We all knew that a by election was something that would not be unlikely during a 4 year term. For some Wealden residents the upcoming by-election in Horam and Punnetts Town isn’t just about choosing a replacement for outgoing Green councillor Cornelie Usbourne, it’s about choosing a direction for your community.
Do you want more of the same from the Green-led Wealden District Council, or something better?
Green candidate Diane Gould is being pushed hard by the Green Party. Presenting herself as a fresh face ready to stand up for the area. But behind the polished slogans and vintage charm is a worrying lack of the experience, credibility and leadership the community urgently needs.
A Pearly Queen. But is that enough?
Just Stop Oil supporting Diane describes herself proudly as a “Pearly Queen” – part of a London tradition of charitable pageantry. That may be colourful and well-meaning, but it doesn’t mean she’s qualified to be a district councillor overseeing complex planning policy, public infrastructure, or council finance (ie your hard earned money). Diane Gould’s ongoing commitment to a London-centred role makes it hard to see how she’ll devote meaningful time to the serious work of representing Wealden. She simply can’t be in two places at once.
There is no record of Diane leading serious campaigns, managing public budgets, or shaping housing and environmental policy. Her main claim is running a small community fishery and being involved in local fundraising.
That’s admirable in a volunteer – but it’s a risky foundation for a councillor seat, especially when the ward faces massive housing pressures, infrastructure strain, and strategic decisions that will shape its future for decades.
This isn’t about being nice. It’s about being competent.
What did the last Green Councillor actually do?
Outgoing Green councillor Cornelie Usbourne made promises: to protect infrastructure, to represent local voices, and to resist overdevelopment. But in reality:
- She backed a Local Plan that includes over 1,000 homes for Horam and Punnetts Town
- She was quiet when infrastructure failed to materialise
- She voted to give her Green colleagues an allowance increase, then resigned
- Usborne was practically invisible for a year (almost 50% of her served term)
- And now, the Greens are campaigning as if they’ve delivered major victories – like the so-called “Southern Water case” – that they had very little to do with
In truth, the case Diane Gould refers to wasn’t a case against Southern Water at all. It was a developer’s planning appeal – and the policy (planning condition) that protected residents? That was put in place by the previous Conservative administration.
For the Greens to now claim credit for that is not just misleading, it’s cynical.
More Green Housing. Less Green Space.
The Green Party loves to say it will stop “inappropriate development” however their actions tell a different story.
- Their own draft Local Plan – led by Green councillor Ian Tysh – proposes over 1,000 new homes for Horam and Punnetts Town
- There are no binding infrastructure commitments to support that growth
- And the Greens have openly support compulsory purchase powers, meaning landowners may be forced to sell land for development
That’s not protecting the countryside. That’s centralised planning by ideology – not by community need.
National ambitions, local consequences
Wealden Green leader Rachel Millward, who governs alongside Diane Gould’s campaign team, is now running to be Deputy Leader of the national Green Party.
Wealden is being used as a political platform – and under her leadership, we’ve seen:
- Higher council taxes with little improvement to frontline services
- Money poured into PR firms and climate reports
- And proposals that hint at urban-style, high-density Council estates, entirely unsuited to rural communities like Horam and Punnetts Town
These are ideological experiments, not pragmatic plans.
And Diane Gould, far from challenging this agenda, aligns with it entirely.
The other Green Councillor and the “Thick Skin” problem
When concerned residents recently raised issues at a planning meeting, current Green councillor (and “proud eco socialist”) Greg Collins responded by saying he had “broad shoulders and thick skin” – a comment that may have left many residents feeling dismissed.
That’s the kind of attitude Horam and Punnetts Town can expect more of under continued Green representation – tone-deaf, top-down, and detached.
Real Work, Done Quietly – By Others
While the Greens craft slogans, it’s been Conservative and Independent councillors doing the real work:
- Councillor Neil Cleaver has fought tirelessly to defend the community against overdevelopment and sewage failure.
- The previous Conservative administration put in place the planning safeguards that the Greens are now taking credit for – although the wording has been changed since first introduced.
- Local Independents and Conservatives are pushing back against waste, calling for smarter spending, and insisting on infrastructure before expansion.
- Conservatives and Independent Councillors arguing for Council Tax and Councillor allowance freezes but overruled and outvoted by the Green led Administration
They are focused on getting results, not profile pieces.
You have a choice – and a vote
This by-election is not just about the Green Party. It’s about what you want your community to look like:
- Do you want 1,000+ new homes, weak infrastructure, and no say in where they go?
- Do you want council tax hikes while funding goes to PR and ideological pet projects?
- Do you want your area represented by someone with a costume and a story, or someone with a track record and a plan?
On 10th July – Vote Anyone But Green
No more spin.
No more stunts.
Vote anyone but Green.
After a 2 years of broken promises from Cornelie Usbourne and the Green Party, promises to protect the countryside, resist overdevelopment, and put residents first, Horam and Punnetts Town is now facing over 1,000 new homes, with no matching infrastructure and no local voice in sight. Under the Green-led Alliance, Wealden has become a platform for failed policy experiments, higher taxes, and climate PR consultants; all the while basic services are left behind. Now, the Greens want you to believe Diane Gould – a self-styled Pearly Queen (with no serious background in planning, governance, or service delivery) is the one to fix it. But this isn’t a pageant. It’s your community’s future. Diane isn’t here to change direction, she’s here to carry on the circus. On 10th July, vote to end the chaos. Vote anyone but Green.
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