More Details Emerge About GBC’s Visit to Dongying

Published on: 15 Oct, 2017
Updated on: 16 Oct, 2017

As the Dongying partnership delegation from Guildford Borough Council (GBC) start their visit to China, more details have emerged of its busy itinerary.

The partnership agreement, subject to some dissension within the majority Tory group at Millmead in Tuesday’s full council debate, is due to be signed today (October 15).

Extract from the itinerary for GBC’s delegation to Dongying itinerary on Sunday, October 15. The full itinerary can be found below.

Meanwhile reports have emerged of a councillor being asked to leave a Twinning Committee meeting held on Thursday (October 12) and two councillors, Nils Christiansen (Con, Holy Trinity) and David Wright (Con, Tillingbourne), who both spoke in favour of the Dongying visit at Tuesday’s full council meeting, being added to the committee’s membership, although they did not attend Thursday’s meeting.

Cllr Tony Rooth proposing his amendment.

Cllr Tony Rooth (Con, Pilgrims) had, during the council debate, proposed an amendment that would have prevented the agreement being signed. Six Tory councillors: Rooth himself, Jenny Wicks (Clandon & Horsley), Dennis Paul (Holy Trinity), Christian Holliday (Burpham), Bob McShee (Worplesdon) and Murray Grubb (Ash Wharf), voted with all the opposition councillors to support it but it was defeated by 26 votes to 20.

According to reliable sources, Cllr Rooth wanted to attend the Twinning Committee meeting but was asked to leave, before the meeting started, by its chairman and council deputy leader Matt Furniss (Con, Christchurch).

In another associated development, Greg Melly, the senior vice president, advancement and partnerships at the University of Surrey, has written to all councillors criticising some comments made about the vice-chancellor Max Lu.

The letter sent by a senior vice president at the University of Surrey to all GBC councillors

Within the letter he states: “With reference to any personal benefits or bias towards a relationship with Dongying, and just to set the record straight, I can confirm that our vice-chancellor was not born in Dongying nor was it his “home” town as reported by some. Max Lu was born and spent eight years of his life in North Eastern China before moving to Shandong Province (in which Dongying is based).

Dongying is in Shandong province, north-east China.

“He left there at the age of 15 to attend university in North Eastern China. After completing his undergraduate and masters degrees he worked in North Eastern China before moving permanently from China at the age of 24.”

He continued: “I would add that the notion of the university selling houses or land in the proposed Blackwell Park development to people or organisations in Dongying is ludicrous and that is not being considered.

“The university is extremely disappointed to have seen the defamatory comments made in the press and social media, particularly those attacks focussed against our vice-chancellor. The allegations are unfair, untrue and unwarranted.

“We see such comments as being not only damaging for the vice-chancellor, the university and the borough council, but also for the town and its future relationships both nationally and internationally. As such, the university has taken the unprecedented step of considering legal action against those behind the defamatory attacks.”

Cllr Matt Furniss during the GBC Executive meeting on September 26 described the links between Lu and Dongying as “very strong”. He said: “Max Lu, the vice-chancellor, has very strong links in Dongying. They are extremely proud of him…”.

Responses to More Details Emerge About GBC’s Visit to Dongying

Bernard Parke Reply

October 15, 2017 at 6:20 pm

In my day our own mayor would have been present.
Harry Eve Reply

October 16, 2017 at 10:18 am

In another interesting twist to this story, the latest magazine of the British Dragonfly Society came through my door on Saturday, and I learnt that two additional species have recently been described from China – although they may be a variety of a known species from the Himalayas.

We are used to dragonflies and damselflies but the Himalayan example is one of only two previously known remaining members of an intermediate type, the Anisozygoptera (the other species being found in Japan). Apparently, that type is much more frequent in the fossil record but has almost died out.

I hope that Cllrs Spooner and Furniss took their binoculars and cameras for the itinerary today (Monday). It does, at least, tell us that the Chinese are taking an interest in biodiversity and the article also refers to a meeting with the Tokyo Dragonfly Society. Let us hope that Britain is not falling behind in an area where it has led the way in the past.
- Harry Eve Reply
  
  October 19, 2017 at 6:59 am
  
  Anyone who finds dragonflies fascinating should take a look at The Dragon’s Birdwatchers Diary where they will find some great photos of local species taken by local naturalist and photographer Malcolm Fincham.
Fiona Samuel-Holmes Reply

October 16, 2017 at 4:59 pm

Has one of our councillors got the wrong end of the stick when it comes to Max Lu? If that’s the case then it’s a shame Cllr Furniss didn’t do his research correctly before he went off to China.

Or is it, that due to the negative feedback from people of the borough regarding the lack of engagement/ consultation by the council, that other parties are now trying to distance themselves from this?
Graham Richings Reply

October 16, 2017 at 10:53 pm

So Greg Melly says that the notion of the university selling houses or land in the proposed Blackwell Park development to people or organisations in Dongying is ludicrous and that is not being considered.

I doubt that Mr Melly or the university would have much say in this. If permission is ever given for houses to be built on Blackwell Farm I would imagine that the university will sell the land to developers for an eye watering figure and the developer will decide to whom the houses are sold. The university is not a developer but an educational establishment and it should remember that.

There is every possibility that this trip to China could cause a lot of Chinese money to eventually flow into Guildford and make houses even less affordable. How can it be that planning authority can get into bed with the owners of land, In this case Blackwell Farm that maybe developed? How can Guildford Borough Council remain impartial and objective in their planning decisions on this matter?
Gina Redpath Reply

October 17, 2017 at 4:32 pm

Mr Melly’s letter is quite concerning and I trust our councillors will take action and follow this up on behalf of the residents.

“Attacks against the vice-chancellor…”. What attacks?

“…the university is considering taking legal action”. Against whom exactly?

Without doubt Mr Lu is the most charming, intelligent and obliging gentleman. He certainly could not have come so far in life and been so tremendously successful without all of these attributes.

More to the point I have been following this whole sorry saga and have never seen one word against him. Perhaps Mr Melly could tell us of these defamatory comments against Mr Lu that have concerned him?
Ben Paton Reply

October 17, 2017 at 8:57 pm

Is it common for the vice-chancellor of a university to rope in a local council and promote a partnership with a foreign city? Is it part of the job description?