Living in the past as opinions go unheard (From Gazette & Herald)
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Living in the past as opinions go unheard
9:30am Wednesday 11th April 2012 in Letters
“PLANNING is about leaning on people. It’s not about policy.”
This is a comment made to me this week in response to the result of the planning meeting held in the Milton Rooms last Thursday evening.
He should know. As a senior officer of a district council he was in the thick of it.
I said my piece on both applications but could say no more during the debate. Debate? What debate?
It never happened. What a farcical meeting to purport to be looking for the truth. What a farcical meeting to try to instil a confidence within the community that planning was in safe hands.
It was a sham from beginning to end and I found myself walking out in utter disgust and so pleased I had not paid for the performance.
As councillors, who clearly had not listened to the comments from the public participants, reflected on the past and drifted into their own inner memories rather than concentrate on the facts before them, I wanted to burst in and say, “Were you listening? Didn’t you hear the animal market is going? Can’t you look for a better use for that bit of land?”
But as someone who participates in many meetings I knew I was not allowed. I had said my bit even though barely a single councillor was listening. They had no intention of taking account of what I or anyone else was saying.
Many whimsically remembered the ‘better days’, long from the past, when the animal market added vitality to Malton.
Those days are long gone, but not in their minds. It’s clear that there is an element of mediocrity that fails to serve this community well.
I ask you: if that area of ground was vacant and someone came along to ask for planning permission to construct an animal market there now, with all the traffic congestion and smells, would Ryedale District Council approve it?
Absolutely not! But will they accept a better future? Absolutely not!
We moved on to the second application with indecent haste. Barely any discussion again as the motion was made from the ‘chair’ to accept officer recommendations. I had a sense of ‘déja vu’.
Wentworth Street? What a wonderful piece of land for a Tesco.
Ooops! Sorry. They seem to be the only ones in the dark about the buyer.
With barely a comment of opposition, even from the consulting agencies who, we trust, will seek out flaws and scrutinise every detail, the motion for a supermarket on Wentworth Street car park was carried.
“But what about all the extra traffic going through Old Malton, along Highfield Road and past both of Malton’s primary schools,” I asked.
Not a single comment from NYCC Highways to allay my fears. As a county councillor myself I was not impressed.
We deserve better but too few were listening. Closed minds take bad decisions. I think I will have to get my ears tested too.
COUN STEPHEN SHAW, Norton
Comments(2)
Triker55
says...
10:28am Tue 17 Apr 12
Jon Boreman says...
2:53pm Fri 13 Apr 12
It pains me to admit that Fitzwilliam Estates have proven there is a long term future for events to be held in the town, and I say that with the full expectation that the food lovers thing will fall through eventually, already the TV ratings on foodie progs are dropping and some of the UK's best food festivals are on a downward curve. But the estate have demonstrated they are capable of pulling the strings and improving Malton's lot. Something which RDC have never done, RDC is a self serving bunch of corrupt officials bent entirely on feathering their own nests.... jobs for the boys etc etc. All that staff to sweep the streets, empty a few bins and run out of grit - it should tell us all what we need to know.
There is though a very good piece of land with much better access than Wentworth Street, a piece of land which RDC could sell for development that would demonstrate they have the community at the centre of their purpose, but this land will not be sold... oh no... after all, it's the only car park left in Ryedale which has not seen year on year increases in charges to ensure only those with large expendable coffers can afford to park in, thereby providing the statistics which RDC needed to justify the sale... but where is this land I hear you ask. It's the FREE to use car park outside RDC offices... yes... the one RDC staff with their final salary pensions get for FREE which will be funded through the sale of our assets. Nice eh and some might reel at my use of the word corrupt. Dare not to say it, but I do, it couldn't be more obvious.
If you fired every single member of RDC management today, what would the immediate effect of that be.
NOTHING!
What we need is our bins emptying, our streets cleaned and that should be all the power given to these low life thieves. It's time the people of Ryedale said enough is enough and picketed them, stop them from stealing our money, or raising taxes like the sheriff of Notts, selling all the family jewels to pay for their own failings and their own future.
It's plain wrong and that is obvious, it demonstrates to anyone who wants to see that democracy for all its benefits is way short of utopia.
These people have far too much power and people power has been given over to a small number of self interest groups.... I say corruption... CORRUPTION!!!!
VIVA THE REVOLUTION... alternatively, a proper independent investigation PLEASE!!!
JB