Dragon Interview: Howard Smith Labour, ‘We’re in Favour of the Local Plan’

Published on: 9 Apr, 2023
Updated on: 12 Apr, 2023

The Guildford Dragon NEWS is conducting a series of interviews with the leaders, or nominated representatives, of the various parties at Guildford Borough Council in the lead-up to the local elections on Thursday, May 4.

You can hear directly their views and pledges for the Local Plan, Climate Change, the effect on the election of the viral social media video “Battle for Guildford”, council finances and more.

Howard Smith the vice-chair of Guildford Labour and a candidate in the forthcoming GBC election spoke to Dragon editor Martin Giles.

You can watch the full interview here…

See other GBC Election 2023 interviews here.

Responses to Dragon Interview: Howard Smith Labour, ‘We’re in Favour of the Local Plan’

David Roberts Reply

April 9, 2023 at 6:15 pm

Mr Smith is right to describe the Robin Horsley video as nonsense and scare-mongering. Perhaps we could all agree that it has now had enough air time.

He is right to say GBC needs to generate more funds, although the only example he gives is a passing reference to Slyfield.

He is right to highlight the need for decisions about Spectrum in view of the climate emergency.

Where he is spectacularly, stupendously wrong is in defending the Tory Local Plan, which he is “comfortable” with. Labour voted in favour of this in 2019, betraying the most basic duty of an opposition: to oppose. Now, he treats the risk of housing being built without the necessary infrastructure with towering complacency, saying there is time to work on this because the houses “won’t be built next week”.

This is true because in places like Horsley they are already being built by the hundred. Many are already being occupied. I suggest Mr Smith gets out of town to take a look.
Valerie Thompson Reply

April 11, 2023 at 4:35 pm

Well you know who we won’t vote for then!
Nathan Cassidy Reply

April 13, 2023 at 11:42 am

Howard is absolutely right to raise the ridiculous cost of the ‘Shaping Guildford’s Future’ master plan. What are R4GV doing spending £5million on consultation when we are shutting public toilets to save pennies?
Robin Horsley Reply

April 14, 2023 at 12:59 pm

Sorry to hear that Labour is supporting the North Street scheme. The allegation that there was misinformation in “The Battle for Guildford” keeps being made by supporters of the scheme but without providing any information to back up the allegation. Isn’t that allegation itself, therefore, in reality, misinformation?

The evidence was presented in the video to support what was said – it is not remotely scare-mongering to provide the facts. I am sorry Howard Smith chose to use such words.

People can make up their own minds about the scheme and its impact on the town and borough – but only if they are made aware of it.