Tipton Together

TIPTON TOGETHER 
It's time to give the people of Tipton the voice in local government they deserve:
honest, hard-working, and free from party politics.
 
Read on for more information.
 
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TIPTON FACTS
We need to talk about Tipton

Tipton is a wonderful place to live - the Venice of the Midlands, they say in the Black Country Museum.

Our canals tell our town's story as a proud centre of manufacturing from the Industrial Revolution. These days they are a great resource for our recreation. Maybe some of us could remember to keep them free of litter...

Tipton is very well-connected by train and by road. Every year new houses are built and hundreds come to join us as residents.

But there are some real challenges to living here too.
If you live in Tipton, your life expectancy is 9 years less than the English average.

In the Index of Multiple Deprivation, 90% of England is better off than Tipton in health and education.

Our employment is in the bottom 5%, with 15 times as many Job-Seekers as the national average.

Twice as many children in poverty as the national average.

The government measures an area's health with 31 indicators, like low birth-weight and obesity.
Tipton is average in 2 of these, and significantly worse than average in the other 29.
There aren't easy answers for why it's like this, but we deserve better from those who represent us and share out our taxes.
Early this year we learned that Tipton has again got nothing from the Conservative Government's Levelling-Up Fund. And Sandwell Council remains in Special Measures because of big questions about how it manages its money, or our money. So, if Westminster won't help, and Oldbury can't help, how can we fix our problems?
Maybe if we work together, we can build a stronger community to address the challenges of living in Tipton.
And pick up some litter too.
TIPTON TOGETHER

Here's an idea to tackle the real problems we face in Tipton, to get us to a state where we're happier, a little bit more comfortable, and more ready to trust each other.
We call it TIPTON TOGETHER.
We want to be represented in local government by people who live here and will listen to us, by Tiptonians who will work hard for Tipton.
We want to see all of Tipton - Tipton Green, Princes End, and Great Bridge - represented by local people:
who won't be satisfied with the old excuses;
who will work all year round to serve you, not just in the few days before an election;
and who won't put their party allegiances before the people of Tipton.

Tipton Together began in March 2021, as soon as Covid restrictions around campaigning were lifted.
Six weeks later Richard Jeffcoat stood as a candidate in the Tipton Green ward at the Council Election on May 6th.
Richard came second with 1,011 votes, beating the Conservative candidate. Labour got 1,372 votes, not only their lowest total for several years, but the first time in more than a decade that they got less than 50% of the vote. No other Independent across Sandwell got as much as half Richard's vote.
It was an impressive result. We carried it on into the 2022 Election. We knew that, in an area where 'Labour always wins' but three-quarters of us don't bother to vote, it was going to take a few attempts, and so it has proved with campaigns in 2022 and 2023. In May 2023 Richard got 1,225 votes, he took 42% of the vote, and ensured the Conservative candidate got only 198. This year he can win.

At the council elections in May 2019, only 24% of us voted.
In May 2021, because of our campaign, we pushed that up to 28%. But:
THREE-QUARTERS of us chose NOT to have a say in how our council tax is spent.
Was it because we're satisfied, wealthy, comfortable?
Or do we think we can't make a difference, what's the point in voting?

Our most important recent votes have been the EU Referendum and the last General Election. We live in the 8th strongest Leave-voting constituency. Sandwell as a whole voted 67% for Leave.
BUT:
Only two-thirds of us voted. What did the others think?

At the General Election in December 2019 Shaun Bailey is to be congratulated on taking the seat for the Conservatives after decades of Labour MPs, winning 51% of the votes.
BUT:
Only 53% of us voted at all. Why did nearly half of us stay silent?

Before the 2021 Election, Sandwell's 72 Councillors had one thing in common:
ALL of them were elected as Labour candidates.
The Labour Party, nationally and locally, has suffered violent change in recent years. Can we be sure that a Labour candidate will have Tipton as their focus?
When Labour de-selects many candidates every year, how can a Councillor think for themselves, without fearing punishment by the Party? And, in a 12-month period up to the last election, Sandwell had 3 Leaders, making 7 in 6 years!
At the 2021 Election, the Conservatives locally are proud that 9 of their candidates won.
But can Tipton say our lives have got better during 13 years of Conservative rule in London?
The austerity years of Cameron and Osborne, the tensions of Theresa May's rule, last year's run of 3 Conservative Prime Ministers, and the divisive culture wars stoked by some in the current government.
Isn't it sad that we're so angry?

