Telford Conservative leader’s ‘outsiders’ comment sparks Labour ‘chasing Reform’ accusation
An opposition leader’s comment that Telford & Wrekin Council’s local development plan is having to make room for hundreds of ‘outsiders’ was condemned by the ruling group.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s Labour-controlled cabinet was debating a new draft housing strategy when Conservative leader Tim Nelson took the opportunity to renew his attack on local plan proposals to build thousands of homes on farmland.
Councillor Nelson (Newport North) took aim at the housing strategy’s aim of supporting “safe, clean, green, healthy, connected communities.”
“The local plan does not support that aspiration,” Councillor Nelson said. He added that much in the strategy was “absolutely common sense”.
Councillor Nelson pointed to a part of the report that said “natural change (births minus deaths) accounted for a population increase of 100 people".
And he contrasted this with a figure for internal migration of 1,650 people arriving in the borough from elsewhere in the UK during 2022 and 2023. It accounted for the “greatest proportion of population increase in the borough”, with the majority arriving from the Black Country and Birmingham.
He claimed that the council is making room for 1,650 ‘outsiders’ as it plans to build “8,000 houses on food-producing land".
Later in the meeting Councillor Nelson said that Labour councillors could “pick on words I use” but it is his job as much as theirs to support the borough.
By then the Tory councillor had faced a blistering attack from the Labour leadership.
Council leader Lee Carter referred to Councillor Nelson’s use of the word “outsiders” and called it “really, really sad that you are chasing Reform".
Councillor Carter (Labour, Arleston & College) asked Councillor Nelson whether he was referring to businesses that choose to move to the borough, students at Harper Adams University who want to stay in Telford, or people from the West Midlands who “want to build a better life.”
Councillor Carolyn Healy (Labour, Ironbridge Gorge) said she too had “moved here because it is a really good place to be”.
“Why should people not want to move here?”
Councillor Healy, the cabinet member for neighbourhoods, planning and sustainability. slammed Conservative proposals to build ‘up and not out’ in Telford.
She had led the production of the local plan review and added that she hoped that Councillor Nelson had put his proposals to the Planning Inspectorate before an official deadline of May 5 this year.
She said many of the council’s planned development was on brownfield sites.
