David Solomon for East Fairfax : By-Election on Thursday 6th Feb

David Solomon Labour’s candidate in East Fairfax

It’s helpful having an instantly recognisable face. Labour’s David Solomon is instantly recognisable, not just because he looks a bit like Santa, but because he’s lived and worked in Bridgwater all his life and has taught literally thousands of Bridgwater students at schools and colleges in the town. And so it was this weekend when Dave and the Labour team talked to the voters of East Fairfax.  On Thursday 6th February, voters will be going to the polls to select a new town councillor and it’s a 3-way battle between Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. Dave says “This is a very close call because it’s the most marginal seat on the council with often just a few votes in it. But the response I’ve had has been great actually. I would be very glad to be elected on Thursday and add my experience to my colleagues on the Town Council.”

Labour’s team with David Solomon on Bower Manor

This campaign however has not been a simple choice of which of the three candidates would be best for the job. The Tories have been throwing everything including the kichen mangle into paid social media adverts to scare people and deflect attention away from them being the reason things are so bad.

Labour message getting across

Labour leader Brian Smedley with David Solomon in East Fairfax

Cllr Brian Smedley, leader of the Labour Town Council, has been out in East Fairfax  along with other Town Councillors and says “The Tories have been trying to tip the world on it’s head and blame anybody but themselves. To be honest very few people have raised the issue of the council tax because mostly they know the Tories created the mess, having been in Government for 14 years and having run down the County council while they were in charge of it. And people know it;s the Lib Dems who run the County now and are making all the cuts. I explain to them that one of the reasons the town council precept has gone up is because the town council is now doing jobs that used to be Somerset Council jobs. So not surprising the precept has gone up. We are charging more to do more. Somerset Council by contrast are charging people more to do less.”

Tories ‘sowing confusion’ – no change there!

Councillors Mick Lerry and Kathy Pearce out helping David Solomon

David adds “People are also confused by which council does what. A lot of people talk about the state of the roads, about potholes, about the Celebration Mile, about roadworks. But these are all County Council responsibilities so despite what confusing messages other candidates put out about what they will do when elected, unless they’re elected to County then they can’t. “

Cllr Smedley explains “At Town we manage a £4m budget. And we are not in any financial problem at all. At County their budget is £600m. That’s a big difference and that’s the majority of your council tax right there. And of course they ARE in a financial crisis. And even though it;s the Lib Dems trying to manage that crisis, we all know it was the Tories that created it. From what we hear on the doorsteps we think the people of Fairfax East know that too.”

Vote for David Solomon on Thursday 6th February at Sydenham Community Centre, Parkway.

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