On Thursday I went as a public observer to the City Council East Area Committee, which covers Abbey Ward, in order to see if any issues arose that might affect Abbey, and to question the Lib Dems over their plans to dump 12,000 houses on the Marshall site.
I asked the following question: "Since it is now 10 years since Liberal Democrat city councillors and Tory county councillors first got together to propose that Marshall Airport should become a housing site for 12,000 homes; since those proposals seem not to be bearing fruit; and since waiting lists for homes, and house prices in Cambridge, both continue to rise, can we be told what 'plan B' alternatives to the Marshall proposals are now being considered?"
Catherine Smart, Lib Dem Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Councillor for Housing, was at the meeting and spoke for the Lib Dems. Her answer, was, despite attempting to duck the question, that there is NO PLAN B!! The city council's plan to meet Cambridge's housing needs is entirely predicated on Marshall moving. Since Labour's campaign to keep Marshall in Cambridge is gathering steam and looks like it could succeed, we have a situation where the Lib Dems' ill-thought out plan to provide for Cambridge's housing needs may not be practicable, and yet they have no alternative plans at all! They really are a bunch of incompetents. I would trust the Chuckle Brothers with running Cambridge City Council over these jokers.
The Greens were also conspicuous by their silence on the issue, since they also support the disastrous Marshall plan, which would dump 12,000 new homes on the Marshall site with no provision for investment in transport, thus making existing congestion problems on Newmarket Road etc far worse.
Yes, Cambridge needs more affordable housing - the Labour Government is leading the charge towards building the new affordable homes that we need. However, this does not mean that we should support a poorly thought out scheme which will be a disaster for transport, infrastructure, and the local economy and jobs. The Lib Dems need to accept that their plan is a disgrace, and start thinking about a plan b, for the sake of Abbey and Cambridge generally.
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The Greens have never said we support Marshalls leaving Cambridge. That would be a disaster for local jobs. Cllr. Margaret Wright, voted against the Lib Dem plan to force Marshalls out in Council. So not too sure where your insinuation that we want Marshalls out comes from. It is just an assumption that because we could encourage Marshalls to be greener, and produce more ethically sounds products etc, that we want them gone. Untrue.
ReplyDeleteAdam Pogonowski
Green Party City Council Candidate, Abbey Ward
This is nonsense. I've read Green Party leaflets in Abbey that support the plan to get rid of Marshall! Margaret Wright wrote an article not long ago supporting getting rid of Marshall, subject to a few conditions. You can't wriggle out of it now.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can fabricate such things like that George! Margaret voted AGAINST the Liberal plan to rid Abbey of Marshalls- our view is that we cannot influence a large firm such as Marshalls - to try to force their hand one way or the other is a tad arrogant. And I have not seen this so called article. Margaret's most recent publications have been about no-win no-fee, terrible Liberal budget cut proposals and gritting!
ReplyDeleteSo, there is nothing to wriggle out of!
My view, and that of my party, is to find the best solution to whatever Marshalls does. We cannot force them one way or another.
I hope you're doing well!
Adam
This is nonsense. I'm not fabricating anything.
ReplyDeleteI've checked the minutes, and in several motions at full council that were in favour of attempting to move Marshall, the only councillors that voted against the plans and in favour of keeping Marshall were the 11 Labour councillors. At best Margaret Wright, Green Councillor, abstained. Furthermore, both now and in the past the Cambridge Green website has endorsed using the Marshall site for housing. Furthermore, the Greens are not supporting our 'Keep Marshall Flying in Cambridge' campaign.
Frankly, this line about 'not forcing them one way or another' is highly disingenuous. The whole issue is that the city council is trying to bully them into moving; no-one is trying to 'force them to stay', we are trying to defeat these crazy Lib Dems plans to build on the site that the Cambridge Greens have always acquiesced to.
I challenge you as Green candidate to sign the petition in favour of keeping Marshall flying in Cambridge.