THE predictable, party political stance of so many elected representatives in this country is one of the big turn-offs for voters.

In the House of Commons and council chambers across the land we see endless bickering on strict party lines. It’s like a never-ending Punch and Judy show – everyone knows the script word for word in this yah boo ritual.

But over recent months in East Lancashire we’ve seen a novel departure from the same old, same old as Conservative councillors stand up and attack diktats and so-called policy pronouncements from Conservative ministers.

It’s a refreshing change, not just to have some local independence of spirit but also to see much-put- upon councillors standing up and asserting themselves against Westminister figures who know precious little about what’s happening on the ground in our neck of the woods.

Take the planning minister Nick Boles. He has succeeded in achieving something almost previously unheard of – provoking some of the region’s staunchest true blues in the Ribble Valley to attack him publicly through this newspaper using words like ‘outrageous’ and ‘out-of-touch.’ Upmarket locations like Clitheroe and Whalley are being swamped by applications from developers who want to build executive housing estates. They don’t have any altruistic desire to ease the nation’s housing problems or bring derelict former industrial sites back into use.

They simply know they will make money because a lot of people would rather live at a Whalley address than one in Burnley or Blackburn – even if it means that eventually the village will house thousands of people who have totally inadequate community, transport and utility facilities.

Mr Boles has told councils he will ‘reward them’ with what has been called a ‘bribe’ if they give the green light to house building on green belt land.

This is the same Mr Boles, who – if the weekend’s national newspapers are to be believed – has parents in Devon opposing proposals for a new housing development in their village because they fear overcrowding.

Lancashire County Council’s ruling Tories have also been vocal in objecting to various things coming from the Department of Education run by Michael Gove. Coun Susie Charles questioned the sense of publishing an ‘adoption map’ highlighting which councils have the most children awaiting adoption.

Lancashire, as she pointed out, appears in the highest category, not because of any failure in performance but quite simply because it is a large authority.

Putting local needs and issues before party political dogma and rhetoric should be the top priority of every councillor. Let’s hope we see a lot more of it.