Letter: Thank You Dragon For Reporting This Issue

Published on: 9 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 9 Jan, 2019

Chantries Camp Site

From Jonathan Bigmore

In response to: Proposal To Turn Chantry Wood Campsite Into An Outdoor Activity Centre Or Forest School and Chantry Woods Proposal Was ‘Secretive’

I would like to thank The Guildford Dragon NEWS for bringing to our attention the proposals regarding a change of use for the Chantries Camp Site. Without your spotlight, this decision would have been made without comment from neighbours, residents associations such as the Tyting Society and the general public.

As a direct consequence of your reporting, we were able to influence the debate and should help to ensure that the Chantries retains its special character as a place for everyone to pursue outdoor activities.

We fully support GBC’s objectives of getting children out into the countryside, learning about the environment is essential to providing the next generation with the love and interest to care and protect the countryside for their own children.

However, we would not be happy if the scale of any forest school operation impeded any other groups enjoyment of the area. Currently, dogs, horses, ramblers, birdwatchers, children, campers and even the odd cow coexist happily and I believe no single group should grow large enough to affect the others.

Please continue the good work, this whole debate should have occurred before the proposal went in front of the Council Executive but it seems consultation with the public is seen by GBC as something you only do if absolutely necessary. “May not support best use of resource” was given as the reason for discounting consultation in this debate, but I would argue it’s our money and our resource, surely we have a right to comment over its best use?

I’m not arrogant enough to believe I or my close neighbours have the best ideas with regards to the future of the Chantries, but I also believe that despite having a democratic mandate, a Council Executive has a continuing responsibility to consult its party councillors, the entire council chamber and the electorate, as a whole, to ensure support for any direction of travel.

I’m no expert, but in terms of this decision and others I’ve read about, it seems this process is broken in Guildford, I have utmost respect for the amount of time and effort everyone involved at Millmead puts in, however it seems the results are not consistent with that effort. Great teams are stronger than the sum of the parts. When they aren’t, one should look to change the captain.

I’ve always voted Conservative, perhaps blindly, but I’m increasingly of the opinion we need Independent voices to create inclusive policies the whole borough supports. This may be hopelessly naive but it has to be better than the current situation.

It should be pointed out that the reports in question were written by the Local Democracy Reporter Rebecca Curley, with subsequent input and photographs from The Dragon team. The Guildford Dragon NEWS is a partner in the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.