Papers with 13 Shamblehurst residents names addresses and signatures were handed into the Returning officer today the 9th of January, we will have an election, thank you to all those who signed the forms and wrote letters. I can also confirm that this has been accepted as all in order.

An election for what?

Its for the Town Council actually Paul, a by-election to find a new Councillor for the Shamblehurst ward on Hedge End Town Council, to replace Cllr David Humby (Lib Dem) who resigned in December...

As far as I am aware, the election hasn't been formally announced by the Returning Officer yet., but if we know that he's got the necessary signatures we know the election will happen soon. Its just a matter of time until the announcement.

I think it would be great if Shamblehurst ward could put up some good local candidates, standing as an independent perhaps or standing for whichever party they belong to. All you have to do is fill in the nomination form, which requires a couple of signatures. It is as easy as it gets. You don't even have to find a deposit to stand in Town Council elections, just be careful to follow the electoral rules & regulations.

The election for a new Town Councillor to represent Shamblehurst ward has now been formally announced, and it will indeed be held on 1st March. That was one of Hedge Ends worst-kept secrets I reckon...

Fuller details can currently be seen on the Hedge End Town Council website.

Nomination papers can also be downloaded from the HETC website, if anybody else would like to stand for the election. The more the merrier...!

Hedge End desperately needs more people to become actively involved in contesting elections to the Town Council. The Lib Dems need to be exposed to a little more of a contest than they have been accustomed to in recent years, to stop them becoming too complacent.

Look back at the electoral results on the Eastleigh Borough Council website, and you'll see The Lib Dems are often returned without a single vote being cast, because the elections are uncontested. Lib Dems put candidates forward, but nobody stands against them...!

That's not just in Shamblehurst ward BTW, but across the whole Town.

So if you're minded to get involved with the local Council, here's a really good chance to get started.

Unlike the General Election there is no deposit to be found. All you need are a couple of signatures, a proposer and a seconder. Its as easy as it gets really. Completed nominations should be delivered to the Returning Officer at the Civic Offices by noon on Friday 3rd February 2012.

There's still plenty of time, but don't delay...

And I've recently launched a new blog http://tinyurl.com/6lqyqyr , entitled the Hedge End Independent, as part of my campaign for the Shamblehurst 2012 by-election.

I will however keep it running after the election, whichever way the result goes. Hedge End needs another independent voice.

Keith Day has been doing some excellent work over the last 12 months, on http://tinyurl.com/65nagbr writing as the Hedge End Blogger, but we don't agree on everything. That's OK, we're independent...!

So there's plenty of room for another Hedge End blog. The more the merrier. The Lib Dems have had it all their own way for far too long...!