On Thursday I did my civic duty and voted in the local elections.

What a shame that not a single candidate over the last few weeks, knowing that elections were looming, could be bothered to canvas me or even post a leaflet through my letterbox.

The result was I was voting "blind" with only vague recollections of parties' stated intentions from weeks and months ago as reported in the Gazette.

It is a local election. We can vote on national issues later in May.

I would have liked to know each party's position on villages, potholes, the future of the laughably named Cultural Quarter, pedestrianisation of High Street, the future of the derelict old Odeon site, revitalising our market and so much more before deciding how to cast my vote.

If the turn out is small our lazy local politicians have no-one to blame other than themselves.

It is their absolutely astonishing self-centred arrogance and refusal to listen to the people who elect them that is to blame.

Alan Wells

Straight Road, Lexden