| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 11:53, 3rd October 2025 |     |
A week is a long time in politics - and it's six weeks since this thread was active.
A week IS a long time ... and a further week has passed. My postal vote needs to be posted ...
From my blog
I have a choice to make - to vote for Tom Price or Jon Leach for the vacant seat on Melksham Town Council. With my community hats on, I look forward to working as may be appropriate with whomever should be elected.
Whichever is elected will have a strong mandate. He will be only one of three of our (14 or 15) councillors voted into office by the residents of the town.
I knew both candidates a little before the election campaign - Tom in his former role as a Town Councillor from which he stood down in May, and Jon from his role in the launch, promotion and continued growth of "Man Down".
The two candidate's campaigns / engagement has been starkly contrasting. I am impressed by Jon Leach - his literature / reach, his willingness to listen, challenge and engage, and his committent to communication.
Political party has very little to do with the choice our parish level, so although at a national level neither candidate would be my "cup of tea", for Melksham South I shall be voting for Jon.
Whichever is elected will have a strong mandate. He will be only one of three of our (14 or 15) councillors voted into office by the residents of the town.
I knew both candidates a little before the election campaign - Tom in his former role as a Town Councillor from which he stood down in May, and Jon from his role in the launch, promotion and continued growth of "Man Down".
The two candidate's campaigns / engagement has been starkly contrasting. I am impressed by Jon Leach - his literature / reach, his willingness to listen, challenge and engage, and his committent to communication.
Political party has very little to do with the choice our parish level, so although at a national level neither candidate would be my "cup of tea", for Melksham South I shall be voting for Jon.
I have engaged and had a very useful conversation on transport with Jon, and got to know him much better than I did; Tom is very welcome to respond to my multiple invites to engage should he wish to do so.
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 12:28, 25th September 2025 | |
A week is a long time in politics - and it's six weeks since this thread was active.
We have a contested by-election in Melksham South Ward for the Town Council and I am taking an interest in spite of a Town Council having little real power. It does have an ability to influence, and individual councillors certainly have an ability to champion and promote. My thoughts on what I am looking for in selecting my candidate - https://grahamellis.uk/blog1729.html . Both fall quite a way from my ideal, but I look forward to working with whichever is selected where that can help the town and its residents in spheres with which I am familiar.
For me ... an ideal parish councillor ...
* Lives in or very close to the ward he represents
* Somewhat prioritises ward matters over parish, over wider area.
* Is visible, reachable, answers or at least acknowledges messages
* Has the popular vote, or failing that was prepared to stand for it
* Has time, motivation and ability to actively serve as a councillor for 4 years
* Helps keep people informed and published decisions made and to be made
* Has a financial prudence, but is prepared to invest in the future for everyone
* Is trustworthy and consistent; if changing tack, explains why
* Shares my political views or has a degree of independence to his own views
* Looks out for everyone, quality of life and the environemnt around
* Has a practical medium and long term view as well as a short term one
* Encourages, supports, leads, directs those around him including staff and volunteers
[snip]
* Lives in or very close to the ward he represents
* Somewhat prioritises ward matters over parish, over wider area.
* Is visible, reachable, answers or at least acknowledges messages
* Has the popular vote, or failing that was prepared to stand for it
* Has time, motivation and ability to actively serve as a councillor for 4 years
* Helps keep people informed and published decisions made and to be made
* Has a financial prudence, but is prepared to invest in the future for everyone
* Is trustworthy and consistent; if changing tack, explains why
* Shares my political views or has a degree of independence to his own views
* Looks out for everyone, quality of life and the environemnt around
* Has a practical medium and long term view as well as a short term one
* Encourages, supports, leads, directs those around him including staff and volunteers
[snip]
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:27, 13th August 2025 | |
Now official - election called for 9th October.
Event now added to our Coffee Shop forum calendar.
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by rogerw at 12:05, 13th August 2025 | |
A sensible decision in my view
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 11:34, 13th August 2025 | |
Now official - election called for 9th October.
Various people have asked me if I will stand, and I told them I would consider doing so. Well - I have considered and had basically concluded "no, I won't". Further discussion with Lisa, and more observation of current councillors, have confirmed that decision - more at https://grahamellis.uk/blog1685.html
It will mean more time to do other things - now that I am back off the end of my 2000 mile plus journey from Svolvaer, I have time to work on software, sort out some transport questions, wash my clothes and write a book without being constantly pulled into fraught in-person meetings where progress seems positively snail-paced, and which worry my tempremant.
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by TaplowGreen at 16:58, 10th August 2025 | |
Graham - Make Melksham great again!
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 10:00, 10th August 2025 | |
I would be amazed 
if we don't have an election - let's put it like that. Quite a few people have written in, even from within the electorate of this particular ward which is perhaps just 12% of the population of Melksham. I don't know who will fill the vacant seat - but I know we will have given the opportunity to whoever it is to have the moral backing of the democratic process of voting, and will be answerable to the voters.
if we don't have an election - let's put it like that. Quite a few people have written in, even from within the electorate of this particular ward which is perhaps just 12% of the population of Melksham. I don't know who will fill the vacant seat - but I know we will have given the opportunity to whoever it is to have the moral backing of the democratic process of voting, and will be answerable to the voters. Now official - election called for 9th October.
| Re: Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 06:35, 9th August 2025 | |
I would be amazed
if we don't have an election - let's put it like that. Quite a few people have written in, even from within the electorate of this particular ward which is perhaps just 12% of the population of Melksham. I don't know who will fill the vacant seat - but I know we will have given the opportunity to whoever it is to have the moral backing of the democratic process of voting, and will be answerable to the voters. | Calling for an election - Melksham Town (South Ward) - 9 October 2025 Posted by grahame at 08:52, 2nd August 2025 | |
A hundred members are at the Coffee Shop logged in every day, and many, many more guests visit. You are from all over the segment of England and Wales covered by GWR and some from further.
This post is here to reach just the handful of members who live in the same council ward as I do - that's Melksham (South) and to request you to write in over this weekend to the returning officer at Wiltshire Council asking her to hold a by-election in the ward.
None of our four Town Councillors from May was elected in a public vote (not enough candidates) and one of them has now left the council. At a co-option process after the May election, no fewer than seven people offered themselves to fill the three vacancies across the whole council, and only two of them were deemed suitable by the largely self-appointed group we now have. I believe an election to fill the gap would be for the greater good of the town. So if you are one of the minority here who live in the ward - please write in for the sake and strength of community and voice in Melksham. If you know someone else who does, please ask THEM to write in
The details of who to write to, and a sample letter, are on my blog which includes a map of the South Ward
https://grahamellis.uk/blog1665.html
I have been asked if I would consider standing again. Yes, and indeed I am considering it - but that is a very, very different story to jumping in and actually doing it. I don't have an answer and I want and need to go through this very thoroughly with family when I get back to the UK. There's a further piece on that at
https://grahamellis.uk/blog1673.html
It is good to see Melksham Town Council starting to engage with transport issues such as the Bath and Wiltshire Metro proposals and I would love to be able to vote for a candidate who would have consideration for such matters. I celebrate that the engagements seen are going on in my absence and that bodes well for the future as I slacken off.
