I went along to Thornton Little Theatre last night for the annual public meeting of the Thornton Action Group. I was partly there to listen to local residents’ concerns, partly to support our local government candidates in Bourne ward who were supposed to be taking questions from local people. Unfortunately, the Labour Party candidates decided to boycott the occasion, thereby depriving local people of the chance to question anyone.

Nonetheless, it was a useful meeting. It was very clear that Canatxx and the A585 remain very, very important issues for local people in Thornton, and I shall continue to campaign strongly against the gas storage facility and in favour of traffic relief. There was also a presentation by what I think was the local police commander who was explaining the managerial changes in the local force. I’m not sure I quite understood what it all meant, since it was couched in fluent manager-ese, but it seems that Thornton will be getting 1 extra officer and 2 PCSOs which is to be welcomed. I hadn’t realised that the concept of neighbourhood policing was regarded by the police as a ‘business area’ now though – strikes completely the wrong note, surely? They’re not there to make money last time I looked!