First, congratulations to Labour’s Anita Leech for being elected the new Councillor for Leasowe & Moreton East, alongside Labour Councillors Ron Abbey and Ann McArdle. All three are now part of a Labour-controlled council in Wirral (37 Labour Councillors; 22 Conservatives and just seven Liberal Democrats).
Elsewhere, I was really pleased to see Leah Fraser return to the Council in Wallasey and Chris Blakeley re-elected in Moreton West & Saughall Massie – both are good councillors and both were elected with increased majorities compared to 2011.
Anyone who loses, particularly if you were an existing councillor, will describe their result as disappointing. And, for me, the result is of course disappointing but whatever I felt on Thursday night, it did not dent how I felt four years ago, when I was elected as councillor in this former ‘rock solid’ Labour ward.
Thursday’s result of 1,776 votes was up 212 on last year’s Conservative vote but down 249 votes from when I was elected in 2008.
I have made many good friends in Leasowe and Moreton since then – across the political spectrum and in all parts of the ward. Several took a very active role in the campaign and helped in many ways.
When someone’s political office comes to an end, there are always people to thank. I’ll start by thanking those people in the local community who I have worked with
- Jean and Bev at Upton Park
- Anne Marie, Suzanne, Brian and the gang at West Way Square
- Pat Gannon at Yew Tree
- Everyone at the Leasowe Estate Tenant’s Association
- The residents who helped to improve some of the play areas
- The volunteers who have taken a role on the new allotments society
- The governors at Christchurch CE Primary School and Castleway Primary School
- The Leasowe Play Youth and Community Association
- The Autumn Club
- Seven Waves Community Radio
- and all those residents who have worked with me on issues of concern in their neighbourhood.
I’ve probably missed someone…if so, sorry!
A ‘big’ thank you to all those people who have helped with the campaign – by delivering newsletters and leaflets, phoning voters, calling on their doorsteps, displaying a poster and generally getting involved. Much of this was possible because of the effoorts of my election agent, Margaret Kalil, who is a great asset to our local organisation.
I’d also like to thank those Council officers who went out of their way to help me tackle some of the issues in the community – I won’t name them on here but will try to contact them over the next week. I was amused to read this comment on the Globe website by ‘Council Officer’:
“I have had some experience of Ian Lewis. He is very much like chalk an cheese really. I believe he really tries to make a difference but unfortunately he is a tory in a safe labour seat! He certainly does like his social media though but does not always use this as positively as he could. He is a straight talker and this doesn’t go down well in the Town Hall so he isn’t much liked because of this. I have had experience of many councillors an Ian Lewis is one of the decent ones. Although I have to admit; you will either love him or loath him!
Well, it made me laugh.
I’ll avoid the George Formby remarks! We have reported the leaning lampost on Upton Road (in front of the fantastic Baxters Fish and Chips) to the Council’s streetlighting manager, asking for it to either be fixed or replaced. 
