I am as most of you know passionate about Frome, I do not live there, would like to if I could afford it; but I am passionate about the town.

As I look at my own town, I feel that the reason it suffers is politics, local politics but drawn because they follow national political lines. Frome is so much better because it is Independents for Frome. No political allegiance, but passionate for the best for your town. It says a lot, without saying anything.

As the County Council elections draw near every day brings leaflets, I have done this for the town, I have done that….but nothing as to what I would do in the future. The vast green space that leads you into the town from the main A Road, will soon disappear under six hundred houses for the Duchy of Cornwall, removing the most attractive approach to the town in one move. We went recently to a ‘consultation’ I do not know if they ever take note of what people say. Nice young people fronting for the builder, who is relatively innocent in this case. We were showed a plan, local centre, it said, brilliant I said, just what we need, what size, capacity hall are you planning. Oh no it will be shops was the reply. They lost me, what this community needs is a community centre. A hall where young couple can have wedding receptions, where teenagers can have a youth group, where the band that will be tomorrows Foo Fighters can experience what it is to play in front of an audience who are more than just their mates. A Community Centre!

So for all you politicos, my vote is cast and it probably isn’t for you, because you do not aspire to my ideals for the community. I want a vibrant town with politicians who care about it enough, that they do not have to cite what they have done, most of which is for their own egos or political advantage. Let us have people like the lady who single handedly has raised the profile of our community markets. Let us have people, unlike our MP who turn up for photocalls with the Royal British Legion without a tie, when everybody is in their blazers and ties (and he is ex military). The politics of Westminster and the political parties is strangling our communities.

So don’t vote Conservative or Liberal Democrat, they have over the years completely screwed our county, vote Labour if for no other reason than you cannot believe that I said it. It is only local after all.

Little rant over.