I am sorry for lack of posting recently. My last posting was not exactly pleasant and it took awhile to recover from the news therein; also, of course, things do become increasingly busier at this time of the year as we prepare for Christmas and family gatherings. As it is the season of goodwill, I will not dwell on unpleasant aspects of the past year, but look ahead and, in true fairy tale tradition, make three wishes.
My First Wish
Eric Pickles has made clear protection of the Green Belt must be paramount when councils are making local plans and that it is a legitimate constraint on development. As a result the MVDC has withdrawn its current plans for Housing and Travellers Sites. I agree with Justice Haddon-Cave that our councillors (or at least a majority) have merely paid lip service to the Green Belt. My wish is that they do more than that in 2015. Let us hope they show they really understand why the Green Belt is there: i.e. to keep land permanently open in order to prevent urban sprawl.
My Second Wish
Now that the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership has promoted "Transform Leatherhead", my wish is that this time there it will result in real, positive and beneficial change to our town centre. Let us hope that when the Masterplan Partner is appointed next February, s/he is a person of real vision and backbone. Let us hope also that the Reference Group is really independent and scrutinizes the Masterplan at all stages.
My Third Wish
This wish must be that not only does the Leatherhead Community Hospital remain open but that Leach Ward is re-instated with its fifteen beds restored and that the friendly and helpful environment which characterized this ward is restored. Let us hope also that whatever government emerges after next year's general election, it will make recruitment and retention of full time nurses a priority.
Merry Christmas to us all!
