Just a small observation I write this simply as an observation. We are heading into a round of local elections.

From what I can gather the Conservatives are struggling to put together a fresh selection of candidates.

Labour are, well, you tell me. In my area for example, some candidates won’t even allow us to know their addresses.

That includes those from the Green Party.

Does that mean they don’t live within the ward they are standing in?

That is allowed, providing they are within a certain distance of the ward.

But are they not genuine locals?

I could not put my name forward as a candidate though being unwell and ageing.

Why I get frustrated is that people who are not genuine long established locals, have now taken over.

They have turned the New Forest into Hollywood.

Electric gates, concrete drives, swimming pools. Numerous unused outbuildings. Land grabbing.

The countryside is not being protected. Nor is our coast line. As for those Freeports - from your map a lot of that could be under water soon.

Come on, genuine locals. This is your local election.

Richard Grant Burley