Letter: Is Cllr McShane the Right Choice?

Published on: 4 Jun, 2026
Updated on: 4 Jun, 2026

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From Howard Smith

In response to: West Surrey Ten-councillor Council Executive Announced

Given the number of appalling housing issues since she’s held the housing portfolio in Guildford, is councillor McShane’s appointment the right choice for housing and communities for West Surrey? Her record in charge is not great.

Firstly there’s the £18 million housing revenue account overspend/ fraud investigation and the referral to the regulator for social housing.

Then the recent report that the council’s tenants’ satisfaction rating remain well below national averages. Particularly on repairs.

There is the fact that no new council homes have been built in the last five years, and of course there are dozens of council properties left vacant, as has been widely reported.

Then there’s the record number of residents on the councils housing waiting list (currently 2,300, where the average wait is now over seven years).

And let’s not forget how her ward of Westborough is increasingly being taken over by houses of multiple occupation such that there are hardly any young families there anymore.

It’s hard to think of someone less qualified, or a councillor with a poorer record.

Could we do better? I think so.

It’s worrying to think her influence could soon spread across the whole of West Surrey.

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