Argument follows Cliffsend parish election
THERE were dramatic scenes at the Cliffsend village election last night, after one parish councillor refused to recognise the result.
Vera Hovenden won the seat after beating competitor James Berry by just one vote.
But just seconds after Thanet council’s returning officer, Glenn Back declared Mrs Hovenden the winner, village Cllr Beryl Harrison announced: “I wish to make a formal complaint.”
Cllr Harrison, who stood with a small crowd, said: “We were stood at the front of the village hall and we didn’t speak about the election and she (Vera Hovenden) was openly asking people to vote for her. It is against the rules to ask people.
Newly elected parish councillor Vera Hovenden shrugged off the complaint, saying: “I’m delighted with the result and I look forward to working on the things in my manifesto. I shall go into my first parish council meeting in February with an open mind.”
Returning officer Glenn Back said any complaints would be passed on to Thanet council chief executive Richard Samuel to look into.
See Friday's Isle of Thanet Gazette for the full story of the ensuing argument.
6 Comments
by Deby, cliffsend thanet
Saturday, March 06 2010, 4:59PM
“I think there should have be another council vote at cliffend us Vere hovenden did ring me and asked me if iv voted for her yet and told me to bring down my hubby to.i also know of other voters she rung and asked.Its all wrong so i decided to vote for no one”
by disaffected resident, Cliffsend
Monday, February 01 2010, 9:41PM
“When the parish council was first "mooted", I actually took the time to write to TDC advising that I was wholly against it, for fear of self interested parish counsellors, serving only their own and no others agenda. The shameful backbiting and bickering since have done nothing to disuede me from my view. The next "fight" of the parish council seems to be against suggestions of a "halt" or parkway station. How about actually speaking to the residents, who you may actually find are not actually opposed to progress? Heaven forbid that we be brought into the 20th let alone the 21st century and furthermore, heaven forbid that such a station might actually attract more people to move to the village.”
by Case, Cliffsend
Friday, January 29 2010, 12:36PM
“As residents in Cliffsend for over 33 years, we would like to know why these people need to be on a council anyway? All that has happenend recently is spending of Taxpayers money, and little service to the local community. The state of Walmer Gardens road surface is a disgrace, and a liability for accidents for which, once again, Taxpayers will be liable.”
by beryl Harrison, cliffsend
Saturday, January 23 2010, 11:09AM
“Who is David Fremlin?. I would like to have the opportunity to meet him face to face. I do not think that we have had any contact via the Parish Council. so if you are going by what you have read in the newspaper i am very dissappointed. Please do contact me. Cllr Beryl Harrison.”
by David Fremlin, Cliffsend
Wednesday, January 20 2010, 6:38PM
“If Mrs Hovenden's tactics had been so offensive surely the electrate would have voted for Mr Berry in their droves - and where was Mr Berry in the run up to the election - not out winning support from villagers that's for sure, we only saw Mrs Hovenden, who may not be to everyone's taste but is surely the more capable candidate for standing up against the bullies already residing on Cliffsend Parish Council - lets stop this self interested in fighting now and allow a new more democratic Cliffsend Parish Council to do its job”
by james berry, cliffsend
Wednesday, January 20 2010, 5:53PM
“Several people in the village have today asked me where they can lodge a complaint about the winning candidates tactics outside the polling station to win votes which she was spoken to by the polling officers and police. Also there have been several complaints about her using the telephone to cold calling people in an effort to influence their votes during polling day which they are not happy about.”