Craig Palmer - Bursledon & Hound North
Personal Background
I grew up locally, spending my early years in Hedge End before moving to Hamble, where I still live today. This is my home, and I care deeply about protecting our community.
Community Experience
I currently serve on Eastleigh Constabulary’s Independent Advisory Group, working with senior officers on policing and community safety.
As a former member of Hamble Parish Council, I led efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour, including work on Operation Aquatic, which made a real difference during the summer months.
Why I’m Standing
I’ve seen first-hand how local services have declined.
- GP appointments now take weeks
- Face-to-face care is disappearing
- Local surgeries are being merged
- Development is accelerating without proper planning
Meanwhile:
- Roads are more congested
- Schools are under pressure
- Healthcare is harder to access
These decisions are being driven by distant bureaucracies and poor local leadership, not by the needs of residents.
I’m standing with Reform UK because we believe:
Local people should have a real say in what happens to their communities
THE LIB DEMS: WORDS VS REALITY
They say they’re responsible with your money.
The reality? Eastleigh Borough Council has built up over £600 million in debt, putting our area at real financial risk and raising serious questions about long-term stability.They say they care about your healthcare.
The reality? GP services across our area are getting worse.
Local surgeries are being merged and centralised, including Blackthorn Surgery with Hedge End Health Centre, leading to:- Longer waits for appointments
- Fewer face-to-face consultations
- Residents travelling to hospital for routine procedures like blood tests
They say they care about our communities.
The reality? They continue approving large-scale developments across Bursledon, Hound and the wider peninsula without the infrastructure to support them.We are seeing:
- Congestion worsening on key routes like Hamble Lane and A27 corridors
- Schools under increasing pressure
- GP and dental services stretched beyond capacity
Growth is happening, but infrastructure is not keeping up
They say they stand up for Eastleigh.
The reality? The Lib Dem leadership supported proposals that would see Eastleigh absorbed into a wider unitary structure with Southampton, risking:- Loss of local identity
- Less local control
- Residents effectively funding services elsewhere
A Message to Voters
We cannot keep going down the same path.
- Higher taxes.
- More development.
- Worse services.
It’s not working, If you want change we have to act now.
Be the difference. Join us at Reform UK.