HOUSING developments, schools, doctor’s surgeries, congestion and debt.

These are the issues occupying the minds of voters in Eastleigh as they prepare to go to the polls on May 5.

Although the ruling Liberal Democrats are certain to keep their iron grip on power, the party has called in heavyweight support on the campaign trail with leader Tim Farron visiting Bishopstoke earlier this week.

Yet those on the beat talking to residents have said there is an “overwhelming” concern from the people as developments look set to spring up across the borough and doubts shroud the council’s spending habits.

Even Lib Dem officials agree that the lack of a local plan for Eastleigh is causing the greatest worry.

Since the council had plans rejected by the local planning officer last year there has been no attempt to try again, leaving residents worried – despite the council currently looking at results of a public consultation showing the public areas of interest for future development.

According to the opposition Conservatives, the borough is “vulnerable” without a plan as hostile planning applications are coming through that the government can approve on appeal.

Eastleigh Conservative Association chairman Graham Hunter said: “A lot of residents are telling us about their concerns for the local plan and hostile planning applications and they are noticing that this is causing major infrastructure problems with doctor’s surgeries seriously overrun and not able to cope with the number of patients as well as the vast amount of traffic problems.”

The Lib Dems have also come under fire for their spending and a lack of transparency over debts – set to reach £154million by the end of this financial year – which have been built up to fund secret projects.

Conservatives are calling on council leader Cllr Keith House to be “more transparent” about upcoming projects.

Cllr Hunter added: “It would make life a lot better for the local residents if they had a local plan in place right now and that’s what we are pushing for.”

UKIP party members echoed these concerns for the lack of a local plan with Cllr Martin Lyon saying that most of the issues in the town stem from there.

He said: “It has caused real problems, we have vital infrastructure concerns that aren’t being resolved because there is no sign of a local plan in place. We believe the last plan was rejected because they underestimated the amount of houses needed and there wasn’t enough affordable housing.

“We’re also fighting a reduction in funding for roads and schools, it’s a squeeze.”

Council leader Keith House has said: “Tackling congestion, protecting green gaps, keeping council tax and preserving public services remain the priority of Eastleigh’s Liberal Democrats.”

A third of the Eastleigh’s 45 councillors are up for elections next week. The Lib Dems will be defending 12 seats, the Conservatives two and independents one.

Veteran Conservative Godfrey Olsen is standing down after more than 60 years will be standing down as will Independent Suzy Hamel who left the Lib Dems after being sacked as a cabinet member by Cllr House, she claims for speaking out about the budget.

Eastleigh Central councillor Simon Bancroft will also be standing down from the Lib Dem party, as will Fair Oak and Horton Heath member Andrew Cossey and Hedge End St Johns Cllr Jane Welsh.

Spending was cut by nearly £1million for 2016/17 with no details as to how this was to be achieved.

Other issues include the council implementing a system redesign, mainly in IT, costing nearly £7million which has been designed to shorten the paper trail and could save £1.75million a year.

Plans are still being discussed for the future of the former civic offices in Leigh Road and congestion issues include the Chickenhall Lane link road project which is 30 years in the making and will take traffic from Chickenhall Lane to the M27 J5 bypassing the town centre.

Work on Stoneham Park, a project to build 1,100 homes is yet to fully launch after its controversial approval last year for the land north of Chestnut Avenue and the Boorley Green development to build 1,400 homes in a village just outside Botley continue to aggravate residents.

The Fleming Park leisure has now started, which will mean 85 weeks of building before demolishing the old one and concerns have been raised by opposition members about the costs involved.

Cllr Winstanley said her party recognised there were issues with the infrastructure and work was ongoing to tackle them.

She said: “Some of the main concerns people are raising are with congestion problems which links into the local plan.

"Whatever happens in the future we have said we need to put more money into the roads and also schools and doctors surgeries.

"We have to look towards the future but we have problems now which we definitely need to focus on and in turn that will help once we have a local plan.

"We would like to focus on bringing more commercial business to the area to help with the funding cuts, we will not be taking money away from vital services in the area and we will do this all without putting up the council tax.”