Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner Election

Avon Police
Image

The UK Independence Party does not intend to stand a candidate in the Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner elections on 2nd May 2024.

UKIP strongly opposes the posts of Police & Crime Commissioners. They are a waste of public resources and only serve to politicise our police.

The fact that turnout in 2021 was a lamentable 30.7%, (up from a mere 26% in 2016), tends to suggest that the voting public largely agrees with us and has little interest in this type of election.

“Treason” May’s Tory government in its wisdom, created Police and Crime Commissioners in 2011. For no good reason, she abolished local authority police committees (which were less costly and worked better) and replaced them with directly elected commissioners, which politicised policing.

Even though elected commissioners (theoretically) take an oath of impartiality upon taking office they still come with their own woke, politically correct baggage.

At its creation, a politically independent candidate was elected as the Avon & Somerset PCC and who then served from 2012 until 2021. Sadly, the 2021 election wiped-away all traces of political independence and installed a Tory Commissioner, (the former Tory deputy leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council). In other words, just another representative of the failed establishment political class. His fat salary alone is reportedly now costing local taxpayers £86,700 each year and we have to fund his 28 full time members of staff on top!

UKIP believes that the same money could be used better to increase resources for front-line policing in our rural towns and villages.

Hence; since 2021 UKIP has steadfastly refused to stand in an election for a post that we fundamentally believe should not exist and will simply produce a foregone conclusion that will result in yet another highly-paid political appointment for a member of the failed establishment elite. 

It seems a fair assumption that 69.3% of voters across Avon & Somerset agree with us as the silent majority clearly sat on their hands, and just didn’t vote last time. 

Law And Order Politics

New constituencies in Bath & Somerset

Somersetnew

The nine existing constituencies we have known in the County of Somerset are changing. The independent Boundary Commission for England has reviewed all existing parliamentary constituencies with the aim of evening out the number of voters in each seat. Their proposals have been accepted by Parliament, which means the next General Election will no longer be fought on the old Somerset County constituencies of  Bath, Bridgwater and West Somerset, North Somerset, North East Somerset, Somerton and Frome, Taunton Deane, Wells, Weston super Mare and Yeovil.

From the next General Election we now have eleven constituencies across the County. Some are new seats and some are named similarly to the previous ones (but some boundary differences may still exist).

Bath 

Bridgwater – Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge

Frome and East Somerset – Frome, Midsomer Norton and Radstock

Glastonbury and Somerton – Glastonbury, Somerton, Castle Cary, Langport, Street and Wincanton

North East Somerset and Hanham – Keynsham plus some parts of South Gloucestershire to the west of Bath

Somerset North – Portishead, Clevedon

Taunton and Wellington – Taunton, Wellington, Norton Fitzwarren and Staplegrove

Tiverton and Minehead – Minehead, Watchet and Williton, Hinkley Point C plus Tiverton across the Devon border

Wells and Mendip Hills – Wells, Axbridge, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and Yatton

Weston-super-Mare 

Yeovil – Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster

This has no effect on local elections and our three existing local authorities remain unchanged,  namely Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and Somerset Council.

Image

Somerset Council to devolve street & toilet cleaning to Parish Councils

Image

According to Somerset Live; keeping Somerset’s streets and public toilets clean could become the responsibility of town and parish councils as bankrupt LibDem controlled Somerset Council seeks to cut costs. The council faces a financial emergency and has to make savings so it wants to devolve responsibility for them to town and parish councils, which could lead to further rises in council tax bills.

Several town and parish councils have already expressed an interest in taking over responsibility but if these services are devolved to town and parish councils, the cost will have to be met through their local budgets, with any rise in cost being met by an increase in their share of the council tax precept.

Unlike Somerset Council, town and parish councils have no maximum limit on how much they can raise their council tax by in a given year.

Another LibDem catastrophe in Somerset. Don’t vote for them again! Join UKIP and help us to get rid of them.

Potholes are your problem to fix, LibDem controlled Somerset Council tells 101-year-old woman.

Image

According to Somerset County Gazette, Somerset Council told residents, including a 101-year-old woman, to fill their own potholes on their road.

Elderly locals in Watchet say they live on ”the most potholed road in England”with 21 potholes. Their concerns have been dismissed by council highway staff for two years.

The say more than six people have fallen over as a result of the potholes – described by a neighbour as ‘bomb craters’ – with two being hospitalised. Living on the street is one Somerset’s oldest residents, 101-year-old Sheila Nicholls, who lives with her husband Bill. They are all elderly residents and don’t have the money to pay for the work.

