THE Labour Party is cosying up to the Conservatives and likewise the Conservatives to the Labour Party.

Usually the Labour and Conservative parties are at odds with each other. However on this occasion both want Cinderford for themselves.?Is the Labour Party handing Cinderford to the Conservatives on a plate?

I have been in this business a very long time and have watched and listened to them all. Conservatives desperately want Cinderford and Labour wants Cinderford to be the best town of the Forest of Dean. Looks good for both parties, or so they think.

When the regeneration of Cinderford is finished, which party will say it was their party that did it for Cinderford? Both parties seem to be willing to sacrifice some of their own members in other parts of the Forest for Cinderford until they have what they want of course. Who will win?

Neither, if it keeps on like this.

I am disgusted with the Leader of the council, siding with one town, disgusted with the Leader of the Labour Party, who I will say I was beginning to have a lot of respect for. Now that's gone for doing the same thing.

I am disgusted with our MP?Mark Harper for only going with one area of the Dean for his own gain. I had forgotten that he existed until he wrote about the regeneration of Cinderford, defending how it is all being done.

And how is it being done, how did our council and, yes, I am to blame, allow land that a college is on to be sold??Was this done behind closed doors?

At this time I, and a few others, are trying to have a fairer system other than the Cabinet. Some of us, who speak out, seem to be left out of a lot of things that go on. Is that democracy? I don't think so.

I believe there are other ways where all areas of the Dean will get their share of the money that seems to be out there.

I actually feel sorry for the residents of Steam Mills,?Cinderford, Lydney and many others. Labour and Conservatives say this regeneration brings in jobs. Not if the towns close down, it just moves. Not if businesses other than supermarkets do not come into the Forest, not if the towns look empty.

Some district councillors have been asking to talk to the people involved in the regeneration of Cinderford, but they do not seem to want to talk to us. Why? There are 48 councillors who should be involved in everything that goes on in the Forest of Dean. Otherwise we may just as well have the developers run the council. Perhaps they do.

Personally I will never vote for a party again. I can no longer trust them; they want things just for themselves, never mind about the residents. You hear some councillors making fun of the groups like FANS; some councillors saying residents have no right to speak out about what they want.

The main ones, or those, who think they are, of course speak for the other members of their party. Yes, it's the political parties who say the don't whip their colleagues. These councillors are, of course, quite weak and seem to go along with it, a bit like the sheep in the Forest. It was tried on me, but I have a mind of my own, and a lot of common sense.

We all have experience and the knowledge to work together and work for all of the Forest of Dean, not just a couple of areas.

As I have said I, and some others, want a fairer system other than the Cabinet, that will never work, with both Conservatives and Labour wanting their way, leaving the rest of us out. We can't let that happen.

Independents please take note. We can't go the same way.

– Cllr Maria Edey, (a very independent councillor for the people, with the people, for the Forest of Dean.)