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Letter: Remember the Planet When Casting Your Vote

Published on: 27 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 26 Apr, 2019

From David Roberts

Anyone who saw Sir David Attenborough’s recent documentary about climate change will have been filled with horror at the disaster facing our planet but, perhaps, reassured that there are still things ordinary citizens can do to avert it.

One simple step we can all take is to protect the green belt that covers 89% of Guildford Borough.

The Conservatives’ Local Plan, bulldozed through the council on April 25, takes many of our villages out of the green belt to build as many as 14,000 new houses and associated shops, schools and other buildings – far more than the number we need, according to official projections.

But as Private Eye’s Rotten Boroughs column on April 17 says, our council leaders are far too cosy with property developers to see sense. Almost like kamikaze pilots, they have waged a vicious war on local opinion, expressed in over 80,000 comments on the hated Local Plan alone.

All we have to do, therefore, is vote Conservative candidates off the council in next Thursday’s (May 2) local elections.

At a time of extraordinary political fluidity, Guildford’s many faithful, life-long Tory supporters need to think hard.  National political loyalties, often inherited from our parents, are perfectly normal and respectable.  Many residents still trust their Tory councillors, who may well be friends and neighbours.  Many more think that Theresa May is a game old bird, and that Corbyn would be a worse alternative.

But these are terrible reasons for voting Tory.  This election should not be about political tribalism but about securing a sustainable local future for younger generations.  That means protecting our countryside in order to regenerate our towns and bring into being the sort of new homes and lifestyle they need.  These two aims are not in conflict but mutually reinforcing, something this council just cannot get into its head.

Concreting over green fields will never, ever bring jobs, growth or cheaper housing.  As a small, sensible and democratic precaution, therefore, please let’s put an end to local one-party rule on May 2.

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Responses to Letter: Remember the Planet When Casting Your Vote

  1. Jim Allen Reply

    April 27, 2019 at 8:51 am

    Sadly, the Liberal Democrats and Labour support even more houses.. so we have little choice here in Burpham.

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