Questions for candidates

I recently received a leaflet through my door from a Conservative Horsham district councillor who is seeking support for his candidacy in the county council election being held on May 6.

Included in his pitch to voters is a ‘Rookwood Update’. He concludes that, ‘very few local residents support this site and I will bear that in mind when I cast my vote’.

If the Tories want to put a district council planning issue at the centre of their county council election campaign, in recognition of the overwhelming opposition to the Rookwood development so clearly evidenced in the pages of the County Times, is this statement enough reassurance for those opposed to the development, that councillors will represent that opposition when it comes to the vote in the district council?

For those of us who oppose the Rookwood plans, it is too much of a risk to cast our vote on the basis of such a vague statement? We should be asking all candidates who are seeking our vote in May to declare their position on this important local issue. This is doubly important where the candidate in the county elections are also district councillors.

The future of Rookwod is an important issue, but there are also many important and pressing issues of concern that are the responsibility of the county council, for example children’s services.

I urge voters to consider carefully who they vote for in May’s election as the fate of these services depends on the outcome of the election. The Conservatives propose to close 32 of the 43 children and family centres in the county, including three out of our four here in Horsham.

The huge amount of opposition to these closures may have been borne in mind by the Tory cabinet members, but it has clearly been ignored.

So I urge voters not to be distracted too much by district issues and vague statements of consideration of our views when they come to vote in the upcoming elections.

The future of our public services is at stake, so please consider your vote carefully if you care about these services.

DAVIDHIDE

Secretary, Horsham Labour Party Clarence Road, Horsham