Preparations continued for this eve of by-election as I delivered leaflets to Peggy in Hilton and then set up my 4/86 system in Hemingford Abbots where the resident had to be reassured.
Then rather late on to the St Neots Public Meeting to participate in the controversial Priory Lane traffic debate where Ross McKay made an outburst and insulted the shopkeepers and Wiggly brought news of the calling of a by-election in Eynesbury for July
Most of this morning working at home on my part of the election organisation and liaising with the other key people to make sure arrangements were in hand. It was the arrival of the "Please Vote Today" leaflets that was the final part of the jigsaw and, after lunch, I took these across to Hilton so that Peggy could bundle them up into deliveries for sending round to early morning helpers.
**"Read More" BELOW for the complete story**
Time whilst there to exchange computer data with Mark and so prepare two computers for polling day. Then over again soon after tea to unload and set up my 4/86 system in the Hemingford Abbots Committee Room at 15 Rideaway. I found our host to be not entirely happy with the arrangement and then had to get over this by myself as agent Ron Heinrich was late arriving.
With this delay, I was late arriving at the Priory Centre to join a St Neots Public Meeting on the future of Priory Lane traffic measures. I still got there for the main part of it. The topic was the highly-controversial closure of Priory Lane for reasons of pedestrian safety which also had the side effect of increasing traffic congestion across the river bridge and reducing trade in nearby shops.
Certain County Councillors that had taken the decision had been invited along and presented their views after which members of the public had their say and a heated debate followed. Over all Sally, as Mayoress, did quite well in chairing the meeting but Ross McKay made an outburst and insulted the shopkeepers who then retaliated and things nearly got out of hand.
A show of hands had around 97 favouring reopening in a single direction turning left off of the bridge and just 7 for the status quo but procedurally it will be difficult to get the measure changed. This event threw into even sharper focus the relationships between Ross McKay and the rest of the Town Councillors and its effect on the St Neots LibDem reputation.
Wiggly had come by to give me the bad news of the calling of a by-election in Eynesbury for July. Earlier, I had got out twice with Sam and again met the owner of the small springer spaniel with whom I did some informal retrieving and waterwork which was good for both dogs. Sam is losing the unsightly orange patches on his coat as he moults and is looking a lot better.