Test Valley Tories have refused to back the campaign for and Andover Town Council. Andover Lib Dems sought council approval for a petition on favour of the council arguing the decision should be made by the people of Andover not the borough council. (See news of 17 December for the full motion). “The petition and campaign should be non-political and if demand were proven the borough should fully support the campaign” we argued.

Lead by council leader Ian Carr successive Tories rubbished the campaign and denigrated its organisers. They claimed to have no opinion either way themselves but refused to accept that Andoverians could and should make the decision.

We offered the Tories the opportunity to take the debate out of the political arena and recognise the democratic rights of the people to make the decision. Sadly they were too arrogant to accept the offer.