Seat fighting

We've finally reached election day and I've just taken in my second pair of shoes to the cobbler. My team is exhausted and complaining that they've never been worked so hard.

At stake is the running of an organisation that spends £200m annually delivering education, social services, transport and planning services to 152,000 residents.

Wokingham is one of a score of Unitary Authorities that is up this year. Out of 54 seats, 18 are up for grabs, the Conservatives are defending 12 and the Lib Dems, the only opposition group on the council, are defending six. By electoral coincidence they are defending four seats with majorities with less than 30 votes. It could be an interesting night.

While enjoying the disintegration of Labour at a national level we are unsure as to how it will affect our Conservative versus Lib Dem campaign.

On the doorstep the usual issues dominate: council tax, crime and development. My most difficult encounter was a 20 minute harangue in Winnersh about back land development and Mr Prescott's plans for more house building in the South East. What a way to spend a spring evening!

Thank goodness May 4th is here - my only light relief is finding (in the recycling box) a copy of the manifesto from Monster Raving Looney Party - some quite interesting ideas - for some reason they only seem to pick up votes from the Lib Dems!