Cllr Neil Graham represents Cramlington South West Ward on Northumberland Council.
By-elections are interesting events. They rear their heads, quite often out of the blue, put most of your life on hold for 6 weeks, ramp up emotions and activity, and then part on their way, leaving all involved to manage the sudden descent from the climax of the ballot count. By-elections are a true testament to the grit and determination of a candidate.
It became clear, not long after the May 2025 all-out elections in Northumberland, that the ward of Cramlington South West was going to be left high and dry with no representation at County Council. The writing on the wall, myself and my fellow Town Councillor, Pat Heard, stepped into the breach to do our utmost to ensure that local residents weren’t left without a voice. While the then sitting County Councillor was collecting his salary, we did his work voluntarily. I must give hats off to Northumberland County Council Officers as they have enough work to manage and didn’t need additional work coming from Cramlington Town Councillors. They were helpful and understanding to our situation.
Needless to say, when the by-election was called, I felt I was as ready as I could be. The work I had done was a solid foundation on which to build my campaign. While the other candidates had to play catch-up, trying to come to grips with the issues my residents face, I had already been working on these issues for some time. I was also the only candidate who lived in the ward. I walk the same streets and share the same problems that my residents experience. No need for me to find time to visit the ward, I was already right here.
The looming question that hung over the campaign was, if the electorate would vote for the candidate and local issues or were they going to vote for a party and national issues. There is no manner to truly predict the outcome and it was clear there was no real way to wager on national issues as these aren’t the true focus of such an election. The residents I speak to on my regular walks around the ward all say the same thing: in light of a rising cost of living, they want to see value for money. They want services that are solid and reliable. They want to know that someone is there fighting for them and is willing and able to engage and listen, ensuring their voice is heard.
Speaking with residents on the doorstep was reassuring. When someone opens their door, recognises you and shakes your hand straight away, thanking you for all the work you’ve done, this really hits home. This said, by-elections typically draw fewer crowds than an all-out election. The margins were narrow, and there was no time to take my foot off the accelerator. Every vote counts, and I knew the opposition was doing their utmost to knock on doors and show on social media that they were present and active.
During the election, it was clear that the messages I could put out to my residents were far different than that of the other candidates. While they were focusing on trying to understand the issues and get used to the layout of the ward, my message was clear and on point. I live here and I have been working for you for the last year. I’m able to show this through some quite impressive tasks we have achieved. This was sorely missing from the literature of any other candidates.
I didn’t change my newsletters or my message. I focused on facts and tangible results, reminding local residents how far we had come. I kept the tone of the messages positive and uplifting. The fact that I had solid examples from which to draw, and the fact that I was the only candidate that actually lived in the ward, drove home the point that I wasn’t putting my hat in the ring for the salary, but quite simply because I care about where I live and I was able and willing to do the job, regardless of the election outcome. After all, I had come third in the County Councillor election in May of 2025, yet winning a seat at Town Council. I could have, at that time, decided to stick purely to Town Council issues and ignored anything that fell into the realm of County Council work. That wasn’t the right thing to do then, and my commitment to helping local residents did nothing but show I have vested interest in where we live.
Overall, while national issues can get headlines, it’s the everyday issues and services on which people need to see action and progress. Campaigns run from hundreds of miles away can’t capture this to the same extent as the truly local candidate.