.....................but unfortunately the two are not related!
On Monday 11th April I pitched up at the Mayoral Debate oganised by the Torbay Business Forum at the Riviera International Conference Centre (aka The English Riviera Centre) to see the candidates strut their stuff. As previously stated I am not in favour of an elected mayor for Torbay, however Conservative Central Office in its wisdom has decided that we are stuck with the system and must therefore simply get on with it. Mayor Nick Bye has decided to bravely stand again given that the local Conservative group decided to select someone else as their official candidate and I have to say that it was Nick who carried the evening.
So where do we go now? Well, on May 5th we have the joy of voting for (a) a new mayor, (b) numerous local councillors and (c) a new alternative voting system. Hmm. It's enough to make your head spin, especially since all this follows immediately after the late Easter and the Royal Wedding! Many of us will doubtless stagger to the voting kiosk in a state of religious euphoria or alcoholic semi-oblivion and attempt to make some sense of the assorted boxes just waiting to be ticked.
So the choice is yours boys and girls, do you stick with Nick Bye or elect one of the others? There you have it - one of the others. Hmm. Perhaps that should be Nick's strap line for this election - Stick with Nick. Seems to me that it is one of three devil choices. The devil you know against the devil you don't and as usual the devil will be in the political detail! I guess for the moment my money is sticking with the devil that I know.
..............................and now that glimpse of heaven! The other day Pete Hobbs (Oak Tree Garage in Paignton) gave my Noddy car (a Westfield) a really good going over and when I picked it up in the evening there was only one thing to do - go for a blast! The joy of Devon lanes and the late afternoon sunshine...................brings a little smile, well actually huge smile as Donal Lang and Matthew Porter will testify when I shot through Stoke Gabriel....
And Frank - don't worry about those old ladies in Stoke Gabriel; we pulled them out of the hedge after you'd 'blasted' through and they'll probably be fully recovered in a week or two! ;-)
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