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Letter: Unwarranted Criticism of GBC MD Disappointing
Published on: 14 Apr, 2017
Updated on: 14 Apr, 2017
From Paul Spooner
leader of Guildford Borough Council
in response to: Open Letter to the Managing Director of Guildford Borough Council
Cllr Cross has been briefed that the 2,000 figure comes from 1,400 reduction in OAN [objectively assessed need] and 600 reduction from reduced buffer.
He would do well in talking to councillors from his party, Cllrs Reeves and Hogger, who have been on the Local Plan panel and can help him understand.
I am sure that councillors of all parties are disappointed by the unwarranted criticism of Sue Sturgeon [managing director of GBC] for simply correcting errors.
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Responses to Letter: Unwarranted Criticism of GBC MD Disappointing
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"Found any?" - "Nope, it all looks green to me!" (See Opinion: The Future is Congested, the Future is Grey)
Colin Cross
April 15, 2017 at 1:20 am
So why has the reduction been published as 1,400, not 2,000?
Cllr Spooner’s statement above does nothing to explain his new category of a “reduced buffer” – all we know is that it is not part of the total reduction, as stated in their own statements and press releases.
Under what circumstances is 1,400 now 2,000?
So we actually have a discrepancy of 600 homes between the official GBC press release and the revised figure that Clllr Spooner and Ms Sturgeon are now peddling.
Which, if either, is true?
We also need to know why this 600 reduction is now a factor when it relates to a final build figure that is 20 years away? This entire process is meant to be evidence based, therefore GBC need to provide the evidence that the construction somehow will not be finalised in the plan’s life. Frankly, that evidence cannot really exist so this is all a game.
At my briefing on the Local Plan I was clearly told that the total reduction was 1,400 not 2,000. Can someone explain why this has changed?
Every bit of evidence says 1,400 is being given as the figure, why are you now saying its 2,000?
A similar situation exists at the former Wisley Airfield site but we can return to that later. One thing at a time.
Colin Cross is the Lib Dem borough councillor for Lovelace
David Roberts
April 15, 2017 at 4:00 pm
If Cllr Spooner thinks the criticism of GBC’s MD is unwarranted, he should do us all a favour and stop her interventions in the press.
Elected councillors, being politicians, can speak for themselves. Civil servants should not engage in public controversy. This only undermines public trust in the political neutrality of council officers.
Under the Nolan Principles on conduct in public life, Cllr Spooner and his MD have an overriding duty to uphold this neutrality, whatever their views are on the matters being discussed.
Jules Cranwell
April 17, 2017 at 10:41 pm
Do not be fooled that the home count on TFM Wisley will be restricted to 2,000.
They proposed 3,000 when it was first mooted, and that is what the developer will push it up to, should they get permission. The lower number is a sop to help get permission initially.
Shame on the GBC leadership for supporting this scheme, at the opposite end of the borough to their fiefdoms.