Flashback: GGG Publishes Its Manifesto, While Aldermen Question ‘Single-issue Political Party’

Published on: 10 Feb, 2025
Updated on: 10 Feb, 2025

Flashback looks at Dragon NEWS stories of a decade ago.

Ten years ago this week proposals put forward by the Guildford Greenbelt Group were in the news.

First published on The Guildford Dragon NEWS on February 13, 2015.

The Guildford Greenbelt Group (GGG) has released its manifesto for May’s elections, including among its pledges: to prepare a completely new Local Plan, implement a ‘brownfield first’ policy, cut the number of empty homes, stop urban sprawl and end the executive form of governance in place at the borough council.

At the same time, two aldermen have written to the council expressing their fears over what they describe as “the emergence of a new single-issue political party focused on preserving the present boundaries of the green belt”.

Aldermen Tamsy Baker and Gordon Bridger question if any GGG candidates are elected to the borough council in May, will they be up to the job?

Baker and Bridger have written: “We believe that to establish a party with such a restricted remit will not serve all the borough residents well. Council members have responsibilities to the elderly, the town centre, parks, the night economy, culture, charities, industry and our further education sector amongst others.

“Single-issue pressure groups play an important part in the democratic process but to convert them into a political party with a single interest, undermines the economic, cultural and social responsibilities of our representatives. Furthermore, anyone committed to such a party would probably be disbarred from participating in planning applications for development of the green belt as this would constitute ‘predetermination’ of the outcome.”

GGG states in its press release about its manifesto, that it “has changed the political agenda”.  Continuing: “We have resisted more than 10,000 homes that the council wanted to dump on Guildford’s green belt. We have highlighted planning errors by the council.  We have started a legal process to change from the executive system (where the council is run by an Executive of just nine individuals) to move to a committee system where all councillors can vote. GGG is a force for change. It has members and supporters throughout the borough of Guildford.”

Susan Parker.

GGG says that it proposes to stand in all wards throughout the borough at the forthcoming elections. Its leader, Susan Parker, will also be standing as a parliamentary candidate in the Guildford constituency. She said: “We stand for integrity, democracy, transparency, accountability, and protection of our environment and heritage. If you want to protect our countryside and environment, vote for GGG.”

The two aldermen in their letter to the council also point to a number of facts about Guildford and its needs. They wrote: “It is widely recognised that provision of affordable and low-cost housing is our most urgent need and its very high price, mainly due to land costs (two thirds of a house price is that of land) is seriously prejudicing our future. We are now seriously short of workers to serve our public services and perhaps more importantly, the professional knowledge-based workers who are vital for our survival in an increasingly competitive economy.

“We note that the council has recently received a planning application for the development of Wisley airfield site (68 hectares) and the University of Surrey has revealed plans for land (89 hectares) on the adjoining Blackwell Farm. These 157 hectares account for 0.6% of green belt land. Guildford has not enough school places and it is only by building new communities complete with infrastructure that we will be able to provide the new schools we so desperately need.

Alderman Gordon Bridger.

“While accepting that brownfield sites should be prioritised for housing, we believe that these two restricted sites, provided attention is paid to scale and character, could be suitable for development. They are not AONBs, are of less environmental quality than other areas, and their commercial development for housing would fund far more affordable housing than other areas. Urban brownfield site developments put more pressure on existing facilities, such as schools, surgeries and roads.”

Meanwhile, GGG in its manifesto (titled Putting Our Countryside First) includes under a heading ‘governance and accountability’ that it will: “Give power back to parish councils and local residents by seeking and respecting their views. Bring in stricter codes of conduct for councillors and council employees based on best-practice standards of transparency, integrity and ethics, including a whistle-blowers’ charter. Ensure local government offers transparency in decision making and accountability. Remove the party whip from any GGG councillor who has brought the party into disrepute.”

While under a heading titled ‘financial responsibility’, it will: “Conduct an early review of all council functions including the proposed Millmead renovation. Ensure continued provision of high-quality public services, cut inefficiency, consultants and waste. Make sure public money is spent appropriately, efficiently and wisely – fiscal prudence. Seek greater cost-effectiveness through shared services with other councils.”

The manifesto also gives GGG’s pledges on traffic and public transport, rubbish, recycling and street cleaning.

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