On Monday 15^th March, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, Caroline Spelman, came to Watford to launch the local election campaigns including the Watford Mayoral election.

Speaking to the audience of Watford Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council candidates, Mrs Spelman outlined Conservative plans to give greater democratic local control over planning decisions.

She said ““At the moment planning power is being taken away from local government and given to unelected regional bodies.

“You end up with regional housing targets and there’s very little that elected politicians can do about numbers being foisted on the community. That leaves people feeling seriously disempowered.”

Watford has faced its own problems over planning in recent years much to the frustration of local Conservative campaigners. Steve Johnson, Conservative candidate for Mayor of Watford, has led his own fight against developers trying to build blocks of flats in the back gardens of family homes.

Johnson said, “I have fought for years trying to stop inappropriate development. The local Council has stood by and left it up to residents to fight big developers. Our Council should be standing up for us.

“If David Cameron does form the next government and bring in these changes, it will make things that much easier to ensure our neighbourhoods don’t lose their character and we build the kind of houses the community wants rather than what developers want to sell.

“For too long, the Lib Dem Council has looked the other way. If I am elected Mayor of Watford, I will stand up to developers in the interest of local residents.”