Labour sets sights on key seats in election

From the archive, first published Friday 27th Apr 2007.

LABOUR activists have their sights firmly set on winning key seats across Castle Point in Thursday's local elections.

Campaign co-ordinator Jackie Reilly said members were keen to make substantial gains throughout the borough.

The party is fielding candidates in all 14 of the borough's wards and all six wards of Canvey's new town council.

Mrs Reilly said: "We hope to take several seats on Canvey and make in-roads on the mainland. We want to start winning back seats lost in 2003.

"Only a third of the seats are up for grabs, but we can tackle the council bit by bit," she said.

Mrs Reilly said the party wanted to retain its Canvey Island North seat, and aimed to take seats in Canvey Island East, Central and Winter Gardens "as a minimum".

Other wards particularly being targeted, she added, included St Mary's, St George's, Appleton and Cedar Hall.

Mrs Reilly, who is standing for election in Canvey Island East ward, said voters were giving a broadly positive reaction to the party's local manifesto on the doorsteps.

One of its central pledges concerns the need to block proposals by Calor Gas to store Liquid Natural Gas on Canvey, plus the promotion of community safety and the protection of the green belt.

"Many people on Canvey are worried about their house prices going down and the effect these plans will have on their own safety.

"They are concerned about over-development. Extra houses are going up with no improvements in infrastructure.