My speech from last night

Here’s the motion I tabled:

“Council acknowledges the strong local opposition to the proposals outlined by Doric Properties for the redevelopment of the West Way area, Botley, on the grounds that residents feel their scale is inappropriately large and completely out of character for a suburban residential area.

“Council urges Cabinet to do all they can to persuade Doric Properties to meet with residents and work in partnership with the local community of Botley to find a way forward.”

And here’s what I said to Council in support of the motion:

“I was once given some great management advice: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

“In this case, isn’t the main thing to provide a redevelopment that works for Botley? I’ve heard everyone say this. So, who knows best what’s best for Botley?

“There was an expectation that a decision to sell off all our local shops and services would be consulted upon – that didn’t happen. There was an expectation that developers would hold a genuine consultation, taking feedback from local people into account – that didn’t happen either. Now there’s an expectation that some open discussion and collaboration could find a way forward with all of us working together – I’d like to see that happen.

“So, if the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing, then we all need to remember what the main thing IS.  We have to ensure a redevelopment meets the needs of Botley. Who should decide that? The Vale thinks Cabinet is best placed to decide. Botley thinks local people and businesses are the ones who should decide.

Even when we don’t have a statutory or constitutional duty to consult, we should consider whether we have an ethical duty to do so. Does it help? Will it mitigate risk? Can it build good community relations?

“In the past few months it’s been made very clear to us that decisions affecting people’s everyday lives matter a whole lot. People deserve a say in what happens to their community, to their lives, to their sense of well-being. I think members have a moral responsibility to the people who’ve elected us to ensure they DO have a say in what happens to them.

“I’m very proud to be a member of the Botley community, and of how the people of Botley have come together to work for the betterment of the whole community.”

 

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  1. Pingback: Doric Petition and Motion « Debby Hallett

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