Against the background of a boombox playing “Things Can Only Get Better,” drippy Rishi thought, “Things could only get wetter,” as he announced a 4th of July General Election in his sodden suit and squelching Gucci loafers. He looked as though he was throwing in the sponge.
Why didn’t the ninnies in No 10 hold the press conference indoors?
Our team of bloggers here at the Waverley Web took a punt at the local bookie weeks ago, predicting an imminent election.
Why? We hear you cry. Because WW has been watching Jeremy Hunt, who has insider knowledge.
When Jeremy Hunt surprised the audience at a Cranleigh Quiz night, the political landscape shifted towards an imminent election. He has been pounding around the Godalming & Ash constituency for the past few weeks like a demented gnat.
We have also been bombarded by a dozen or more letters and communications from the Tory Constituency, into which he recently lobbed a shed load of funds.
We also noticed that neither he nor his Guildford colleague Angela Richardson showed up at the opening of the multi-million-pound new Canada Avenue) entrance into the Dunsfold Garden Village development.
Why would he? After all, he threw a great big spanner in the works when he persuaded the Secretary of State Sajid `Javid to call in the consented planning application to provide 1,800 new homes on the largest brownfield site in the Waverley Borough.
This delay had enormous consequences for both the developers and the borough. It was an act of monumental proportions that cost the developer, Waverley, and Waverley’s residents dearly.
That action—taken by the MP who caved into wealthy landowners living around the site—many of whom contribute to Tory coffers—cost Cranleigh and the eastern villages, particularly Alfold, their rural character and put massive pressure on their overburdened infrastructure and GP and other services.
Delaying the Dunsfold Garden Village was a grave error on both Anne Milton’s and Hunt’s part.
Swamping the rural villages east of Waverley has brought misery for many. Residents of Alfold have left the village in droves. Sewage seeps into residents’ homes in Cranleigh, Bramley, and elsewhere. Water shortages have become the norm, and our local council’s Local `Plan has been irreparably damaged due to the lack of homes built on Dunsfold Airfield. Delays that can be placed at Hunt’s door. A door just a mile or two away.
As rents rose for Waverley tenants due to Government funding cuts over many years, Mr and Mrs Jeremy Hunt’s buy-to-let housing portfolio has grown exponentially, and his homes’ rents increased by 9% this year.
Will the residents believe in this man in the new constituency of Godalming & Ash?
Over in Farnham we will celebrate.
Mr Drippy didn’t just simply announce the date of the General Election but made a 5min party political speech at the same time. So he couldn’t have held his press conference inside No10 as he would have broken the Ministerial Code of Conduct which states: “Ministers may campaign during elections, but public money and departmental resources should not be used for party political purposes” Hence he also removed the Prime Minister’s emblem from the lectern he spoke from. We need to keep a watchful eye over members of the Government to ensure they all obey this Code.
Since when have members of the Conservative Government obeyed the Ministerial Code of Conduct?
Better that than Follows folly.
HUNT DID NOT SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST DUNSFOLD PARK
What a twisted yarn you weave. I like many others supported the campaign against the development of the new Dunsfold “garden village” in a green grassy ex airfield on an area with such very poor road and other infrastructure . We were upset because Jeremy Hunt did NOT support our campaign. The blame for no housing development there must be placed with the site owners who may now realise the difficulties associated with the site.
OH yes he did!! He told one of our team to their face on Godalming Station. He may not have told you, but he told us! And as for the green and gassy airfield – it is the largest brownfield site in the borough of Waverley. You together with all those other objectors who delayed the development over many years have brought housing onto the greenfields of Waverley and destroyed the countryside. Shame upon you all.
WW
I am afraid your views on the Dunsfold Park Development are somewhat Skewed… Many of the current Developments in Alfold rode on the Back of Dunsfold Park “Garden Village” saying that they didn’t need to put in Infrastructure as it was all going to be supplied by DP and the local villages would have; Shops, schools, regular buses, medical facilities Blah Blah Blah…
Maybe Trinity didn’t do due dilligence and hadn’t realised how contaminated much of the BROWN Bit of the site was. Perhaps they only tested the large amount that is actually Green… Maybe they didn’t know there were still unexploded munitions on the site. Or maybe they were just Land-Bagging and taking the Long View?
If just one of the Parties would say they would charge a form of “Council” Tax on each home that hasn’t been built out yet and that Tax would go to the LOCAL Government and NOT Central Government.. they may just get my vote. At the moment I am betting on the Monster-raving-Loony -party
We love your message, however, whilst some of the comments you make are accurate. Some are not. Trinity and the developer always knew that there would be contamination on the site. It was a functionng airfield during World ‘War 2 so of course there would be. However, that was dealt with some time ago. None of this alters the fact that the delays caused by such organisations as POW delayed the development when it was in the hands of the Rutland Group. Tory-led Waverley Council also delayed it for many years. It then realised its mistake, and consent was granted. As WW has said on numerous occasions the delays caused by the Secretary of State call-in were the final straw. You are right – developers jumped on the tail wings of the Dunsfold Airfield consent and convinced various Inspectors, that the huge 106 legal agreement’s squillions would pay for the infrastructure the area badly needs. Hence Alfold new town is emerging and fast. You ain’t seen nothing yet!!!
Fully agree the Government should force landowners to build out sites and ensure the site was either forfeited or taxed for non compliance. However, at this point in time we have no Government. And like you, we too will be looking to the `Monster Raving Loonies to come in and sort out a country that just isn’t working.
I do undertand Trinity are not daft (unlike me) However maybe my final comment about the Long-game is more appropriate.
I LOVE the new access and it has been beautifully done with the flowers etc on the roundabout – Clever them using a horticultural College to do the work – it looks lovely.
But I stand by my view that DP was always going to be tricky – so much so that when I asked Thakeham at the most recent meetings in the village why they weren’t concidering builing their 300 odd homes at Dunsfold park instead of in our Village – They just LAUGHED! and it wasn’t just the Options they have on Springbok………… I am afraid it it is MUCH CHEAPER building on Green Fields than it is on Brown(ish) So I am resting my case.