[Margaret Pilkington]

I have always thought that 'party' politics' should be taken out of local government.
The focus on which party a councillor belongs to takes away the focus from what should be happening locally........'party politics' has no place in local government....and it sometimes means that the wrong person is chosen for the job because he/she stands under the 'right'(as far as the elector is concerned) political banner.
It prevents some people from voting because they cannot see past political dogma.
(you know the kind of thing - 'I can't vote for him/ her....wouldn't put my cross on the paper for a tory')...........this despite the fact that they may be the right person to do the job in hand.....which is, after all, to look after local issues.

Some of the electorate cannot separate local issues from national issues when election time comes around.
Remove 'party po;itics' and more the important local issues might get dealt with in a better way. Without mud slinging, back biting and all the nasty things that get in the way of someone doing a great job......and serving the local people.