Lib-Dems stick to claim of Tory hypocrisy over the Northern Relief Road (Wokingham Liberal Democrats)

Wokingham Liberal Democrats <info@wokinghamlibdems.org.uk>

Lib-Dems stick to claim of Tory hypocrisy over the Northern Relief Road

July 17, 2009 12:00 PM

At the Wokingham Borough Council meeting on 15th July, Tory Leader of the Council David Lee criticised the Lib Dems for what he said were inaccuracies in an item on this website about Tory Councillor Alistair Auty (see "Wokingham Tory Councillor performs U-Turn on proposed Housing Development in North Wokingham", posted on 15th May).

Under current Conservative proposals, 1,500 houses will be built in north Wokingham and a new relief road will be required to cope with the additional traffic. Alistair Auty represents Norreys ward in Wokingham where many of the houses will be built and through which the new relief road would pass. In May, Alistair Auty presented a petition to the Council about this, and the Lib Dems drew attention to the fact that he was now expressing concern about the consequences of major housing development in Wokingham, which he had not previously done anything to oppose (although he had opportunities to do so when his party were drawing up the plans).

Prue Bray, Leader of the Lib Dem Group on the Council and PPC for Wokingham says "David Lee claimed that we were wrong to say that Alistair Auty had presented a petition complaining about the housing development proposed by the Tories in North Wokingham, because the petition expressed residents' fears about the impact of the proposed northern relief road, rather than the housing itself.

"David seemed to be suggesting it was only the road that Alistair had concerns about, rather than the 1500 houses that make it necessary.

"If Alistair would like to confirm that he's happy to accept all those houses and it's just the relief road for them that's the problem, then of course we will gladly make that clear to everyone."