Wokingham Borough Council has all-out elections on new boundaries in May and a parliamentary general election is likely in the autumn. That means we can expect the political temperature - locally and nationally - to rise.

If the past is any guide, the run up to important elections usually sees politics take on a more negative flavour. Attacks on the personality as well as the policies of other parties feature more prominently than positive reasons to vote for a party. 

I dearly hope we can avoid this kind of politics in Wokingham and across the country. It does nothing to encourage people to vote. All the evidence we have suggests that it puts them off – not just from particular parties, but from the whole political process.

At local government level, we cannot afford for people to turn away from voting. Low turnouts merely encourage central governments to ignore local concerns and centralise decison-making even more.

Politics is inevitably about a clash of ideas and will always involve pointing out others’ errors. As long as that is done in a calm and rational way, and does not descend into crude abuse, it can be acceptable.

But the political process is at its best when parties focus on what they have done and what they want to do, rather than when they try to knock lumps out of their opponents.

In my experience the vast majority of people are much more interested in what you are trying to achieve than in your criticisms of others.

This year I want to try to keep focused on the positive and avoid being drawn into the negative. I will do my best to carry this positive approach into the campaigning for the local elections that will soon begin in earnest.

I remain of the view that what most people want is an honest, rational, and grown-up appraisal of problems and a constructive, measured, and calm approach to solving them. 

And I remain convinced that hope inspires more than fear.