The New Year is a time to look to the future as well as reflect on the past. I would be lying if I said 2015 hadn’t been a tough year for me; both personally and politically. In January, I lost my father to cancer and in May I suffered what was an electoral sucker punch for Liberal Democrats in the New Forest and across the country.

But I am determined that the New Forest Liberal Democrats now face the future with a new optimism driven by the influx of new members since the elections in May.

We are a party that believes in making a real difference for working and middle class families. In the New Forest our councillors are working harder than ever to achieve the real difference people need.

And when those working and middle class families are threatened by unnecessary and purely ideological cuts to local government funding from a narrow minded Conservative government, we must challenge them and we must offer a real alternative.

This year New Forest Liberal Democrats offer that alternative.

Door by door, street by street, we will make a real difference where it matters.

Have a very happy new year,

Jack Davies