It all began with the old parchment…………
There has been various articles written about SNTB and our pending referendum, dubbed ‘Let the People decide’. Do you think Croydon Council looks after the interests of South Norwood – they tried to take away our swimming pool, they tried to stop the lake naming, some may even say that they disbelieve that the Lake Conan Doyle can be seen from the moon. Will a chance in administration make any difference?
Is South Norwood better served by being independent, after all we may be in the borough of Croydon but we are really South East London, as our postcode reflects?
Or shall we take a different approach and not only dismiss the council but dismiss Westminster as well, and prepare to join Scotland should they vote to abandon links with an Etonian Oxbridge led Westminster, whose focus, it could be argued, is on the City and not the highlands?
SNTB are taking a neutral view and have just asked the questions, hence why we asked for the community to step forward and get behind what they believe. We have three brave people who have volunteered (drink always helps!) to put across each case, and to take part in South Norwoods own Question Time. This will be held at Stanley Halls a week before the referendum and will be an opportunity for the community to ask those pertinent questions that may sway the vote.
Over the next few days each candidate will have their own page on our website for you to add comments etc.
Without further ado let me introduce the Candidates in their own words:
UNITE WITH AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND
Backing the Bid to join an independent Scotland we have DAVID SOMNER
I am half-Scottish but grew up in Over, Cambs. I am a singer in a Punk Band, Monkish, and a Dancer in a Morris Side. Currently I am a trustee of the Stanley Peoples Initiative who are in the process of taking over the management of Stanley Halls from Croydon Council. I spent Just over Five years working for Fairfield Halls on outside events working all over the country from Leeds to Cardiff, Norfolk to Nottingham coordinating a wide variety of exhibitions and events.Why Join Scotland, because the offer on the table for Scotland, would suit South-Norwood. South Norwood is better off in a union of 600million with Scotland and the rest of Europe than 60 Million with England Wales. If it makes sense for 59 Scottish MP’s too travel to Westminster pre-Independence than 1 South-Norwood MSP can go the same distance to Holyrood Post-Independence.
I am a retired engineer (61), married and have lived in South Norwood since 1980. Both our children (now grown up) went to local schools – Ryelands Primary and then Harris CTC for one and St Joseph’s College for the other. My main hobbies are Morris Dancing and drinking Real Ale.Why Independence? Because the citizens can guide their own future not be dictated to by Croydon, London, Brussels or Scotland.
The People’s Republic of South Norwood
With a population larger than 18 sovereign states and dependant territories South Norwood is well placed to stand on it’s own feet and be big enough to matter and small enough to care.
We will eliminate red tape by only introducing laws that ensure the safety and well being of the citizens and visitors.
We will abolish all current taxes, such as Council Tax, VAT and Income Tax etc. and replace them with one tax which for arguments sake we shall call One Tax.
We will abolish all road humps and traffic lights and control traffic at the borders to ease the flow of traffic and eliminate traffic jams.
We will actively encourage the use of all empty property as community space.
Thank you David and good luck.
STAY WITH CROYDON
Last but not least we have the mighty Councillor JANE AVIS – explaining why it’s important we remain with Croydon Council
I have lived in Croydon for 27 years 20 of which have been in South Norwood. I have represented South Norwood as a Labour Councillor for the past 16 years.I left merchant banking in 1990 to study politics after which I committed my life to three of my many passions, local issues, politics and brick laying.I am well placed to debate on this issue especially as my understanding and knowledge of Scotland has been moulded by my integration into that society – I attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival EVERY year and I am now proud to say that I am a ‘Friend of the Festival’ … total absorption.In addition to my cultural CV and my devotion to South Norwood my Mother, older brother and two sisters were born in Scotland. My father, who was a coal miner, was a ‘northern mongrel’ who fought in a Scottish regiment in WWII. I am married to a Scot and my three step-children are Scottish. With this pedigree and the fact that I have attended more stand-up comedy than you could shake a stick at makes me well informed and sufficiently integrated into both the South Norwood and Caledonian cultures to be able to debate AGAINST the campaign for Scottish and South Norwood independence.Now we have a Labour Administration in Croydon I know that South Norwood’s fortunes will be changed for the better. Only by staying together will we be able to reverse the inequities inflicted upon us by past governments and administrations. BETTER TOGETHER for South Norwood and Scotland is the only way forward. And only by remaining together will we be in a position to campaign for my long held ambition for South Norwood to have its own Military Tattoo and a South Norwood tartan.
South Norwood Tourist Board 
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