There was a time when you could absolutely guarantee that the Conservatives would win every vote in the Council Chamber in the New Forest. They had a massive majority. This is no longer the case.

These days, they have to rely on the support of other parties, including a couple of Reform Councillors, to get what they want. Last night we saw them win by just 23 votes to 20.

If I asked anyone living in this part of the district who was best placed to represent their interests on the Joint Committee that is helping set up the new authority that brings together this part of the district with part of Test Valley, Southampton & Eastleigh….. I am pretty sure the answer would be “Prefer it not to happen at all”. However, if it has to happen, you would choose an experienced Councillor that has lived in this area and represented it for many years.

The Conservative Leader, who lives far away in New Milton, thinks she is best placed to do the job and instructed all her Conservative colleagues to push it through. It wouldn’t be so bad except that she has also put herself on the other Joint Committee that involves her part of the New Forest joining with Test Valley Winchester and East Hants.

Every time the Conservatives are given the chance to put the interests of the community first, the Conservatives choose the interests of the Conservative party.

Laughably, the Reform party (ex Conservatives), who promote themselves as “anti establishment”, support the establishment, whether at Hampshire or the New Forest.

There are features of the Local Government reorganisation which seem to be the very opposite of devolution….the fact that it is being pushed through without consent, less representation from Councillors, decision making by members that will often be far removed from the communities.

That said, I think my abiding memory of working on the District Council will be the way the ruling group ran things, ignoring the talents, skills and knowledge of half the Councillors because of party political dogma that says it is better to exclude rather than include.

Scroll to 13 minutes in to listen to my speech.