Post 26 – 28/04/23 – Election Special Part II
A lively debate took place last weekend between Deborah Garland and Mike Kusneraitis on the Facebook group, Englefield Green Chat.
Mike K’s (former Tory Councillor turned Independent) attack on Eliza Kettle’s (Labour) pledges backfired somewhat as Deborah highlighted that over the last few years the Conservatives have let Englefield Green slide into an unrecognisable abyss.
This Thursday there is a real opportunity to change our fortune. There are two Conservative seats that could be turned: not only could this bring meaningful change to Englefield Green but also to the management of the borough as a whole. If just 4 seats are turned, the Conservative’s 20 years of power will come to an end.
In those years, Runnymede Borough Council Conservative controlled Planning Committee has allowed RHUL and HMOs to grow unchecked. Today, pragmatic solutions to residents’ problems, such as a JET, are not even put on the Conservatives’ agenda. (A JET, a Joint Enforcement Team, is a relatively simple, low cost initiative that is present in many surrounding councils that can tackle issues such as ASB and fly-tipping.)
If Led by Donkeys looked at the Conservatives in Runnymede Borough Council, they would probably find as much despicable behaviour as they did in the House of Commons. What they probably wouldn’t find though, is any evidence that the local Conservative Councillors were trying to protect their constituents from the blight caused by the expansion of Royal Holloway. For this, you need to vote against the Conservative majority and for a local that will work to protect our community and, in Englefield Green West, that’s Eliza Kettle.
I am sure many of you will have seen some of the WhatsApp & Social Media messages flying about highlighting reasons why not to vote for the Runnymede Conservatives in these Local Elections. This is not the forum to share them as they don’t really relate to the issue at hand but I have found them all to be very disturbing. I have even found myself forwarding some of them on as they have made me so angry.
We have done some of our own digging and have unearthed a couple of things that you might find of interest:
Finally, please vote. And please get your friends and family to vote. Englefield Green West is going to be very close. Though you may feel that voting is pointless, this time your vote will probably count.
Best wishes,
We Need To Talk About Royal Holloway
PS I have also added a link to the Led By Donkeys, ‘MPs For Hire’ for ‘entertainment’ purposes.