Oakham Defeated Conservative Andy Burton slams Liberal Democrat campaign.
The defeated Conservative Party candidate in Thursday's Oakham South by-election has hit back at the Liberal-Democrat's campaign, which focussed on housing issues and planning policy.
Andy Burton, who is already an Oakham Town Council said he was 'disappointed' not to win, "but it was always going to be a very hard fought contest in view of previous results in the ward, the national issues with Health, Afghanistan and so on, but we fought a very positive campaign and yes there are lessons to be learned from the result."
He said: "Local Health provision and local housing developments were mentioned mostly on the doorstep. Our health provision in Oakham has significant room for improvement, and the planning issues are very complicated.
"Given that the reason for the by-election was over the resignation by the previous Conservative incumbent who, along with his Conservative ward colleague, voted against the planning application in the ward, it is something of a surprise that the Lib Dem campaign was centred around this planning issue when their own member sitting on the planning committee voted for approval of the application."
He continued: "Their criticism of the Council's stance on the Housing Infrastructure Fund monies, some £29 Million, was also somewhat surprising in that the Lib Dems voted against acceptance of the funding, presumably in the belief that by voting with the Independents on the council to reject the fund, it would stop the controversial development at St Georges Barracks from going ahead.
"Far from stopping the development, the LibDem position has likely strengthened the hand of any future developer in how any application proceeds, and deprived the County of Rutland of a much needed £29 million.
"My worry for the residents of Rutland is that now another Lib Dem Councillor has been elected, this will reduce the Conservative majority and will now make it more difficult to attract future funding into Rutland if they continue to make the same shortsighted and ill informed voting decisions."
Mr Burton accused his opponent of running a 'negative campaign' saying it clearly worked, as he won.
"In all election campaigns I have run over more than 20 years as a Councillor, I have always believed that highlighting what I and my Conservative colleagues will do for residents is more important than trying to find negatives in others policies, but it is obviously easier to campaign against and criticise what is being delivered by the ruling party when you are in opposition. That's politics."
He also told Nub News: "You asked if I would try again. I have served as a successful Councillor in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and previously as a Town Councillor in Market Weighton, and I am now proud to serve Oakham residents as a Town Councillor on Oakham Town Council.
"Yes I will put myself forward for selection and if my party selects me I will be proud to stand again for election to Rutland County Council."
https://oakham.nub.news/n/oakham-defeated-conservative-slams-liberal-democrat-campaign
The Conservatives need to listen to the residents. This man was never going to be a suitable person to join their team. He was always going to be a poor loser. The Conservatives need to listen to the residents over 1200 of those residents who voted Conservative in the 2019 OS Ward did not bother to vote at this weeks by-election.
Oakham Town Cllr Andy Burton was County Councillor for East Riding and there is a little poor press. He was also a Town Councillor in Market Weighton
Councillor Andy Burton was the Portfolio Holder for Economic Investment and Planning delivery and previously Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Local Economic Development, and Planning Highways and Transportation. Andy has also served on a number of Overview and Scrutiny committees and panels since 1999 when he became East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor for the Wolds Weighton Ward. He also served as chairman of the Western Area Planning committee and was a member of the Strategic Planning committee.
Andy was Chairman of the East Riding Pension Board and previously served as Chairman of the East Riding Pensions Committee as a trustee of the LGPS (Local Government Pensions Scheme) and was previously Chairman of Weighton Area Regeneration Partnership, a Market Town initiative funded through what was Yorkshire Forward.
Andy was previously a Town Councillor at Market Weighton Town Council and also previously a School governor at a local school in Market Weighton.
Work experience not related to local government:
Andy worked as a consultant to an Agricultural manufacturer of trace elements and bio-stimulants for crop production but previously worked as an agronomist specialising in Potato Production. Andy is BASIS and FACTS registered.
Formerly, Andy had his own business Importing and selling agricultural machinery and was also MD of a UK based agricultural machinery manufacturing business. Prior to that, Andy owned a fruit and vegetable wholesale and retail business with a total of 3 shops and also previously Managed Dairy and arable farm.
Andy attained an MA in politics at Huddersfield University.
For some reason Cllr Andy Burton was know in Yorkshire for being a 'Conservative Councillor Andy Burton – Utter Bunkum'
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