The battle cry of the victorious Selby Conservative council candidates team was "time for change" and this is exactly what was delivered by Selby residents on Thursday when the Tories swept back to power at the local elections.

Nationally, the Labour Party has suffered its biggest defeat since the "winter of discontent" and locally, Selby residents have responded to Labour's failure to provide quality services and their massive rises in council tax by ousting many Labour councillors and replacing them with Conservatives in Selby.

These elections were fought and ultimately decided on local issues, but the national picture is much the same. Labour are failing to provide people with the services they need and deserve, while making them pay higher and higher taxes. The Conservatives now have the chance to demonstrate to the people of Selby district how local services should be provided and this stunning victory tells everyone that "the Conservatives in Selby are back" and should send this clear message to Selby's Labour MP, John Grogan: "You are next in our sights".

Nigel Adams,

President,

Selby Constituency Conservative Association,

Gowthorpe, Selby.

Updated: 09:29 Saturday, May 03, 2003