- Move to pull Stockport out of the GMSF without any proper scrutiny defeated
- Councillors remain on course to discuss the GMSF on 22nd October
- Procedure rules to be relaxed to allow councillors more opportunities to speak
Last night at Stockport’s Full Council meeting, the Stockport Liberal Democrats made a cynical last-ditch attempt to bypass the Council’s decision-making process and force a vote on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) without presenting a shred of evidence.
Thankfully, the motion was amended to remove any requirement to vote on the GMSF and instead the procedure rules were relaxed to allow councillors more opportunities to discuss the item later next month.
Throughout the entire GMSF process, Stockport Labour has remained committed to presenting all of the information to councillors and to the public.
We believe it is in our residents’ best interests that their elected officials make an informed decision based on facts and evidence, not gesture politics that can lead to poor outcomes for residents.
Cllr Elise Wilson, Leader of the Council, said:
“The people of Stockport can trust Labour to have plan for their future; one that is open, honest and led by the evidence.
“Since the first version of the GMSF there have been significant improvements thanks to feedback we have received from residents and by working together with our Greater Manchester colleagues.
“Stockport deserves to see the final version of the plan, not only so we can see exactly how it is protects our treasured Greenbelt and greenspaces, but how it empowers us to shape our borough rather than developers.”
Cllr David Meller, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, said:
“The Liberal Democrats’ new leaflet slogan is “Vote Lib Dem – Get Local Action”.
“But this is a case of ‘Vote Lib Dem – Screw Local Democracy’.
“If their motion passed, it would have taken power away from elected councillors and placed Stockport in an incredibly vulnerable position.
“The Lib Dem motion would have put all our Greenbelt up-for-grabs because we don’t have a five-year land supply. The GMSF process currently offers the Greenbelt some protection – but the Lib Dems wanted to tear all that up without considering one word of evidence.
“The Lib Dems talk about adopting a new Local Plan and going it alone – but this would require land for 4,000 additional homes. Where would those homes go? We have a Brownfield First approach – but we’re stretched to our limits on that.
“The Lib Dems can’t see that by tearing up the GMSF before even looking at it, they’re placing their own communities’ Greenbelt in further jeopardy. They simply cannot be trusted.”
ENDS.