‘It’s a dilemma’: Residents in rare Conservative-controlled ward in Trent Valley share views ahead of election

Residents living in one of just a handful of Conservative-controlled wards across Gedling borough have shared their thoughts ahead of the May 4 local elections.

As it stands Gedling Borough Council is run by a Labour administration.

There are 41 seats available on the council, covering 19 wards across the borough.

In 2019, when the last election took place, Gedling Labour increased its majority by four seats to 29, eight clear of the threshold to take control of the council.

Meanwhile the Conservatives lost seven seats, bringing the group’s total down to eight.

The Liberal Democrats gained one, bringing the total number of seats on the council to two, and two independent councillors were elected.

Despite Labour’s prowess in the borough, the Trent Valley ward, which encompasses Stoke Bardolph and Burton Joyce, remained blue.

Mike Adams managed to secure 658 votes, or 42 per cent, while Sam Smith secured 595 votes, or a 38 per cent share.

The next closest candidate was Labour’s Margaret Strong, who had 494 votes.

One life-long Labour voter says she is now considering a vote for Mr Adams and Mr Smith due to what she describes as good work in her community.

“I will be voting because I always do, because it is important,” said Dawn Lee, a retired farmer who lives in Stoke Bardolph.

“In this locality the councillors are pretty active. I’m a life-long Labour voter, but I am split.

“For the first time it is a dilemma. They are very involved.

“Previously when we had Vernon [Coaker], he was a very good MP, whereas I cannot say the same for the current one.

“But the councillors, right from being elected, have been in the area a lot getting involved.

“To be honest it is generally a Conservative area, but there is a level of mistrust from top-down.

“The roads are shocking but Mike has been on top of that, he has his links to highways, but you only have to drive around to see we are not alone.”

Angie Robertson, who runs The Barber Shop and Bar in Station Road, Burton Joyce, says her business has been struggling due to soaring overheads.

“Covid has changed people’s habits,” she said.

“Bills, the cost of living, has had a huge impact on people. The young people do not come out in the village, everything has gone up.”

As such she says she does not have “much faith” in politicians at a national level.

But she praised some of the work done locally by councillors.

“They are very involved in the village,” she said.

“They are present, very approachable and personable.

“They are definitely pro-village and want to make it a better place. They have got another crossing put in and there are speed cameras going in.

“It cannot be easy.”

Asked if she believes the Conservatives may again be successful in the Trent Valley ward on May 4, despite what she said was a lack of faith nationally, she added: “I would have thought they would get back in, but you never know.

“You see on the village Facebook group people saying good things, but you do not know about people who do not say anything and how they are feeling.”

However, Rhea Lindley, whose family runs nine Lindleys Autocentres branches across Nottinghamshire, says she has always been disengaged with politics both locally and nationally.

“Politics is not really for me, my other half is well into politics though,” she said.

“I know I should. It is not that I do not want to be interested, I am just too busy.

“I’ve got two children under two.”

The election will be the first time voters must bring photographic ID to polling stations to cast their ballot.

The candidates standing for two seats in Trent Valley are as follows:

Trent Valley Ward (2)

Mike Adams – Conservative Party Candidate

Richard Ian Macduff Fife – Liberal Democrat

Richard Douglas Fletcher – Labour Party

John Edward Flynn – Liberal Democrat

Muhammad Ebadullah Malik – Labour Party

Sam Thomas Smith – Conservative Party Candidate