WHILST we have no particular thought as to the outcome of the by election for the Fenland vacancy on Cambridgeshire County Council caused by the death of Councillor John West, we feel entitled to raise an eyebrow over the low turnout.

With the impact of Government cuts now cascading through local government, here was an ideal opportunity to express an opinion.

With the principal three parties in contention, an obvious moment then for the electorate to vent its support or anger at the cuts and to do so in a tangible form.

It was not to be as four out of every five voters decided either to stay at home through choice or, quite probably, never realised an opportunity had presented itself to pass either support or judgement.

Whilst the by election briefly held possibilities of a change (the election had thrown up an 18-year-old Labour candidate and a 23-year-old Lib Dem) neither, it must be confessed, brought much weight to bear in a ward where a well oiled Conservative machine was at work to ensure their own supporters were encouraged to get out and vote.

With the whole of Fenland being invited to cast votes in a few weeks for the district council, we hope for a higher level of political engagement.

There’s been mutterings of independent candidates coming forward to offer a purposeful challenge, and in a few pockets of Fenland there appears a resurgence of interest in support for the Lib Dems and for Labour.

But if the Conservatives do, as is likely, retain control we hope that at best they have been subject to rigorous scrutiny and at worst they have been forced to fight all 40 seats.