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"Fight continues against unwanted waste site" - Swift-Hook & Drummond
March 1, 2007 12:00 AM
Julian Swift-Hook & Billy Drummond are opposing the Abbotswood waste site decision
Greenham councillors Julian Swift-Hook and Billy Drummond have lambasted the Tory administration at West Berkshire Council for pushing through a controversial waste site at a meeting of the Western Area Planning Committee last Wednesday (21st February).
"I have said all along that this is an unwanted and ill-conceived application which is simply not appropriate for the proposed location at Abbotswood - it will totally ruin the beautiful green gateway which attracts tourists to Newbury from the south. On top of this the additional traffic generated on the heaving A339 poses a serious danger to school children and will blight the lives of residents" commented Councillor Swift-Hook.
"I am totally disgusted by the way in which the application was forced through by the Tories. The plan was opposed by both ward members, 3 local residents' groups, 2 neighbouring district councillors, 2 parish councillors, 3 commercial objectors, and 300 members of the public, on top of the 4 West Berkshire Councillors who voted against it at the meeting."
Councillors Drummond and Swift-Hook are organising a petition objecting to the decision and the manner in which the meeting was conducted to present at this Thursday's meeting of full council.
Councillor Jeff Brooks, Leader of the Liberal Democrat explained his next steps:
"I will be raising a formal complaint about the application with both the Government Office of the South East (GOSE) and the District Auditor. I am very concerned that when the Lib Dem members asked for this to be referred up to full council, the Chair overruled this citing reasons outside the remit of the planning committee - such as the council's waste management contract. I would urge anyone else who feels that the meeting was handled inappropriately to submit a written complaint to both GOSE and the District Auditor".
Councillor Brooks continued:
"Two Executive members sat on the committee knowing they would be unable to vote because the Tory Executive is determined to put the waste site at Abbotswood. They turned up just to make very political and biased comments, rather than sending two non-Executive members who could have voted. In the event only 9 out of the 51 West Berkshire Councillors voted on this major application with its far-reaching implications for the whole district."
Councillor Billy Drummond was appalled by the attitude of the Tory members of the planning committee:
"The key Tory members had a flagrant disregard for the 300 objectors who turned up to see them approve this application - at times they were just downright rude. One Tory councillor even stated that because her ward had had a waste site for 9 years, it was therefore now 'someone else's turn'."
Note to Editor
People wishing to lodge complaints with GOSE and the District Auditor should write to:
Government Office for the South East
Bridge House
1 Walnut Tree Close
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4GA
Mick West
District Auditor - West Berkshire Council
Audit Commission - Southern Region
Unit 7
Isis Business Centre
Horsepath Road
Cowley
Oxford
OX4 2RD
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