Prime Minister agrees local considerations should be taken into account

The Eastern Daily Press has printed an article today  in which they claim that the Prime Minister "gave a boost to opponents of a proposed incinerator on the edge of King's Lynn yesterday when he said local opinion should be taken into account. Speaking during Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron said he felt it was "very important local communities have their say" on plans such as these."

Hansard reports the exchange as follows:

Q14. [49659] Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): A multinational is applying to build an incinerator the size of a football pitch some 500 metres from the small market town of Middlewich in my constituency. There is no need for this provision; it will involve importing waste and it has been unanimously rejected by the local planning committee. Does the Prime Minister agree that the concerns of local people over the negative impact that it will have on their town should be afforded paramount importance when the proposal is considered on appeal?

The Prime Minister: I agree with my hon. Friend that local considerations should be taken into account. That is one reason why we have made the changes to the Infrastructure Planning Commission. It is important that local communities have their say, and she has put the case extremely strongly.

A slight exaggeration on the EDP's part but then this is one of their pet campaigns!

The EDP report goes on "Mike Jackson, director of transport and development at County Hall, said that referendum would not be a "material consideration" - apparently flying in the face of government attitudes to public involvement." West Norfolk Council's resources and performance panel have decided to recommend that a formal complaint be made against Norfolk County Council for its "disparaging and unhelpful actions".

It seems that no matter how any times government ministers re-iterate that local communities must have their say, local authorities are still ignoring their views if they conflict with their own aspirations. The Big Society is proving pretty meaningless in its execution just like the rhetoric and promises given by ministers prior to the election.