Have your say on how Coalville's Community Forum Budget is spent

15 community groups and organisations have now submitted their bids for a piece of the 2013 Coalville Community Forum budget of £15,000 to be spent in our local area.

Bids range from a 'Refurbishment of Whitwick Community Coffee shop' through to 'Rugby Development & Creation of New Club Teams' with many others making their case along the way.

The beauty of the Community Forum budget is that YOU can have a say on how the money is spent.

If you would like to make an online comment or book your place to vote on decision night please click here.

Have some fun at half term (and try out the new cycle network with an Olympic Gold Medallist)!

What are the problems on our roads?

Throughout the election campaign the issue which came up again and again was the state of our roads.

Whether it's potholes, needless traffic calming, inadequate lighting or speeding cars you let me know things aren't working.

Now I am elected I want to go to County Hall to argue for better road conditions in Whitwick and Thringstone.

But I need your help.

Please leave a comment here to let me know where and what the issues are and I will make sure they are looked at.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. Now it's time to work for you all.

The campaigns are over, the polls are closed and the counting has been done.

I am so delighted and privileged that the people of Whitwick and Thringstone have elected me to be your County Councillor.

For so many of you to trust me with your votes is a great honour, one that I can only try to repay by working hard for you every day.

Whether you voted for me or not my job is to work on your behalf.

If there is any problem that you need help with please do not hesitate to contact me, I am there for you.

The Labour Party has been through difficult times in recent years but I hope that by seeing how hard we work for you locally, how we are on your side, that we are rebuilding your trust.

Once again, thank you for your trust.

When our time came. We did it right.

This Thursday the people of Whitwick and Thringstone will go to the polls to elect their County Councillor for the next four years.

I fervently hope that you give me the honour of representing you at County Hall.

But win or lose I want to take this opportunity to say that the past few months have been some of the most uplifting of my life.

This election campaign has time and time again shown me something that I am sure most of us already know, Whitwick and Thringstone are the most amazing communities one could possibly hope to serve.

So many people have given their time unhesitatingly to help my campaign, not only people who are members of the Labour party but ordinary (or should I say extraordinary) people who have seen that I am trying to positively work for our villages and they have volunteered to help out to make a difference.

The past few weeks have been emotional.

I have never failed to have been touched by the many, many people who have pledged not only their support but their faith in me to represent them.

As one lady said to me earlier today 'make us proud'.

How could I not feel privileged?

All through this campaign I have tried to remain positive. I have tried to say what I will do for our community and never resorted to criticising my opponents.

I honestly believe that is the way politics should be done.

Society needs people to become interested in politics once more, particularly our younger generations. We will only ever make the uninterested interested by showing how we are trying to make a difference, not by criticising the personalities of those we are up against.

Last summer our nation witnessed one of the greatest events of many of our lifetimes in the London Olympics.

In running my campaign I have constantly aspired to the words of Lord Coe at the Closing Ceremony.

'When our time came. We did it right.'

No matter the result on Thursday I want to be able to say the same thing.

If I am lucky enough to be elected this week I promise I will work hard for my wonderful community.

If you want to see me representing you please remember every vote matters.

By working together we really can make a difference to Whitwick and Thringstone.

Whitwick and Thringstone - the community that made me who I am

Often during an election candidates will resort to negative campaigning about their opponents.

I don't believe in negative campaigning.

I would much rather let you know how I plan on positively serving our community and then you decide on whether you want me to work for you (or not).

However in a leaflet one of my opponents has made an issue of the fact that I do not live in the division of Whitwick and therefore in the interests of clarity I will offer you the facts and then you can decide whether I am 'local' enough for you.

• I do not currently live in the Whitwick 'Division' (Whitwick and Thringstone). I live on Long Lane in Coalville which is around 200 metres (over the bypass and onto Green Lane) from being in Whitwick.
• I was born and spent the first 25 years of my life living on Main Street, Thringstone.
• When I got married I moved to Cademan Street, Whitwick.
• I went to school in Thringstone and Whitwick.
• I go to church in Whitwick.
• I am Vice-Chair of Governors at Castle Rock High School, the secondary school for Whitwick children.
• I am a member of the Executive Committee at Thringstone Community Centre.
• I am a member of 'Friends of Thringstone'.
• I campaigned for and voted consistently to protect Whitwick green wedge.
• I am a District Councillor for Thringstone.
• I am a Parish Councillor for Whitwick.

Every fibre of me links me to Whitwick and Thringstone. It's the community that made me who I am, the community where I serve and the community that I love.

On May 2nd you have a choice.

When other candidates knock on your door and tell you they live locally I would urge you to ask them 'what have you done for our community'?

If you choose me you know you will have someone with a track record of working in our community, the community I am passionate about.

Made by the Many - a Labour Party broadcast