Hoping Chris inspires others

I THINK it’s three cheers for former police and community support officer Chris Hamer, who has thrown his hat into the local politics rings after stepping away from Lancashire Police.

He was due to stand for Labour in the local elections in May in Goodshaw, but like so many things, local elections were postponed due to Covid-19.

Chris, who is a familiar face across the borough, will have seen first hand the impact austerity has had on local services in the borough.

Indeed, he said: “The effects of cuts being handed down nationally, with safety nets being removed because of funding being removed for certain agencies for vulnerable people.

“Quite often we had to step in as police, which isn’t exactly our job description. It’s hard not to form an opinion of those in charge creating those policies. Naturally the Labour Party drew me.

“I know how much work and effort you have to put into public service. You are also getting phone calls and emails from people. Over the ten years I was in the police we did have a lot of budget cuts, a lot of change - much of it not for the better.”

The elections will now be next May

- a lot can happen in that time, hopefully Chris’s story will inspire other people, of all walks of life, to consider standing too.