Here we are in early June. The election is just days away on the 4th, the government is losing ministers left right and centre, the public want an election (national) as it seems everyone is making genuine mistakes and saying sorry - we get prosecuted - they say sorry!
I keep  telling everyone that it doesn’t happen at local level, only to find our very own Dacorum Chief Executive also has used his expenses for a £800 TV and hiring a suit to go to some function or the other.

I’m sorry to say, that as I work for myself, I don’t have expenses - it comes out of my pocket anyway!
This idea that you pay for something and claim it back has never occurred to me unless I had been told that I would get the money back.
The Chief Executive could have just asked Council for a TV and suit hire and that would have been approved (or not!) before spending the money. Still, when you have to survive on over £150,000 every year (and I expect a bonus for breathing and a nice pension), it must be difficult.

Meanwhile back in the real world of the County Council elections, on the door-step and telephone:

Do I need my poll card to vote - NO

What about the pot-holes - give me time!

I suppose you want to join the gravy train? - What gravy train?

Just in case you are wondering, if (when?) I am elected to represent the town, I will produce a regular newsletter to keep you informed, like wot I did when I was on the Borough/Town Council in the late 1990’s. At this time, I’m not sure how it will be done, but you will be given regular updates on what the County Council gets up to that affects the town.

I’ve just remembered that I’m standing for the Town Council in the Castle Ward due to a couple of Conservatives not being able to take the pace - one was the outgoing County Councillor who resigned due to age and the other, a young slip of a lad, who didn’t expect to get elected in 2007. Not only that, but we already have at least three other Conservatives who don’t get involved either because they don’t live in the town or have better things to do! I just care!!

Whatever you do, at least get out and vote TODAY and I’ll be back shortly afterwards, either with an excuse why I didn’t get enough votes or a touch of the ‘oh dear, what have I done?’.

Either way, you ain’t seen the last of me!

Result
I came 3rd out of the 5 candidates with 600 votes. Ian Reay (Conservative) got 2590 and Garrick Stevens (Lib-Dem) got  2001
I beat the Green party and Labour Party.

In the Town Council election, I managed to come last with just 339 votes - only about a third of the Conservative winners - but mustn’t grumble.

If you would like to help me do better in the 2011 Town/Borough elections, then it would help if I didn’t have to do everything myself! You know where I am and know what my views are on most subjects. Go on, support me through the next two years! We have the other two thirds of voters to convince that you get what you vote for and do you know when you vote for a ‘party’?

It’s only 2 years away and it will be your last chance to get an independent minded Councillor into our Town or Borough Council instead of the usual ‘voting fodder’.

Next report on Tuesday/Wednesday 9/10th after I’ve been to the PCT board meeting on Tuesday afternoon to hear confirmation of the preferred hospital site. I say ‘preferred’ as their is some doubt over funding/infrastructure which is exactly what we have been saying for ages.

Well, here we are on Wednesday 10th. There was about 30 odd people for this board meeting which was supposed to make the decision on where the new local hospital was going to be.
The decision was to look into the ‘Gateway’ site to see if it was viable. An option on buying the land is to be obtained just in case it is. They also agreed to carry out more work on the viability of either a complete rebuild of the existing Hillfield Road site as well as refurbishing and rebuilding parts of the Hillfield Road site. Honest, I don’t make this up!
The report is available on their web site (http://www.whertspct.nhs.uk) and follow the links to board meetings.

Naturally, I have a view. The Gateway site is flat, virgin ground with plenty of room to expand. Concerns over infrastructure were expressed, although some board members suggested that the costs should be included in the financial appraisal. Then they came up with the idea that they didn’t need all the land and could share the infrastructure costs with employment/factory units - so much for plenty of space for expansion!
The Hillfield Road site doesn’t have the room to expand - they naturally ignored the Hospital Field area, so the weighting is somewhat biased (never!).
The usual comments were made about problems with Buncefield being nearby and how the existing hospital could be re-used.
The idea is that all the existing Hillfield Road site facilities will be located on the new site,m not that they have asked the existing Urgent care unit or ‘walk in surgery’ yet. No birthing facilities are planned  - but the award winning birthing centre is being re-assessed as it’s only temporarily closed!
They admitted that more consultation is required and so the next ‘milestone’ will be in a years time when they will have spent even more money on consulting and maybe, just maybe, the location could be decided.
I haven’t mentioned how they intend financing the project, but even a year is a long time in the NHS. (The way they plod along!).

Two other small points.
1 - They made a wonderful case for a new hospital for West Herts at the Gateway site complete with ALL facilities including everything at Watford and the existing Hillfield Road site - even down to expansion space!!
2 - Hillfield Road disadvantages includes poor signage! The Gateway site hasn’t even got signs!

Go on, make your own mind up!