It is difficult not to smile at the comments of the feature writer in The Press today (http://tinyurl.com/Lendal-Bridge)
But clearly the meeting described is a fantasy.
No self respecting cat would allow itself to be incarcerated in West Office Towers – while the idea that the York Council could successfully construct any kind of drainage pipe that would conduct water, let alone people, is risible.
But otherwise it bears an uncanny resemblance to reality.
Take the case of the Newbury Avenue garage debate at Tuesdays “Cabinet” meeting.
8 concerned residents attended.
One spoke – by all accounts very articulately – voicing concerns about the plan to demolish the garages and erect 11 flats in their place.
The residents expected a dialogue about their concerns. What they got was pre –prepared speeches which totally ignored the representations that had been made.
True, after the meeting, officials promised to be in touch … but the residents are still waiting.
They may have to wait until planning application is submitted before getting another chance to air their views.
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The writing had been on the wall since Monday when the media reported that plans for how the homes, to be built on the Beckfield Lane recycling centre site, would look had been published.
That was 24 hours before a decision was due to be taken on whether to approve in principle building on the site.
So they had made their minds up.
They didn’t want to be confused by the facts.
Now today, Acomb Ward Councillor Tracey Simpson Laing is publicly defending, in the media, a Labour decision to locate a Showman’s lay over site on land between Wetherby Road and Knapton.
She tries to blame the government for forcing the Council to allocate land for this purpose.
It is true that successive governments have required local authorities to identify where campsites can be established.
But it is for the local Council to consult (first) before allocating land.
No one has told Labour to allocate land at Wetherby Road.
They could have decided to allocate a plot at the Westminster Business Park (scarcely 1 mile away) on a screened location with some established, semi industrial uses, already taking place there.
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But no, the Council claims that the owner of the Wetherby Road land wanted it to be a campsite.
We look forward to the Council publishing the responses that it got last year when it asked land owners and developers to identify the land that they thought should be taken out of the Green Belt.
That is a list which will be of interest to a great number of people; not least the Councillor who has resigned from the Tory party since discovering that land, that her family owns, might now be developed – making her a potential millionaire.
