It is wonderful to be able to do some normal things once
again!
Living through a political campaign, if you are trying to do
the job properly, is like operating in a strange parallel universe. Doorsteps, letterboxes, envelopes, maps,
lists, all take on a significance that they normally never have. Other, far more important things cease to
matter for a few weeks.
The process is like a strange quest in which you never quite
meet the dragon, but glimpse him in passing, flashing down country lanes, or on
the front of leaflets that people insist on showing you. When I finally met my
chief opponent, at a very early hour in Bildeston on polling day, it was odd to
meet a stranger who I felt I had already got to know quite well. Robert, and his numerous supporters, proved
on closer inspection to be reasonable people, and I have little to complain
about with regard to the way in which they campaigned.
Both sides worked very hard to get our respective messages
across. Our effectiveness in this can be
measured by the relatively high turnout at the election of 42%. This is a good deal higher than that seen
across the county which I think was closer to 35%. Voter apathy is a sad thing, and taken to
extremes can be a dangerous one.
So what now? After a
bit of a rest this weekend I shall be setting off for Ipswich on Tuesday
morning for a meeting with those Conservative councillors who have been
elected. I hope to sign my Acceptance of
Office, and then I shall be sorting out matters such as IT support, passes and
training schedules. I shall also be
contacting parish councils across the Division, unless they get to me first.
I shall also be
responding to the two residents of Cosford who have already contacted me about
pressing issues, both of which are really District, rather than County Council
matters!
