By-Election Special- The Battle for St Pauls as Clacton goes to the polls

There’s the activist who goes around town with a video camera recording politicians, whose recent filming efforts saw him being called the ‘c-word’ by one top councillor as he confronted him outside the town hall.

There’s the party secretary whose political group has split at least three ways in the year since they were elected.

And finally, there’s the candidate who suspects he’s the ‘only’ EU supporter in town.

Such is Clacton politics, as voters in Tendring Council’s St Paul’s ward go to the polls this Thursday.

The May 5 by-election follows one of its two councillors, UKIP’s John Mooney emigrating to New Zealand. He topped the poll last year, with Conservative Andy Massey taking the second seat.

After several shake-ups, typically involving disaffected UKIPpers, a fractured Tendring Council has 23 Conservatives, 13 UKIP, 6 Independents, 5 Coastal Independents, 4 Labour, 3 Holland on Sea Residents Group, 2 Leave the EU, one Lib-Dem, one Tendring First, plus one other.

Most likely is either UKIP will hold the seat or there will be a political comeback for Tory Danny Mayzes, who in 2014 tweeted: “Am watching Machete- now that’s how you DEAL with Immigration.”

The 27-year-old Conservative puts this in the past now, saying such mistakes show he’s only human.

“I am a normal bloke and not some perfectly chiselled MP,” he said.

The Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of Clacton Conservative Association previously spent 8 years representing Rush Green until UKIP took both his and its other seat last May.

“I worked hard, have a good proven record of action, and more importantly, am known for getting things done all year round- not just at election time!” he said.

The senior instructor for Amazing Activities was first elected at 19 and rose to become Tendring’s youngest-ever council chairman until stepping down a year before his controversial outburst.

Danny says he helped secure the reopening of Clacton Maternity Unit, he worked on the regeneration of Rush Green and helped block a 240-unit housing scheme.

A school governor at Oakwood Infants, he opposes his government forcing schools to become academies. He also wants Tendring Council to renovate Tower E near the Toby Carvery on Martello Bay to potentially use as a Clacton Museum.

Danny wants Britain to come out of the EU, but “local issues must and should take priority in this election.”

For UKIP, these include protecting the area from “unwanted development”.

Candidate Jack Parsons accuses the Conservatives of “dumping houses where they can,” blaming the lack of a local plan and he fears St Paul’s “fantastic gardens” are at risk.

He wants the district council to put more pressure on the county council to provide the extra infrastructure, such as schools, GP surgeries and better roads needed to cope with the extra people more homes bring.

Jack wants to work cross-party on local issues, including closely with St Paul’s existing Conservative councillor, as well as the local patient participation group, the police and PCSOs.

The assistant manager at Costa Coffee in Clacton says he brings leadership and management experience to the council and is used to getting things done.

A former Labour supporter, the 30-year-old “lost interest” in the party when Ed Miliband became leader. Jack joined UKIP in 2014 when he was “inspired” by Clacton MP Douglas Carswell.

“Doug did something that most politicians did not do and stood up for what he believed in. As a matter of honour, he stood down and was re-elected, twice. He was not like the Coastal Independents who stood as UKIP and left,” Jack continued.

Clacton UKIP has had its troubles, something its branch secretary says can only be expected in a party aged just 20 and “in its infancy.”

“By its nature, UKIP is full of vibrant and passionate people, who feels strongly about their views. There’s always going to be some disputes,” he added.

This was why William Hones left UKIP last year when some of its councillors quit to form their own party to help the Conservatives administer Tendring District.

“UKIP is a flawed party. People say they are UKIP but they sit with the Tories or Labour. They knew if they did not stand as UKIP, they would not get elected,” he said.

William joined UKIP two years ago, to help get a Referendum, adding he once was a pro-EU Liberal.

“I am fed up with the main parties. They are full of self-interest,” he said.

Trouble is, people keep voting for them, things never change and the problems remain.

William came from East London to St Osyth aged 10 but later spent much of his working life overseas, in the USA, Belgium, Germany and the Caribbean, before returning to the area in 2009. Past jobs have included being a squash coach, merchant seaman, limousine driver and car salesman.

“Now, I make videos about local issues and I send them to MPs and councillors,” he said.

A recent video saw him quiz Coastal Independent councillor Mick Skeels Sr about leaving UKIP, receiving a foul-mouthed tirade in return. William placed this on You Tube, leading to this incident also gaining nationwide coverage.

The 60-year-old wants to help the elderly and “do more” on parking and anti-social issues.

“I’m about helping people that need help and want help,” he added.

Labour’s Chris Bird might be too, with his community work including Tendring Specialist Stroke Services, Tendring Citizens Advice and being a governor of Frobisher School in Jaywick.

Lancashire-born, he has lived and worked around Britain and Europe, moving to Clacton a few years ago with wife Karen.

“We are the people that choose to live here. Clacton is fantastic. It’s a real town with all the features like shops. It’s a manageable size and we feel safe here,” he said.

Chris ran a software company and after selling it, became a director for the former strategic health authority in the West Midlands.

“I bring a degree of professionalism, I spent my life in industry actually getting things done, making things work, putting systems in place,” he said.

Out campaigning, Chris said people talk about the EU, while he would prefer to discuss rubbish collections, the local plan, or a need for faster trains to Clacton so the town could “boom” like Brighton.

 “I am the person in Clacton that says we should stay,” he said, claiming Brexit would lead to tariffs and an “economy in turmoil.”

“I am committed to Europe, I have worked in Europe. I don’t feel threatened by immigration either. I’m a chartered accountant and virtually every wave of immigration has benefited our economy,” he said.

But having gained just 10% of the vote when he stood in a recent county council by-election, Chris admitted: “I’m going to struggle.”