HOW DARE THEY?
WHO THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE?
Does the arrogance of Cranleigh Parish Councillors Brian Ellis, Patricia Ellis and Chairman Brian Gill have no bounds?
Flying in the face of their colleagues, the public, and the Harvey family who donated land, they took advantage of the absence of Councillers Stuart and Jeanette Stennett to ambush their fellow Parish Councillors Mary Foryszewski, Dominique McAll and Liz Townsend and overturn a democratic decision taken in public in December. A decision to protect the Beryl Harvey fields from future development was followed by a public apology for even considering going against villagers’ wishes. It met with applause and relief from a packed public gallery. A pledge followed to protect it for the future by forming a Charitable Trust. Now, just weeks later, thanks to Ellis’s outrageous behaviour and his determination not to loosen his powerful grip on the council he has dominated for decades, even that is in doubt!
Councillor Brian Ellis who, in recent years, has been dogged by rumours that he is ‘in the pocket’ of would-be local developers, is thought to have led the charge not to follow through on the decision taken by his fellow Councillors in his absence. Now the future of the Beryl Harvey field is in doubt once again and vulnerable to potential development.
With the Parish Council evenly divided over the way forward, Chairman Gill used his casting vote to support the Ellises and force the vote through. This in the teeth of previously expressed opposition from allotment holders on Beryl Harvey field, local residents and Councillors Foryszewski, McAll and Townsend, who had all spoken eloquently and passionately, at the last meeting, about their desire to protect and maintain the field in perpetuity
Councillor Foryszewski was so incensed at the underhand behaviour of Councillor Brian Ellis – who has been accused of bullying behaviour in the past by other blogs – and his cohorts – his wife, Councillor Patricia Ellis and Chairman Gill – that we are told she walked out of the meeting; although at the time of going to press we are still trying to verify this particular nugget. If anyone can verify this please drop us a line!contact@waverleyweb.org
The rumour on Cranleigh High Street today is that the three formidable female Councillors – whom many believe have more integrity in their little fingers than the other three put together – will now focus their efforts on trying to ensure that the heartfelt promises they made at the earlier meeting, to protect the allotments and the rural tranquillity of the Beryl Harvey fields, and the benefactor’s expressed wish are honoured.
In the meantime, allotment holders, who knew nothing of the triumvirate’s intentions to scupper the earlier decision and were, therefore, not present at the meeting, are incandescent with rage and are calling for an investigation into what is driving the determination of Councillors Brian & Patricia Ellis to concrete over yet more of Cranleigh’s precious green space. Questions are being asked about whether Brian Ellis is simply the ‘Village-Bully’, set on getting his own way and re-designing Cranleigh to suit his own warped image of the market town he wants it to become, or whether he is dancing to the tune of would-be developers. Rumour has it a certain Dutchman has been spotted stalking the Beryl Harvey field …and offering space on other donated land nearby.
One thing, though, is very certain, allotment holders and local residents will hold the Ellises and Chairman Gill to account for their outrageous refusal to accept the will of the people and the elected Councillors who supported their wishes. Many are already calling for the man formerly known as Bully-Boy-Ellis and his fatuous supporter chairman Gill to resign after their outrageous coup.
As for the courageous lady Councillors, Foryszewski, McAll and Townsend, WW has one piece of advice: Go get ‘em, girls! The readers of Waverley Web and the majority of Cranleigh residents have had enough of these elderly, pompous, self-opinionated, out-of-touch bullies riding roughshod over what they want and if that means calling for a vote of no confidence in them and kicking them off the Parish Council, we’re right behind you!
Read: December decision here: http://waverleyweb.org/2015/12/23/
I see tonight on the Cranleigh Society Facebook page that Cranleigh Parish Council chairman has resigned, I wonder why!!!!!!!!!
and I am being sued by *our* Brian Ellis here in Harpenden for a letter published in the local paper that is far milder than your stuff!!! Funny old world!