Southwater councillor explains why he's stepping down and leaving the Conservative Party

Billy Greening, a Horsham district councillor since 2016, said he felt the time was right to step aside after the Berkeley Homes application had been defeated at least ‘for now’.

Addressing residents, he described having ‘loved being your councillor’.

He said: “Standing up for Southwater and Horsham, being on your side and meeting some amazing people. I got into this to help people, and along the way, we’ve done some great things. I’ve not been perfect, or done everything I wanted to, which is an immense source of frustration, but I have always tried my best and tried humanising local politics and be a force for good.”

During his time he tried to stop overdevelopment as well as kicking Berkeley Homes ‘into touch’, helped give Horsham FC a new home and been a champion for Southwater and Horsham ‘whenever possible’.

He was elected to oppose mass housebuilding and ‘am proud to have stuck by you and my word at every turn’. He added: “Throughout my time I have never wavered on my principles or compromised on standing up for the people of our home.”

Politically, he was no longer committed to the Conservative cause either locally or nationally as ‘too many mistakes have been made’.

He does not have confidence that the leadership of the local Conservatives have the best interests of the district and the countryside at heart and fears if they were re-elected they would try and bring back ‘the same failed local housing plan which is unwanted and unneeded for the people of the Horsham district, above the levels agreed by local Neighbourhood Plans passed through referendums at a considerable cost’.

Although he had been asked to run as an Independent, he needed a break from the ‘strain of council life and the toll it has taken on me’.

Rather than endorse one party in the run-up to May’s election he urged everyone to scrutinise each candidate and their promises carefully and vote ‘not just on their words but their actions’.

He felt his time on the council had shown politics remained ‘polluted by self-interest, intrigue and subterfuge in the pursuit of power’ and suggested just like Westminster, local government ‘remains a cosy club for those that know the system and play it well’.

Mr Greening said for residents there could be no compromise and for those that do ‘despite themselves and their promises there can be no excuse’.

He explained: “If a councillor says they oppose unplanned development and support neighbourhood plans and resident involvement in plan-making, but then in private meetings, changes positions, then that is unforgiveable.”

He also thinks Horsham has changed too much and too quickly ‘because of the wrong decisions being made time after time’.

And while some things have changed for the better, he believes the town and the whole country ‘is being held back’, with declining standard of living and poorer public services.

Roads ‘resemble and patchwork of concreted potholes and children can’t get places at their choice of schools’ – some of the consequences of overdevelopment and ‘we continue to build over our countryside at a frightening rate’, he added.

He concluded: “This isn’t goodbye, just, see you later.”