Why bother to vote?

On the doorstep we hear regularly: "All ;politicians are dishonest. Why should you be any different?"  As the LibDems have demonstrated so conclusively this week, they are certainly dishonest, putting out lies about the Conservatives.  In addition to lies about Hampshire County Council, they also said the Conservative group opposed the building of the Vue Cinema in the Swan Centre.

In fact, the opposite is true.  The Conservatives were asking why it took 9 years!!!

I am very heartened by the fact that all the people I work with in the Conservative group are honest and have integrity, but depressed by the fact that our opponents don't play fair.  We put out the press release highlighting the LibDem lies but The Echo says it goes against against their guidelines to publish it so close to the election.    However, they have published a letter by the leader of the Hampshire County Council,Cllr Ken Thornber.

PLEASE  remember that these are local elections - about local issues.  On the doorstep, once I explain my position, people say they will vote for me as I express their concern about local issues.

I, too, have issues with the Government, but please remember that it is not a Conservative government!!!  The County Council, however, is indicative of what Conservatives do:

HOW CONSERVATIVES MANAGE IN DIFFICULT TIMES

While the Lib Dems try to influence your views by misinformation and misrepresentation the Conservatives at Hampshire County Council are quietly getting on with the job of improving services for local people despite the huge drop in funding from Central Government caused by Labour’s mismanagement of the nation’s finances causing the Council’s budgets to be reduced by £100 million.

Even before the first Conservative Chancellor’s budget, we rolled up our sleeves and just as any other well run company does when faced with a loss of income, we set out to tighten our belts, look after our customers and secure the services they depend on.

To protect Hampshire residents, despite a large rise in inflation, Council tax has been frozen for three years providing a real saving for them.

In the Council, service divisions were merged and restructured, saving the costs of two Directors of service and a whole tier of senior management as all core services were ring fenced and staff leavers were not replaced. By careful management, even although the workforce was reduced by just over 1,400, only 17 people had to be made compulsorily redundant.

By introducing home working, changing working practices and hot desking in offices, overhead costs have been dramatically reduced. 53 buildings are now being replaced by 8 strategically located office hubs.

No service cuts have been made. No Libraries, Museums or Children centres have been closed. The County’s outdoor centres and country parks remain open. Bus subsidies have been increased, schools budgets are sustained and by sharing our IT and property services with adjacent Counties and Public Service providers and saving the payment of landfill taxes by recycling more of our waste, new income streams have been found.

This has helped the County to carry out a major road maintenance programme for its 5,000 miles of roads; replace all street lighting with more cost effective, carbon reduced lighting; more care staff have been taken on to care for the increased number of elderly residents needing it and to look after an increasing number of children we need to care for.

Just an example of good Conservative Management and as the Audit Commission proclaims, Hampshire County Council is an excellent authority, open for business, and still giving Hampshire people good value for money.