West Dorking Resident's Group

This a copy of the email I sent to Hazel Watson who was one of the MVDC Councillors who objected in a newsletter to building on the land to the south of the Westcoott Road back in 2018 when the Conservative led Council proposed this green belt land for re-development.

"Dear Hazel Watson,

Perhaps you could explain your 'new' position regarding the removal of land from the green belt.  Specifically your comments quoted in the Liberal Democrats Newsletter dated Summer 2018 where you commented " A new residential development between Dorking and Westcott, especially with the proposed coach drop off, will simply increase traffic congestion on the western approach to Dorking and will, potentially, result in regular traffic gridlock.  It must not be permitted.

West Dorking Resident's Group."

and her response to my email:

"Nicholas

 I note that you live in West Bank which is in the Dorking South ward and as such will not necessarily have seen the literature that I regularly produce for the residents that I represent although you clearly have a copy of my Summer 2018 Focus newsletter.

 I confirm that I stand by everything that I said in the Summer 2018 Focus newsletter and have frequently reconfirmed this position since and made it very clear in Council debates that I support the position I took in this leaflet.

 I have no “new” position and have no idea how you could think that I have a “new” position. I draw your attention to the Mole Valley District Council meeting last September where the Draft Local Plan was approved for its public consultation prior to being submitted to the Inspector. You will note that I did not vote to approve the Draft Local Plan to be submitted for public consultation.

 I have spoken out at every stage that the Local Plan is inconsistent in that it states that any developer of these sites will have to address the traffic congestion issue at the junction of Vincent Lane and the Westcott Road and that it also states that there is no engineering solution possible to address this issue. To me, this means the Draft Local Plan is “not sound” in this regard and I have made this point in written submissions to the Inspector as part of the Regulation 19 consideration of the Local Plan. I am also scheduled as a County Councillor to give verbal evidence to the Inspector in a few weeks’ time.

 If you believe the Liberal Democrat Party Leadership in Mole Valley has changed their views since Summer 2018 then you will need to take this up with them. I have been consistent on this issue as a Dorking County Councillor throughout the Local Plan process.

 Best Regards.

 Hazel

 Hazel Watson

County Councillor for the Dorking Hills"

What she failed to mention is that "You will note that I did not vote to approve the Draft Local Plan to be submitted for public consultation." actually meant that she did not attend the meeting.

I sent a follow up email:

"Dear Hazel,

Thank you very much for your response to my email.  It is quite refreshing to note that you stand by your initial comments regarding this site, and I can only apologise for accusing you of something you are not guilty of.

Could you please let me know the date and time of the meeting  you refer to in September of last year when you did not vote in favour of approving the Draft Local Plan?  I am trying to track down the minutes to get a feel for councillor's comments about what I consider to be a travesty in this time of climate emergency, that's if it was even recognised at that meeting.

Regards

Nicholas Tinker

West Dorking Resident's Group"

and she replied, this time a little more honestly:

"Nicholas

 I attach the minutes of the Council Meeting on 15 September 2021 where the Draft Regulation 19 Local Plan was approved by 22 votes to 10 with 1 abstention. This meant 8 councillors (including myself) were not present at the meeting.

 I also attach the minutes of the Council Meeting on 3 February 2022 where the submission of the Draft Regulation 19 Local Plan with minor amendments that arose from the public consultation to the Inspector was approved by 22 votes to 16 with I abstention. This meant that 2 councillors were not present at the meeting.

 You will note that I voted for the submission of the Draft Local Plan to the Inspector at the February Meeting. This was because the Draft Local Plan was already approved at the September Meeting and as it was clear that I could not put together a majority in the Council Chamber to amend the Draft Local Plan. It was a vote to move the process forward as we need to protect the Green Belt from indiscriminate development that we could have if we do not have a Local Plan in place and as it was clear that a majority of councillors could not be put together to remove the Westcott Road sites from the Local Plan – the northern Mole Valley councillors are arguing that too many new homes are proposed for the north of the District and more needs to be in the south around Dorking. My vote was, therefore, to move the Draft Local Plan onto the next step where the inclusion of these sites could be questioned and potentially be removed from the Draft Local Plan by the Inspector (ie independent of local political considerations) as it was clear that the Mole Valley councillors acting together would not do this.

 As I said before, having progressed the Draft Local Plan to the Inspector I made formal written comments to the Inspector that the Draft Local Plan was “not sound” with regard to the Westcott Road sites and asked him to consider my views as to whether or not these sites should be left in the Local Plan as it is finalised. I have also registered to make verbal submissions at the Public Examination before the Inspector and will do so in a few weeks’ time.

 Best Regards

 Hazel

 Hazel Watson

County Councillor for the Dorking Hills"

It strikes me as peculiar that someone who professes to be so passionate about retaining our precious green belt would not even attend the meeting to register her objections and vote against the motion, no matter how futile she considers this might be.