INDEPENDENT COUNCILLORS IN WEALDEN DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT BELONGING TO OR AFFILIATTED WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY

LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR SIR KIER STARMER'S LABOUR PARTY - WIPES OUT CONSERVATIVE CRONIES - 4TH JULY 2024. The Conservative Party has never performed as poorly in an election since the United Kingdom assumed its modern form in 1922.

But the election was also historic in another way: The country’s smaller parties have also never performed as well as they did on Thursday. That continues a decades-long shift away from a two-party system, and means that Labour’s position may be more fragile than it looks on the surface. The Conservatives lost the most support in seats where Reform surged. In many seats where Labour won, Reform came in second place, delivering on Mr. Farage’s pledge to position the party well for the next general election, expected in 2029.

MAY 2023 - The votes are in and the Conservatives are out. Now the victors need to take their seats out for a spin, and try to come up with reforms that might make a difference. Affordable homes and a rolling stock of land to be able to supply to self builds and flat packs. No services are required in the modern world. It is cheaper to stay off the grid, with water treatment units and boreholes for water supplies. Solar panels can supply all the energy you'll need. But renewable hydrogen could be a game changer. Supplied as green methanol, to pass through a fuel cell, via a reformer. The world is your oyster.

In a staggering turnaround, the Conservative Party hold over Wealden was trounced during the May 2023 local elections. As you can see from the roster below, the Liberal Democrats have 13 seats, closely followed by the Green Party, with 11 seats. And then another blow came in the form of 11 Independent seats, with Labour bringing up the rear, with just 2 seats.

It appears then that if Labour want to win at the next General Election, they will have to do more to win over the public. At the moment, Prime Minister Rishi Sunack is under attack from rampant inflation that, according speculators is beyond control. As of 22nd June 2023, the Bank of England is said to be on track to kick interest rates up to their highest level in over 23 years in a bid to rein in inflation that is withstanding prior increases to borrowing costs, markets are betting.

City traders ratcheted up their bets on peak UK interest rates in response to numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning that showed inflation is still plaguing the economy. Market participants now think Bank Governor Andrew Bailey and the rest of the monetary policy committee (MPC) – the nine-strong group who set official UK borrowing costs – will lift rates to at least six per cent.

That would be the highest level since February 2000 and mark a huge shift in monetary policy since the financial crisis. For over a decade and up until December 2021, rates were near zero per cent. We can blame post-pandemic disruptions, Putin’s war in Ukraine, or Boris Johnson. All have played their part in creating the predicament in which the UK finds itself. Brexit is also a malign factor, and Britain’s unique misfortune.

A distinguished economist who sits on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee as an independent, calculates that Brexit has meant prices are around 4 per cent higher than they would otherwise be thanks to the cumulative effects of the 2016 EU referendum decision, when set against comparable economies, not least because “no other country chose to unilaterally impose trade barriers on its closest trading partners.

In London, housebuilders were among the worst-performing stocks at the close on Wednesday. Barratt Developments, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey were 3.9%, 4.1% and 3.5% lower, respectively.

The stocks came under pressure from the heat of inflation numbers, as concerns of a slowdown in the housing market gathered pace. AJ Bell's Danni Hewson said it was "no surprise" to see housebuilders among the top fallers as the prospect of higher borrowing costs "could prove damaging to the property market as affordability issues become more acute."

At a more local level, the executive housebuilding stampede championed by Wealden's planners, makes the area less viable in terms of supporting essential workers on a low income. Those already built, overloading waste treatment capacity, leading to illegal discharges and fines for , while straining the capacity of reservoirs at Arlington, that may lead to issues similar to that where at Swindon Magistrates court on 30 May 2023, Wessex Water Services Limited was fined £280,000 plus a £190 victim surcharge. Costs of £21,656.60 were agreed out of court. WWS pleaded guilty to an offence under section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for the supply of water unfit for human consumption.

In 2021, Southern Water was fined a record £90 million having pleaded guilty to 51 offences reported to involve the release of between 16 and 21 billion litres of raw sewage into sensitive marine environments.

The water company appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on 9 July 2021 for sentencing, after pleading guilty to the illegal discharges of sewage which occurred between 2010 and 2015 across 17 sites in Hampshire, Kent and West Sussex. It is reported that the allegations concerned 6,971 discharges, which amounts to some 61,704 hours of releases.

