Longstanding Parish and District Councillor, Cllr Judy Stevens has decided that she would be better off entering next year’s elections as a Conservative.

Cllr Stevens is well-known as a tireless community activist involved in many organisations and initiatives in the village of Deeping St James. She was at the forefront of the Deeping St James in Bloom campaign and can still be seen regularly weeding, tending plants and picking litter.

Fellow Deepings Councillor, Ashley Baxter, who is still Independent, comments “Judy has clearly been seduced by the flattery and empty promises of the SKDC Tory Leadership. One can only assume that she has been promised a Special Responsibility Allowance next year as a Committee Chair or Cabinet Member. While I am disappointed that Judy Stevens has abandoned her independent status I guess it would be better to have someone in such positions of authority who have a track record of speaking up for residents and being practically involved in the community rather than some of the Tory yes-men who turn up just to collect the allowances and make up the numbers e.g. one of the existing DSJ Tory Councillors now lives on the other side of Peterborough and was until recently a Vice-Chair of a Committee.

The best outcome next May would be for more Independent candidates to stand and win so the Tories lose their majority. Failing that I hope that Judy can cause havoc among the already divided Tory group.