ELECTION UPDATE 7th May 2011
It's all over now and it's all change as there are now 3 new Borough Councillors in Worplesdon and the same in Westborough.
The Worplesdon councillors are:
Bob McShee (Cons)
David Elms (Cons)
Iseult Roche (Cons)
The Westborough councillors are:
Mark Chapman (Lib Dem)
Julila McShane (Lib Dem)
Christian Gilliam (Lab)
We wish all 6 of them good luck in their new roles and look forward to their support in the future.
WBDRA would especially like to thank Vic Searle and Fiona White for their involvement and support in the last few years.
For readers interested in details, the Borough Councillor line-up is now:
Conservatives 34
Lib Dems 12
Labour 2
The full polling results for both wards can be found in our our library section.
Candidate's Replies - 10/05/11
A belated but gratefully received reply from the elected Labour Party candidate for Westboro' as follows:
Hello there,
I only just found out that you tried to contact the Labour Party regarding your 'Save our Open Spaces' campaign. I apologise for such a late reply. I want you to know that I fully support your campaign. I fully support the ethos of your campaign (indeed I used to volunteer for Friends of the Earth a while ago) and I fully support green issues more generally.
Although housing, and the need to provide more affordable homes, is a pressing issue in Guildford and Surrey, I take the position that new housing developments should not be squeezed into an already densely populated area, which lacks green spaces for local residents to enjoy. As such I believe that the Aldershot Road allotments site should be kept in place.
As your councillor I will endeavor to do all I can on your behalf. I look forward to working with you in the near future.
Kind regards,
Cllr Christian Gilliam
Candidate's Replies - Election Pledges
WBDRA contacted all 22 candidates for the Westboro' & Worplesdon Borough Council seats.
We were disappointed that not one of the 6 Labour candidates responded and only 1 of the Westboro' Conservative candidates replied.
For those who took the trouble to respond - and we thank them for doing so - we reprint their replies below in no particular order.
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I believe that the Aldershot Road allotments site should remain and that the uncultivated area which is currently on the list for potential housing development should be removed from the list and also used to provide allotments.
Kind regards
Julia McShane
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I know the Allotment site as when I was a child my mother used to walk me through there as a short cut to reach the Guildford Bypass when we visited my Aunt in Agraria Road
I am opposed to Housing being built on this site.
Regards,
Jill Chan
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You have always had my support and you always will in the future not only the allotments but protecting the green belt and planning extensions that have an impact on neighbouring property.
It would be great if I got elected and in this term of office and we could get this area returned to allotments. There is a need for affordable housing and we must not forget that and try to find the right location that does not have an impact on the quality of life on other residents.
Yours truly,
Cllr.Victor Searle
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Thank you for your email.
I am happy to confirm for you that I say Yes to allotments and open space at the Aldershot Road site. It is a vital recreational space for the area. I know from family experience how important allotment sites are, and thank the WBDRA for leading on this important issue.
Regards,
Mark Chapman
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I think you know the position which Marilyn, Olaf and I have held for a number of years, which is that the site should go back to being allotments especially in view of the huge waiting list for allotments on that site and throughout Guildford generally. We have repeatedly asked the borough council to remove the site from the list of potential housing development sites and that remains my view.
Fiona White
Liberal Democrat Council Candidate
Westborough Ward
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I am happy to tell you that I have never waivered over the past six years in my wholehearted opposition to any form of housing development on any part of the Aldershot Road site. I am committed to keep the whole of the allotment site free for people to "grow their own".
Paul Cragg.
Liberal Democrat candidate for Worplesdon
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Further to your letter and my “holding” email, I have done some more digging and although I don’t have the full details suffice it to say that I would fight on behalf of the WBDRA to protect the open space from housing and drive housing initiatives towards “brown field” sites.
Best wishes
Colin (Reardon)
UKIP candidate, Guildford Westborough Ward
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Thank you very much for your letter which I received yesterday.
I can happily confirm that I fully support my party's position as stated in our previous newsletters, regarding the Aldershot Road site and all other open spaces within the borough of Westborough.
I applaud the work that you do and wish you every success with your campaign for now and for the future!
Best regards,
Andy Ellwood
Conservative Candidate - Westborough
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Thank you for your letter dated 22 April and received this morning.
I support the Residents' Association campaign and the wishes of local residents to keep the Aldershot Road Site as Allotments and Open Space and, if elected, I promise to help resist any proposal for housing development on that Site. The Peace Party is promising to work for the construction of hundreds (if not thousands) more homes in the Guildford area for rent or sale over the years ahead.
Best Wishes,
John Morris
(Candidate for Westborough Ward for
The Peace Party - Non-violence, Justice, Environment)
Page Last Updated - 27/12/2011
