Former Councillor Bob Lanzer

16/06/2026

I am very grateful to the Manor Royal BID (Business Improvement District) team for presenting me with an outstanding contribution award at the Know Your Neighbour event held at The Hawth, Crawley.

Thanks to Steve Sawyer (Executive Director), Helen McLaren, Chris Oxlade and Samantha Bertie from their brilliant, creative and transformational work at Manor Royal.

Thanks also to colleagues, past and present, who have served so well on the Manor Royal BID Board.

For some history, here is a link to the Crawley Borough Council Cabinet, chaired by me at this time, report of 13th February 2013 supporting the creation of the BID, following the earlier creation of the Manor Royal Master Plan and Manor Royal Business Group (formed in April 2011) - https://democracy.crawley.gov.uk/Data/Cabinet/20130213/Agenda/PUB187133.pdf?

11/06/2026

Well done John Healey MP for resigning as Secretary of State for Defence. This is a principled decision. It is no good for the government to keep stating that defence is its first duty and then failing to provide proper funding.

In a letter to the prime minister, he says the defence investment plan "does not give our forces the resources they need".

07/06/2026

Trumpian politics pushes up oil and gas prices. The Labour government makes this worse by inhibiting the use of our own natural resources which are still needed during our transition to cleaner energy.

Energy prices will be rising by an average 13% from next month, meaning the typical annual bill will now be over £2,000 for many households. When added to the hugely increased cost to fill up with petrol or diesel, as well as other inflationary pressures on food and everyday household items, the pr...

07/06/2026

A new political administration at West Sussex County Council and a new political balance at Crawley Borough Council.

Last Friday the Annual Council meeting at West Sussex County Council took place. A new coalition administration was formed, comprising of a Liberal Democrat Leader and a mixed cabinet of Liberal Democrat and Green councillors. This will be the administration that sees the County Council through to i...

04/06/2026

Pleased to be at the Manor Royal BID (Business Improvement District) Know Your Neighbour event at The Hawth. Great to see and interact with an eclectic range of dynamic Crawley-based businesses.

21/05/2026

The government's latest consultation on local government reorganisation tables a proposal that none of the eight principal West Sussex councils put forward. It would bizarrely join Chichester in with Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex. At the same time, Arun, Adur and Worthing would combine creating a local authority of doubtful financial viability when considering some areas of relative deprivation that it includes. Keeping West Sussex together as a single unitary council saves £30 million p.a. compared to the original two-unitary proposal where Crawley would join with Horsham and Mid Sussex.

The Government are making a dog’s breakfast out of the local government reorganisation they are imposing on us. Last week they commenced an additional short consultation on their revised proposals for West Sussex - proposals that not one local authority in the county had put forward.

18/05/2026

Some pundits on GB News seem to prophesise that the Makerfield by-election could mean the end of the Labour Party. They don't appear to understand that socialism and social democracy are belief systems that endure all over the world, and that will continue to be the case. Timeless ideals, whether or not shared by me, are not simply extinguished by one electoral contest.

09/05/2026

WSCC (West Sussex County Council) and CBC (Crawley Borough Council) Elections

It was not possible for there to be any political party speeches at the WSCC and CBC elections count at K2 Crawley because of time constraints. So I take the opportunity here to thank the Returning Officer and his staff and the police for their conduct and support of these elections and the count. Thanks also to the political parties and candidates who gave Crawley electors such a wide-ranging choice in these contests.

I very much appreciate the support of those people who worked on my campaign and those people who voted for me in the WSCC Maidenbower and Worth division and the CBC Pound Hill South and Worth ward, and more broadly the participation of all those electors who were able to vote, regardless of who for. Although I was not successful in either poll, I thank residents for their long-term support – giving me the privilege of representing our area for 15.5 years at WSCC, and 35 years at CBC over two periods.

I wish my successors well in their new roles. It is gratifying that both the WSCC division turnout of 48.83% and the CBC ward turnout of 49.98% were the highest of each type in Crawley, suggesting well-fought contests.

This set of elections picked up issues of national policy that then influenced results in local contests, reflecting our right to each individually decide what factors will ultimately determine how we vote. It is clear that there have been a number of areas of national policy failure. I pick on two that I have had mentioned but there are plenty of others – border control / immigration and defence of the realm.

I can only express the hope that national government, of whatever composition, can resolve these and other national issues to broader public satisfaction so that local elections might regain a greater focus on the policies that councils are responsible for.

30/04/2026

This is an excellent graphic (full credit to the creator) illustrating what we are voting for in the forthcoming local elections.

Besides the day job, the next administration will need to see through any local government reorganisation changes and manage any adverse impacts on services such as Adults and Children's social care so previous experience will be invaluable. When you go to vote on May 7th please think local.

West Sussex County Councillor and candidate for Maidenbower and Worth
Crawley Borough Councillor and candidate for Pound Hill South and Worth

Promoted by Jonathan Purdy on behalf of Bob Lanzer, both of 6 Pine Shaw, Crawley, RH10 7TN.