{"id":11,"date":"2024-05-30T20:56:27","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T20:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localindependents.org.uk\/?page_id=11"},"modified":"2025-06-20T10:29:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T10:29:41","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/localindependents.org.uk\/?page_id=11","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Our History<\/strong><\/h3>

In April 2021 three previously Labour Tiverton Town Councillors, Cllrs Steve Bush, Ana Hendy and Andy Perris, came together with other former Labour members and non-aligned community activists, to form a new group of Independents to stand in the May Elections. <\/p>

We feel strongly that there are large numbers of people in Tiverton who feel politically abandoned by all the main parties. We wanted to create a vehicle for local people to get active and get involved in changing Tiverton for the better, so that we can \u2018build back better\u2019 post Covid. We adopted the name \u2018LIFT\u2019 which stands for \u2018Local Independents For Tiverton\u2019 because we feel Tiverton needs a lift! It needs to think big in order to look to a brighter future. We feel there is so much more that the Town Council could do to improve the Town, but it\u2019s being held back by too many of the same old faces who just want to sit there and say \u2018You can\u2019t do that\u2019. <\/p>

We think Tiverton deserves better. <\/p>

We\u2019ve looked at what has been done in other places such as Frome, where they have adopted an entirely different approach to local politics, which they call \u2018Flatpack Democracy\u2019 and we\u2019d like to see more of that here. Local government should serve the community in a transparent way and have ambitious goals that prioritise community wellbeing and sustainability. <\/p>

We are really excited to get new people involved and build on the work done by our current Councillors. We pushed for the Town Council to declare a Climate Emergency, we\u2019ve been heavily involved with the Climate Change Committee and driving forward an environment led agenda. We have been instrumental in the Town Council\u2019s Covid 19 response as well, and a number of those involved in that are getting involved in LIFT. <\/p>

It\u2019s important that people understand that things can be different, that they should be different. <\/p>

Tiverton needs new thinking and a new approach from new Councillors \u2013 Tiverton has always had a strong Independent streak, and now we are creating a strong Independent voice for the area. We\u2019re appealing to anyone that shares that vision to come and join us in our campaigning activities.<\/p><\/div>

Where are we now?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the last election in May 2023 we successfully got 6 Councillors on the Town Council. Our ambition is to gain a majority of LIFT members and supporters of our manifesto to oversee major change during the next 4-year council term.<\/h3>\n

As a group we have already:<\/h3>\n