Dear Sir,
Listening to an Independent election candidate over the last few weeks has been like listening to the last remaining radio statio, repeatedly playing the same two songs: Labour this, Darlington Councillor that, bot forgetting the B side ”love me tender”, because there are two Independents in particular – so interesting that they make me want to open up a dust farm. There is a well known quote by Elvis Presley: “Do something worth remembering”. Granted, one candidate is chairman of 2 community groups. I too am chair of my own local group but I have always maintained a divide between my role of Councillor and that of group chair. The other candidate had a 10 month suspension from the Labour Party for attempting to manipulate a by-election last year. On this occasion though Elvis did not leave the building wholly of his own accord – the term “gentle persuasion” comes to mind. Hopefully these are points worth remembering at the polling stations.
Recently their campaign seems to be a push for votes by constantly choking people with one agenda item – the Aycliffe Councillor that lives in Darlington – instead of informing the public of what they plan to do if elected. When elected in 2013 I had been a Newtonian for 41 years. I pride myself on a successful four years as Councillor,able to work with anybody regardless of Party or political views in order to achieve the best results for Great Aycliffe and it’s residents. I don’t believe in dirty tactics to derail someone else’s election campaign and I can always be contacted at my place of work which is the local supermarket. There are some very good candidates in this year’s election and I would urge the public to ask themselves what their Councillor and the Council might do for them and not base their vote on simply where a Councillor lives. I personally would want a Councillor that I could trust. I am currently looking at the possibility of relocating back to Aycliffe and hopefully by taking away this ammunition it puts an end to the ramblings of the current crop of my detractors. Let the public decide
Paul Kjenstad Labour candidate.