Although the Liberal Democrats will not be fulfilling their policy commitment of letting the people of Cornwall have their say in a referendum on their proposal to create a unitary authority for Cornwall, the district elections on May 3 are vitally important.

It will be the district councils of Cornwall that will make the decisions, over the next few months and years, that will have long-lasting effects on our lives and those of our children and grandchildren. These decisions will be taken by the people you elect on May 3 before the new authority is created.

Most of the new development planned for Cornwall is in and around Truro and the Falmouth-Penryn area. Carrick district council has been consulting on the implementation of these targets in local development frameworks.

The regional spatial strategy (RSS) decided by the unelected, SW regional government is an important document for Cornwall. It informs the location and scale of the built environment across the region until 2026. Overall, across Cornwall, this means 13,800 new homes and associated roads, schools and employment sites over the next 20 years - 390 new homes per year over the next 20 years in Carrick.

As well as guiding the locations and scale of the development, the RSS steers how developments should be designed in the future. Policies related to protecting the landscape, biodiversity, historic environment, water, air and land as well as sustainability.

To view the RSS and get details of the examination in public, due in Spring 2007, visit www.southwest-ra.gov.uk.

We believe that every village, town and city is unique and that decisions about the future of communities should be shaped and made by local people. Conservatives want to ensure that the planned new housing is affordable and for local people.

It is Carrick council that will make the final decisions on what is built, where and how. Your vote on May 3 really will count. Use it or loose it!

Mrs Sarah Newton, prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate, Truro and Falmouth