Vote for Me. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?

Who votes anyway?

If you’re reading this then you might be one of the 40% of the UK population that choose to vote in UK Local Elections. You might even be one of the 8,677 electors of Redland. If so, then I’d like you to vote for me.

What does this Barlow fella actually believe in?

I believe in three general principles:

1. That the state should be small, and should not seek to interfere excessively in the lives of the people
2. That taxes should be low, and that you are best placed to decide how to productively use the money that you earn
3. That Bristolians are fundamentally sensible, intelligent people and that we should trust each other to live our lives peacefully and honourably.

Loosely speaking, these are one way to describe traditional “small-c” conservatism, hence I am your candidate for the Conservative & Unionist party, because I think they’re more likely – with a bit of nagging - to implement policies nationally that will support my local philosophy.

Is he local?

I was born in Southmead Hospital, like most of us in the area, and I’ve lived in Bristol (and Yate) all my life, apart from a brief stint with Her Majesty’s Royal Corp of Signals. I didn’t go to University, but I’ve since completed my degree with the Open University. What else? I’m married, play chess (badly), probably spend more time fiddling about with computers than is healthy, and I really need to do a bit more physical exercise. I’m neither particularly wealthy, nor particularly skint, just somewhere in the middle.

Isn’t he just another one of those expenses-grabbing politicians?

I don’t consider myself to be a career politician, and I’ve got better things to do with my life than run for Parliament. My day job is project management and information technology and my business is the main focus of my professional life. I also get involved through the Rotary Club of Bristol with a few charitable causes, but I don’t like to talk about it, great mates.

I reckon I’ve got a pretty good, common-sense approach to life that will make me a worthy representative for you in the Council chamber.  But you should make your own judgement - I’ve been blogging here for the last couple of years, so I’d suggest you have a poke about on this website or just google “James Barlow” and see whether you like the sort of thing I’ve been saying.

If you have a question about something specific, the best way to contact me is through this website, or give me a bell on 909 6418.

http://jamesbarlow.co.uk/contact

What’s wrong with the Council?

Bristol City Council is an enormous enterprise. In fact in terms of the money it throws about it is bigger than some countries that sit in the United Nations. And it’s all your money; some collected from local businesses and passed on to you in higher prices, and most collected from you directly as Council Tax.

I think the Council spends too much of your money, and I think they spend it foolishly. By reading their published papers, and using the Freedom of Information act to obtain otherwise unpublished documents, I’ve identified plenty of opportunities to slim down the organisation, cut vanity projects and excessive management posts, and to stop duplicating the work of other bits of the public sector.

Huge amounts of money have been spent on education, social services & other council programmes. But the results are no better. For example, despite the budget for education doubling over the last 10 years, the local education department (CYPS) seems content that 1 in 4 children leaving Bristol’s primary schools are to all intents and purposes illiterate and/or innumerate.

I’ve also investigated the running of the local Police, Fire Service and NHS trust, and demonstrated where these organisations are spending your money unwisely.

What are you going to do about it, then?

If I get elected, I’ll do what I can to stop the steady increases in Council Tax, to remind Council Officers to focus on the fundamentals of their roles rather than fancy-pants marketing plans and corporate double-speak, and to limit the Council’s ambition to intrude into your private life.

I will also be available to help you if you have problems with council services, or if you’re in trouble and you need some advice. (Note – if you’re homeless or seeking benefits, I will put you in touch with the right department, and I’ll also help you to think about how you can get your life back on track, get a job and live independently.)

And that’s my stump speech.

What about the competition?

if this doesn’t sound like what you want in a councillor, and you're looking for someone who’s always available for a photo opportunity or a civic banquet; someone who occasionally puts a bit of dead tree through your letter box, but would otherwise prefer that you not enquire about what they do for their £11 grand a year allowance; someone who doesn’t see any problem with regularly increasing your Council Tax, then just tick any of the other boxes on the ballot paper as they’re all pretty much the same.

Anything else?

In line with standard practice on the Internet, here is a picture of my cat: