Letter: Yes, the Poor Attendance at the Local Plan Meeting Was Shocking

Published on: 8 Feb, 2026
Updated on: 8 Feb, 2026

From Catherine Young

R4GV borough councillor for Clandon & Horsley

In response to: Great Local Plan Meeting – But Where Were My Fellow Councillors?

As one of the councillors present at what really was a very engaging and thought-provoking workshop run by our planning policy team, I have to agree with Cllr Redpath. The attendance was shocking, particularly given the importance of doing all that we can to influence and shape the forthcoming Local Plan.

Many of us will remember, and not fondly, the dreadful process we went through under previous the Conservative leadership of the council that led to the appalling decision to adopt the Local Plan in 2019, just before the May 2019 election.

We do not want a repeat of that, and whilst we are under the thumb of the current Government’s housing targets, we should be doing all that we can to minimise the impact of these on our local residents and communities.

As a resident I will certainly be asking those national party candidates in the upcoming unitary elections on May 7th why they were not in attendance. It should be noted that there were no Conservatives present.

As a member of our independent Residents for Guildford and Villages group, and the local councillor for Clandon & Horsley, I can proudly say I was.

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