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    The 'party machine' bit is an easy overstatement to make. DT The 'party machine' has no real influence, or direct policy involvement at the Parish Council level and if Mandie were to be elected that 'party machine' would be her and Roger Frayne, so she would have had a 50% say in it!

    A Parish Council (which is what DTC really is) has a relatively small budget and no real statutory responsibilites (the nearest to that being allotments)

    I believe that the Labour Party involve unelected people in having a say over the policies adopted by their Councillors. That is not the case for the Conservatives. Local policy tends to be made by the elected Conservative councillors representing the Party, as a group. They do share attitudes and values with the Party nationally and this would influence their thinking but that is a strength of a Party label as it provides a shorthand to allow people to understand what individuals stand for.

    I personally do not believe that there is a need for Party allegance at a Parish Council level and it was not Conservative Party policy to put up candidates for Dover Town Council in my day (Deal did for historical reasons arising before I was Constituency Chairman).

    That said I do understand the reasons for putting up a candidate, though I thought it might be wiser to have supported an independent. At least we did select a first rate candidate in Mandie who did do an exceptional job, I sincerely hope she will come forward again as a candidate at DDC level. We, and Dover, need people like her.

    I am left feeling somewhat guilty. With the national economic concerns, since getting back from Spain I have been swamped and had to put my clients interests first, working late and even a bit at weekends. Hence I have had little spare time and did not manage to get out and help her. Even yesterday I did not manage to help despite having every intention of doing so, my sincere apologies Mandie. This is the first Dover election where a Conservative candidate has stood in over 30 years in which I have not lifted a finger to help. Again my apologies Mandie.

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