT.

Southampton Independents, with your help, has taken the Redbridge Ward from being a "safe" Labour seat two years ago to it now being a "marginal".

In 2016, Labour won by 822 votes.
At the next Council election, it was just 199 votes.

It is within touching distance.

The now former Council Leader Simon Letts only won by a similar margin in 2014. Four years later he has lost his seat. The former Leader of the Council Tories Jeremy Moulton also lost his seat.

Labour still has just two majority. Labour or Tory, same old story.

I will continue to support and work with local residents.

Join us! Enough is Enough!

Thanks again for all your help and thanks for all your support."

WITHDRAWN: UPDATE on Bush Hill FC's 7 Foot Solid Metal Fence on Mansel Park

Southampton Independents
Councillor Andrew Pope

UPDATE (30th April 2018):
THE PLANNING APPLICATION HAS NOW BEEN WITHDRAWN BY BUSH HILL FC AND THEIR AGENT

---

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope says:

"I have received the following notice from Southampton City Council's planning department, which is making the decision over the Bush Hill FC fence etc on Mansel Park (planning reference 18/00394) submitted from the address of the Saints Pub.

---

'Dear Councillor,

I have informed the agent for the application that if it is not withdrawn then it will be refused. I have been waiting for instruction from the agent on how they intend to proceed before updating you.

As soon as I receive a response from the agent the application will be handled immediately, either with a withdrawal or with a decision issued.

I have visited the site, and we have not received any comments from the other Ward Councillors.

Regards,

<redacted>
Planning Assistant
Southampton City Council'
---

I have been "invited" by the Chair of the Redbridge Residents Association*, Eugene McManus, to a public meeting on Monday night to discuss this planning application.

Denise Wyatt, the Southampton Independents Redbridge Council Candidate, has not received a direct invitation. Mr McManus chose to go through me instead, for some reason. He has also referred to Denise as my "girlfriend". Denise is my partner in life. Denise must be respected, which she is in our area, because she is actually a public figure who works hard for our area, including providing advice and support over many years to Mr McManus as Chair of the Residents Association. Mr McManus' actions and his attitude towards her as a female Council Candidate are deplorable and unacceptable.

At this stage, as the planning application will either be refused or withdrawn, there is nothing to discuss.

I would like to thank Southampton City Council and the residents who objected, including those who asked for their name and address to be removed, because they felt intimidated.

Intimidation included:

• someone associated with the Saints Pub Mr Lee Elliott confronting me and a female colleague in the street on Facebook Live, giving a false name and asking questions based on false information and making unsubstantiated allegations designed to intimidate me into not objecting to the planning application
• Facebook abuse and messages, again with the source appearing to be Mr McManus
• intimidation of residents who objected, by posting their names and addresses across Twitter and Facebook. This led to residents asking for their names and addresses to be hidden by the Council.
• intimidation of Council candidates, by posting their names and addresses across Twitter and Facebook without properly obscuring the addresses

This is the ONLY planning application I have ever, in SEVEN YEARS of being a councillor, that these things have happened with. Anyone would think this was Tower Hamlets, not Southampton.

IT IS TOTALLY AND UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEMOCRACY AND CIVILISED SOCIETY!

So why is Mr McManus continuing with the meeting?

His Agent should know about the decision by the Council?

Is he carrying on with the meeting to intimidate voters and candidates? I hope not.

But it is reasonable to conclude so, considering the atmosphere that has been created, and because of the fact that he has now displayed a banner against Denise Wyatt on the Saints Pub.

I have contacted the Returning Officer again, who has already been in touch with Mr McManus and Mr Extance regarding their conduct.

Perhaps another plan will come forward. Hopefully that plan will be discussed before being submitted to the Council.

I repeat my advice given to Mr McManus before, but which he chose to ignore.

If Mr McManus wishes to change the setup at Bush Hill FC on Council land, he should discuss it with me as a ward City Councillor and representative of the people, with local residents and the Council planning department first.

We are in this situation because Mr McManus chose not to do this, against my advice. Perhaps he knew that I and residents would object, because I told him this before.

Mr McManus via Facebook has also defamed and abused, and allowed others to defame and abuse, myself and Denise Wyatt, as well as ignored the legitimate concerns of local residents.

Other local sports clubs like Millbrook Rugby Club have listened to my advice and I enjoy constructive dialogue with them, and now have planning permission. Compromise and dialogue are essential components of building and maintaining trust.

But Mr McManus' actions have destroyed any constructive dialogue that I sought, over years, to build with him. He did not seek any compromise, preferring to try to railroad this ill-thought-through application through Council planning.

