Following on from the e-mail we received from John Redwood our current MP and Conservative PPC for the General Election, we replied as follows:
Dear Mr. Redwood,
Thank you for your reply.
Re your assertion that we should lobby our Councillors, many of our local residents in conjunction with the local action group is doing just this – and doing so quite vociferously: We are lobbying Councillors, the Master Planner and other relevant people directly by e-mail & letter and indirectly through local media channels.
Re your “suggestion” to the Council that they await the outcome to the MOD’s plans and timetable, this is eminently sensible. And whilst I wouldn’t expect you to be able to answer on behalf of the local council, albeit a Conservative council, why they won’t accept your advice and wait for the outcome of the defence review, perhaps you would answer a fundamental question:
Should there be a Conservative government voted into power at the forthcoming General Election, will the new Government announce that they will simply scrap the current government’s new housing policy for the SE, including the imposition of 13,000 new homes in Wokingham, or at least suspend the policy pending a comprehensive review based on prevalent economic circumstances? Such an undertaking would be far more welcomed than a wishy-washy statement such as “measures will be taken to reduce the pressures from central government on Councils to build more homes than local people wish“, That may be far too little far too late!
Regards,
Martin Rutter on behalf of the Arborfield Garrison Residents Action Group
John has replied as follows:
Thank you for the email. Yes, the Conservatives have said they will change the planning system, giving more scope to Councils to determine how many homes to allow and removing regional quangos.
