Horsham Labour Party's chair, David Hide, has written about how businesses take priority over individuals in the council's decisions in this letter to the West Sussex County Times, printed today.So this is what the 'good Conservative principles' for running Horsham District Council, described by leader Robert Nye in the County Times (September 11), look like.
On the front page of the Horsham edition we read that the council has a funding crisis and a £1.8m gap in its finances.
On page five of the Horsham edition we learn that the council is allocating back to Berkeley Homes the £1.2m due from it in respect of the West of Horsham development.
These 'principles' seem to involve bending over backwards to accomodate big business, at the same time axing jobs and services for local people in an attempt to plug the deficit brought about by the Conservatives' inability to manage a budget.
Chief Executive Tom Crowley claims that these further concessions to Berkely Homes are required as 'the current economic circumstances mean that development will not now generate the value that had previously been anticipated'.
In plain English this means that Berkely Homes will not make the enormous profits it had hoped for.
Mr. Crowley is clearly not up-to-date with recent economic forecast which indicate green shoots of economic recovery and an upturn in house prices.
Berkely Homes will no dount still make a packet out of this development. The planning gain from developments is the very reason why Section 106 agreements are imposed and Horsham council should stick to those that were originally proposed for this development.
If Mr. Nye wished to demonstrate 'high efficiency and excellent services' he could demonstrate commitment to the local people.
He could start by ensuring that the council delivers the services that people want and pay for, such as affordable housing, services for the young and the elderly, support for the arts, clean streets and a vibrant town centre.
All things that seem increasingly under threat in the light of the Tory principles which inevitably fail 'to generate the value that had previously been anticipated'.
But, unfortunately for us, there is no rebate. Let's hope this is not a taste of things to come.
David Hide
Chair
Horsham Labour Party