Perhaps dialogue can be rebuilt between myself and Bush Hill FC, but that will take considerable work. I am always approachable and ready to discuss.

Despite the appalling behaviour of Mr McManus, I wish the coaches and players of Bush Hill FC well for the rest of the season with the current ground, that I actively supported going in, and I hope that the current problems raised by residents with me, and with the Council and Police, can be resolved. This includes parking, damage to Council land, road safety problems and anti-social behaviour on match days.

I look forward to supporting Bush Hill FC and all other local sports clubs to continue to develop, and reaching compromise over competing interests with residents.

As a final note, looking at the final paragraph of the email from Planning, it is a matter of public record that the two other ward councillors, both Labour (Cathie McEwing and Lee Whitbread), have done absolutely nothing to support or object to this planning application. 

Neither have any of the other candidates in the Redbridge local elections.

Over years, Southampton Independents has stood up for our parks and for local residents. All the while, the Labour Council has sought to take away park land - at Green Park, at Mansel Park and at Redbridge Wharf Park.

We will continue to look after local residents, to protect our parks and green spaces, and we will try to work with all local sports clubs and residents in a constructive dialogue with trust."

Councillor Andrew Pope

Southampton Independents

Redbridge Ward

30th April 2018

VOTE
SOUTHAMPTON INDEPENDENTS

* For reasons unknown to me, although I have raised it with him before, Mr McManus uses the email of the Residents Association for Bush Hill FC business, or the Saints Pub address for the planning application. This would suggest a potential conflict of interest between the three interests. Perhaps he can explain how he manages this conflicts of interests, to the Residents Association that he chairs.

Labour's Broken Bin Promises to You

Labour Council's overflowing bins

Do you remember the Tory Council bin strikes? We do. The current Labour Council is just as bad.

Another overflowing bin
(and Dotty the Dog)

These photos were taken last Friday by Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope. When the fortnightly bins were supposed to be collected in Maybush.

And another...

But they weren't. So not only were they late already because Southampton Labour cut your bins in half. They were EXTRA LATE!

Yet another overflowing bin

The photos were taken in a small area, just three roads while Councillor Pope and Denise Wyatt were out walking their dog, Dotty. This shows how bad Labour's bin cuts have been. Residents are fuming. 

We have more fly-tipping and residents say they have to go to the tip. Why should they? They pay their Council Tax and did not vote for cuts to bins. 

Residents didn't want the bins cut. But Labour did it anyway.

Labour carry on doing things to residents. 

Residents tell us it's Labour or Tory, same old story. With bins cut, roads and pavements dangerous and care homes closed.

In their 2014 election leaflets, Labour Councillors said they would "keep weekly bin collections". Last year, ALL Southampton Labour councillors VOTED FOR FORTNIGHTLY BINS.

Southampton Labour put Council Tax up 6% but cut bins in half!

They broke their promises to you.

TIME TO GO!

SEND A MESSAGE TO LABOUR!

ON 3RD MAY VOTE LABOUR COUNCILLORS OUT AND VOTE SOUTHAMPTON INDEPENDENTS COUNCILLORS IN.

Southampton Independents listen to residents and act for residents. Because we are residents.

Denise Wyatt and Ed Edworthy

In Redbridge ward, our Candidate is Denise Wyatt. Ballot papers are in alphabetical order, so she will be at the bottom. You can help her be on top when the votes are counted by voting for her.

In Millbrook ward, our Candidate is Ed Edworthy. He will be in the middle of the ballot paper. Just look for Ed!

If you aren't sure which ward you are in, look on your poll card that you should have received from the Council.

Or you can look it up on the WriteToThem website here.

FIXED: Guess the Pothole - Road Revealed

1st Clue: Rubber ducks in one of Southampton's many potholes

2nd Clue: Redbridge Council Candidate Denise Wyatt
with the rubber ducks in the pothole in Redbridge Ward

UPDATE (17th April) - FIXED: The pothole has now been fixed. Why did it take the Labour-run Council so long to fix it?

Did you guess the right road... It was Waveney Green.

Denise Wyatt, Redbridge Council Candidate for Southampton Independents says:

"This Labour-run Council is useless. Why don't they fix them without us having to play Guess the Pothole and put rubber ducks in the potholes? It's fun but it's serious - our roads are dangerous.

Vote for me to join Andrew Pope as a Councillor and we will put even more pressure on the Council to fix our roads."

---

UPDATE (3rd Clue): Next Clue - It's one of the greens in the Redbridge Ward. And now, our campaign has meant the pothole has been fixed! This should be a BIG CLUE, because so many potholes are still left by the Labour Council.

