Letter: Could the Council Leader Answer These Questions?

Published on: 11 Mar, 2023
Updated on: 11 Mar, 2023

From: Laurence Carr

In response to: Dodging Questions Is a Telling Failure

I can’t help but agree with The Dragon.

Politicians making decisions affecting our Borough should be available for interviews about their actions, policies and leadership and especially their lack of it.

Could I, through The Dragon, ask the following questions of the Lib Dem leader Julia McShane:

If she does not give interviews how can we know what she stands for?

If refusing an interview on planning because it’s not her area of expertise, and most importantly, to explain the failing planning functions at GBC, will the councillor be interviewed on the council budget and or future plans for Guildford, or indeed anything?

I see her portfolio is Housing, where l seem to recall her party promised 3,000 social homes. How many have been delivered?

If, as leader, she supported the North Street proposals but her Lib Dem colleagues undermined her by turning the application down, which part of the Lib Dem party do we vote for? The one that wants change or the one that regularly blocks it?

If, she will not agree to be interviewed, how many opinion pieces, letters or comments has she contributed to The Dragon or other media over the last four years to inform us voters.

I understand she is in charge of Communications at GBC. Will she at least agree to an interview on what she has achieved in this area of responsibility?

Responses to Letter: Could the Council Leader Answer These Questions?

Philip Brooker Reply

March 12, 2023 at 2:15 pm

I wish Mr Carr luck in getting a response from Cllr Julia McShane, and in particular over the appalling delivery of social homes. Indeed, the Lib Dems did promise 3,000 social houses over 10 years ie 1,200 by now. My best guess is that as of now is about 36 have been delivered, only 3 per cent of their target.

As a former Conservative lead councillor on Housing, I sought to challenge Cllr McShane two years after they took office. At that time, 32 had been delivered and most of those were started under the previous Conservative administration.

Having previously written to her personally and failing to receive a reply, I wrote two open letters which were published in The Dragon. You’ve guessed it – answer came there none.