Where is the Green opposition?



There seems to be much confusion (particularly on social platform, ‘Nextdoor’) about the political composition of Leamington, and which party is in favour of what stance when it comes to student accommodation. The former is easy to explain: There are NO Conservative councillors in Leamington.  So, in effect, Leamington is being presided over by a Tory-led council with no representation on its executive, which comprises councillors from everywhere else BUT Leamington. They literally have nothing to lose!

However, and this is where it gets interesting. Brunswick Ward, which is Green, has the highest concentration of student accommodation and yet this is how the leader of the Greens, Brunswick councillor Ian Davison, replied to one of his constituents, Paul Cox, when he responded to his concerns (which we printed in a previous article):

“I’m sure that all the councillors you’ve included in this email do care about this over-concentration of student accommodation… If I may finish with a political point… all the councillors in this email are opposition, so can campaign and argue (as we do) but do not make the decisions. If you wish to apportion blame, it should be to the Conservative-led administration.”

And yet, we have seen absolutely no evidence of either ‘campaigning or arguing’ from Cllr Davison or indeed ANY of his fellow Green councillors.  Where is their concern exactly? Where are their objections to the numerous planning applications for Purpose Built Student Accommodation and student studios about which we have protested in Leamington Spy? In fact, it’s completely the opposite of what Cllr Davison claims.  

Moreover, two of their number, who are actually members of the WDC planning committee – Cllr Tangri (also Brunswick) and Cllr Kennedy - actually voted in favour of the last scheme in Wise Terrace, which will take saturation in a 100-metre radius to well over 60% and breach local planning policy in the process. How this accommodates students “without harming the balance of existing communities”, is difficult to see. Did you know that developers of student accommodation, in addition to exemption from business and council tax, are not bound by the 40% affordable housing rule? It’s a shame they couldn’t provide homes for local people instead, isn’t it?

Surely, we should look to the Green Party to act in support of their Brunswick residents who have long been articulating their concerns about this issue. And surely our Labour, LibDem and Green Councillors should be working together to put pressure on the WDC Executive and its leader, Cllr Andrew Day, to find a way forward with the utmost urgency. 

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