Election Overview from Nick Coligan - Liverpool Echo Report 23rd April

All to play for in the fight for your vote

THIS year’s council elections in Liverpool are gearing up to be the most exciting for a long time. Not since all 90 seats went up for grabs in 2004 has so much been at stake, with both the Liberal Democrats and Labour confident of a string of victories. After a difficult year culminated in three lost seats and several close calls in May 2006, the Lib Dems believe they have ridden the storm and are looking forward to a ninth year in charge. But Labour can clearly smell blood and are fighting hard to seize more seats from their rivals, with the aim of wrestling power in Capital of Culture year. They will hope the national criticism of Tony Blair does not affect their chances, although it did no damage last year, when Labour held firm to its seats across Merseyside. The Lib Dems, meanwhile, have dismissed last year’s disappointments as “a blip” and have targeted Central ward, Croxteth and St Michael’s as gains. They believe the unrest caused by the very public fall-out between former council leader Mike Storey, up for re-election in Wavertree, and ex-chief executive Sir David Henshaw, has now settled. Peace ‘restored with our officers’ THE Lib Dems hold 55 of the council’s 90 seats, and defend 19 of the 30 up for grabs this time. Council leader Warren Bradley said: “The stability between councillors and officers has returned, and the public recognise we are working together for the good of the city. “There is a real feeling at the moment that Liverpool is a great place to live and work. “We had a blip last year, but if you look at the seats we lost, Princes Park and Speke-Garston are not naturally Lib Dem, and the Kensington result was a wake-up call we needed. “Over the next 12 months, we must deliver the best-ever Capital of Culture, as we promised. “We must use Capital of Culture to improve job prospects and skills training for people of all ages. “The big challenges are in housing and social care, but with housing, we will make massive inroads this year because tenants voted in favour of transferring to a new landlord.” Liberals and Greens look for a bigger say THE Liberal party will again try to break out of its three-seat Tuebrook stronghold and is campaigning on issues on which it believes the two main parties agree. Group leader Steve Radford, who is targeting seats in Clubmoor, Anfield and Picton, said: “We are fighting on our opposition to demolishing homes and building on parks. “We are the only party standing up for what residents believe in, regardless of whether they live in a regeneration area or not.” One result to watch will be St Michael’s, where Green councillor John Coyne, who won as a Lib Dem in 2004 before defecting, tries to defend the seat for his new party. If he succeeds, it will be a first win in Liverpool for the Greens, who are fielding candidates in 29 wards. Labour’s victory target is 15 seats TO seize power, Labour - who currently have 31 councillors - need to defend their nine available seats and win 15 others. They want to repeat their 2005 victories in Speke-Garston, where a massive Lib Dem majority was overturned, and Kensington/Fairfield. Group leader Joe Anderson said his party was highlighting the council’s financial situation, which has seen the Lib Dems battle a £29m budget gap. He said: “Capital of Culture is eight months away and we still do not know how it is going to be paid for, the council might have to borrow huge sums of money. “The Audit Commission has criticised the council’s financial performance, giving it only one star out of four. “We are campaigning on our pledges to protect services for the elderly and young people and providing value for money. “Ten years ago, Labour were kicked out of office because they were perceived as arrogant and out-of-touch. Now it is the Lib Dems who are viewed that way.” Best Tories’ result was shock second THE Conservatives still hold no city council seats, but managed second place in Woolton last year. This time, they are putting out 30 candidates - the highest number since 1992 - with the hope of gradually re-establishing themselves as an option for Liverpool voters and gaining a foothold in the town hall. There are also a handful of United Socialist, UK Independence, BNP, Independent and Socialist Labour nominations.