Pictures: Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey visits Lewes and the surrounding downland

Greater food security and a housing policy led by the local community were two core policies that underpinned Mr Davey’s visit on Tuesday, April 4.

Bright sunshine, new-born lambs and a sheepdog greeted Mr Davey who kicked off his whistle-stop tour of the town with a spell at Kingston Farm. He later headed to The Foundry Healthcare Centre in Lewes where GP services were on the agenda.

Feeding a day-old lamb posed the perfect picture opportunity as local and national media followed the leader across grassland at the foot of the Downs.

Mr Davey successfully bottle-fed the lamb before returning it to its pen in the farmyard and getting to grips with policy discussions with the Lib Dem's proposed Lewes constituency MP James MacCleary.

Among Mr Davey’s guests was Stella Spiteri - who is hoping to take over from William Meyer as Lib Dem District Councillor for Kingston and Rodmell. Former primary school governor Mrs Spiteri is a 16-year Kingston 'native' with daughters of 16 and 18. If she was successful she would replace Mr Meyer who stands down this month.

Mr Davey addressed how some families in the local area could not afford to live in the towns and villages where they were from. He added: "We want a community-led approach to planning; not developer-led the way it is at present. Currently developers choose to build in the south as they can sell homes at high prices. There are also cases of the wrong houses in the wrong places. We need community housing, not executive homes."

His view was supported by Mr Meyer who did stress the importance of retaining restrictions on building in or near the South Downs National Park.

Cllr Stephen Catlin also urged all parties to consider supporting Lewesian families who could not afford to live in the town as, he said, the National Park's objectives were design-led rather than people-led.

Mr Davey had also been in Eastbourne earlier in the day speaking to dog owners on the seafront before heading to Gardners Books.

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