Resigning Councillor Issues Statement Explaining His Decision to Quit

Published on: 30 Aug, 2018
Updated on: 1 Sep, 2018

Cllr Bob McShee

Cllr Bob McShee who announced his decision to resign from the Conservative party this morning (August 30) has now issued a statement explaining the reasons behind his decision.

Questioning some recent council decisions, including the partnership with Dongying, £81 million for student accommodation and the Walnut Bridge replacement, McShee also makes it clear that he disagrees with the allocation, in the Local Plan, of “so much” green belt for development.

He states a view that all councillors, as well as residents and communities, should be involved in decisions “not just a chosen few” and hopes to, “improve the council’s respect for our residents and their respect for the council and its councillors”.

Here is his statement in full:

It is with regret and sadness that I resign immediately both from the Conservative group on Guildford Borough Council and the Guildford Conservative Association.

I have been a Conservative councillor on Guildford Borough Council for the last seven years and have served on various committees including the Planning Committee until its membership was changed to exclude ward councillors – a decision which reduces local ward participation in planning decisions

I have represented the residents of Worplesdon ward throughout those seven years and been active in regularly attending meetings of Worplesdon Parish Council, and local resident association meetings.

I strongly fought against the inclusion of land adjoining Fairlands for development, fortunately now removed from the Local Plan.

I also campaigned throughout on behalf of Worplesdon residents against the SANG in Wood Street Village, the Clay Lane Link Road and housing at Blackwell Farm. I will continue to fight their corner against unacceptable development in particular on our precious green belt.

I shall sit as an Independent councillor until May 2019 based on principles to:

be independent from local party politics – we may elect our MP on party political grounds but local councils should focus on the interests of local people and communities, not party politics
investigate council policies and proposals across our borough, thoroughly, independently and with integrity;
inform, include and involve all your councillors (not just a chosen few), our borough’s residents and communities fully in the council’s decision making process and much more than they are at present:
improve the council’s respect for our residents and their respect for the council and its councillors

I have questioned the leadership on a number of issues:

the partnership with Dongying, a Chinese city which is a very different place to Guildford in almost every way – why did we start a relationship with this seaport, heavy industrial centre of two million people with the 2nd largest oilfield in China and what has happened since we signed the partnership agreement last year?
the potential investment of £81 million in student accommodation, obviously intended for Surrey University, although never publicly acknowledged. Over six months have passed since I questioned the provisional budget at full council so what is happening in relation to this proposed huge investment of council taxpayers’ money? We should not have to wait for a final report to decide whether to keep spending money on consultants’ fees.
questionable projects such as the proposed Walnut bridge, the Tunsgate setts and proposed resurfacing of Chapel and Castle Streets which again seem to proceed behind closed doors;
the sacrifice of so much land in the green belt as proposed in the Local Plan

Therefore, I have decided to leave the party political environment and continue as an Independent councillor so as to fully present my own views (and those of Worplesdon residents) towards the future of Guildford Borough.

Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues in the Conservative group for their support over the years. I may not have always agreed with the views of my fellow councillors whatever their political persuasion maybe, but do respect their views.

I will continue to speak my mind and represent those who elected me.

Bob McShee

Responses to Resigning Councillor Issues Statement Explaining His Decision to Quit

Valerie Thompson Reply

August 30, 2018 at 3:10 pm

Well said Cllr McShee, many people look forward to more Conservatives resigning and putting themselves up as Independents.

Personally, I am fed up with so-called consultations, particularly on the issues mentioned by Bob McShee, which are then totally ignored by the GBC Executive. It has continued to follow the green belt destruction and excessive development “trajectory” proposed by the former leader of the council, Stephen Mansbridge before he resigned.
Steve Jones Reply

August 30, 2018 at 4:46 pm

Thank goodness, another Tory with the guts to stand up against the “chosen few” – really the chosen two, Cllrs Furniss and Spooner.

Cllr McShee is right that local councillors should be independent of party politics – we can vote Conservative or whatever for our MP but why party politics for councillors who should concentrate upon local issues.

He is also right to challenge Dongying – have we got anything else but a donation to pay for the two leaders’ flying visit to China?

Why should council tax payers pay £81 million to build the University’s student housing?
What a waste of over £1 million on the Village – started as a Pop-up and ended as a cock up. A fanciful project challenged by Cllr Rooth, the first former Tory Independent.

The latest fantasy is the Walnut Bridge – just watch Tuesday’s executive on the council website: https://guildford.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/368513

You will see Messrs Rigg and Rooth take apart this project which has already cost us £1 million with nothing to see. A bridge of nothing, to nowhere, too soon. As Rooth said, A bridge too far, a disaster of ambition over capability and competence.

Messrs Furniss and Spooner have plenty of ambition for themselves but not the capability and competence for the people of Guildford.
David King Reply

September 1, 2018 at 5:40 pm

Bravo. Another local politician with some steel in his backbone to join Cllr Rooth.

Cllr McShee is dead right. Those in power are ignoring the will of the people and need to be brought down a peg.

It’s time for “government of the people, for the people, by the people”. We want many more Independent councillors in local government, not party political apparatchiks.

Let’s change the face of local politics at the next council elections.
Jules Cranwell Reply

September 2, 2018 at 1:35 pm

At last, a Tory councillor doing the decent thing.

Let’s face it, Cllr McShee was hounded out because he dared to question some of the outrageous policies and decisions of the executive. Shame on Cllrs Furniss and Spooner.

At a time when respect for councillors is at an all-time low, and respect from Executive councillors for the “bloody rabble”, as Guildford residents in the public gallery of the council chamber were described, is at rock bottom. I wish Cllr McShee well in his brave quest to reverse this.

Let’s hope others obey their consciences, and follow suit, taking the Independent route. This may help to repair some of the damage done to the reputation of our “rotten borough”.
Nick Trier Reply

September 16, 2018 at 12:16 pm

The problem is not with party politics in local councils but the total domination by one party, the Conservative party over decades, rarely with 50% of the overall popular vote. Whether Cllr McShee sits as an Independent or as a Tory, the policies will not change. There is insufficient affordable housing, poor local transport, and very poorly paid public sector workers trying to support children and vulnerable adults with insufficient resources.
John Perkins Reply

September 17, 2018 at 8:12 pm

A study undertaken by Cambridge University academic Mihály Fazekas, entitled The Cost of One-Party Councils, (www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/the-cost-of-one-party-councils/) suggests that authorities having 75% or more members from one party are 50% more at risk of corruption than those with competitive membership. The estimate given of the overall cost to taxpayers is £2.6 billion.

Almost 40% of English local councils qualify for the label. Labour benefits from about one-third of those while the Conservatives benefit from almost two-thirds.