Victoria Ward Polling Update

Today's the day. Its the by-election in the Victoria Ward for the vacant seat on Burgess Hill Town Council.

Its 'Mr Fair Trade' Robert Eggleston representing the Lib Dems against the Conservatives' latest acquisition, John Merrill.

As a fortunate inhabitant of the Victoria Ward I have a very tough choice to make, or is it really that tough at all?

Firstly, I've never known anything like it with regards to election literature to be delivered to the BHU offices over the past month. Both parties are really going for it, especially the Lib Dems.
This by-election certainly hasn't been kind to the environment. A tree or two would have been sacrificed, couldn't they have just done it all online? Even the elderly know how to use the internet these days

Robert Egglestone
Robert Egglestone and the Lib Dems have fought such an aggressive campaign, John Merrill's efforts have been much more understated.

Egglestone's literature boasts of his skills and achievements, it's rather a turn off to be honest. Another leaflet shows Robert tackling issues in the Victoria Ward, this is unusual as he's not actually a councillor.

I think I'll start going round Burgess Hill with a bucket of water, putting out fires and see if the local fire service will give me a job.

John Merrill
John Merrill's campaign is basically: 'Hello, you all probably remember me, 16 years a town councillor, former chairman of the town council, Unlike Egglestone I live in the Victoria Ward. Vote for me, my record speaks for itself'
Well, that's not quite how he put it, but that's how I would have done, it would have been short and sweet and saved a lot of paper!

What we have is a man who is tried and tested in the job, and another that is doing all he can to claw himself onto the council.

Who I'm Voting For
If you've not worked it out by now good reader, I shall be voting for John Merrill. I don't care for either party at the moment, but John always did a good job previously even he was on the Lib Dem's side, so he deserves another crack.

If Mr Egglestone is reading this.......then Robert, you MAY have won my vote if your Fair Trade event at the Martlets had chocolate brownies on offer. I'm fickle and a man, a nice chocolate brownie would have left a good impression on me. However Robert if you don't win, I'm sure you'll have another crack in 8 months time, that means you have a chance to supply Brownies at your next Fair Trade event.

But Who Will Win?
I'm voting Merrill, the older generation will probably also vote for Merrill, but the poor weather today means that many won't want to leave the house. The Lib Dem literature will have impressed many, even though I see plenty of holes in their claims and 'brilliant' ideas. Will the majority of voters have been fooled? Probably.

Egglestone to win, but only just.