Has the whiffy tink wafting over the high street, and concerns about “Your Waverley’s” Daft Local Plan stirred village leaders into action?
Faced with taking 48% of Waverley’s housing development Cranleigh parish councillors want to hear residents views at a “drop in.” The event takes place at Cranleigh Village Hall from 6p.m. and has opted to speak to villagers personally rather than opt for the usual public meeting, which it was feared could turn into a shouting match.
We have heard from our mounting band of Cranleigh WW contributors that the general unease about Cranleigh’s worsening image is giving councillors cause for concern. Some doubt the village’s borough councillors are concerned enough to turn up to answer to the public. The Stennett duo have gone roo hunting in Oz, following their successful planning coup on their land in the Green Belt and others are unwell. But everyone hopes Alan “of the secret meetings with developers – all except Dunsfold Park – Young,” will be there to reassure villagers they have no worries?
This is the public notice: So if you Care about Cranleigh’s future, better turn up, or forever hold your peace… that is… until someone sends the diggers onto a green field near you, in which case it may be too late? In fact with almost 800 already in the bag, with extant permissions granted, and another 500 in the pipeline, sadly Cranleigh’s fate may already be sealed.
You’d have had no joy with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Bryan Adams, anyway, should he have bothered to turn up! At the Bramley Parish Council meeting on 9/9/16, he was about as much use as a chocolate teapot! Over 100 people turned up to hear news and discuss the Local Plan, but all we got was rudeness. He didn’t even have the good manners to stand up and address the people he was speaking to, and when asked to stand, said sharply….’no, I can’t see the laptop’. He was reading from a laptop, but there was a whopping great screen behind him showing exactly the same information, from which he could have worked! He read through the pages, only bothering to explain any Council/Planning jargon when asked, and during the questions section, if anyone queried or disputed his answer, his response was to talk over the questioner, raising his voice to such a level that they had to stop speaking. Other regular responses were,…’oh, we’re not going to do that now’, when challenged on getting the ACTUAL housing needs figure correct for the Local Plan, and…’I’m not discussing that, make a comment on the website’. He then scuttled away like the creepiest creepy crawly, knowing he’d have to face residents following his disgraceful behaviour. He showed absolutely no respect for residents fears and concerns, and I came away thoroughly depressed, thinking that if that’s a representation of the Planning dept at WBC, we’re all stuffed, no matter what part of the borough we live in! If there was ever a case for bringing back the stocks…..