Only two local candidates?

Wed 15 Apr 2015, 14:35 (last edited on Wed 15 Apr 2015, 14:48)

I would have been delighted if someone who lives in Charlbury or Finstock had wanted to stand for the District Council alongside me as a Lib Dem candidate.

I will throw the question back at you and other readers of the Forum, Richard - why are you not standing for the District? Perhaps because you live a very busy life, and think you don't have time. In fact council meetings are often during the working day, something which I have sought to change but without success (so far) , and you do need to be able to take time off work to attend. Perhaps because you think that unless you stand as one of the overwhelming Tory majority you won't have any chance of getting anything much done. That I have to say is not true and I work very well with officers and get a lot done of which I am proud.

It is interesting that you raise this, because Charlbury has been unusual for having councillors living in the ward. A high proportion of councillors on WODC do not live in the wards that they represent. I notice that in Chipping Norton, where Labour has all three seats, the candidate this time does not live in Chippy, but in Shipton. Which surprised me as Chippy is large enough, surely, to produce its next Labour councillor (assuming they hold the seat).

Of course I hope that Andy Graham will be the next councillor for Charlbury, and I know he will be a very good councillor if he wins, even though he does live in Churchill, (which is not that far away). He will be committed to working for people in the town, and we will make a very good team. I would however like to think that in future we might be able to convince people living here that representing your home town at District level is a worthwhile and rewarding experience, and get more people interested in standing. I was not a political animal at all till I came to live in Charlbury, by the way. I got involved because I really care about this area and I want to do what I can to support people living here. Perhaps there is someone else out there for whom this rings true?