Letter: One Day’s Notice of Bid Decision Was an Affront to Democracy

Published on: 31 Oct, 2018
Updated on: 31 Oct, 2018

From Paul Kennedy

Lib Dem Mole Valley District Councillor

Guildford Borough Council’s conduct in giving just one day’s notice and no scrutiny of a bid for “garden village” status on the controversial Wisley Airfield development proposal in its Local Plan is an affront to democracy.

Guildford Borough Council issued an urgent agenda item at 5pm 29th October just over 24hrs before the meeting of Guildford Borough Council’s Executive. It was claimed this was necessary to allow the council to submit its bid by the government’s deadline of 9th November. However, the council had been invited to submit an application for Garden Village status back in August.

I and other Liberal Democrats in Mole Valley constituency have consistently opposed the Wisley Airfield development, which represents unsustainable development in the green belt. An appeal against Guildford Borough Council’s refusal of an application to build over 2,000 homes on the site was rejected earlier this year.

It is quite intolerable for the council to sit on this bid for over two months and then suddenly claim it is so urgent there should be no scrutiny of the decision or even the details of the bid.

The Wisley Airfield development proposal is hugely controversial in the local area, and there has been no consultation of local residents or their elected representatives whatsoever. This is an affront to democracy.

Responses to Letter: One Day’s Notice of Bid Decision Was an Affront to Democracy

David Roberts Reply

October 31, 2018 at 2:02 pm

A Lib Dem councillor quits the group… A cacophony of conflicting LibDem reactions… Tory plans for wrecking the green belt boosted…

Guildford’s Lib Dem leader does not exactly emerge from this sad episode covered in glory. Should she perhaps make way for a more effective leader of the opposition?
Jeffrey Williams Reply

October 31, 2018 at 5:07 pm

Absolutely preposterous.