David Hide, Chair of Horsham Labour party, wrote to the West Sussex County Times last week about the vindication of the party's stance on affordable housing and his personal disappointment at the level of support from Liberal Democrat councillors on this, and on other issues.In his letter, which was printed in the Friday 26th March edition of the newspaper, David says:
We would like to thank Shelter (Shelter says district falling short on cheaper homes, West Sussex County Times, 19th March) and David Standfast, chief executive of Saxon Weald (West Sussex County Times, 19th March) for validating Horsham Labour party’s assertion that the Tory council is failing to build the level of affordable housing we so desperately need.
Our campaign to overturn the Tory council’s initial recommendation to support a planning application from Berkeley Homes, is clearly gaining momentum, following the decision last week of the council to defer a decision on this application.
This is no thanks, it has to be said, to Lib Dem councillors like David Sheldon (Denne) who had gone to the planning meeting ready to nod through this now discredited application. It is no surprise when the Tories fail to stand up for the needs of the less affluent, but it is very disappointing to see the Lib Dems' failure to press for the, now almost universally accepted, requirement to build far greater numbers of affordable homes for the communities they represent.
This is especially disappointing as David Sheldon’s initial stance follows his decision at the last full council meeting not to support his own leader’s belated attempt to save the council’s play schemes.
Horsham Labour party will continue our campaign outside of the council chamber for social justice, providing a much-needed voice for the less fortunate or well off, and hope, perhaps in vain, for more effective opposition to the Tories' socially bankrupt policies by the Lib Dems within the chamber.
David Hide
Chair, Horsham Labour party