THE INEVITABLE RUSH TO NEW TOWNS
This month, there will be no in-depth analysis of the FODDC council meeting.
Even 48 hours later, the goings-on, the sheer arrogance displayed, and some of the remarks made, remain utterly unfathomable. The performance was beyond analysis; it was an abject failure of governance.
Contentious meetings are inherently difficult for any ruling group. Add in critical decisions such as the local plan or the budget, and it becomes a testing evening. Throw in a vocal, passionate public gallery, and councillors are well past the point of earning their allowances. To meet this challenge effectively, one must be prepared: know the subject intimately, anticipate potential questions, and respond to public scrutiny with calmness, knowledge, and reasoned argument. Humility and a touch of humour can help achieve your aims.
That is emphatically not what happened on Thursday.
What was witnessed was an ill-prepared and uninformed administration, completely reliant on referring every question to officers. When pressed for meaningful input, their only recourse was snide, barbed comments, personal insults, and outright gobbledygook. On full display was an arrogant and unyielding attitude, supported by a backing group offering disingenuous lectures and blatant finger-pointing. This exposed the embedded culture of a group that wallows in credits but desperately ducks responsibility when faced with scrutiny. So cocksure are they of their position, they could even afford to tell truly worried, desperate members of the public that, as long as an issue isn't in their own wards, they are content.
The Greens are supported by three or sometimes four subordinate Labour Councillors, for reasons only known to themselves. Thursday's meeting proved these allies are not only prepared to throw the Forest of Dean onto a path of utter mayhem—revealing just how far out of their depth they are—but also know full well that no one can immediately stop them.
And, as predicted, they succeeded, by a single casting vote, to send a local plan to "consultation" that explicitly includes two new settlements, or "Garden Villages."
Anyone watching Thursday's proceedings will know exactly how much credence to give that sham "consultation."
It may ultimately be that the two new settlements are the right path forward, but what is clear is that insufficient consideration has been given to alternative options. There have been no genuine efforts to engage with the business and education sectors to explore what might be possible in delivering the required homes.
No effort, nothing—just an automatic, preordained new settlement strategy that has been a core Green Party policy in the Forest for a decade.
Simply watch Thursday's meeting on the FODDC webpage; the truth is there for all to see.
Such dynamically opposed political councillors—including a Conservative Group, a Reform Group, and two historically feuding Independent groups—do not come together and vote the same way because of some cosy deal or just to score political points.
They do it because they all see that something is very seriously wrong.
This is merely the latest in a string of this administration's failings.
It is now apparent that their sole aim is to drive as many ideological programmes through as possible before the Council is dissolved into a Unitary Authority.
The thirst for National Green Party recognition and, therefore, further local party funding is immense.
Through a mixture of staggering arrogance, laziness, and inflexible ideology, they have systematically failed to offer a positive and progressive Local Plan.
They have equally failed to genuinely stand up for the Forest of Dean in terms of Local Government Organisation.
They have and will continue to spend vast amounts of taxpayers' money on Green Party vanity projects and policies.
And when they are questioned on this profligacy, they treat those legitimate questions with absolute contempt.
They will continue this trajectory.
They will get their budget through in May, which will siphon even more money out of reserves for the "Greener good."
People will attend their local plan consultation, but the predetermined outcome will be announced: "the planning gains in favour of two new settlements outweigh the opposite views," and it will all conveniently be blamed on central government mandates.
Then, when the election to the new Gloucestershire Unitary Authority takes place—the authority they allowed the Forest of Dean to be levered towards—they will campaign once more as the anti-establishment, the cuddly folk next door, just out to look after the community and nature.
They are inept but organised, and along with Reform, inevitable.
They control every committee yet fail in every aspect of leadership for the good of the Forest of Dean.Glynchbrook and Greenville in Churcham will become part of a Biosphere reserve in a place that was once independent, proud, and culturally distinct.
While they receive the support of Labour Cllrs, and if they can all turn up to meetings, they will win the votes, it's as simple as that.
Thursday shows that much like the results of the public consultation, the next and final years of the FODDC are already planned out, and it will be a Greenwash . .
There is one way for the Two new towns project to be re-examined, and thats for Labour to no longer support the Greens and if the other groups unite in opposition to remove the Green adminsitraton
Both are very unlikely.