Local elections are tomorrow, Thursday, and as ever, Hitchin Nub News has been covering democracy in action in a fair and unbiased way.

As always Nub News take a neutral political position - but whatever your political stance we urge residents to go out and vote to make your voice heard.

We have been providing a platform for those candidates and affiliates who wish to use it - and will do so until midnight tonight (Wednesday).

We believe local journalism has played a part in the democratic process by reporting on candidates.

Purdah is a convention, not a law, and if a candidate or a party decides they would like to share their news with our many thousands of readers - and voters - we will not to be afraid to run their opinion.

This invitation extends to each and every candidate from each and every political party.

And we can assure you we have been absolutely fair to all, regardless of political party.

HNN holds no political allegiance and favours no politician.

What we care about is fair and honest reporting of a hugely important democratic process that has been overlooked for far too long.

It is far too easy to hide away behind 'purdah' and refuse to cover the build-up. HNN will never shy away from reporting on our town and surrounding areas in a fair way - and this includes pre-election coverage.

These forthcoming local elections are simply too important not to cover beforehand - and we cannot stress enough that the purdah convention is exactly that. A convention, not a law.

Free speech in a democracy is vital to the long term health of this country.

So, if you are a candidate or an affiliate, you are invited to email us anything you would like to share to [email protected] until midnight tonight, ahead of Thursday's vote.

Memo to political candidates: Don't say you haven't been invited.

We don't want to hear any whingeing afterwards.

Ignorance of our invitation isn't an option either. As a candidate in our area it should be your DUTY to read HNN.

Quite simply we won't entertain any lame excuses or complaints that a local election candidate wasn't aware of our invitation to use our platform to share their opinion and highlight the things they think important to our readers.

Unless of course the political candidate thinks themselves too important to stoop to read our respected and ever-growing website.

Which would not only cast a shadow upon themselves for refusing to keep up with local events - but would be a slap in the face to our many, many thousands of readers - and voters.

Speaking of our many, many thousands of readers of every political persuasion - HNN urges you to get out and vote next Thursday - it's too important not to make your voice heard - whoever you vote for.

Use your vote. That's what it's there for.

So, read for Labour's Ian Albert and his manifesto.

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Thursday's Local Elections will give a critical choice for the residents of Hitchin and North Herts .

Do we want to continue with the type of administration offered by Labour and our Liberal Democrat colleagues over the last two years?

Or do we want to return the type of failing, unengaged administration offered by the local Conservatives for more than 20 years up to 2019?

Through this campaign, Labour candidates have tried to set out a positive agenda.

Our candidates like me in Bearton Ward, Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg in Walsworth, Nigel Mason in Oughton and, of course, Judi Billing who is standing again for the County Council in Hitchin North, have made some key pledges:

We will contine to work in partnership with the NHS and volunteer organisations to protect our community as we come out of the pandemic.

We will protect and improve local services like our swimming pools and playgrounds.

We will tackle the housing crisis by strictly enforcing 40 per cent affordable housing in new developments.

We will do all we can to achieve our target of zero carbon emissions by 2030.

We will continue to improve our waste and recycling and work with partners to reduce the national scourge of the growth of fly-tipping.

We will engage and listen to residents and support local community groups.

And there's so much more in our manifesto.

Labour, as part of North Herts Council leadership, hasn't got everything right. I would not pretend otherwise.

But we have come a long way since the mess left by the Conservatives through the shambles of bin collections and the delays, in fighting and money wasted on opening the North Herts Museum.

Through the campaign, the Conservatives have tried to make residents forget their record in administration by a series of slick social media slogans and uncosted promises.

And they try to make you forget that the rise in Council Tax in North Herts (2.1 per cent) is somehow more than the rise in Council Tax in Conservative controlled Herts County (4 per cent).

Voters can see through this when they look at their bills.

But I believe Labour's positive agenda for North Herts will rise above all this.

That's why I hope you will vote Labour on Thursday to allow us to continue to work for you in the coming year.

Thank you.

Ian Albert