Cllr Peter Crossen represents Bramhall South & Woodford Ward on Stockport Council.
Seven years ago, I settled down with my two daughters to watch a movie. We watched a Disney movie called Coco which was set on the ‘Day of the Dead’, the popular holiday widely celebrated in Mexico on the 31st of October, where millions of families gather to remember those loved ones who are no longer with us.
The movie’s theme taught us that even though our loved ones may no longer be with us, they will live in the hearts of their children, grandchildren, and beyond for as long as they can be remembered.
Three years ago, I was interviewed by my local Conservative Candidates panel in Cheadle Constituency and asked the big interview question by our local stalwart and association President Sue Carroll, “Why do you want to be a Conservative councillor, Peter?”
My response drew much confusion, “Sue” I answered, “I would like to live forever”.
After the initial confusion, I explained to the panel that I meant that I wanted to leave a legacy. One my girls would be proud of. So that one day, my daughters would say to my grandchildren that the school they go to was saved and is still there thanks to the campaigning of their Grandad; the Medical Centre where they visit the doctor was built after Grandad’s tireless campaigning; the traffic lights where they safely cross the road to school are they because Grandad made sure there was a safe space for children to cross; the defibrillator that saved a life was there thanks to Grandad securing the funding; the tree at the park was planted by Grandad; the community festival where they celebrate Christmas is there because Grandad fought to get it going all those years ago. And that’s how I would be able live forever.
Three years later, after much hard work including securing funding for that road crossing, funding for the defibrillator, organising the first (and soon to be second) Woodford Winterfest, and losing by just 81 votes in May local elections, I finally achieved my first aim of becoming a Conservative councillor. A by-election had been called for Thursday 31st October where I was duly elected to represent the people of Bramhall South & Woodford Ward. It had been called on the ‘Day of the Dead’. Coincidence? Fate? I don’t know. But what I’m sure of is that it was my time. And after knocking on hundreds of doors throughout the campaign, I can safely say after several difficult years for local Conservative Councillors and candidates, it is our time!
The biggest thing I took from this campaign is that people are prepared to listen to us again. We have a Labour Government who simply don’t know how to govern. And a Lib Dem led Council here in Stockport who’s only USP was ‘vote for us we aren’t the Tories’.
Residents wanted to hear a positive message on the doorstep, they wanted to see a candidate with an appetite and evidence of taking action. Residents across Bramhall South & Woodford were tired of promises on infrastructure and wanted to hear of a plan. Residents were tired of grid and gullies not being maintained by the Council and wanted to see action – so I took the fight to the council at public questions following flooding in our ward. From there, a journalist made contact about my campaign and within days I was featured in an article in the Manchester Evening News. The Council was being forced to take notice, the newspapers were noticing, and most importantly, residents were commenting that they had seen the article and were ready to vote for someone who so obviously cared about their community and wanted to fight for them.
The next 24 months will be so important for our party. Only by winning seats back at council level can we get people confident in voting for our party at a national level again.
And only by working hard, being local champions for our area, building the trust of your neighbours, being the one they turn to when they have an issue because they trust you to work as hard as you can to fix it, and being your ward’s fourth councillor, can we put ourselves front and centre in the minds of voters at the next set of elections in your area.
By doing that, you will find it’s your time and with enough of us working collectively, it will be our time. Now for me the hard work starts.
Just over a week ago, I said to my friends, neighbours and residents:
“I’m delighted and honoured to have been elected Councillor for Bramhall South & Woodford. Voters have sent a message to the council that they want a positive, hardworking Councillor who is there for them all year round, not just at election time.
“The hard work begins now by pressing the council for the infrastructure required in Woodford and continuing my campaigns on a grid and gully cleaning program and road safety issues across Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme. And that’s just the start!”
The fightback starts now.