The Environment Agency (EA) commenced their investigation after shellfish were found to be contaminated with E. coli, a type of faecal bacteria. The EA found that Southern Water had deliberately diverted raw sewage away from treatment works and into the environment, which was said to reduce the costs associated with maintaining and upgrading their infrastructure.

Data released by the Environment Agency show Southern Water discharged sewage into waterways 16,668 times in 2022 – lasting a total of 146,819 hours.

At Lewes, the Ham Lane pumping station released sewage into the Ouse 146 times last year (2022), lasting a total of 2,419 hours. The Environment Agency data revealed raw sewage was spilled into English rivers by water companies 824 times a day last year. Sewage was released into Newhaven, by Seaford Bay 86 times, for nearly 500 hours. Ditchling saw over 1,200 hours of sewage released into the Bevern stream with 81 spills.

All of these discharges come from planning consents for major housing developments, without the infrastructure to properly deal with the waste thus generated. In our view, that makes those granting planning consents without first obtaining confirmation of additional treatment capacity to accompany the increase if effluence, just as guilty as the water companies committing these crimes. Town and Country planners and planning committees, are party to these environmental offences. There is no other way to see it. All the more reason, for affordable housing units that are Off-Grid water and waste wise.

It is much the same with potholes and dangerously rutted highways. The roads servicing the additional traffic from new-builds, are simply not up to the task, as with water and waste shortcomings. Our little island is limited in size, and in danger of becoming one large toxic suburb of cardboard boxes. All of which to generate CIL payments, as a quick revenue top-up, followed by the excruciating death on the nation. Shades of Maggie Thatcher's council house sell-off. And her Poll-Tax.

You do not have to be a member of the big three political parties to stand, you could stand for another party or be an Independent Councillor. Independent Councillors are Members of councils various belonging to no political group or party. If you care about the area that you live or work in and the issues facing local people, you could become a councillor.

To become a councillor you will need to stand for elections, most candidates are nominated through a political party. However, individuals can stand as an independent councillor if they do not wish to be associated to a particular party. Each candidate must be nominated by a separate nomination paper, signed by 10 registered electors of the ward in which you are to stand.

The first thing to do is know the rules, which you can find on the Electoral Commission site, here for councillors in England. Part 2a is specifically designed for those standing as an Independent.

Find out more about standing as an Independent councillor in our publication, Stand for what you believe, Be an Independent councillor, which is full of useful tips and guidance. We also have free copies of Flatpack Democracy to share.

You may also find it useful to visit the pages of the Independent Network, Residents Association or Party.

Local government touches the lives of everybody, every day. Find out about Local government and its structure and what types of local government there are.

For more details or contact the idependent group at: independent.groupLGA@local.gov.uk

WHO CAN BE A COUNCILLOR?

You can become a candidate if you are:

- at least 18 years old
- registered to vote in the area in which you have lived, worked or owned property for least 12 months before an election

YOU CAN'T BE A COUNCILLOR IF

- work for the Council
- hold a politically restricted post with another local authority
- have been made bankrupt
- have a previous criminal conviction with a 3 month or more prison sentence

The failure of Labour and Conservative (Pothole) parties to implement any kind of climate change cooling reversal policies based on reliable information, or to tackle the lack of affordable housing, represents a political opportunity for any party, or collaborative alliance, who has the solution, or more correctly implements the policies that are needed to get the UK on track for a sustainable future. That should include Independent councillors or Members of Parliament - but at the moment it is unclear coalitions of that sort are recognised.

THE 2003 LOCAL ELECTIONS - WEALDEN IS NO LONGER CONTROLLED BY THE CONSERVATIVES

The Liberal Democrats were the overall winners with 13 seats, with the Green Party coming in second with 11.

The Conservatives saw the biggest drop, going from 28 seats to eight. There are only 8 Conservative members and now an incredible 10 Independents.

With these results, Independent members have established themselves as a leading force on Wealden District Council.

