Jules Cranwell Reply
August 18, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Since Cllr Mansbridge has chosen to selectively quote a small extract from my private correspondence, I would like readers to be aware of the full extract which is:
“I’d like to reiterate that I have nothing against her personally, but I do want her off the job of planning, given her history of pro-development.
“I accept that GGBG should keep away from this, it just needs a few good folks to make individual complaints, and we should get her out of the role.”
I make no apologies for the above which I wrote in the light of information I had seen.
Nobody has seen fit to produce any evidence of any insults, attacks, disdain, or racist intent, that have been circulating and reported by some parts of the media. I have been particularly offended and insulted by the latter.
I am clear on four points:
– You are indeed innocent until proven guilty, and the case against Cllr Juneja is for the courts to decide.
– Concerned members of the public, who suspect wrong-doing by elected officials, should not expect to be abused in correspondence or press announcements from elected officials.
– Not one jot of evidence has been produced of press bias, abusive statements, personal attacks, or racist intent, as has been alleged.
– We are all victims if complaints against elected officials are not properly investigated and instead those who make the complaints are attacked.
Roland McKinney Reply
August 18, 2014 at 5:22 pm
What an astonishing question from the leader of Guildford Tories. “Why complain if you are not a victim?”
How about the following reason?
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Niemöller, concentration camp inmate 1937 to 1945
Lisa Wright Reply
August 18, 2014 at 4:47 pm
What absolute tosh!
As someone who lives in the west of Guildford, has been resident in the borough for 14 years and has a good knowledge of the area, including the eastern villages, I would like Mr Mansbridge to know:
– I and many others are concerned with the rhetoric of growth coming from Guildford Borough Council (GBC) and the government at the detriment to current residents.
– From all the campaigning, letter writing, council meetings and discussions I can quite honestly say there’s about 2 per cent of people who actually agree with the level of housing development and growth currently proposed in the Local Plan.
– There are even fewer people supporting huge developments in Gosden Hill, Blackwell farm and Wisley Airfield. I haven’t met a single person that thinks these developments are a positive thing without widening or tunnelling of the A3.
GBC should be welcoming the detailed inputs from the section of highly educated and experienced residents who are volunteering their time to dissect all the evidence documents and proposed plans to make sure the final plan is sound, safe and sustainable for Guildford whilst protecting the countryside setting which drew us here in the first place.
Unfortunately, the council seems to prefer to ignore this valuable resource and plough on with a Local Plan that will later be pulled to pieces in court.
I have had every opportunity to speak directly with Ms Juneja and Cllr Mansbridge can be assured that if I had anything derogatory to say I would have said it to her face.
He should stop hiding behind the ‘they’re picking on us’ attitude and take note that this is not a playground.
