This year Stockport voters will have two elections to cast their votes at. Council elections will be held on Thursday May 6^th and the General Election must be held by June.

With no Council elections other than by-elections in 2009 there will be a larger number of first time voters who will have their voice heard for the first time. I am sure that you will have already received various party literature explaining policy (or not) and the usual emergence of “campaigners” who have never been heard of in your Ward before. Now they pop up and try to convince you they have been working on your behalf since May 2008 they just failed to mention it before!

The media this year will be different from previous years and certainly since the last General Election. On tap 24 hour news, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and email will all be used to contact you to encourage you to vote for a particular party.

First time voters will influence the outcome of both elections. My eldest son votes for the first time this year and I am encouraging him and all voters to make their voice heard if you want real change in how you are governed nationally and how services are provided to you the taxpayer locally.

A couple of weeks ago, in this paper, the Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader of the Council said she was “very pleased” with a 3.25% increase in Council Tax and “no specific cuts in services just changes to how they are delivered”. Stockport now have the highest Band D Council Tax in Greater Manchester. By comparison the average Council Tax increase across the country will be 1.6% this year. It will be up to you to decide whether you think the services you receive for this price are up to scratch.

Cllr Brian Bagnall
Bramhall South

This article, by Cllr Brian Bagnall, was first published by the Stockport Express on 03.03.10.