WITNEY is a town with too much development and not enough facilities to match, and where people are worried about vandalism, anti-social behaviour, poor facilities for teenagers . . . and the prospect of more flooding.

That is a snapshot of concerns coming up on the doorsteps, as candidates for tomorrow's elections seek votes to give them a say in trying to change things.

Turnout at local council polls is never as good as General Elections, but this week the Gazette asked six candidates, all standing in Witney, why people should bother to vote.

Their responses, from canvassing in the run-up to tomorrow, show that local issues are very much alive and on people's minds.

We spoke to candidates from each of the five parties - Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and United Kingdom Independence - as well as an Independent to find out what local voters are telling them.

A common theme is Witney's continued growth, with new housing estates, and even more planned, but slowness in providing community facilities and infrastructure.

The Madley Park estate is almost completed, but it won't be until next year before there is a community centre for the several thousand new residents. On Deer Park, there is a sports field, but no separate changing rooms for girls.

And at the Gordon Way astro-turf centre, there is no access to free drinking water, just machine bottled water, which has to be paid for.

The candidates we spoke to are: Roger Curry, Richard Dossett-Davies, David Phipps, Duncan Enright, Peter Green, and Brenda Churchill.

Mr Dossett-Davies said: "Despite all the new homes Witney has taken, affordable and social housing are issues coming up on the doorstep.

"But in West End and Hailey Road, the prospect of flooding is still a keen worry. In Hailey Road, people won't be happy until someone takes responsibility for providing a proper and big enough culvert."

Mr Enright told the Gazette: "Coping with Witney's growth is a common thread. Yes, there's the Madley Park community centre, and we all know the long wait for a Cogges Link Road.

"We need to provide a challenge on these issues, and not just accept the delays. More people are living here, and they need proper facilities. While some are worried about more flooding, equally worrying is the flood which seems to be sweeping Witney along in more growth."

Mr Curry echoed the concern over the town's growth: "I am a governor of Wood Green School, and there is a worry over whether there will be places at our two secondary schools in the future. Will children have to go to schools outside the town?

"Facilities for teenagers also keeps coming up, and with the increased traffic, the need for more traffic calming measures."

Mrs Churchill said that on her home estate, the Windrush Valley Tenants' Association had just been resurrected. "We need to have more neighbourhood schemes like that.

"It's a way of pressing for action on vandalism and teenagers out of control, a common issue on some of our estates," she said.

Mr Green said: "Residents do worry about lack of facilities for teenagers and anti-social behaviour, and it seems the two are linked. I can't understand why CCTV at The Leys, where there is frequent vandalism, was taken away after just two months with a mobile camera. Without that, it's the obvious place for underage drinkers to go at night."

Mr Phipps said that a strictly local issue was the problems with parking in Burwell Drive.

He added: "People are also fed up with councillors not having enough say in local affairs because of the cabinet system."

The full list of Witney candidates is as follows: WITNEY CENTRAL: Colin Adams (Con), Brenda Churchill (Lib Dem), Philip Edney (Lab), Stuart MacDonald (Green) WITNEY EAST: Roger Curry (Con), Enid Dossett-Davies (Green), Duncan Enright (Lab), James Mawle (UK Ind) WITNEY NORTH: Martin Chapman (Con), Richard Dossett-Davies (Green), Ruth Smith (Lib Dem) WITNEY SOUTH: Jane Doughty (Con), Peter Green (Ind), Jill Jones (Green), David Phipps (UK Ind) WITNEY WEST: Louise Chapman (Con), Sandra Simpson (Green), David Wesson (Lab).

* * * VOTING is for 13 wards on the 49-seat West Oxfordshire District Council. There are elections in all five Witney wards - Central, East, North, South, and West.

Elections are also taking place in: Chadlington and Churchill; Charlbury and Finstock; Chipping Norton; Eynsham and Cassington; Freeland and Hanborough; Standlake, Aston and Stanton Harcourt; Stonesfield and Tackley; and Woodstock and Bladon.

Four other wards - Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield; Kingham, Rollright and Enstone; Milton-under-Wychwood; and North Leigh - have no elections because only one candidate has stood.

At present, the council has 36 Conservatives, eight Lib Dems, four Independents, and one Labour. Polling is from 7am to 10pm, with results expected from 11am onwards.

Source: Witney Gazette