Letter: I Also Complained About Monika Juneja

Published on: 13 May, 2015
Updated on: 15 May, 2015

From Valerie Thompson

I am writing to back up Jules Cranwell’s comments that he was not the only “whistle blower” in West Horsley, regarding Monika Juneja.

In 2014 I wrote several letters, which were published in The Surrey Advertiser, questioning her suitability to represent members of the public on Guildford Borough Council.

There followed correspondence with her, Stephen Mansbridge, council officers and ultimately, Dr Hooper, whose report I described as a whitewash.

Mr Mansbridge’s reply was mildly threatening, but I was not to be deflected and was one of those who demanded a re-write of the Hooper report. I was very angry when that was refused as it appeared that Dr Hooper was protecting Cllrs Juneja and Mansbridge from criticism.

Many of us in West Horsley believe that we are being punished, personally, for having brought this appalling situation into the public eye and that the vast housing estates, allocated to West Horsley by the GBC Planning Committee in the temporarily abandoned Draft Local Plan, were possibly a direct result of our protests.

Let us hope that common sense will prevail, and a fairer distribution of new developments, together with the obvious use of “brownfield ” first, will be proposed in the next draft plan.

Responses to Letter: I Also Complained About Monika Juneja

Michael Bruton Reply

May 14, 2015 at 4:31 pm

Congratulations to Valerie Thompson who ‘whistleblew’ about Ms Juneja. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”, might be the motto for some within Guildford Borough Council.

What has shocked me is the apparent silence of Guildford Borough Councillors on the issue from when it first became clear that Ms Juneja was indeed not a barrister.

Did any of them say anything?

It would be standard practice in most organisations that those against whom serious allegations are made to stand aside or are suspended pending an investigation and depart at once if found wanting. But not so in Guildford apparently?
Nigel Sturgess Reply

May 14, 2015 at 6:38 pm

In response to Ms Thompson’s letter, I think she has got her timings slightly wrong.

First came the draft SHLAA (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment) in August 2013. This highlighted sites being considered for housing across the whole borough and was not prepared by the councillors sitting on the planning committee but by the Planning Policy Department at Guildford Borough Council.

Ms Thompson and Mr Cranwell obviously wrote letters in 2014 as stated in the letter.

To suggest that the proposed housing sites in West Horsley may be a direct punishment as a result of your whistleblowing and protests or that the sites chosen were allocated by elected councillors is wrong and does not fit with the timelines.