Time to vote for positive change
As pointed out in recent
County Times letters, Government policy set up local councils to fail against unattainable housing targets, leaving infrastructure unfit for purpose, with higher levels of congestion, flooding and pollution. We also continue to see Neighbourhood Plans overturned on technical grounds.
That is a far cry from Government promises of ‘Localism’, making elected councillors accountable for planning decisions and a National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which was supposed to help meet the aspirations of residents.
Yes councils may be powerless to counter pressures from an unelected Quango (the Planning Inspectorate) in Bristol, but it does not help if the ruling group on the council is not inclined to publicly criticise Westminster colleagues - for hanging them out to dry.
Developers may claim that delays between getting approval and building is due to restrictive Planning Regulations. But that won’t wash because the lag between permission and build has increased since the advent of the NPPF and it should be clear that developers are in the driving seat.
Neither does it help when decisions are made behind closed doors and when the spectre of a party whip looms.
So it might help to have more councillors who are not in thrall to Westminster masters.
But based on experience, we will most likely see Tory majorities maintained in many councils after the May local elections.
If so then instead of the local accountability that we were promised, we can expect more of the same.
Without change we are also likely to see more stealth taxes rises and service cuts,
with several CEOs (plus senior support staff ) in West Sussex, continuing to cost well over £100,000 each.
With restructuring, some of that could be used to sustain essential services, or to limit tax rises.
As Einstein observed, doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result, is not rational.
So why not vote for positive change, with more effective opposition and more transparency?
It is just possible that those in Westminster might sit up and take some notice. ROGER ARTHUR Melrose Place, Storrington