Letter: Why I’ll Be Voting GGG

Published on: 11 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 11 Jan, 2019

From David Roberts

If like me you’ve lost the thread of recent exchanges in The Dragon about the merits of so-called Independent candidates for next May’s council election, it is worth re-stating why supporting the Guildford Greenbelt Group remains a must.

GGG is our only established local party. It has a proven track-record of hard work, championing local issues and promoting local solutions to local problems.

Our three GGG councillors are the only opposition on Guildford council. The Tories’ only aim is to perpetuate a local one-party state.

The local Lib Dem leadership actively aids and abets the Tory Local Plan which most residents oppose. All three national parties are completely side-tracked by Brexit, manoeuvring for advantage in a possible future national election or referendum while ignoring local opinion.

The craze for Independent candidates is not the answer. Most are not even independent, but re-cycled Tories or Lib Dems playing factional politics. One is loudly supported by a former council leader bent, it seems, on revenge against his Tory successor.

Often in council elections, the label “Independent” just means extreme or eccentric. And, if elected, Independents can have no clout.

For five years GGG has worked to save Guildford’s countryside and regenerate the town. The two go hand-in-hand, which is why any accusation of Nimbyism is absurd. Unless the green belt is protected, developers will have no incentive to invest in the urban revival Guildford so badly needs; building on green fields is always cheaper.

Conversely, without prioritising homes in urban areas, where most people want to live, the rise in traffic and damage to our precious countryside will be devastating. Guildford’s submitted Local Plan completely fails to grasp this connection.

Both town and country residents therefore need to flock to the GGG flag. For five years its mission has been simple: protect the green belt in order to regenerate the town, and regenerate the town in order to protect the green belt.

By May’s elections, the Local Plan will still not be finalised, so there is much to play for. It doesn’t matter if you are pro- or anti-Brexit, a town-dweller or a lifelong national Tory voter. Local issues are different, and GGG deserves a chance to change the direction of our local government.

Responses to Letter: Why I’ll Be Voting GGG

John Perkins Reply

January 11, 2019 at 1:54 pm

Can the author offer any support for the many jibes in this letter or is he just playing factional politics?

If GGG were to embrace Independents as allies they might together provide more effective opposition.
Ramsey Nagaty Reply

January 11, 2019 at 3:39 pm

I cannot concur more, David Roberts hits the nail on the head. For local issues, we need the GGG and Independents would do well to nail their colours to the mast of the group campaigning for a “new broom” to sweep the present bunch away!
Valerie Thompson Reply

January 11, 2019 at 4:26 pm

If John Perkins regularly read The Dragon he would know why David Roberts has made various criticisms of GBC and its failures.

Basically, the Conservatives got in at the last elections on a promise to save the green belt. Since then, they have done all in their power to propose extensive developments on the green belt, while ignoring all pleas to develop Guildford town centre with affordable housing, social housing and low-rise flats, even after the inspector, Jonathan Bore, questioned their policies when looking at the submitted Local Plan.

GGG has been the only party, who have continued in their protests about this state of affairs, while having to put up with snide remarks, delaying tactics and positively rude exchanges during council meetings.
- John Perkins Reply
  
  January 12, 2019 at 9:07 am
  
  I fully support GGG in their efforts to protect the green belt from the council, only I feel some are making the mistake of failing to recognise potential friends. Divided, they’ll be ruled.
- K White Reply
  
  January 12, 2019 at 12:14 pm
  
  Not only has there not been development of affordable housing, etc., where approval for development on brown field town centre sites has been approved of late, it appears to be for student accommodation (taking Walnut Tree Close as an example) for the ever-increasing university student numbers and not for the permanent, local population.
Bernard Parke Reply

January 11, 2019 at 5:19 pm

It is sad that people cannot work together for the common good.

Such derision will only destroy there ultimate aim and they will lose credibility in the eyes of the electorate that they need to help.
Gordon Bridger Reply

January 13, 2019 at 3:24 pm

There is a common interest in all opposition to the current, centralised Conservative control of Guildford in that there is a large increase of housing possible in the town centre ( without high rise) and the rural areas would take far less housing. We have a travesty of a Local Plan which almost ignores our town centre and has an excess of retail. We need to work together, as John Perkins says our traditional national party labels have not served us well.
Jules Cranwell Reply

January 14, 2019 at 1:29 am

GGG has punched above its weight, having only three councillors. This is despite the abuse and insults they had to endure at the hands of the leadership. This has included the show trial of councillor Reeve for flagging inconvenient truths.

Let’s show these extremely capable councillors our appreciation by getting many more GGG councillors elected in 2019.