Development at odds with council’s stance

more families will have homes, thanks to the planning committee’s difficult decision.

In politics, competing harms and benefits must often be weighed, and the most beneficial outcome is frequently far from clear cut.

The Conservative government that Mr Goodman supports now intends to overhaul the planning system, so as to give local authorities and residents even less power to object to applications about which they have concerns.

As a council we oppose these socalled ‘reforms.’

I have entered politics with the sole objective of ensuring there is a habitable planet for my children, and despite the incredibly difficult trade-offs in which I am involved daily in my role, this remains my guiding principle.

You kindly published my letter on the debacle of the Englishcombe Lane development and the devastating effect on this important site.

I’m so pleased with the response I have had from so many people who did not know of the appalling way this council has “bullied” through the development.

How absolutely shocking it is to now see the photographs that have been published of the massacre of so many slow worms on this very site.

You declare an “ecological emergency” and then get involved in this escapade. It is too shocking for words.

I have, for some time, been concerned with the council’s own development company, ADL, and for them to be fronting this development on behalf of this council must show who is in charge – certainly not this administration.

I finally see that the Leader of the Council, Cllr Romero, who lives close to the site, is investigating the injuries to and “murder” of these beautiful creatures.

I hope these investigations go to the root of the issues on the site and look into how their development company have been allowed to continue to act as the “council” during the planning process, even though they do not own the land.

The killing of slow worms is a criminal offence and now this is being investigated by the police.

Those involved in this sorry state of affairs should be suspended pending both the police investigation and an independent audit. I hope Cllr Romero will confirm that is the case.

One has to ask the question, is it right for the council’s land to be “sold” to ADL, yes possibly following an arms-length valuation, how