Watford Constituency lies about 40Km north of London in the SW corner of the county of Hertfordshire. Watford (population 81,000) is Hertfordshire’s largest town. It is noted for its transport links, a strong business sector, with a vibrant shopping and entertainment centre. Watford Borough is a diverse area, with a sizeable muslim community, and there are some pockets of deprivation. Abbots Langley, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall in Three Rivers, also form part of the constituency. Watford Borough and Three Rivers are both controlled by the Liberal Democrats.

The centre of the constituency supports a mixture of light engineering and service industries, with the town of Watford having established itself as a major shopping centre meeting the needs of people from the NW London Suburbs and West Hertfordshire. To the north there is a substantial amount of Greenbelt agricultural land.

Although many people both live and work in the Constituency, a substantial number commute daily to their jobs in Central London. Within the past few years a major development of the old Leavesden aerodrome has brought new work and housing to the north of the Constituency. Film Studios on the site are producing major international cinema productions, and multinational companies are taking up accommodation at a location that is close to key road and railway links.

In 2001 the Lib Dems came third (on 17%), but the political landscape has been dramatically transformed since then. In 2002, we won the elected mayoral contest (Dorothy Thornhill), with Labour second. In all local elections from 2002 to 2004 Labour and the Conservatives have lost seats to us. We now have 40 councillors in the constituency to 6 Conservatives and 3 Labour, with 2 Greens. Labour last retained a seat in 2002, and the Conservatives only held one seat in 2004. Neither party has made gains from the Liberal Democrats since 1998. The Liberal Democrats also topped the European poll in Watford in 2004, confirming that the local vote has transferred to national elections. It is clear from the campaigning tactics of both the other parties that we are regarded as the challengers to the seat.

There is a severe problem of housing for key workers. This has been exacerbated by the Government’s continuation of the right-to-buy policy which has seen 4,000 of the 9,000 homes disappear from the stock. Young couples struggle to get on the property ladder with average house prices £202,000, and a minimum price of around £120,000 for a studio flat. The Conservative-run Herts County Council failed to invest in highways, with safety and congestion schemes at risk. Residents consistently complain about the poor state of roads and pavements.

When the Liberal Democrats took control of Watford Borough Council they inherited the highest council tax level for a Hertfordshire District Council. Since then, council tax increases have been the lowest in the county, and this year at 1.9% one of the lowest in the country. The Conservative-run County Council has increased its level by 4.9%. Pensioners and families on low incomes find the high level of council tax a struggle. Liberal Democrat proposals to axe council tax and replace it with a local income tax (collected through the Inland Revenue Pay as you earn scheme) would mean a reduction for 80% of pensioners. The national revaluation scheme started on 1 April 2005, for implementation in 2007 is likely to give residents of Watford a significant increase in council tax because of the large increase in house prices.

In Wales, where the revaluation scheme has just concluded, 33% of homes went up one band. In Cardiff, where house prices have increased substantially, 64% of homes have gone up, with larger increases at the lower end of the price scale, because homes for first time buyers are so expensive. In wards not dissimilar to Central and Vicarage as many as 90% of homes moved up. One house in Cardiff was moved six bands.

There are three grammar schools, and selection tests for most secondary schools, with considerable dissatisfaction among parents. The Liberal Democrat 2004 constituency survey (delivered to every household) showed 40% of parents responding failed to get their preferred choice of school, and a shocking 20% for primary schools.

The vibrant nightlife has led to a substantial increase in violent crime, and there have been three murders in the town centre in as many months. Partnership working has led to government recognition of Watford’s proactive approach to anti-social behaviour, using anti-social behaviour contracts (ABCs) for youth, and ASBOs and Section 30 Orders for adults in trouble spots such as the Sherwoods estate in north Watford, Hillside in Abbots Langley and Carpenders Park.