Mission Keep It Simple Shepway

Over the next few weeks, we're on a mission. And I'm delighted to say that we seem really to have got off to a flying start.

For Shepway District elections on May 3rd, I'm delighted we're standing candidates in every ward, and will be fighting to get a really strong team elected.

Let's remember why we're doing this - why we are working to get Lib Dems elected across Shepway. To me, the answer is clear:

The Conservatives have hurt Shepway.

In the last two years Conservative Shepway Council has wasted £2 million on the botched recycling scheme and the failed Sports Centre bid.

Worse, our streets are dirty. An independent Audit Commission report has just confirmed what we already knew about our local streets, saying that the "standard of cleanliness is poor". It's a disgrace that Conservative Shepway Council have failed to keep local streets clean.

Bizarrely, the Conservatives are standing just three candidates for 18 Folkestone Town Council seats (they currently have 5 councillors - they are GUARANTEED to lose seats!).

And Labour are simply out of the race here.

There are just 11 Labour candidates standing for the 46 seats on Shepway Council, and not one standing for Folkestone Town Council. It would seem they have given up on Shepway. The Lib Dems will not.

The Lib Dems have a positive agenda to make Folkestone CLEAN, GREEN and SAFE.

The Lib Dems will focus on getting our streets clean. We will stand up for our environment, extending recycling collection to local flats. And we will fight cuts to our Police, and work to get streetlights working.

Shepway council needs to learn from its past. For example, we understand that the 'tax and toilets' decisions made 3 years ago by the Council's then leadership were bad decisions. We will learn from those mistakes, and we will not repeat them. The current leadership should be just as honest about its more recent disasters.

At the elections in May, there is a simple choice between the positive Lib Dem plan, or yet more Tory waste.

We have a great chance of returning a really strong, talented, diverse group of Councillors onto Shepway District Council and Folkestone, Hythe and Sandgate Town / Parish Councils.

With your help, we can do it.

To learn more about our "Keep It Simple Shepway" Manifesto and our candidates for the local elections, see www.shepwaylibdems.org.uk/elections2007/

And if you can help in any way - joining our canvassing teams, calling people from your own home, or helping to deliver leaflets and letters across the area - please get in touch.