How to be a councillor
Not that easy it seems.
As I scour the nominations on-line one jumps out.
Next to Lindsay Turner's application to be a councillor in the Mudeford and Friar's Cliff ward of Christchurch Borough Council there is a note:
Reason why no longer nominatedDescription used does not meet the requirements of Rule 5 (1) of LEPAR 2006
Lindsay's Crime: Where others are described as "The Labour Party Candidate" she has put down "The Candidate for the Labour Party"
Oops!
The Council say that if she hadn't put the nomination in so close to the deadline they could have helped her with the wording...
Double ooops!
Three Conservatives elected unopposed in that ward.
Here's the full list of candidates for Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset and Purbeck, more to follow.
Welcome to the hustings! I'm Peter Henley, the BBC's political reporter in the south of England. From parish councils in Sussex, to European politics in Oxford, this is the blog for you. 
Comment number 1.
At 20:26 5th Apr 2011, TGR Worzel wrote:I'm just wondering now, how many wards across the South of England have people being elected unopposed...?
I know that large chunks of Hedge End only have candidates from the Lib Dems, so no election is required for the Town Council.
If this "uncontested election" business is more widespread, not just a few isolated pockets in Lib Dem strongholds like Hedge End, don't we have a major problem with local democracy...?
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Comment number 2.
At 00:56 6th Apr 2011, Jason Sanderson wrote:Peter Henley stated on the South Today programme that the Poole People Party with 8 candidates, had more candidates then the Labour Party in Poole - this is totally incorrect.
The Labour Party in Poole have 11 candidates standing:- 3 in Alderney, 2 in Hamworthy West, 1 in Hamworthy East, 1 in Newtown, 3 in Oakdale and 1 in Parkstone.
This is typical, sloppy, inaccurate and biased reporting by the BBC. They can't get their facts right or do simple addition - go and check the Poole Borough web site.
Jason Sanderson - Chair of Mid Dorset & North Poole Labour Party
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Comment number 3.
At 07:39 6th Apr 2011, Peter Henley wrote:Calm down Jason. You're accusing me of saying something that I did not.
I was talking about the number of wards that were uncontested. In Poole Labour has put up more candidates than the Poole People Party, but only in six of the sixteen wards. Now that may be good tactics, but it means most people voting cannot choose to vote Labour. In Penn Hill and Poole Town, however, they can choose to vote for a Poole People candidate.
I also talked about the shortage of Liberal Democrats in East Dorset, Waverley and West Dorset - so please don't think I was picking on you.
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Comment number 4.
At 10:41 6th Apr 2011, Jason Sanderson wrote:This is what Peter Henley actually said on South Today:-
"They (referring to Poole People Party) have 8 candidates in these local elections in May which is more than the Labour Party in Poole"
This statement specifically refers to the number of candidates, and there is absolutely no mention or reference to the number of wards being contested.
Look, if you made a genuine mistake, then fine, put you hand your hand up and admit it, BUT don't try to pretend you were saying something else.
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Comment number 5.
At 14:43 6th Apr 2011, Peter Henley wrote:Jason, I have now done what I should have done earlier and watched the recording of the live chat with Sally. I owe you an apology.
I DID incorrectly say that Poole People have more candidates than Labour. As you say - they have 8 and you have 11.
I wrote a script about the number of wards being contested, I meant to talk about the number of wards being contested, but in the course of the conversation on the sofa with Sally it came out wrong. It was a simple slip of the tongue, but it shouldn't happen.. and I should have checked the tape before replying to your comment.
Let me assure you that we try hard to be accurate, as well as conversational and up to the minute, and when I am wrong I WILL put my hand up to it, so there will be a correction for you and your hard-working colleagues on South Today.
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Comment number 6.
At 17:02 6th Apr 2011, Jason Sanderson wrote:Peter - Apology accepted and very much appreciated, thank you.
Remember, that if you ever want an alternative viewpoint in the South, something different from the usual Tory/Liberal line, you are most welcome to come to Poole.
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