… the only such event to be held in the Sidmouth ward
… planned for late April before election day on 1st May
.
The VGS news pages have endeavoured to cover aspects of the campaign for the County Council, with one piece recently looking at the Devon County elections and Active Travel in the Sid Valley.
It had been hoped to hold a full hustings event for the ward – which would have been the only such event in Sidmouth when candidates could directly address the public in an open meeting.
At the Sidmouth Annual Town Assembly earlier in the month and in the VGS April newsletter, it was announced that the VGS intended holding a hustings event at the end of the month.
Regretably, however, the VGS has had to take the decision to cancel the planned event.
Here is the full press release issued this evening:
Press release – 21 April 2025 – VGS cancels County Council election hustings event
The Vision Group for Sidmouth has had to take the decision to cancel its much-anticipated hustings event for the upcoming Devon County Council elections on 1st May.
Having announced at the town council’s Annual Assembly their intention to hold the event, the VGS contacted all four candidates for the Sidmouth seat, inviting them to take part in a Q&A session in front of a live audience at the end of April.
However, only one candidate replied to the invitation positively, despite repeated efforts by the VGS to produce a full ensemble of candidates.
Denise Bickley, standing for the Liberal Democrats, said she “would be delighted to take part in the hustings and will make myself available whenever you can arrange it”.
Stuart Hughes, candidate for the Conservative Party, said “I’m having a real problem trying to sort a date for this… so it’s looking as though unfortunately I shan’t be able to attend your planned event”. His agent added that “it’s long days at the moment busy campaigning”.
Neither Suzanne Bullock of the Labour Party nor Basil Herbert of Reform UK responded to invitations to attend the hustings event, whether directly or though offices and agents.
The VGS has held hustings for both general and local elections over the past twenty years, the most recent being in June last year when all the candidates were able to take part.
As one commentator says about hustings events, “I think they are an important and traditional part of the process”.
The VGS event would have been the only such opportunity available for voters in the Sidmouth seat.
END
Finally, statements have been issued on the Who Can I Vote For website and can be found here: Devon local election: The 4 candidates in Sidmouth
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