The 23rd July by-election may be the most important local council election ever held in this area. The resignation of Conservative Councillor Paul Lainchbury removed the single vote majority the Conservative Administration could achieve on any one issue if all the opposition parties voted together against them. This puts a lot of power into voters hands right now! You need to question these people and find out what they offer in exchange for your vote and your trust.

If the Conservative candidate, Andrew Wealls wins, it is business as usual. If the Green candidate, Alexandra Phillips wins, then there will be l3 Green and l3 Labour Councillors. Which would be the official opposition then? As Greens Leader Bill Randall said to me "We would be in uncharted waters". A lot of legal heads are being scratched over this one in anticipation of all the various possibilities this election result could throw up.

Goldsmid voters are literally "Kingmakers" for a day on this one! The entire running of the council hangs on who this new councillor will be. Will we have business as usual? A coalition situation? The present cabinet is free to continue until next April/May. But without that one vote, if the Conservative fails to win, what deals would they have to make to get an opposition party onside to allow any business to be passed through the system? Might we have to have a local election one year early because the city becomes ungovernable by next May?

Candidates have been invited by saveHOVE to appear at a Hustings meeting which they would jointly pay for. This would allow voters to see the whites of their eyes and to hear in public their publicly accountable positions.

Stay tuned! If the Hustings meeting proceeds, I will invite you to attend, here on your local Communty page.

One candidate fell before the first hurdle. The Independent candidate, Brian Ralfe, withdrew his candidacy ahead of the July lst deadline for doing so. And then there were five.......