I am so grateful to everyone who placed their trust in me and the Watford Liberal Democrat team in the recent elections.
Standing in an election is always a bit of a surreal experience.
Seeing your name on leaflets and posters feels a bit odd.
As the votes were counted in the Colosseum this year, it was really humbling to see the level of support for the Liberal Democrats in Watford.
In Watford, and across the country, we saw both Labour and the Conservatives losing support and councillors.
However, Watford bucked the national trend in some ways.
Neither Reform UK nor the Green Party won any seats here, with the Liberal Democrats winning all 12 council wards for the first ever time.
I know that many people feel fed up with national politics and the direction of the country.
Our economy has struggled to grow for years. Many families find it difficult to pay the bills.
This Labour government is not delivering the improvements many of us had hoped for.
In such circumstances it is easy to see why people are tempted to vote for populist, protest parties such as Reform UK or the Green Party.
In Watford, the Liberal Democrat team has a record of working with our community to make improvements.
With the government reorganising councils in Hertfordshire, these were likely to be the last ever elections for an elected mayor of Watford.
I know how important it is that I now get on with the job I was elected to do – delivering the promises I made to residents in Watford and making this a better town for everyone.
- Peter Taylor is the Liberal Democrat elected mayor of Watford
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