The LibDem controlled council said it is the fault of their cars and rather than listening to their concerns they just said it was “nothing to do with them”.

Our Priorities for Bath & Somerset

Priorities

Here are just six key reasons why UKIP councillors will improve local government in Bath & Somerset

PUT LOCAL RESIDENTS FIRST 

The UK Independence Party believes that our local councils have a duty to respect the interests of local residents and not capitulate to the interests of big business or big government.  Our Party understands the concerns and distress caused to residents by continual changes to and ever reducing public services. We would seek the consent of local people to changes, and not simply impose them.  We would give priority to local residents for housing, education, health and social services. In planning, we would respect the opinion of local residents, and we would not over-rule them

BRING LOCAL DECISION MAKING CLOSER TO LOCAL RESIDENTS 

The UK Independence Party believes in real devolution and real local decision-making. We will provide incentives to encourage local enterprise; attract local jobs and re-invigorate our local town centres and local high streets. We will fight to save our rural countryside and green spaces and we will not cover them with concrete to become an overflow for overcrowded cities. The UK Independence Party also believes it is important to ensure that local residents and service veterans should always come first in the allocation of social housing in the Bath & Somerset area

FIGHT CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Within Bath & Somerset, we still suffer from an unacceptable level of crime and anti-social behaviour. The UK Independence Party aims to overhaul systems to make sentences meaningful; rehabilitate offenders; deport foreign criminals; free our Police from excessive form filling; tackle nuisance neighbours and anti-social behaviour. In short, we will fight to make our communities safe places in which we can feel proud to work and live

SPEND OUR MONEY ON DOMESTIC NEEDS 

The UK has been wasting massive amounts of money. Much of our huge Foreign Aid budget has not been reaching genuine causes such as a need for drinking water, inoculations or disaster relief.  The UK Independence Party’s priorities are to focus future spending on domestic needs such as home care for the elderly; the most vulnerable; public services; health care; policing and run-down roads

REGAIN CONTROL OVER DEVELOPMENT

Housing, education, health and social services cannot cope with constantly rising numbers of people coming to live and work in Bath & Somerset. Our local councils have agreed to massive house building plans which are destroying the green belt and which causing much of northern Somerset merging with Bristol in one massive urban sprawl. Our councils give insufficient thought to the lack of new services, infrastructure and jobs needed to support the influx of new people moving into our area to occupy new houses

LOCAL REFERENDUMS

The UK Independence Party believes in direct democracy and the ability of local residents to put our community first.  We would give voters more power and would submit major decisions to binding local referendums, if local residents ask for them. We believe in respecting the hopes and desires of local people. By electing UK Independence Party Councillors in Bath & Somerset, you will take the vital first step towards restoring the rights of local people within our community

The establishment parties have let you down. UK Independence Party is here to fight for our local community. 

Why not have your say? You can fill out our Local Priorities Questionnaire here

 

 

By voting for the UK Independence Party in Bath & Somerset, you will get a conscientious, dedicated MP or Councillor who wants to make a difference

Local Elections in Somerset

2

UKIP Bath and Somerset branch campaigns in the three unitary local authorities within the ceremonial county of Somerset

  • Bath & North East Somerset
  • North Somerset
  • Somerset Council

Our role is to coordinate local campaigning activity, to nominate and stand candidates for election as councillors, to build up our party and to carry out administrative functions for our party in our local authorities.

The UK Independence Party has a track-record of electoral success in Somerset.

In the 2015 General Election, UK Independence Party candidate Stephen Fitzgerald took second place in Bridgwater and West Somerset with 19.2% of the vote ahead of Labour and the LibDems. In North Somerset Ian Kealey took third place with 13% of the vote ahead of the LibDems. In Somerton and Frome Alan Dimmick took third place with 10.7% ahead of the Greens and Labour. In Taunton Deane Laura Bailhache took third place on 12% ahead of Labour, and Greens. In Wells, Helen Hims took third place on 9.9% ahead of Labour and Greens. In Yeovil Simon Smedley took third place on 13.4% ahead of Labour and Greens. In North East Somerset Ernest Blaber took third place on 12% ahead of the LibDem candidate (Wera Hobhouse).

In 2015; Richard Scammel was elected in Sedgemoor (Bridgwater Dunwear Ward) with an 18.8% vote share and Lorna Corke in Highbridge & Burnham Marine Ward with 10.9% (both UK Independence Party gains).

Ivor Jones was elected as a UK Independence Party Councillor for Minehead Central from 2015 to 2019 on West Somerset District Council.

