Political parties working together has left Aldershot town centre in disarray, an opposition councillor has claimed.

Liberal Democrat Paul Bowers has accused the five-councillor Labour group, all of whom represent seats in Aldershot,
of failing to hold the Conservative-run Rushmoor Borough Council to account over the stalled Westgate town centre regeneration project.

In a stinging attack, Cllr Bowers said it was the duty of minority parties to highlight “the failings of this Tory-run authority”.

His comments are prompted by the recent indication by Linden Homes that it could withdraw from providing the residential element of Westgate, a housing and leisure project planned for land between Tesco and the Princes Hall.

“Under normal circumstances, I am all in favour on consensus politics, but in Aldershot Labour councillors and back bench Tories have become so consensual that they have basically raised the white flag,” he said.

“It has given the cabinet carte blanche to do exactly what it likes with our town with impunity.

“While Westgate was on the horizon we could have forgiven the Tories for their lack of vision for the town, but the cabinet’s persistent dawdling over the start of the Westgate development is a major factor in the project’s failure to get off the ground.”

Downturn

The global economic downturn has been cited as a reason for the latest hold-up in a catalogue of delays for Westgate, which is planned to include an array of cafes and restaurants and a seven-screen cinema.

“There was no credit crunch five years ago,” Cllr Bowers, the only Aldershot Lib Dem representative, said. “Why did the development not start then?”

He said it was the job of opposition parties to hold the ruling group to account over its policies.

“Standing up for your town and representing the views of the people who put you in office is not political point scoring, it’s doing what you were elected to do,” Cllr Bowers, who was elected by Heron Wood residents in May’s local elections, added.

“If Labour and Tory councillors in Aldershot want to continue supporting a cabinet who have time and time failed to deliver for Aldershot, it is their right to do so, but I don’t think Aldershot residents will thank them for it.

He said that he detected a sense of frustration amongst the people of Aldershot.

“Consensus politics is fine, if it is working,” Cllr Bowers explained. “But the town’s public are getting sick and tired of being ignored and watching their town deteriorate while Farnborough booms.”

Ludicrous

Rushmoor Labour group leader, Cllr Keith Dibble, said Cllr Bowers’ comments were “ludicrous, stupid and ridiculous”.

He said his party had a “consistent line” on Westgate adding that challenges were made to the Conservatives “when necessary”.

“I don’t want to go down that blame culture route like Cllr Bowers seems to be doing but there is the danger that the opposition parties can get isolated on the fringes,” Cllr Dibble, who represents North Town, said.

“It is juvenile and foolish to suggest that we do not hold the council to account. It appears that Cllr Bowers is merely trying to gain publicity.

“There is no cosy group here — we are there to try and open the mind of Peter Moyle (leader of the council) and the decision-making cabinet. We want to be part of the process.”

His party colleague, Mike Roberts, who last month called for the establishment of a town centre development group to drive Westgate forward, said: “The only people who have been holding the Conservatives to account is Labour.

“Even in Farnborough, where we have no councillors, we are pushing for the town centre development there.”

Failure

Cllr Moyle claimed that the Lib Dems “failed to come up with any policies for Aldershot”.

“The Lib Dems were eradicated in Aldershot until May when Cllr Bowers only won his seat because of the unpopularity of the Labour government,” he added.

“If the Lib Dems and Labour want to continue their bun-fight then that is down to them — we will continue to concentrate on doing what is best for Aldershot.”

He said he was fed up with opposition councillors “talking down” the Home of the British Army.

“Over a long period of time there has been a lot of inward investment in Aldershot,” he added.

“The investors believe that Aldershot is on the way up and that is what we think ourselves.”