IT is now clear that Darlington is to be a key battleground in the first meaningful test of the political mood since the General Election.

The Conservative Party sees the market town – not so long ago a marginal parliamentary constituency – as a prime target in the forthcoming local elections.

It has identified Darlington Borough Council as the main prize in the north and the battle to be played out will say much about the standing of the main political parties.

Labour will make as much capital as possible out of the local consequences of the Coalition’s public sector cuts, which threaten the future of the local theatre and arts centre.

The Tories will insist that the necessary savings can be made without affecting front-line services, and claim that the cuts were only necessary at all because of the financial mismanagement of New Labour.

It will be an interesting debate but we hope that it is not an election dominated by the blame game.

The reasons for Britain’s deficit are for the historians to mull over. It has happened and we have to find the best way to overcome it without turning a blind eye to the social consequences.

But the politicians fighting for control of town halls like the one in Darlington must be forward-thinking and positive – not negatively harking back to the rights and wrongs of the past.

Voters want honesty, transparency and good ideas that will enhance the quality of life in their communities.

They do not want tiresome point-scoring about the past.