Have Your Say!

Hys

If you live or work in the Bath & Somerset area and would like to tell us about your concerns and priorities, you can have your say here.

Roads & Transport
Do you travel by train, bus, car or bike in the Bath & Somerset area? What could be done to improve your journeys? Are you concerned about potholes or road works?  Are you worried about service cuts? Have you seen a damaged or dirty road sign? Do you suffer from noise pollution or problems with out of area traffic moving to and from Bristol airport?
Recycling, Rubbish and Waste
What is your experience of the recycling, rubbish and waste services in the Bath & Somerset area? Are you happy with your council’s bin collection services?
Development
Are you concerned about the threat of large-scale new developments in our area? Are you concerned about the effect of new developments on the rural environment or loss of green spaces here? Are you concerned about wind or solar farms springing up in our area?
Housing
Would you like to see more starter homes for young people, affordable housing or sheltered housing for the elderly in Bath & Somerset? What needs to  be done to improve housing supply for local people in our area?
Crime and Policing
Have you been a victim of crime or anti-social behaviour in Bath & Somerset? What do you think of policing in our area? Are you concerned about policing cuts and police stations closing?  Would you like to see more police on the beat or PCSOs in your town or village?
Health Services
What is your experience of hospitals, health centres and GP practices in Bath & Somerset? Are you concerned about any aspect of health services, hospital transport or parking?
Services for the Elderly
Is there sufficient local service provision for the elderly, or people needing special care?  What should be done in Bath & Somerset to improve them?
Education and Youth Services
What is your experience of our local schools and youth services? What should be done to improve them? Do you support the provision of grammar schools or technical colleges in Bath & Somerset?

UKIP Bath & Somerset wants to hear the views of local people and local businesses.

    The UK Independence Party, Bath & Somerset Branch is here for people and businesses in own constituencies. If you don't live or work within the Bath & Somerset constituencies, please email our Head Office at mail@ukip.org who will be pleased to help.

    Please answer the question and tick the box before submitting your message to prove that you are not a robot

    Thank you

    By submitting this form, you consent to UK Independence Party, Bath and Somerset Branch holding and recording your details. You can read more about how we process information in our Privacy Policy

    National Elections in Somerset

    1

    UKIP Bath and Somerset branch campaigns in all the parliamentary constituencies in the ceremonial county of Somerset:

    • Bath
    • Bridgwater & West Somerset
    • North Somerset
    • North East Somerset
    • Somerton & Frome
    • Taunton Deane
    • Wells
    • Weston super Mare
    • Yeovil

    (The above names will change with effect from the next General Election).

    Our role is to coordinate local campaigning activity, to nominate and stand candidates for election as members of Parliament, to build up our party and to carry out administrative functions for our party in the eight constituencies.

    The UK Independence Party has a track-record of electoral success in Somerset.

    In the 2015 General Election, UK Independence Party candidate Stephen Fitzgerald took second place in Bridgwater and West Somerset with 19.2% of the vote ahead of Labour and the LibDems. In North Somerset Ian Kealey took third place with 13% of the vote ahead of the LibDems. In Somerton and Frome Alan Dimmick took third place with 10.7% ahead of the Greens and Labour. In Taunton Deane Laura Bailhache took third place on 12% ahead of Labour, and Greens. In Wells, Helen Hims took third place on 9.9% ahead of Labour and Greens. In Yeovil Simon Smedley took third place on 13.4% ahead of Labour and Greens. In North East Somerset Ernest Blaber took third place on 12% ahead of the LibDem candidate (Wera Hobhouse).

    In 2015; Richard Scammel was elected as a UK Independence Party Councillor in Sedgemoor (Bridgwater Dunwear Ward) with an 18.8% vote share and Lorna Corke in Highbridge & Burnham Marine Ward with 10.9% (both UK Independence Party gains).

    Ivor Jones was elected as a UK Independence Party Councillor for Minehead Central from 2015 to 2019 on West Somerset District Council

    Stand as a UKIP Candidate

    Image

    If you live or work in the Bath and Somerset area, if you feel passionately about local issues, if you long for a return to common sense politics and if you support UKIP’s aims and objectives why not apply to stand for us?

    Our Branch selects candidates to stand here, and we always want to meet prospective new candidates.

    Prospective candidates must adhere to a high standard of personal conduct and behaviour.

    If you become a party member; if you subscribe to our values, if you would like us to consider you as a local candidate, and if you feel you have what it takes, please get in touch

    error: Content is protected !!