OVER the last five weeks, on these pages and elsewhere, we have discussed a lot of the major issues facing Herefordshire.

The problems may be different and varied but part of the cause and answer are the same. Lack of money to spend on services and no money for investment in the future are problems throughout the county.

This affects our schools, our hospital, our council services, our adult social care budget and our daily lives in so many different ways. Herefordshire has felt the cuts in funding more deeply as we were already getting such a low figure from Government.

We deserve a fairer share of government funding. Comparisons made with an urban area have shown that although the population sizes are not as different as you would expect (183,600 in Herefordshire and 220,100 in Camden), the total local budget is £150 million for Herefordshire compared with £878 million for Camden.

More unjust is that government grant pays only 43.7% of our budget but 62.3% of Camden’s budget. The result of this is that we have to raise 23% of our budget from council tax whilst in Camden they only have to raise 9.6% from council tax.

I have already campaigned for better school funding and in addition have been lobbying on this issue with colleagues in government and the House of Lords and will continue to fight for fairer funding for Herefordshire.

This not only affects us but our children and grandchildren. If they are to have a chance of a decent life in our county then we must continue fighting for a fair share. I will continue to fight as a local voice for Herefordshire and will be able to do this in a much more effective way if I am elected as your next MP.