CHORLEY Council has done away with the polling stations in a bid to get more people voting.

They are one of the first authorities in the country to insist that people vote by post only. Already, it appears to be working, with an equivalent to a 32 per cent turnout by Monday afternoon. Votes can be dropped off at Chorley Town Hall until 9pm on Thursday.

A high turnout could make things very interesting inside the town hall during the next municipal year.

At the moment, the council has no overall controlling party. The care homes issue should not be as politically sensitive here -- the council has already said it will pay for repairs if need be. It is also contemplating going unitary in an effort to escape the clutches of County Hall.

What is a big local issue, however, is Chorley town centre. Less than a decade ago it was hailed as an example of regeneration when the new Market Walk complex opened.

Since then, shops have shifted away from Market Street to Market Walk, leaving the old shopping centre full of empty buildings. The pedestrianisation of Market Street has also killed off trade, say locals.

The Labour group are also keen to press home their improvements in making Chorley a cleaner and safer place, promisng £250,000 to improve refuse services and more CCTV.

The Conservatives have also pledged to improve the environment with more roads repaired and bins provided. They want to tackle crime and disorder with more security on the streets to rid the area of youth crime.

The Liberal Democrats are basing their campaign on litter, traffic, teenage nuisance and dog dirt -- pledging action to clamp down on people responsible for each. They also promise to push for more speed enforcment areas.

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