Suffolk Liberal Democrats nominate candidate for Upper Gipping!

I did mention that there were a few potential opportunities on my horizon and it gives me great pleasure to announce that I have been nominated to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Upper Gipping Division of Suffolk County Council.

Upper Gipping has not been contested by the Liberal Democrats in the recent past, but we feel that it is important to give voters across the county an opportunity to vote for a party who will challenge the savage cuts in services being made by the Conservative administration.

So I'll be taking the fight to the Conservatives from Haughley in the west to Occold in the east, as part of a team of candidates across the county. They deserve a decent contest, after all, since taking control in 2005, they've;

• made £40 million worth of cuts in care for older and vulnerable people
• overseen a drop in GCSE results
• increased pay for top council managers by £10 million
• increased allowances for Cabinet members by 78%
• abolished free day care for older people
• closed council run day centres
• appointed a Chief Executive on £220,000 a year

Unusually, there is no incumbent, as the sitting councillor, Jeremy Clover, sadly passed away earlier this year. So, whatever happens, Upper Gipping will get a new councillor in June. Only time will tell if it's me...