By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
The seats Tories are targeting to win and where they are fielding paper candidates in the Gloucestershire County Council elections this week have been revealed.
An official Conservative Party document which shows their campaign plan for each seat has been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The document suggests the party has been focussing its efforts with leaflet delivery in the divisions they are targeting to hold and gain.
Meanwhile, their plan does not include delivering leaflets in areas with paper candidates and it is “optional” in seats they are very confident of retaining.
Conservative leader Stephen Davies confirmed the document details where they are putting most effort in. But he did not think it showed “any great surprises”.
“We are putting up candidates in every seat,” he said.
“That’s a bit of an internal thing as to where we are putting most effort. I don’t think there are any great surprises in there.
“Anybody, who would have done any semblance of analysis, would have come to the same conclusion as to which seats we are pursuing.
“You wouldn’t expect us to put up much of a fight in Stroud Central, let’s be honest.”
The seats the Tories believe they are most likely to hold are Abbey, Barton and Tredworth, Campden-Vale, Moreton, Stow and The Rissingtons, Quedgeley, Tuffley and Moreland, Cam Valley, Hardwicke and Severn, Highnam, Severn Vale and Winchcombe and Woodmancote, according to the campaign document.
The seats they are targeting to hold are Battledown and Charlton Kings, Lansdown and Park, Leckhampton and Warden Hill, Pittville and St Paul’s, Fairford and Lechlade, Tetbury, Coleford, Drybrook and Lydbrook, Lydney, Micheldean, Bisley and Painswick, Haresfield and Upton St Leonards, Stonehouse and Tewkesbury East.
The Conservatives’ targeted gains include Prestbury and Swindon Village, South Cerney, Blakeney and Bream, Newent and Dursley.
According to the document, the Tories are fielding paper candidates in All Saints and Oakley, Benhall and Up Hatherley, Charlton Park and College, Hesters Way and Springbank, St Mark’s and St Peter’s, Bourton-on-the Water and Northleach, Cirencester North with Ermin and Cirencester Park.
Other divisions listed as having paper candidates include Cinderford, Sedbury, Barnwood and Hucclecote, Coney Hill and Matson, Kingsholm and Wotton, Longlevens, Minchinhampton, Nailsworth, Rodborough, Stroud Central, Wotton-under-Edge, Bishop’s Cleeve, Brockworth, Churchdown and Tewkesbury West.