It's good to see that democracy is alive and kicking in Tidenham. Roy Birch insinuates that the Conservatives have ignored the needs of the poorer people in our society. Well here are some facts that repudiate that statement and show that the Lib-Dems are as guilty of spin as their Labour cousins.
Over the past four years the Conservative administration at Shire Hall has:
•Kept council tax low. Gloucestershire has had the lowest council tax increases of any county in England. It was less than half the increase that Labour and the Lib Dems pushed through during the four years they were in power.
•Spent more on adult care than ever before.
•Refused to introduce gold-plated pensions for councillors as proposed by Labour and the Lib Dems
The Conservative record is good in other respects. For example:
•An extra 63 policemen have been provided on the beat.
•£40 million has been saved from council running costs.
•25 per cent more has been expended on road repairs than during the previous Labour and Lib Dem administration.
•Educational performance in Gloucestershire is in the top 15 per cent throughout the country.
If you want to keep this kind of performance going for the next four years vote Conservative at the elections in June. – Brian Thornton, county councillor Tidenham Division.