Progressives STATEMENT FROM PROGRESSIVES ASSOCIATION Things the Independents do not want you to know:~ First they asked the residents of West Park ward for candidates to stand at this election. Did you know they had already picked their candidate and low and behold she is the sister of Allen Branley? The same happened in the Westoe ward where they chose Jane Branley’s son. Then they found they had a problem, so they withdrew him and put Jane Branley’s brother in his place. The candidate for West Park, H Speirs, was born in North Tyneside move to London where she has lived most of her life and recently returned to the North and works in North Tyneside. They claim they are against Council allowances yet out of 8 Councillors, 5 of them claim the full amount. Example Councillor Khan stated in a leaflet before the election he would not claim anything, yet straight after he was elected he claimed the full amount, approximately £6000. They claim they are against conferences yet one of their Councillors wanted to go on 18 conferences in 6 months. At the last budget meeting their amendment out of ‘their 8 members only 6 of them voted, why? Source ‘Council Meeting Minutes 8 May 2010’ Over the lest year, 4 Independent Councillors have walked away from the Alliance and it is rumoured that another one is ready to go. They believe Councillors should live in their ward, yet one of them is a Councillor in Fellgate, Jarrow, yet she lives in South Shields. Last but not least, Councillor A Branley, who was a Labour Councillor for Cleadon ward and Councillor J Branley, who was a Labour Councillor for Westoe ward, were both kicked off the Council for failing to attend any Council meetings in the previous 6 months from 1993-1994. Then Councillor A Branley was kicked off again for not attending a single meeting for 6 months, as an Independent Councillor, during the year 2008-2009, causing a by-election in the Westoe ward which cost the rate payers approximately £20,000. What an appalling record. Printed and Published by the Progressive Assosiation, 34 Central Gardens, South Shields