"It's now May the 17th and I feel like I am only now emerging properly from the post-election haze and back into something like normal life again. The last few weeks before an election are always busy with campaigning but this year's campaign was particularly short for various reasons.
Campaigning
for an election is surprisingly fun. But it's also very physical work, with
lots of walking around, carrying bags of leaflets, and a fair bit of tramping
up and down stairs.
So Sasha das
Gupta and I were tired but happy by the time it came to the count, the results
were announced, and we were re-elected as Labour & Co operative councillors
for Forest Gate North.
I'd like to
thank everyone who voted for us. Being re-elected is a privilege, and not one
that either of us takes for granted. We have knocked on almost every single
door in the ward over the past few months and spoken to many people, and we'll
keep on doing so during our term of four years. Big thanks also to those local
Labour members who helped with campaigning, to our opponents, to the Council
officers who worked hard to make the election work, including counting all
those votes, and especially to all the residents who offered support and
encouragement.
In the
meantime, there is plenty to do. The problems with recycling collections seem
to have abated for the moment, but the situation with so many missed
collections was really not up to scratch at all, and is being taken extremely
serious by everyone. Turn out was low across Newham (and elsewhere) and we need
to keep on working hard to show how important local government is, and to
encourage people to have their voices heard.
It is a smaller
ward this time, with part of the old Forest Gate North having been carved off
to create the new ward of Maryland. So we are now a two councillor ward,
shortly to briefly be a one councillor ward when Sasha takes some time away
from the role to adjust to another new role, of being a mother! During this
time I'll post online about who is available and when, and will draw on support
from colleagues as needed to make sure residents aren't left without
representation.
This map
shows the new ward and its boundaries. Some of you reading this may see that
you were previously part of Forest Gate North but now you are not. If that's
the case then it's been a pleasure representing you (and you can naturally
carry on reading the blog!).
For those
still within the reduced ward, I'll carry on working as hard as I can to
promote everything about Forest Gate North that is so brilliant, to improve
those things that aren't, and to help those who need it."
Full election results for all the wards are online here:
https://www.newham.gov.uk/council/local-elections-2022
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