Petition: One Election for All Local Councillors in Tameside

Ashton Town Hall

Every single person in the Borough of Tameside could vote in the next local elections. Yet no matter who they decide to vote for, the same political party would still keep control of the Council. This is because there are currently 51 Labour and 6 Conservative councillors and only 19 council seats are contested in any one year. 

In the next local elections, Labour will defend 16 seats and the Conservatives will defend 3.

Even if Labour lost all 16 seats they would still have 35 Councillors and would retain control of Tameside Council. If every elector in Tameside voted for another political party, whether it be Green, Ukip, Liberal Democrat etc, they would still wake up the following morning to find the same political party (Labour) in control.

This cannot be democratic. Should the voters ever decide that they wish another political party to take control of Tameside Council, then it should only take one election to bring this about - not two, three or more elections. That is why I believe that every councillor should face re-election at the same time, every time.

This is not a party issue. No matter which political party holds the majority in Tameside, the possibility that such a party can lose control of the Borough in just one election would make the party in power much more accountable to the electorate!

If you agree, please sign the petition below:

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/one-election-for-all-local-councillors?source=facebook-share-button&time=1384131840

Thank you!

Carl Simmons; 

Denton South Independent,

11th November 2013