This week, residents of Southampton have been happily playing "Guess the Pothole..." on our Facebook Page at Southampton Independents. The pothole has been reported but not fixed by the Council.

It seems that only rubber ducks and the Council's contractor Balfour Beatty, benefit from our City's atrocious roads...

Meanwhile, it's the same old story, Labour or Tory - blaming each other and forgetting about the residents.

Our Council candidates Denise Wyatt and Ed Edworthy have written to the Daily Echo with a letter:

Denise Wyatt and Ed Edworthy

We read with interest the Daily Echo front page about potholes in Hampshire, and former Labour councillor Mr Reynard's one-eyed attack on former Tory Council Leader Royston Smith. Residents are fed up with both of them and tell us it's Labour or Tory, same old story. 

The Labour-run Southampton City Council, and Mr Reynard, tried to blame the previous Tory-run Council for the failings of the “partnership” contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places for Southampton’s roads.

Yet Southampton Labour councillors did not cancel the contract. Last year, Labour councillors actually EXTENDED it! Yes, they extended it. Perhaps Mr Reynard is unaware of the actions of the Labour Cabinet that includes "roads chief" Councillor Jacqui Rayment, who Royston Smith called the "Cabinet Member for Chaos".

How many years has Labour been in power on the Council? Six. SIX YEARS.

And still, almost everybody Southampton Independents speaks to, whether resident or visitor, thinks our roads are shocking.

Our recent Facebook game of "Guess the Pothole..." was very popular with residents - a pothole that has been reported several times but not fixed by the failing Labour Council and Balfour Beatty. They make excuse after excuse, and say there is no money.

The number of roads guessed by residents was huge and the point was made again and again by residents - so many of Southampton’s roads are a disgrace. 

Why did the Labour Council spends tens of millions on the Arts Complex/Studio 144 - with even more millions apparently now at stake by independent adjudication? Tory councillors supported Labour on this spending. Over-time and over-budget by millions and maybe even more! But still those councillors added more millions.

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope voted against the extra millions and together with residents, we have exposed the scandal of this Labour and Tory spending. 

Those tens of millions could have gone on our roads, bins and care centres. 99% of residents tell us those are higher priorities than "arts". Residents are right. 

Southampton Independents will continue "lifting the lid" on the failing Southampton City Council (photos attached).


Denise Wyatt and Ed Edworthy

Southampton Independents Council Candidates for Redbridge and Millbrook wards

Former Council binman Ed is
lifting the lid on the Labour Council

Southampton Labour Council and Tories Hiding the Truth

Denise Wyatt, Leader of Southampton Independents

Denise Wyatt, Leader of Southampton Independents says that Southampton Labour has got its spending priorities all wrong... Do you agree?

What is the Southampton Labour-run City Council hiding about the Arts Complex a.k.a. Studio 144?  

For many months, Southampton Independents have been asking about the cost and the over-runs of the Arts Complex, otherwise known as Guildhall Square or Studio 144. Businesses and charities have even been put in trouble because of it, as reported by the Daily Echo and from reports we have heard from business tenants of the Arts Complex. Are they paying to high rents because the project is a disaster? We suggest that they are.

Southampton Independents has listened to the 95% plus of people who think the Arts Complex is less important than our roads, care for the elderly and vulnerable, and keeping weekly bins. There doesn’t seem to be any accountability for the millions – not from the “Southampton Cultural Development Trust” nor Labour Councillor Satvir Kaur – neither seem able or willing to explain.

The Acting Chief Financial Officer was asked by our Councillor Andrew Pope to reign-in the tens of millions already spent on the project, to stop further waste. She told him the Council would wait. Councilllor Pope said that was unwise, because it was over-time and over-budget. More time has passed and more money has been spent. How? Why? Residents deserve answers.

Councillor Pope has now asked for the Council’s secret audit report that has been presented to Labour Councillors behind closed doors. It’s a scandal that Council officers appear to be stalling until they have “doctored” the report. But it’s no surprise that Labour wants to cover it up, while the supposed “opposition” Southampton Tories stay silent. Instead of asking the right questions, Tory councillors applaud the massive expenditure of public money.

Councillor Pope did not vote for the extra millions for the Arts Complex. But 47 other councillors did – Labour, Tory or “Coxford Three”? Those 47 councillors need to explain to residents and those who have lost services why they have agreed for the Council to spend public money on the wrong priorities.

Only Southampton Independents stood up for the right priorities. That is why we are asking Southampton residents for vote for our candidates in the City Council elections in May.

Why else have the costs been hidden?

Why else have decision and reports been kept secret?

Southampton Independents demand to know how much these “Arts” and wrong priorities have cost in Southampton while our services and the vulnerable suffer!

