I decided to stand as a Borough Council candidate for the Conservatives over Christmas and was endorsed in early January.  I started knocking on doors immediately and it has been a wonderful experience so far.  OK, so some people are rude and ignorant and close the door very quickly, but the vast majority of people are intrigued by my approach.

I always introduce myself and explain that you now have a choice on 7th May for the person you want to elect as your Borough Councillor; this has not been the case for many years as nobody has ever seriously stood against the sitting councillor. In 2011 the Conservative party did not even put forward a candidate. This makes benchmarking my progress difficult but I have been encouraged by so much support and intelligent conversation on the streets of Oakley, Pavenham and Stevington. One of the most talked about subjects is crime; like all of us who live in villages, burglaries and robberies have the potential to change people’s lives in a split second. The Police need to reassure the residents of these villages that they are actively hunting for those behind the rising number of these types of crimes.

If you see me, stop and have a chat. I may well be knocking on your door soon as well. I want to represent you in the Borough Council and I want to listen to your views. I have been leading and listening to people for my entire career and representing you would be one of my greatest achievements.

Vote Ade Clewlow on 7th May.