WHAT fantastic news that Diane James MEP has been chosen to stand as a candidate for North West Hampshire.

This is great news for Andover – a breath of fresh air.

I do not bump into many ‘old Andovarians,’ but even so when I do the conversation normally gets around to “how things have changed”.

Andover used to be a lovely town – Parson & Harts, Shaws, and we had a lovely Co-op where Wilko now stands.

I hope, and I also hope the majority of new and old Andovarians will vote for change. We need a big department store, we need to sort out the transport and we need to see more police walking the streets.

Let’s breathe new life into TVBC – new blood, new ideas and a council that we all have faith in.

I look forward to 2015 as hope is on the horizon. Merry Christmas to all and I hope a very positive new year.

Cllr David Bateman, Monxton, Andover