Liberal Democrats Councillors call for change of Leadership  

Liberal Democrats Councillors call for change of Leadership and urgent action to ensure Local Plan is published in Spring 2022  

Lib Dem Councillors finally lose patience with dithering from the Cabinet Member for Planning, Susan Taylor, and call for her to be replaced with someone who will get to grips with the Local Plan.

Adrian Moss Lib Dem Opposition Leader said “It gives me no pleasure to call for a Cabinet member to be replaced; but Susan Taylor has overseen a disastrous Local Plan preparation. It is her responsibility. It is time for her to go. Time after time we are told by residents that she must go and we have protected her for too long. There are others in the Cabinet who can do a better job. To get the Local Plan done by Spring 2022 we need someone else”

Liberal Democrats have been working hard behind the scenes trying to make sure the issues with waste water, water quality and the transport network were resolved, however due to a failure by the political leadership of the Council, action has come too little and too late.

Liberal Democrats understand the need for housing for our younger residents and support the need for affordable housing but this needs to be in the right places for our communities.

Put simply the Conservative leadership have let the community down and we cannot stand by and let it happen anymore.

This special meeting of the Council was called for by Lib Dems and now we have the opportunity to say in public what we have been saying in private for two years.

Adrian added “We have been saying for two years the Stockbridge Link Rd was unviable environmentally and unaffordable. Only now, after our ongoing pressure, did the cabinet member agree to undertake the research”

Lib Dem amendments moved at the meeting on Thursday 29^th July will put into sharp focus what can be done.

Adrian Moss said “Put simply with the support of Southern Water and the Environment Agency we need to stop speculative developments in areas at risk of flooding, that damage the harbour & coastal areas and with insufficient main drainage connectivity. We quite understand that the Council alone cannot refuse planning applications without valid reasons but the EA and Southern Water can provide us with their Objections. Despite what people say all speculative development can be paused with valid evidence which is now available”

Jonathan Brown said “Failure to progress the Local Plan has put every single Neighbourhood Plan in jeopardy. This is unacceptable to our communities, opening up our areas to speculative developers whose interest is in profit before people”

Lib Dems would have started the Local Plan process earlier with much more robust discussions with Highways England, West Sussex County Council, The Environment Agency and Southern Water. We would not have stood on the sidelines but worked alongside our Officers to get this Local Plan done. Lib Dems would have been proactive, assertive and progressive in our approach. The Tories have let this District down.

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