Clare Golby is a former councillor on Nuneaton and Bedworth Council
In the wake of the 2024 local elections, where Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council slipped from Conservative control, a profound sense of disappointment looms over us. As a councillor deeply committed to public service losing by a mere 5 votes to someone who had done nothing other than wear a red rosette was a difficult defeat.
But it’s not just about our local area. This is a story echoed across the nation as Conservative councils faced huge losses.
Let’s rewind to 2021, a pivotal year where, after over four decades of Labour dominance, Conservatives finally took control of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. It was a triumph, spoken about at the most senior party levels. It marked hope and determination. That Conservatives could not only win nationally in staunch Labour areas but locally too.
Victory quickly turned into challenge. We inherited a council on the edge of financial ruin, burdened with inefficiencies and failing services. Yet, undeterred, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.
It’s been intense. Over the course of three years, we initiated a transformation programme the likes of which the authority had never seen before. Through prudent financial management, we steered the council from the brink of bankruptcy to a position of stability, boasting a healthy surplus.
We streamlined operations, enhancing service delivery and efficiency. Rescued crucial projects, like town centre regeneration and the construction of a state-of-the-art leisure centre from the brink of collapse.
Most importantly, we ignited a revival of civic pride, breathing new life into our community.
Yes, there were some local issues. I was personally targeted relentlessly on an issue that as, yet I can’t talk about publicly, which meant I couldn’t defend myself from the campaign & accompanying commentariat.
However, as a collective Conservative group, we stood firm. Armed with a compelling message of achievement and a proven track record of success we were the best people to continue the job.
We lost 14 councillors, me included and overall control of the council. Forced to hand it back to the very same people who had wrecked it and previously driven it to the brink of collapse.
The reason? A prevailing sentiment among our residents: apathy towards the ballot box, driven by frustration with the powers that be in Westminster.
The numbers tell a stark tale. Voter turnout, typically averaging 30-35 per cent, plummeted to a crushing 27 per cent. Our main opposition Labour, largely unscathed, capitalised on our losses. I suspect this is a narrative playing out across the country, reflecting a deep-seated disillusionment among conservative voters.
The broad-brush response from doorsteps of those refusing to vote is simple. We have a Blairite hangover government with higher taxes and immigration numbers. We’re lacking policy which cut’s through & the messaging on what we do have is not resonating.
In the aftermath, I sought answers from our local MP, Conservative Deputy Chairman responsible for Local Government campaigns no less. How do voices like mine find resonance in Westminster when the party seems to have left us high and dry? The response was dismissive, attributing our defeat to a mere ‘hyper-local’ issue, a brush-off that only deepened my frustration.
The Deputy Chairman’s title, once emblematic of influence, now feels nothing more than ceremonial.
There’s a glaring disconnect between the hard graft of local councillors and the aloofness of our national counterparts. While we toil on the ground, knocking doors and rallying support, the response from Westminster oscillates between indifference and condescension.
What’s needed is recognition — recognition of the complex web of challenges we’re facing, acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by people like me. Support for those who give up massive amounts of their lives and in my case put their personal safety on the line, to do what they do.
Above all there is contrition needed for the failures which led to our collective defeat. The ‘nothing to see here’ mantra emanating from CCHQ has been compared to a ‘slap in the face’ and serves only to compound many people’s frustrations and belief that Westminster simply doesn’t get it.
Local government is the lifeblood of our democracy, the tangible embodiment of political engagement. Yet nationally, with nearly half of our local seats lost, the message is clear: a reckoning is overdue. We’re not just second-class politicians; we’re the backbone of the party, overlooked and undervalued. My fellow councillors, both elected and aspiring, share in my disillusionment.
As we look ahead to future elections, the path forward is uncertain. But one thing is clear the success of our party hinges on collaboration between local and national levels, on recognising the invaluable contributions of grassroots activists and councillors alike with more than just lip service, relentless WhatsApp messages from special interest groups in the party and a few gushing tweets here and there.
CCHQ should heed the message: the road to victory in the next general election is paved not with dismissals and platitudes but with genuine accountability and a renewed commitment to our shared cause. Conservatives need to be Conservative. At the moment, our voters don’t think that we are.
And to those MP’s who after these elections are still not listening or don’t believe they have to take any responsibility. When the time comes to knock doors and deliver leaflets, the support you seek to do this may be harder to come by.
Good luck.
The post Clare Golby: The lesson from the local elections? We need to give a reason to our natural supporters to vote. appeared first on Conservative Home.
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Author: Clare Golby
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