Creeting St Peter - @jemnicole1 has a leaflet put through our door...

When I ran for the District Council in 2011, one of the things that exercised me about my Conservative opponent's campaign was her claim to be local. Given that she lived, and continues to live, in Eye, a mere fourteen miles from Creeting St Peter, and eleven miles from the ward boundary, and both the Green candidate and myself actually lived in the ward, it did rankle somewhat.

So, having finally received a leaflet from this year's Conservative candidate, Jemma Lynch, I am not entirely surprised to see her described as "the local choice for Stowupland and Creeting St Peter". If only she lived in Stowupland or Creeting St Peter, instead of Needham Market, which is the case. In fairness, Needham Market does border the parish, I think, but her declared commitment to our community is somewhat puzzling given that I've never seen her in our Parish before.

I suspect that the Green candidate this time, Keith Welham, whose home looks out onto the Green in Stowupland, and who has served as a Parish councillor in the village for some years now, might object too. 

However, looking at Jemma's priorities for our communities;

"Ensuring that our views regarding the proposed developments in Stowupland and Creeting St Peter are adequately represented."

Like her predecessor did with Poundfield Products? Or with the proposed Business and Development Park? I do hope not.

"Providing strong, proactive local leadership, seeking to support the local community."

Leadership? Support? Aren't those mildly contradictory? And how is she going to be proactive given that her only likely contact with the wider community will be attending the odd Parish Council meeting?

"Working closely with our local PCSO to ensure that residents continue to feel safe, assisting where possible with community policing."

We feel safe here, Jemma. Given crime rates here in the village, and the fact that the Parish Council interact directly with Mid Suffolk Police - they either attend all Parish Council meetings or send a report (their attendance record was, as I recall, rather better than that of your predecessor) - your generous offer isn't likely to change much.

"Endeavour to empower the local community with tools to ensure that our environment is cleaner and greener."

As Conservative-run Mid Suffolk District Council did by charging to empty litter and dog waste bins, or Conservative-run Suffolk County Council by abandoning the local Nature Reserve at Fen Alder Carr and leaving its future in the hands of a village with just 260 residents...

To be frank, I am less than entirely impressed by what looks a bit like a cut and paste, somewhat impersonal missive which seeks to sweep under the carpet the poor performance of her predecessor. 

On the positive side, a Conservative did manage to find the house - by accident, I suspect - although they clearly didn't want to talk to us.

So, hardly a temptation to vote Conservative. I wonder if the Greens have anything better to offer...