Leader of opposition of South Kesteven District Council Councillor Graham Jeal writes about upcoming Lincolnshire elections
Something stirs in the darkened lanes of Lincolnshire, writes Councillor Graham Jeal, leader of the opposition to South Kesteven District Council.
A shuffling sound echoes through the night—faint at first, then unmistakable. Footsteps. Are they coming closer?
No, it’s not the restless spirits whispering through the hedgerows. Nor is it the ghostly rustle of two tonnes of litter mysteriously being collected by SKDC from the A1.
It’s not the hurried scurrying of postmen delivering court summonses to some of the six members of South Kesteven District Council - councillors supporting an administration that voted for the maximum council tax increase while being seriously behind on their own payments (as revealed by the recent damning Freedom of Information request).
It’s not even the ominous silence of those SK councillors who a costly standards hearing concluded brought the council into disrepute after allegations of bullying, intimidation, contempt and sharing confidential information.
Nor is it the murmur of solar farm developers flocking to South Kesteven encouraged by the council leadership, only to be left dismayed when an opposition-led community campaign halted an industrial anaerobic digester that threatened to scar our countryside.
No, the real stirring - the one you can feel beneath your feet - is coming from the determined march of candidates pounding the pavements ahead of the May [Lincolnshire] County Council and mayoral elections. Listen to them. Talk to them. Welcome them. They are not creatures of the night. They are here because they want Lincolnshire to be a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Giving time to the local government is an act of service, sacrifice and endurance. It is time-consuming, often thankless, sometimes maddening - but democracy is built on the shoulders of those who step forward.
The process can be chaotic, divisive, and, occasionally - almost supernaturally - you can actually get things done.
In some Eastern philosophies, hell is not a place of fire and brimstone but a nightmarish bureaucracy - an endless labyrinth of obstacles, red tape, and frustration. Yet somehow, within this tangled web, there are those who persist, who navigate the maze and push through real change. These are the people - however flawed - on whom our democracy depends.
I once heard a voter ask a candidate why he only knocked on doors nearing an election. The candidate replied, “How often do you want me to knock on your door?” A fair point. Elections are, if nothing else, the best time to reflect on what’s been done, what still needs to happen, and where priorities should lie in the future.
And so, as we move toward May 1, one more election looms - within the South Kesteven Conservative Group, where a new leader will be chosen for the year ahead. It is time for someone else to take their turn to dedicate the hundreds of hours required to lead an opposition for what is at times a chaotic council.
There will be much to oppose, much to debate, and - who knows - perhaps even a few improvements to celebrate. Not all of it will be scary. But in politics, as in ghost stories, the most unexpected twists often come when you least expect them.
