Harborough Housing Numbers - Questions Will be asked TODAY!
By Cllr Phil Knowles - Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harborough District Council
Originally published by East Midlands Liberal Democrats
Lib Dems from Harborough are in Westminster today (Wednesday 5 November 2014) to meet with a Government Minister on a range of subjects including concerns of just how housing numbers in the region are calculated, the weight that is placed on 'Local Plans' at their various stages and just when the reality of what is actually being built and infrastructure ability to cope is evaluated.
It was Harborough Liberal Democrats on Harborough District Council who a few months ago obtained confirmation from Senior Council Officers that the Housing numbers 'required' across the Harborough District had increased from mid 300 per annum to a hugely inflated figure of 638 homes a year, potentially for each of the next five years. Clarification that explained the figure seemingly included a type of penalty clause for the Council allegedly underachieving on homes 'delivered' in previous years.
Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harborough District Council will be leading the Westminster visit -
The Lib Dems voiced our concerns on so many fronts on this issue,
- Why has Harborough District Council found itself in this position?
- Were the 638 homes ever anticipated in the previous five years by the Officers or the Council Controlling Group?
- We wondered why was it such a bolt out of the blue?
- Just how can the District's infrastructure cope?
- What will be the impact on the community with the current infrastructure stresses and strains already so evident?
We felt questions needed to be asked at a very senior level, we felt that concerns and local issues had to be put on the table.
We made the proposal that a joint meeting should be arranged urgently with a Government Minister. Sadly our suggestion gathered little or no support from the Controlling Group. The Lib Dems made it clear we would not just sit back on this, it's just too important to the community. We said we would take the questions to Westminster and look for answers and today we will do just that!''
The visit to Westminster was organised by the Liberal Democrats a number of weeks ago. ''We have a meeting with a Departmental Minister who we envisage will respond directly to certain of our questions and concerns whilst on other points that he can't answer the Minister will, we hope, direct them to colleagues who can. Whatever the outcome we will deliver on the promise we made in Full Council to take this matter to the heart of the National Government on behalf of the Community''.
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