We will, now that the consultation on the remitted JCS is closed, soon be bombarded
with spin from the unelected body that is the Greater Norwich Development
Partnership (GNDP) as they continue to press ahead with the flawed Joint Core
Strategy.
A key element of this spin will be the discussion in the council chambers as
Broadland, South Norfolk and Norwich City all have to vote through these changes
once the submissions from local residents are taken into account. These are the
very people who voted for these Councillors who now need to demonstrate courage
and represent the views of their electorate rather than nodding through the JCS by
following political dictate.
If they did vote with their conscious they would not be alone as a housing
master plan for all of South Worcestershire is on the verge of collapse after
councillors in Malvern Hills voted to send it back to the drawing board. During
a five hour meeting that ended after midnight councillors shot down a motion
declaring the emerging South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP and
their equivalent of our JCS) “deliverable and sound”, opting instead to call for
further investigation of alternative housing sites flagged up by a council task
group. The local report can be found here: http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/
10045138.Housing_plan_on_verge_of_collapse/
SNUB have been calling the JCS as not deliverable and not sound, as proven in the
High Court, and we would call upon ALL elected Councillors to represent the views
of their electorate by sending the JCS back for further investigation of alternative
housing sites just as they have in Worcestershire.
They will not have the courage to do this as they are all afraid of the wrath of the ruling cabinet and being ostracised by their beloved tory brethern.
ReplyDeleteSadly we hear today that the Prime Minister will tell business leaders that he intendes to reduce the time allowed for judicial reviews into major construction projects such as airports, roads and house building, calling such opposition as "Time Wasting".
ReplyDeleteIn other words he wants to elliminate all public opposition to development.
We are already facing changes to the planning laws so that they will be biased in favour of development.
I am deeply concerned that what little countryside we have now will be lost forever or destroyed.
Our leaders are thinking only about the economy that they themselves got in a mess by relying on the financial institutions and lending money so that the construction industry could build masses of houses that were unsustainable ans which so many could not really afford. This government wastes £billions without a quarm then think nothing of cutting benefits and services from the poorest and most vulnerable.
Our forefathers fought in two world wars against this kind of behaviour and were promissed "A Land Fit For Heroes To Live In"
that is if they were lucky enough to return.
Is this the way our democracy should works?
You cannot trust these politicians an inch. Have you seen today that on top of the £Millions of our money they are wasting on buying RAF Coltishall when there is absolutely no need as the private sector have offered to purchase and save this famous Norfolk airfield that they now require an additional £1.5 million of OUR MONEY for this mad scheme. When will all this waste of public money stop, just like the NDR.
ReplyDeleteThe Chancellor has just admitted that the government will not reach it's target in reducing borrowing. This certainly confirms that the U.K. economy is in dire straits as the governor of the Bank of England has previously warned.
ReplyDeleteOn top of this the Ministry of Defence is proposing that the forces take an extended holiday over Christmas so that they can make some savings by not heating the MOD buildings.
However ludicrous that sounds it must tell us that things are getting worse not better.
The councils have already cut or reduced many services to the poor and vulnerable yet they claim to have various pots of money which they plan firstly to buy the disused airfield at Coltishall with more set asside to provide roads to develop it.
The councils are also hell bent on wasting another £150,000,000 on top of the £10,000,000 or so already spent on the NDR which is a road to nowhere.
Our councils are oblivious to the grave situation this countrty is in and it beggars belief that our government is allowing them to continue to gamble with and waste such huge sums of money when everyone else including the armed forces are suffering financial constraints.
Will we see more NHS cuts and people die as a result whilst councils continue to waste £ millions?
Using the Forces as part of these arguments is dealing a cheap shot. The extending of the Christmas break for the Forces first began in the 70's and has nothing to do with the present economic situation but began during the power strikes. It proved to be an excellent move as it was uneconomic, depending on how the public holidays fell, to recall personnel and, yes, reheat buildings etc for short periods as is the case this year. Without this proposal, Forces, many of whom live far from home, would have to either take annual leave to cover Th/Fri to make travel home worthwhile. It was also a way for Command Officers to reward Forces personnel who are on call 24hrs a day(part of their 'contract') or abroad for long stretches of time without penalizing their annual leave quota. Why don't we just stick to the real facts and not involve some of the worthiest of us in these arguments?
ReplyDelete