"Waste site concerns voiced at public meeting" - Swift-Hook

11.51.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 17th Jan 2007

Councillor Swift-Hook is concerned that the Tories are determined to site the waste plant at Abbotswood

Greenham Councillor Julian Swift-Hook was delighted to have such a large turnout of local residents at the public meeting organised to address concerns about the proposed Abbotswood waste facility in Greenham. Over 160 people attended last night's meeting to put questions to West Berkshire Council officers in the wake of Councillor Swift-Hook's concerns that the Council had not undertaken sufficient consultation about the plans, which are due to be decided by the Western Area Planning Committee on 31st January.

"The Tory Executive member for Waste categorically stated at last night's meeting that his administration wants to site this facility at Abbotswood", commented Councillor Swift-Hook. "It is very worrying that when he was asked by a member of the public what his back-up plan was, should the Abbotswood plans not be passed, he did not have an alternative.

It is absolutely clear that this Tory administration is determined to site this facility in Greenham and is not considering fall-back options. I am seriously worried they will force this through Western Area Planning on the 31st. My concerns about the shallow consultation undertaken by the Tories were sadly confirmed by the large number of local residents at the meeting who had not been contacted by the council".

Councillors Julian Swift-Hook and Billy Drummond will be following up the many queries raised at last night's meeting and reporting back to anxious Greenham residents, including concerns about whether the police had ever been asked for their input.

After the meeting, Councillor Billy Drummond said, "The meeting was packed, which begs the question of how 162 people will fit into the Council Chamber when the Western Area Planning Committee meets. We will be asking for the Committee to meet in a much larger venue so that everyone who wants to come and hear this application decided can actually get in."