Delighted to see Lib Dem successes

WHILE we have not had local elections in Cheltenham, I would like to congratulate all councillors elected across the country.

Representing your area on the local council is a really important role and I think it is good for all of us that people are prepared to put themselves forward, even in difficult circumstances.

From a personal point of view, I was particularly pleased to see so many Liberal Democrats elected across the country and in Gloucestershire.

It is clear Liberal Democrats being the majority on Cotswold District Council came as a surprise to some.

But having seen first hand how hard the Lib Dem team of candidates have been working in the area, it came as no surprise at all.

It is always amusing watching national commentators on politics trying to explain local election results.

Clearly what’s going on nationally does have an impact but the whole point about local elections is that circumstances are different in each area and that can easily get missed.

I hope all those who have been on the campaign trail got the chance of a deserved rest but suspect that will be very short!

With local elections behind us, we are coming up to European elections scheduled for May 23.

One consequence of this is that I am in purdah.

The principle of this is that in the run up to elections, no one in elected office should be able to use the resources of that office for political advantage.

This is entirely right but I don’t flatter myself that what I do in Cheltenham has a major impact on the EU elections and it does have some strange side effects.

For instance when the council issues a press release it will usually quote whoever is politically responsible for the issue involved.

But at the moment any quotes will be only be by council staff until May 24 when things go back normal.

Although I’ll leave defining normality to someone else.