I'm standing as councillor

[MarionCole]

I don't stand a chance really, but what if I'm actually elected?

The biggest issue with residents at the moment is starlings. I need a policy for getting rid of starlings. Humanely.

So am I! Good luck! May I ask if you're standing on behalf of a party? I am for the Greens. Are you canvassing? I'm scared of doing it, but think I should...

I'm Labour. Terrified of canvassing, but I think I should too. I've been doing a lot of leafleting and and happy to chat to people I meet on the rounds, but I really don't want to go knocking on doors. I know I hate people knocking on my door and cold-calling me in the evening, so I feel a bit of a hypocrite doing it.

Are there other Labour candidates standing near you?

We have managed to get candidates in all the local seats. Mine is pretty safe Tory.

good for you, we have too many tories on our council and they don't seem to care about anything but the effing green belt

why so many starlings?

Question: you have to get 10 signatures to support your name going on the ballot, right, saying they don't mind if you win?

Did those 10 people have to supply their voter registration numbers, and who paid to look that up?

A friend who wants to stand for Green Party has run into this wall; she can't afford to pay up for her would-be signers to find out their registration numbers.

They gave pigeons the pill here to control the population. Any good?

ragged yes, tyou need 10 people to support your application. They don't have to say they will vote for you.
She should not pay them. Simply 10 people in her ward to sign is all. You get the voter lists (with numbers) from the council, they provide them to all applicants free of charge.
What area is she in?

Yes, we have to get a copy of the electoral register to get voter registration numbers. Someone in the party is doing it for me, but my understanding was that they just have to go to the council and ask for one. I don't think there's a cost.

We have a lot of starlings and have had for months. I think they look delightful as they swarm over the town making pretty patterns, however they are shitting on everyone's cars and some people are getting upset. Someone has mentioned that you are meant to bring a natural predator in to scare them off, like a sparrowhawk.

Yes, we had peregrine falcons too, I think they work.

I filled out my form for the electoral register yesterday. It just gets sent to the council, who then send you a copy of the register, either on paper or electronic format. Easy.

Good for you and good luck (Marion and LoopyLoops). It's something I've thought about a few times and chickened out of - I do admire you.

No clue re starlings but they do look lovely. I should focus on how lovely they look.

We shall hold hands together on 5 May Loopy

:)
I'm a wee bit scared in that I think I may have a chance of getting in... Eek! Given that I'm 25 weeks pregnant...

MC - Totally ignorant of how this works, so just curious really.

Were you an existing member of the Labour Party & had been an active supporter who they then approached to stand. Or did you go to them and say you wanted to stand as a councillor and would they mind you doing so under the Labour banner?

Ah well, now you have a very good reason for not door-knocking! Think what all that standing will do to your varicose veins.

Good for you

SPD too... Oh, and a small toddler! Door knocking seems like a big ask!

Tess I'm an active Labour Party member. There is a process for the party members to select people to stand in the winnable seats. Then they look for volunteers to stand in the seats considered unwinnable. I'm one of the latter. It's considered important to have a name on the ballot paper in every seat so that Labour voters have someone to vote for. If nothing else, it gives us a steer about how much support we have in each are.

area

Well done for standing, even if you are standing for Labour - I wish you all the best for the campaign (even though obviously I hope you lose).

I have long thought about joining the Tory party and getting more involved - but as long as Cameron continues to let Eurocrats ride roughshod over us, it isn't going to happen.

Don't worry lfn, I will lose

To a large extent local politics isn't party political anyway, I am finding.

Ta LoopyLoop, we're in North Norfolk. I'll pass the info on.