POLITICAL parties fighting to control Hampshire County Council have set out their policies as voters go to the ballot boxes today.

The Conservatives have been in power for 12 years and are standing on their record while aiming to improve services.

Councillor Ken Thornber, says his party has made Hampshire a top rated authority and will keep council tax among the lowest in the south east.

The council is responsible for services including education, libraries, highways and social services.

The Lib-Dems are the second largest group on the council after the 2005 election and hoping to add to their 28 seats It is two-horse race. Labour has just four seats on the council.

Under the banner “Greener, Fairer and Safer,” the Lib-Dems are promising to freeze council tax if they regain control of the council.

Among their policies is spending more on road maintenance and improving the public transport system, including buses.

Lib-Dem leader Cllr Adrian Collett said: “The condition of highways is appalling. People are experiencing potholes and cracked, uneven pavements.

“The other concern is young people getting into trouble. There are too few youth workers out on the streets giving them guidance.”

Council leader Ken Thornber said his party is standing on its record since 1997 but was not complacent.

He said: “The overriding objective will be to keep council tax the lowest in the south-east while maintaining and improving our services which are rated by the Audit Commission as ‘excellent’ and ‘improving strongly. This is the best rating you can get but we must not rest on our laurels.”

He said future priorities included road maintenance, improving education, especially for children in care, boosting the number of adoptions, building 500 extra care beds for the elderly and tackling climate change. Labour group leader Josephine Kelly, who is stepping down, said the big issue was not who people would vote for but whether they would vote at all as they were fed-up with politicians.

The MPs expenses scandal is overshadowing the local election. Candidates of all parties say it is the first thing people talk about when they are out canvassing for votes.

Voters have more choice than they have had in previous county council elections.

As well as the three major parties, the UK Independence Party is fielding 31 candidates and the Green Party 14.

The question is will any of them win a seat in the council chamber?

The Green Party has performed well in European elections with two MEPs, including Hampshire’s Caroline Lucas, but has not had much success in local elections.

Opinion polls suggest UKIP will benefit the most from public anger over MPs’ expenses scandal.

Other parties contesting the election are English Democrats (seven candidates) and the British National Party (four, including Fareham-Porchester.)