Keith, please note that, if the turnout in the local elections was about 35-40%, then you have already missed out something in your explanations about Whitfield having said yes to the building-scheme.
Secondly, Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has been absolutely against the urbanisation plans, so to vote Tory does not mean necessarily to be in favour of DDC's planning.
Thirdly, Labour is fully in favour of the building plans, which originated under a Labour government, so the minority which did vote in the locals in Whitfield did not vote Labour.
Incidentally, Keith, may-be you could tell us what the turnout at Whitfield was at the locals. Was it 100%
or less than that?
DDC has clearly stated that the building will go ahead, and the people were clearly against it, as too in Sholden and Deal concerning other building plans.
So after that, they were told to accept it and just decide if they want 6000 houses this way or that way, and that if they do not "participate" they will get them anyway and in both ways!
Keith, pleae believe me, Labour's version of "democracy", which DDC fully backs, is something I do not believe in, hence my full support for Vic on this issue, who seems to be more to the point than Mr. Elphicke, even though I would like to see Charlie too get involved in his stated desire not to see Britain being furhter congested with urbanisation. This I read on Charlie's blog.
My view is, we don't have any natural population increase. When we need houses, then we should build them, when we have a natural population increase.