Council hits back, accusing OWL of abuse and claims leader was ‘spat at’
ABITTER row has broken out between rival parties after the leader of West Lancashire Borough Council was reportedly spat on at a heated cabinet meeting.
More than 100 people attended the meeting as it discussed a controversial Local Plan proposal to build almost 16,000 homes in the borough.
Police were called to deal with the disorder at the meeting at the council’s offices in Ormskirk as residents were turned away after the chamber reached capacity.
In the aftermath of the meeting, the Our West Lancashire party was highly critical of cabinet members, accusing them of “failing to answer reasonable questions from residents”.
OWL leader Cllr Adrian Owens attacked the council for not answering issues including the logistics of how the consultation will be carried out as well as specific details of the proposals.
But the controlling Labour group has hit back, accusing of Cllr Owens misleading residents over the nature of the meeting.
In a statement, released after the meeting, Labour also accused the former Conservative of “deliberate scaremongering” and said the leader of the council, Cllr Ian Moran, was spat at, that other councillors were abused, and council officers intimidated.
A spokesman added that many residents in attendance were appalled at that behaviour and for “being misled” by OWL.
Cllr John Hodson, cabinet member for planning said, “Never when Labour were in opposition did we encourage or engage in spitting or intimidation or behaviour which is frankly unacceptable, and it is now incumbent on Cllr Owens to fully and publicly condemn such conduct and apologise to council officers.
“To pursue Cllr Owens’s approach to the Local Plan would be to risk the Department for Local Government taking the Local Plan out of our hands and determining it centrally without adequate local input.
“Last night was the decision of cabinet to go out to public consultation in order to allow the public their input – the very opposite of Cllr Owens’s position.
“I make the pledge to come and speak with and listen to any group of residents who wish to discuss the proposals in a full and frank manner which is respectful of all involved”.
Meanwhile, the Conservative group was critical of both OWL and Labour and is calling for a shorter Local Plan to implemented instead of the current proposals.
OWL has since announced that it will hold its own meetings on the issue of the Local Plan.
The first will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 19 at Ormskirk School and the second at 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 26 at Skelmersdale Cricket Club.
The council’s consultation is to begin in October.