Letter: Personal Attacks by Council Leader Are Uncalled For

Published on: 5 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 5 Oct, 2015

From Fiona Curtis

Organiser of the Guildford Parish Forum

The personal attacks aimed by Cllr Mansbridge in his article at Cllr Parker are, in my view, wholly uncalled for and I see I am not alone in my aversion to this unhealthy situation.

Never has it been clearer, that Cllr Mansbridge’s trajectory will continue come hell or high water and woe betide anyone who disagrees.

Cllr Mansbridge refers to the need for a holistic approach after making the bold statement that the Greenbelt Group is wrong. Guildford town is also part of the borough of Guildford and almost half the population live outside the town.

I believe that the majority of residents appreciate both countryside and town, no matter where they themselves live, also appreciate the difference between the two.

If the article was actually about the Masterplan, I would be happy to support many aspects of it. Sadly what should have been a rousing piece about the development of our town has become an attack on a fellow councillor and anyone else who agrees with the government’s policy to protect green belt – a factor that was key to the Conservative’s election success.

If Cllr Mansbridge actually wants opinions from residents, and quite frankly the article doesn’t persuade me of this, then let us see less pre-determination and more of the “broad mindedness” requested of others.

If the five-year delivery is problematic, then let’s have a look at how other towns are managing this, without large-scale sacrifice of their green belt land.

One option might be to extend plans to convert some of the GBC-owned surface level car parks to multi-storey and some of the remaining ones for mixed development. I am awaiting confirmation of the actual acreage but I estimate that GBC car parks, including park and rides, equate to almost 30 acres of land.

If one additional multi-storey were built in each of the five zones, taking approximately three acres, this would increase the number of spaces available whilst also removing some of the barriers to development.

There maybe very good reasons why this idea isn’t feasible but we should be able to make suggestions without fear of being intimidated or subject to name-calling.

Responses to Letter: Personal Attacks by Council Leader Are Uncalled For

Diana Elliott Reply

October 5, 2015 at 9:03 pm

I too was appalled to see the vicious attack on Susan Parker by the leader of the council, Stephen Mansbridge. Such an attack smacks of nerves to me.

He knows very well that the 22,000 GGG voters, who Cllr Parker represents, are not against development per se but they believe that brownfield sites should take priority over greenfield sites. Has he not been listening?

He knows that Susan Parker is new to the council, so to pounce on her like this was unjustified and ungentlemanly.

He also knows that his own party promised to save the green belt, just before the election, which is what the GGG had been saying all along. It was a tactic to take votes away from them – and it worked.

To say that her comments are self centred, ill thought through and not made with the wider benefit of the population of Guildford borough in mind, is absolutely senseless.

The GGG simply want Guildford to remain a town where people want to live, and not turn it into an endless urban sprawl, making mega bucks for just a few.

I think Mr.Mansbridge owes Mrs.Parker a public apology.
- Jim Allen Reply
  
  October 6, 2015 at 8:49 am
  
  I think a public apology is required. Everyone has the right to free speech, not only the Executive.
Ben Paton Reply

October 10, 2015 at 10:06 am

From Mr Mansbridge’s point of view Mrs Parker suffers from several serious disadvantages: she is professionally qualified, she is intelligent, and she is honest. Most people would think these deserved some respect. Look, by contrast, at the person Mr Mansbridge chose to lead the Local Plan.