| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Chiswick Riverside ward election result declared | |
| Posted by: | Jeremy Parkinson | |
| Date/Time: | 15/05/26 08:34:00 |
| Something is clearly happening in Chiswick Riverside and originally I'd have agreed with you that it was about boundary changes. However, having looked at it more closely, there were two main additions - the sliver of territory between Kew Bridge Road and the river which is mainly very expensive riverside property privately owned. I'd assume this would be Tory-leaning. The other bit is the large amount of new builds around capital interchange way. I haven't actually walked through this area for about 6 months and couldn't tell you anything about the occupancy levels and tenancy types but even if full it doesn't seem to me that it would have a sufficient anti-Tory bias to influence the overall result. Perhaps the best way to look at this is to consider that Chiswick isn't really a naturally Conservative area - it doesn't vote that way in General Elections or Mayoral Elections. It has differed in local elections because of a sense of grievance over issues such as parking and the Conservative councillors elected have tended to be quite effective and established the advantage of incumbency. Cycleway 9 remains an issue for many voters in Chiswick Homefields and Chiswick Gunnersbury with LTNs also a sore point for many in the former. Before Michael gets upset, I am not saying these are good or bad measures, just that they have solidified Conservative support in these wards and delivered a few hundred votes to provide a comfortable majority. In Chiswick Riverside there is no such hot button issue and it is reverting to more normal voting patterns - just a thought. |