My politics: Councillor Chris Dowling

I've been an active member of the Conservative Party since I was 22 years old. I started as a Young Conservative and went on to become chairman of the Wealden Conservative Association. In 2001, I stood for council against a very high profile Liberal Democrat candidate and I won. He was amazed and so was I.

In the last term, we straightened out the Council's finances, and the services we deliver are now much better value. Keeping the council tax as low as possible has been a key objective.

We are badly under-funded by the government, and I expect this will continue. Therefore, we have to work hard to reconcile our policy ambitions against the tight financial resources available. At all times our services for the people of East Sussex must be top quality and best value.

Some websites I recommend

East Sussex County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Uckfield Town Council

The website for Uckfield's Best Value-accredited council. Provides details of services provided by the council, local councillors and links to other useful local organisations.

Uckfield Festival

Organised entirely by volunteers, the festival, featuring free concerts, a street procession and fun events, is a major event that provides a focal point for the residents in the town and the outlying villages. The official website can tell you all about what's going on, where to go and how to get involved.