Denise Wyatt

Leader, Southampton Independents

REMINDER: Southampton Roadworks AGAIN This Weekend

Redbridge Towers: The Gateway to Southampton

Redbridge Viaduct/Causeway will be CLOSED this weekend from 8pm on Saturday 11 November 2017 until 5am on Monday 13 November 2017.

These works are being done by Tory Hampshire County Council, and they have been AGREED by Labour Southampton City Council. Both councils were to blame for the chaos. Like Southampton residents say, Labour or Tory, same old story.

After the chaos last weekend in Western Southampton due to the Redbridge Causeway/Viaduct roadworks (reported by the Daily Echo here), we've been listening to what residents of Southampton said.

One letter from a Redbridge resident was in the Echo this week (see below). More complaints have followed in the Echo. And many more Redbridge and Southampton residents have been in touch.

Another Redbridge resident said:"Test Lane never been so busy with people trying to take a short cut to no where!"

A Maybush resident told us:"Cars were sat across the lights so cars couldn't move ,people were driving like idiots all because road signs were not in right places ,then they drove down and under-bridge to other side and still getting caught in traffic other side ,most of traffic was heading up Green Lane then keeping Romsey Road to a standstill".

Another Southampton resident said:"Trying to get out of Southampton on Sunday. It took me over an hour and a half to get onto the M27. A normal trip to Christchurch took me nearly two and a half hours. I don't mind traffic and I understand this is needed but it seemed everyone including myself didn't think there would be so much disruption."

Denise Wyatt

Leader of Southampton Independents Denise Wyatt, who is also a campaigner in Redbridge, said:

"Last weekend, not only Redbridge but all around Western Southampton was in chaos.

This CANNOT be allowed to happen again.

The City Council did not give adequate advanced warnings, and neither did Hampshire County Council.

Southampton Independents tried to let people know via our website and Facebook. But it isn't our job. We are just trying to help residents. Southampton Labour that is supposed to be "in charge" of Southampton City Council. And the Tories likewise in Hampshire.

Labour and the Tories need to be voted out in the next elections, if residents want better performance from the councils. 

Southampton Independents will be standing candidates for councillors in the May 2018 City Council elections. I will be one of them."

Councillor Andrew Pope

Southampton Independents Councillor for Redbridge, Andrew Pope, said:

"Residents were never asked whether they wanted these works, or when it would be wise to do them. And I have confirmed that only a couple of roads in Redbridge were notified about the works with a letter.

It's not good enough. 

As a ward councillor for the area, I should have been consulted. But I wasn't. I have challenged the councils why. And they think that sending a letter out is "consultation". IT ISN'T. Consultation means listening. THEY DIDN'T.

It is better to listen to residents, because they know the area. But neither Hampshire nor Southampton councils want to listen to residents. They just want to do things TO residents.

Following my challenges to officers of both councils to "up their game", I have been assured that improvements will occur for the second round of works this weekend.

We will see.

Tell us what your experiences have been.

Tell us how you think the councils can minimise disruption.

It is very sad that Labour Councillor Jacqui Rayment seeks in today's Echo to criticise members of the public such as Mr Sanders of Redbridge, instead of taking responsibility for her own failures as "transport boss" for Southampton City Council. 

And it is also very sad that despite being given all week, Tory County Councillor Rob Humby has failed to answer my questions and challenges to him as to why he has failed in a similar way to Councillor Rayment. 

I have therefore asked the Leader of Hampshire County Council to ensure that I get answers for Southampton residents.

Do you agree with supporters of Southampton Independents that if the disruption is not minimised, that both councillors Humby and Rayment should resign? Someone should be accountable, they have told us.

Labour and Tory councillors should be making sure disruption is minimised, not blaming each other. Labour or Tory, same old story gets us nowhere!"

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READER LETTER: Southampton weekend road closures are an almighty blunder

THE closure of the A35 on Saturday, November 4 at 8pm has been one almighty blunder by the highways agency and Southampton council.

I wish that Jacqui Rayment, Southampton councillor for transport, and members of the highways agency could have been at the Redbridge Roundabout to see for themselves what an absolute disgrace the closure was, not only for local residents but for those people trying to get home to Totton, Hythe and all points west of Redbridge.

There were no proper road signs telling drivers that the M271 was the correct route away from Redbridge to get back to Totton and all points west, and not to use Gover Road and Test lane as a detour.

Due to the fact that the future closures are going to take place between now and Christmas, one hopes that Southampton council and the highways agency get their act together so that we do not get a repeat performance during the next closures.

Roy Sanders

Redbridge