We believe it's time to look at local politics in a different way. A Tipton resident to speak up for Tipton, without bullying from a political party or colleagues or faction. Independent, transparent, working for every community.
Richard stands again on May 4th to speak for where he lives and pays his taxes, to represent his fellow-residents, from every community.
If you're Labour, Conservative, something else, or nothing,
if you voted Remain, or Leave, or neither,
if you use party loyalty to help you decide which politicians sit in London, or if you don't,
join us to give Tipton an Independent voice.
RICHARD JEFFCOAT

Richard Jeffcoat has lived in Tipton since 2017. He grew up in Edinburgh though his parents are from Birmingham. He is a musician by trade, a pianist, organist and singer, and he manages a charity that helps musicians at the start of their careers. He lives between the Black Country Museum and the Pie Factory with his schoolteacher partner, and they are between cats.
Richard has long experience of politics. He worked as a volunteer in the office of the Birmingham Labour MP Gisela Stuart, the Co-Chair of VoteLeave. He stood for election to Sandwell Council for the Green Party in Tipton Green in May 2019, when he came second with 563 votes.
He is not a member of a political party.

Richard is standing on May 2, 2024, to be the Independent Councillor for the ward he lives in.
This will be the fourth election he has campaigned in as an Independent, free from any party influence or clique.
In May 2021 he got 1,011 votes. In May 2023 he got 1,167 votes. And in May 2023 he got 1,225 votes - this was 42% of the total votes cast. In all the elections he has fought the Conservative candidate has been in third place, and last May the Conservatives got only 198 votes.
No Independent candidate has ever won in any ward in Sandwell since its creation in 1974. No Independent has ever achieved more than 1,000 votes, and Richard has done that three times. Last May, when Sandwell elected 24 Councillors, 12 out of the 24 elected won with fewer votes than the 1,225 who voted for Richard.
Richard has been beaten by Labour until today, in a seat that Labour have never lost. This year, it is time that Tipton Green told Labour that their support cannot be taken for granted.
If you choose him on May 2, Richard pledges to listen to you and work for you, without the pressure of party allegiance or faction, to build a healthier, safer Tipton.
Richard writes:
I moved to Tipton six years ago, and I have lived in the West Midlands since 2003. I feel really settled here, and I want to offer my time and energy to speak out for my friends and neighbours.
I can see the challenges for people in Tipton. Even after a generation the end of coal and steel has effects on employment and prospects. The Brexit decision may have an impact on our vital motoring and manufacturing industries. And we are still suffering from a global pandemic.
I understand party politics. Maybe it's unavoidable when we choose our national government.
But it's not working for Tipton.
Too often round here we have seen politicians acting to serve their career, party and faction - sometimes even their personal gain.
We need councillors who are honest, accessible and visible. We need them to fight in the Council House for Tipton's fair share.
I'm not going to lecture you. You don't need me to tell you what would make your lives easier.
I want to hear from you about how we can work together to make Tipton a happier, healthier place.
CONNECT WITH US

Can Richard help you as a local campaigning advocate?
Are you interested in our ideas and you'd like to offer some advice?
Could you help our campaign for May 2nd?

Get in touch through Facebook, Twitter, phone, or email, using these links.
Or use the form below.

Just one thing:
Please be kind.
Life is hard for all of us at the moment. Let's help each other make it better.

Facebook: TiptonTogether

Twitter: Richard4TiptonGreen

Phone: 07724 867336

Email: campaign@tiptontogether.info
Contact us

Name

Email

Message

Comment

Everything you share with me and all your personal contact details will be handled in the strictest confidence.

Thanks for visiting the site.
Richard

TIPTON TOGETHER

TIPTON TOGETHER

TIPTON FACTS

We need to talk about Tipton

Tipton is a wonderful place to live - the Venice of the Midlands, they say in the Black Country Museum.

Our canals tell our town's story as a proud centre of manufacturing from the Industrial Revolution. These days they are a great resource for our recreation. Maybe some of us could remember to keep them free of litter...

Tipton is very well-connected by train and by road. Every year new houses are built and hundreds come to join us as residents.

But there are some real challenges to living here too.

If you live in Tipton, your life expectancy is 9 years less than the English average.

Tipton is average in 2 of these, and significantly worse than average in the other 29.

There aren't easy answers for why it's like this, but we deserve better from those who represent us and share out our taxes.

Maybe if we work together, we can build a stronger community to address the challenges of living in Tipton.

And pick up some litter too.

TIPTON TOGETHER

Here's an idea to tackle the real problems we face in Tipton, to get us to a state where we're happier, a little bit more comfortable, and more ready to trust each other.

We call it TIPTON TOGETHER.