Council officers will seek to train incoming candidates and brainwash them to the Pothole Party way of thinking. In revealing their dirty laundry, you will be asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement. That is to protect them from you when it is revealed how unlawfully/illegally a Conservative led council was conducted. Be careful not to be brainwashed. Look at what is presented against Statute, Common Law, and common sense morality. Have they acted with integrity in the past? Doubtful. Or why the need for a Non-Disclosure Agreement : )

INHERITED QUAGMIRE - The problem for those newly elected, or newly taking power, is the mess the outgoing affiliated members have left you to clear up. And it is a huge pile of poop make no mistake. Potential cures to these ails might be a potion from the cauldron that below.

Where councils are not providing land for low cost housing (just about all of them), Wealden might prevent consents for executive housing, until developers provide low cost housing up front. Requiring statutory reform, maybe, except that the 2021 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) provides that there should be "Entry Level Exception Sites" (Section 65 (d)). And at Section 68 (a), where they have to identify Specific Deliverable Sites - for a five year period. Wealden District is just one geographical location taking advice from Local Government Association advisers, on how to avoid meeting their obligations.

However, the simple act of retaining a register, with the get-out that they cannot provide land with services, is not a valid excuse for failing to provide the five year rolling stock of land. Simply because, once land is identified and made available by earmarking for low cost housing, flatpacks and other mobile units can be installed Stand Alone, and Off Grid. With the latest technology, water, waste, electricity and Wifi can all be provided without connecting to conventional services. Further reducing the cost of living, and pushing sustainability.

Low income earners are forced to rent at market levels, pushing vulnerable families into unaffordable debt - the rents going to overseas investors. Once again, this is a loophole that needs to be closed, and the council has compulsory purchase powers to obtain land, once it has been identified in a local plan, to be used for affordable homes, that locals can afford to buy. Making them more productive.

Money that goes to rental companies and wealthy landlords, frequently finds its way offshore, so that generated wealth (typically part housing benefits) is removed from the UK economy. Creating a loss of income, that would otherwise be spent on taxable goods in the UK. The council have purchased land, but not for affordable housing. Ask to see details of land purchases. And, while you are at it, ask where all the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments are going if not to provide an Infrastructure - as in Road Repairs and EV charging, etc.

In Wealden, it is alleged that at least one senior councillor has registered property offshore. It is unclear if this was to avoid registering conflicts of interest, or for tax advantage. Either way, it bears looking at.

PASSING THE BUCK - President Biden said a US default on its $31.4tn (£25tn) debt by Monday's deadline (5th June 2003) would have been "catastrophic". The ceiling was justified by a theoretical $1.5 trillion in savings. But what happens if spending creeps up again, or those savings cannot be made?

Suspending the debt limit through early 2025 takes the threat of default off the table until after next year’s presidential election. In addition to addressing the debt limit, the law caps non-defense spending, expands work requirements for some food stamp recipients and claws back some Covid-19 relief funds, among other policy provisions. The US Treasury Department had warned it would no longer be able to pay all of the nation’s obligations in full and on time – a scenario that could have triggered global economic catastrophe. What a state for any nation to get into. They are only "hoping" for fiscal stability. It is not guaranteed by any means - because they should have acted before $5.0 trillion. A Circular Economy, is where no borrowing is required. Not a country hanging out to dry.

To make better use of the free energy from offshore wind turbines, perhaps by generating hydrogen for fuel as gas for homes, and to generate electricity for fuel cell vehicles, and hydrogen for IC engines like that produced by JCB, or produce green methanol for other road cars, such as to use the existing service station infrastructure. Unfortunately, that presumes members are up to speed with such developments. It also presumes that funding development grants do not go to those already in fossil fuel businesses, with conflicts if interest. Such as investors in oil companies, or their subsidiaries.

There is no reason why Wealden might not endorse such technology, and even encourage the transition, with the right policies in place. To make it happen.

The UK could become a net exporter of energy and renewable technology. The energy cost 'crisis' would be averted. Energy companies that do not invest in renewables, could be fined, and/or lose their franchise. This might mean the enactment of urgent legislation, which the Conservative party might not support.

We need to encourage entrepreneurs in music, films and publishing in the Wealden area. One thing we are good at is creating original scripts and songs and producing very exportable actors, music is a valuable export. The pop group Abba, was once Sweden's second largest export, after Saab vehicles. Creative people should be encouraged, to write books and illustrate comics.

