Letter: The Guildford Society Offers Support to Councillors

Published on: 17 Jul, 2014
Updated on: 18 Jul, 2014

From Bill Stokoe
Chairman of The Guildford Society

The Guildford Society has a number of issues with Guildford Borough Council on the content of its draft Local Plan. It will pursue these, especially the new housing number, diligently, apolitically and professionally through the current consultation. The society may ultimately have to agree to differ. That is life.

However I believe it is appropriate at this stage to offer the council some support, particularly its leader, Stephen Mansbridge, and the lead for planning, Monika Juneja.

Theirs can be seen, in many ways, as a thankless task when it comes to the Local Plan process. But both have been diligent in pursuit of the council’s chosen agenda, about which Cllr Mansbridge has spoken with great eloquence on a number of occasions, including an address to the society’s members.

Cllr Juneja has her own personal challenges at this time, documented in the public domain. However, I feel it only fair to record that I and my Executive colleagues cannot recall any occasion or correspondence where she has sought to make or emphasise her case by reference to any personal qualifications, other than those of a hardworking, elected borough councillor who has doggedly pursued the Local Plan project.

And at last we have a vision. Guildford is on the brink of an exciting period of progressive change. Considerable resources are being marshalled to effect key developments and infrastructure improvements. The journey will take many years. It will be a lively time, it won’t all be pretty and tempers may well flare.

But no one should doubt the commitment of Cllrs Mansbridge and Juneja. We should support them in their respective tasks.