We want to be represented in local government by people who live here and will listen to us, by Tiptonians who will work hard for Tipton.

We want to see all of Tipton - Tipton Green, Princes End, and Great Bridge - represented by local people:

and who won't put their party allegiances before the people of Tipton.

Tipton Together began in March 2021, as soon as Covid restrictions around campaigning were lifted.

Six weeks later Richard Jeffcoat stood as a candidate in the Tipton Green ward at the Council Election on May 6th.

Richard came second with 1,011 votes, beating the Conservative candidate. Labour got 1,372 votes, not only their lowest total for several years, but the first time in more than a decade that they got less than 50% of the vote. No other Independent across Sandwell got as much as half Richard's vote.

At the council elections in May 2019, only 24% of us voted.

In May 2021, because of our campaign, we pushed that up to 28%. But:

THREE-QUARTERS of us chose NOT to have a say in how our council tax is spent.

Was it because we're satisfied, wealthy, comfortable?

Or do we think we can't make a difference, what's the point in voting?

Our most important recent votes have been the EU Referendum and the last General Election. We live in the 8th strongest Leave-voting constituency. Sandwell as a whole voted 67% for Leave.

BUT:

Only two-thirds of us voted. What did the others think?

At the General Election in December 2019 Shaun Bailey is to be congratulated on taking the seat for the Conservatives after decades of Labour MPs, winning 51% of the votes.

BUT:

Only 53% of us voted at all. Why did nearly half of us stay silent?

Before the 2021 Election, Sandwell's 72 Councillors had one thing in common:

ALL of them were elected as Labour candidates.

The Labour Party, nationally and locally, has suffered violent change in recent years. Can we be sure that a Labour candidate will have Tipton as their focus?

When Labour de-selects many candidates every year, how can a Councillor think for themselves, without fearing punishment by the Party? And, in a 12-month period up to the last election, Sandwell had 3 Leaders, making 7 in 6 years!

At the 2021 Election, the Conservatives locally are proud that 9 of their candidates won.

But can Tipton say our lives have got better during 13 years of Conservative rule in London?

The austerity years of Cameron and Osborne, the tensions of Theresa May's rule, last year's run of 3 Conservative Prime Ministers, and the divisive culture wars stoked by some in the current government.

Isn't it sad that we're so angry?

We believe it's time to look at local politics in a different way. A Tipton resident to speak up for Tipton, without bullying from a political party or colleagues or faction. Independent, transparent, working for every community.

Richard stands again on May 4th to speak for where he lives and pays his taxes, to represent his fellow-residents, from every community.

join us to give Tipton an Independent voice.

RICHARD JEFFCOAT

Richard has long experience of politics. He worked as a volunteer in the office of the Birmingham Labour MP Gisela Stuart, the Co-Chair of VoteLeave. He stood for election to Sandwell Council for the Green Party in Tipton Green in May 2019, when he came second with 563 votes.

He is not a member of a political party.

Richard is standing on May 2, 2024, to be the Independent Councillor for the ward he lives in.

This will be the fourth election he has campaigned in as an Independent, free from any party influence or clique.

In May 2021 he got 1,011 votes. In May 2023 he got 1,167 votes. And in May 2023 he got 1,225 votes - this was 42% of the total votes cast. In all the elections he has fought the Conservative candidate has been in third place, and last May the Conservatives got only 198 votes.

Richard has been beaten by Labour until today, in a seat that Labour have never lost. This year, it is time that Tipton Green told Labour that their support cannot be taken for granted.

If you choose him on May 2, Richard pledges to listen to you and work for you, without the pressure of party allegiance or faction, to build a healthier, safer Tipton.

Richard writes:

I moved to Tipton six years ago, and I have lived in the West Midlands since 2003. I feel really settled here, and I want to offer my time and energy to speak out for my friends and neighbours.

But it's not working for Tipton.

Too often round here we have seen politicians acting to serve their career, party and faction - sometimes even their personal gain.

We need councillors who are honest, accessible and visible. We need them to fight in the Council House for Tipton's fair share.

I'm not going to lecture you. You don't need me to tell you what would make your lives easier.

I want to hear from you about how we can work together to make Tipton a happier, healthier place.

CONNECT WITH US

Get in touch through Facebook, Twitter, phone, or email, using these links.

Or use the form below.

Just one thing:

Please be kind.

Life is hard for all of us at the moment. Let's help each other make it better.

Contact us

Everything you share with me and all your personal contact details will be handled in the strictest confidence.

Thanks for visiting the site.

Richard

Contact: 07724 867336