The weather during this campaign has been amazing and is in complete contrast to the difficult winter we have had. People have brought up the issue of pot holes with me and this has allowed me to explain the truth about what has happened. It is possible to detect an election in the air as the Labour Party has been playing politics with this issue. Labour councillors have repeatedly called on the Conservatives to cut our local road resurfacing budget and continually attacked the Conservative council for being too ‘car friendly’. Driving around I know only too well the difficulty that potholes are causing but every possible effort is being made to fix them quickly whilst not squandering taxpayer’s money.

Since the cold weather over 4,000 potholes have been fixed, a 433% increase in the level normally carried out by Barnet Council. Some of these were temporary fixes to allow traffic to use the road, but all repairs being undertaken now are permanent. Barnet Council has examined every road to judge the best and most cost effective way of carrying out repairs. This includes bringing forward resurfacing work for the worst affected roads. This can lead to frustration for those who live on roads that have been badly damaged, but it is uneconomical spending taxpayer’s money twice over by patching up a road only to resurface it a few weeks later. I have personally reported many potholes and instead of blaming others I will continue to get the job done as quickly and as efficiently as possible – because I pay my own council tax and do not claim it back through expenses. .

It was hot enough to sit outside Mister Baker on Brent Street in Hendon to eat breakfast before going to St Mary’s Church to hear our banns being read for the third time in three weeks. The first service we attended was on Easter Sunday and the church was very busy. Today there is a large crowd of people but we find a seat easier than before. After the service, a lady from Mill Hill approaches us to say that she knows Claire’s father and Kintbury, the village Claire is from and where we are getting married. It brings home to us what a small world it is and I like the fact that there are people outside of the constituency who are interested in our wedding.

After the morning canvass we meet with people in Edgware to talk about the election before heading over to Mill Hill to canvass. One elderly gentleman says that he will be voting Conservative but has heard a rumour that the Conservatives will cut various benefits. This is a scare campaign that is being run by the Labour Party (who themselves cut £29 million from the Freedom Pass in London while continuing to fund the same for pensioners in the Labour heartlands) and it gives me a great opportunity to re-iterate David Cameron’s speech from that very morning to say that Conservatives have pledged to protect:

• the winter fuel payment;

• free bus passes;

• free TV licences;

• disability living allowance and attendance allowance; and,

• the pension credit.

Later in the evening we held a meeting with members of the Asian community in Hendon. As Deputy Leader of the Council we held the first reception with the Hindu community. It was a very enjoyable meeting as we were joined by guests including representatives from the Shree Swaminarayan Temple Golders Green, the Sangham Centre, the Hindu Cultural Society, Bhaktivedanta Manor Aldenham, and the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple Neasden. Baroness Sandip Verma and the Indian High Commission’s Minster for Co-ordination, Rajatava Bagchi, also attended. I am sure this is something that the new Leader and Deputy Leader of Barnet Council will continue with as I certainly felt that it was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution the Hindu community, in all its diverse strands, makes to civic life in the area.