A CONSERVATIVE borough councillor has explained her decision to withdraw a call-in of proposed modifications to Waverley’s Local Plan to the borough’s watchdog overview and scrutiny (O&S) committee.

Mary Foryszewski, the Tory councillor for Cranleigh East, initially requested that changes to the borough’s emerging Local Plan - including plans to share an uplift in housing between the borough’s existing settlements, excluding Dunsfold Park - be reviewed by the council’s environment O&S committee on September 18 before going out to public consultation.

However, in an email to The Herald, Mrs Foryszewski said she withdrew the request - not after receiving “reassurances” from council leaders over Waverley’s housing allocations, as was claimed last week, but because of fears that her call-in would be misconstrued.

It comes after Waverley’s executive committee endorsed the modifications and proposed new housing allocations at its meeting on August 22 - angering many backbenchers, town and parish councillors across the borough for whom the changes came as a complete surprise.

Mrs Foryszewski said: “It was I and I alone who requested a call-in using my democratic right as a councillor and member of environment O&S. In doing so, two fellow councillors came forward to offer their support, required in accordance with article 13 of which I was very grateful.

“On balance I and I alone decided to withdraw my request in fear that the process may mislead members that this was an opportunity to drive down numbers rather than scrutinise the lack of consultation before the new figure was released.

“Proper scrutiny will take place and members can air their options at full council in October and as a result of my discussions it will go to the next Environment O&S.

“I am satisfied that members will have an opportunity to look at this in detail and past comment onto the executive. It’s regrettable that members weren’t told in advance or consulted on prior to being informed where the new housing would go.”

The Cranleigh East councillor’s comments come after The Herald reported that an ‘un-named Conservative councillor’ had withdrawn a call-in at the 11th hour last week - prompting Waverley’s opposition Farnham Residents group to accuse the Tory-run council of denying residents “proper scrutiny”.

Waverley’s proposed modifications come amid an ongoing examination of the borough’s emerging Local Plan by government planning inspector Jonathan Bore - the former executive director for planning and borough development for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

As well as an uplift in housing targets for the borough from 519 to 590 homes per year, other key changes to Waverley’s Local Plan include a new design statement for the borough’s largest brownfield site Dunsfold Park and the removal of Aarons Hill in Godalming from the Green Belt.

However, it is the increase in housing that has caused most upset in Farnham, with the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan now facing a possible early review and second referendum in order to accommodate an additional 450 homes in the town area by 2032 on top of the 2,330 already proposed.

A consultation on the proposed Local Plan modifications opened last Friday and will run until 5pm on October 20.

For more information, visit the website www.wa

verley.gov.uk/lpp1examina

tion or view a copy of the consultation document at council offices and libraries within the borough.