Letter: The Local Plan Is Not All the Government’s Fault

Published on: 16 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 15 Feb, 2019

From Julian Lyon

In response to: A Couple of Points for Cllr Cross

Of course any elected group would need to comply with the laws and regulations laid down by Government – just as Epsom and Ewell Council does, and it has been run by Residents groups locally for 87 years!

What Cllr Spooner fails to highlight here is that, in following government directions, there is a range of choices open to the council. The choices he and his chums in his inner sanctum have been making will materially affect the lives and environment of Guildford for decades to come, many of which have to all intents and purposes been made behind closed doors before ratification by a largely emasculated council.

The most important thing to emerge from contesting the May elections will be the public recognition that it is not all the government’s fault. The government does not decide everything in every detail at local level. There are key decisions that local government makes – otherwise what would be the point of having local authorities in the first place.

Cllr Spooner and co do not have a monopoly on relations with government politicians and senior civil servants. Neither have they shown themselves to be objective ambassadors for the communities and community groups they should be serving. So it is deeply concerning that these close relationships may actually be harming Guildford; that political points scoring and gamesmanship may actually be getting in the way of good outcomes in dealings with politicians and civil servants.

And frankly, what the Independent group decides to do (as a co-operative or separately) is up to them. I am sure they do not need a self-serving and patronising lecture from Cllr Spooner.

See also: Council Leader Forced Me to Quit, Says Independent Candidate Lyon

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