Shaping up nicely

The borough council elections are eleven months away but already the thoughts of the political parties will be turning to Rusthall.

UKIP won its first seat on the council last May, winning the seat from the Conservative incumbent in Rusthall.  UKIP delivered three leaflets and the candidate canvassed many electors as well as 'pressing the flesh' on the high street. 

The Conservative campaign did not take off.  There will be a vigorous campaign next May as the sitting councillor is the Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

The Liberal Democrats published the best election leaflet.  I thought they would win the seat repeating what happened in a by-election in Pembury where UKIP took votes from the Conservatives thus enabling the Lib Dems to win the seat from the Conservatives.  The Lib Dem candidate has been elected chairman of Rusthall Village Association and should he decide to stand next May will be in a far stronger position to win the seat.

Could be close and difficult to predict who might win.  The Labour Party may decide to contest the seat, after all the chairman of the parish council is a former Labour councillor on the Borough Council.

All this is good news for the residents of Rusthall as individuals and parties seek to gain support. Nothing like the prospect of a closely fought election to encourage the political parties to listen to the electorate and seek to gain its favour.