We are reliant on the import of cheap goods, and much of our food. We should encourage sustainable fishing along our coasts, and the growing of vegetables and grain, to reduce as much as possible, imports. Wealden has a number of vineyards.

It is cheaper in the long term to admit mistakes. Wealden used to make a habit of it. One of the longest running cover ups, concerns the Generating Station at Herstmonceux. Several council officials bandied together to defraud the then occupier of a grant he would have been entitled to. They shared information of the history to committees, as members might see if they look at the enforcement history, but then embarked on a campaign of denial. Basically, lying to the Secretary of State at appeals, the Magistrates Court and several High Court judges. From where there was no turning back. At this time seeking to appropriate the historic complex for Peter and June Townley, a matter of Article 14 discrimination illegality. As per the European Communities Act 1972, and of course the European Convention.

In 1997, a Petition saw evidence of such malfeasance in public office, referring the cases of 11 petitioners and one latecomer, to Sussex police. Though it appears the Sussex coppers were on the payroll. For they neglected to investigate, and then conspired to present a letter of exoneration to a full council meeting, read out by the Leader of the Council, as if the police had written the letter, when in fact it was drafted by officers, then printed on police headed paper - which the Old Bill supplied, as part of their Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice.

Each time these inconvenient facts were brought to the attention of your Chief Executive, the newby resigned. Then your council tried to resolve in 2003/04, with a Consent Order, where your council would apply for permission to regularize the permission, but instead sought to discredit the protestor in 2006, to as it were eliminate his assertions from the copy book.

We are talking about a valuable historic building here. One of a kind, the earliest and only surviving electricity generating station from C. 1900. With the potential for UNESCO listing as a World Heritage Site, because it used a battery store for load leveling. Over 120 years ahead of the systems now being used to load-level renewable, solar and wind energy.

This building is without a reasonable or beneficial use. Yet, your council owes the Trust trying to restore and maintain the building, a duty of care. That duty to protect the historic built environment. Instead, Wealden's officers embarked on a war of attrition. Doing all they could to prevent any beneficial use. Why? Because the then occupier caught them red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar. In 1999-2000 London University carried out a Survey, proving he'd been right in 1986, when he argued at appeal that the building was an early generating station.

So who is going to pay for the repairs and maintenance. Where is that money going to come from.

MARCH 2020 - Where there is no effective remedy in the United Kingdom, the affected person has a right of audience with the King (or Queen), to air their grievances. Her Majesty declined the application to her in 2019, taking some six months to respond, as part of the fending off process. See the 1689 Bill or Rights. You may think it was unlawful for her to do so. Time will tell.

All efforts to starve the occupier into submission have backfired, now the subject of an application to the International Court of Justice. With King Charles III as the head of state responsible, along with his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Who, as you can see from the above letter, washed her hands of the matter (Pontius Pilate). As patron of the Masons, guidance from the CCRC, CPS, Attorney General, Justice Minister, or whatever influences, we do not yet know for sure why Her Majesty ignored the 1689 Bill of Rights, but this is bound to come out in the wash.

It's not a pretty picture. The Gestapo were friendlier and more honest than your council have been. When they murdered their victims, it was quick. Not like the slow mental torture, Wealden have inflicted (and continue to inflict) on the man who saved this building.

The United Kingdom has many political parties, some of which are represented in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Below are links to the websites of the political parties that were represented in the House of Commons after the 2015 General Election. We need another General Election, but be careful to have policies in place that the electorate en-mass can swallow. Or, you'll not get elected, and land us with another term of the Pothole Party. You simply have to do the right thing.

HEATHFIELD SOUTH

PEVENSEY BAY

HEATHFIELD NORTH

UCKFIELD NEW TOWN

UCKFIELD & LITTLE HORSTED

DANIEL SHING

POLEGATE SOUTH & WATERMILL

POLEGATE NORTH

UPPER WILLINGDON

LOWER WILLINGDON

HELLINGLY

We are concerned with how the make up of the above parties and (reasonably) popular policies affects the Wealden district, because we are all brothers on two islands in the Atlantic Ocean and what we do of fail to do is likely to rebound on ourselves and our fellow man in other nations around the world. How we act today influences policies in other countries in our global community. It is not just about us and our patch.