Letter: We Need an Independent Audit of Council Transparency

Published on: 10 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 10 Oct, 2019

Cllr Hodge’s letter in support of GBC’s Wisley garden village proposal

From David Roberts

In response to: ‘Naive Oversight’ Kept Property Agent’s Role in Drafting GBC Report and Letter Hidden

“Naive oversight” makes it sound like this was just a silly little mistake. It was not. It was just one symptom of the unhealthy relationship between the previous council and the property industry – one that infected council officers and gave us an irrationally pro-developer Local Plan.

Cllr Reeves, who supported the Tory Plan, seems glad to sweep this episode under the carpet. She should reflect on the fact that regulatory capture of public bodies by private interests is sadly not confined to cases like that of ex-President Zuma and the Guptas in South Africa.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. A full, independent audit of council transparency is long overdue.