Since my feverish haste to submit my election papers on 25th March, that first vital step to return to local politics, I’ve been far away from the campaign trail. Vietnam and Cambodia are now just visa stamps in the passport and warm memories of paddy fields and temples, water buffalo at work and thousands of scooters streaming across the major cities.

Back to earth and to Ewloe on 10th April, to learn that work still had to be done on our joint campaign news letter; the first salvo that introduced me as the new competitor for a the Ewloe seat together with my running mate, Mike Warburton the current Conservative councillor for that ward.

12th April. St David’s Hotel car park.

Great relief when Will Gallagher, the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary candidate rolled up with a large pile of badly needed “Ewloe matters” leaflets hot from the press. Now all Mike and I had to do was to deliver them to the 1900 plus residents we needed to persuade to vote for us. By 12 15pm, I had pushed the first batch through letter boxes and had drawn blood as a result. I soon discovered that most of the newer doors were not at all willing to accept my leaflet.

Latex gloves solved the problem and soon I was flying around Maes this and Maes that, all houses and flats build on the fields I had walked with my dogs eight years ago. Was that all that was left of a pond with reeds and blackthorn where the chiffchaffs sang in spring? Was there once a waving corn-field now buried under Llys Brenig and Maes Deri? Sadly yes to both!

Sunday 13th April was the deadline to produce our final messages for the manifesto, our personal statements of what we promised to achieve. My finely tuned email was despatched to Will Gallagher who once again produced sparkling document that looked good and read well. With two Labour, two Independents and Mike in competition for the votes, this election was never going to be a walk over.


14th April

Flintshire Evening Leader published a spiteful little letter about me from the Labour Party’s chief witch of their letter- writing coven. Regular letters are sent to the local papers whenever Labour wants to attack the opposition. Mark Isherwood, the Conservative AM for this area was delighted with her efforts. ‘Really got under their skin, well done’ was his message. I duly penned a suitable reply to my detractor and went back to the letter boxes. My box of latex gloves were dwindling as they wore out fast in the battle to post the pamphlets.


The Conservative Party printer worked overtime and on 16th April, at 4pm, I rushed to the great envelope stuffing ritual under the supervision of Gloria Lumley, a senior local Conservative Party stalwart. Her team was just a lovely elderly lady, Margaret; who congratulated me for having the courage to change my party. The pair had been folding and licking since 2pm. We struggled on till 6pm and it was gratifying to see the piles of brown manilas that would soon be franked and dropping on the mats of Elwoe residents courtesy of the Royal Mail.


On 18th April , I had to break yet another break from campaigning as my sister’s 70th birthday took me south to a family celebration and trip to eat oysters in France. Back on the 24th, the dogs were collected from kennels again and now it was time to start knocking on doors and tracking down those precious pledges.


The task of calling on very constituent would need an army of volunteers. I made a brave start on Saturday 26th and found a few friends on the way. The C’s- a definite sign of a pledge from me began to fill the sheets but there is still so much to do and time is so short, …

(Clicking on the image will open it in a lightbox on this page.)

28th to Election Day to 1st May 2008.

On Monday afternoon, taking time off from shoving leaflets though doors, I met with Paul DAVIES, an ex superintendent from North Wales Police and John Iball. Both of whom are Ewloe residents and the main players in the Action Group that had successfully lobbied to abort the 7 lane Aston Hill road scheme.  “But the road needs improvement, I argued, and where do we go from here?”  They did not know.


Knocking on the doors in the high employment Ewloe ward realistically means grabbing the few hours between getting home from work and sitting down to an evening of Telly watching. Smells from kitchens wafted out of every house that opened the door to me. I selected an area I thought would be fertile Tory territory and was invariably rewarded by a positive response. Many indicated I had their vote. By 7.30, it was time to pack in as a major football match was about to start on television.


1st May dawned bright and sunny but with a biting wind. Mike and I finally met our major opponents outside our two Polling Stations. We learnt that both candidates had positioned themselves close to the door of each station as soon as the polls opened, ensuring that their presence was felt and they were looking for support. Business was brisk from early evening and later, families brought their dogs, several of whom I ended up minding whilst the owner went to record their vote. It was not difficult to tell who was supporting us as those who did not usually refused eye contact and walked rapidly by.


Flint Pavilion was humming with activity when I arrived after 11pm. Tables were marked from A to G so that candidates would know where their votes would be counted. Ewloe was third on the list on Table H. Will Gallagher watched like a hawk as the ballot papers tipped out of the boxes and were given a preliminary count to ensure all papers tallied with the Tellers’ lists. Will thought that I would be OK as he had seen lots of ticks against my name but when the proper count started in earnest, I could not bear to watch.


All trays bore our names and each marked paper was assigned to the relevant tray. The process seem go on for ever and finally the calculator was produced. All candidates were called to examine the unclear papers and no one disputed the official’s decision. As the result was announced, we feverishly scrambled to write down the result. A tap on the shoulder jogged me into realising that I had won a seat, although second to the Independent candidate, David Mackie who amassed 631 votes. However, my 588 was enough to ensure that I would be going back again to County Hall.  I felt very pleased indeed. I felt much less pleased that Mike, my co Tory had lost but I was not surprised that Pamela Walkden, the Labour councillor, who had held the ward for eight years had come last. Her inactivity in the Ward had pushed the two independents into standing themselves and they reasoned that they could do much better. I am sure they are right.


May 6th 2008.

I signed a beautifully inscribed book that was used as the oath of allegiance in the presence of the Chief Executive Colin Everett and now I am officially a County Councillor again. Labour have 22 votes, the Independent Group headed by Patrick Heesom 26, the Lib Dems 11 and we Tories have 9 seats. A couple of cllrs are as yet non aligned and the battle for the leadership if the Council has already started in earnest.


As Cllr Heesom leads the largest group, by rights he should be the Council leader. However, there is a snag. The Chief Executive has confirmed that Patrick is being investigated by the North Wales Police for alleged impropriety under election law. The offences, using a Council photocopied for his election material; are being treated as criminal and thus cannot be dismissed lightly. I firmly believe that we cannot be party to agreeing toPatrick’s leadership even though he has not yet been found guilty. I was voted in on a manifesto of anti sleaze and commitment to transparency.  I would feel very uncomfortable if I had to compromise myself by accepting Patrick as leader. Watch this space.