Cllr Jonathan Essex, Green group leader, said: “The current Conservative leadership has failed to make progress on key issues, lacks vision and appears unable to deliver meaningful change.”
“They have failed to deliver on promised new affordable housing while waiting lists and homelessness have increased. They have failed to deliver on the council’s environmental sustainability strategy, and our recycling rates have stalled. Meanwhile, the Surrey County Council-owned library is due to be reopened soon whilst this council’s Harlequin Theatre, with the same RAAC problems, remains closed.”
Cllr Steve Wotton (Liberal Democrat, Meadvale & St John’s) said: “The Conservative Party has run Reigate & Banstead Borough Council for decades, however in the last few years, their support has fallen and they are now substantially short of a majority.”
Cllr Jenny Orchard (Independent, Redhill West & Wray Common) commented: “The council seems to be using the forthcoming Local Government Reorganisation as an excuse for continued inaction. This is not what our residents pay their council tax for.”
Cllr Victoria Chester (Green, Horley East & Salfords) said: “These are serious concerns. It’s been a disappointing and incredibly frustrating experience to try to work collaboratively with an administration that appears to have lost its way yet is resistant to taking on wider support.”
If the Conservative administration were to be unseated, a progressive, Green-led alliance would form to take over.
The motion will be debated at full council on Thursday September 25
