Liberal Party Target Seats
I'm wondering where people here would consider the Liberal Party's target seats are at all levels? I'm also wondering if the Liberals are suited to particular types of seats like how the Greens tend to well in wards with large numbers of students? I can think of some targets at council level: Birtley, Gateshead: Has three seats, two of which are Labour but the other was retained by the Liberals this year. Repeat performances in 2010 and 2011 might have the Liberal Party pick up two more council seats. Heavitree & Whipton Barton, Devon: Currently a Labour seat but on the last election results in Exeter it has the Liberals ahead. Bideford East, Torridge Bideford South, Torridge Monkleigh & Littleham, Torridge All these are currently held by defectors to the Liberal Party. It is important that the Liberal Party holds onto its defections as it provides an easy way of expanding. It will be interesting to see if the Torridge Liberals stand any candidates in next year's county council elections. Councillor Church was elected as a Liberal Democrat in the three seat ward of Bideford East. She finished second sandwiched by two independents, she got more votes than both the other Lib Dem candidate put together, so clearly she has a personal vote. Councillors Anthony and Simon Inch were elected in the three seat ward of Bideford South as Liberal Democrats, they occupied the top two places with a Conservative finishing third. Councillor Pennington was elected as an independent in the single seat ward of Monkleigh & Littleham, I imagine he would have the best chance of holding on. Any else?

That's a very useful list. How about Ryedale? I understand we won a council by-election there last year. Does this mean that there are now two Ryedale wards in which we have a chance of gaining additional seats in future years? Currently we have Cllr John Clark (Cropton ward) Cllr Tommy Woodward (Pickering East ward) (see http://www.ryedale.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=9878 ) I can see that another seat in Pickering East is held by the LibDems. I can't see another councillor in Cropton.

Looking at Ryedale, the Liberals did have another seat there in Dales ward that they lost last year to the Conservatives: Janet Frank Conservative 372 Nelly Trevelyan Liberal 267 Abigail Beckett Liberal Democrat 39 Maybe in four years time Nelly Trevelyan can take it back? As for Pickering East...well, that is completely confusing. The Liberal Democrat councillor was elected unopposed being the only candidate in a two seat ward in May 2007. In June 2007 a by-election was held to fill the second seat, the Lib Dems didn't stand but the Liberals did: Thomas Woodward Liberal 577 Ena Dent Conservative 313 Juliet Hepworth Independent 185 So if there was an actual contested election in 2011, with Liberal and Liberal Democrat candidates I have no idea how it would turn out.

canvass
If we had a team of members that can help wards to succeed across the country, then we would also see an expansion in councillors

Southampton is working hard to secure new members and make a big push in the next locals here in 2010.

Is re-building the Southampton Liberal Party going well? Have you begun to think about which wards would offer the best chance for your candidates? Not that I would expect you to name the wards, that would spoil the surprise for the other parties in Southampton :wink:

Yeah its going well. We have started on some interesting plans which hopefully will move fast during the summer. I have been contacted by The Economic Liberal Party about our standing for general election and local election as they do not want to stand against us, as far as i can tell they only have 2 members.