17/10/10…’Confused’ about town councillors’ views on housing development
Dear Editor, In response to Mike Dyer?s letter of 14/10/10, I would like to question some of his statements. He states that ?site F is favoured by Thame Town Council?, however other councillors are adamant that no decision has yet been made. How did TTC come to this decision? Until June 2010, the only option was site D. Who, if anyone, has been consulted since then as to which is now the preferred site? If TTC have already decided they favour this site, why make the pretence of a public consultation? Does he speak for the whole Town Council, or is this just his personal view?
I am confused and as some-one who will be directly affected by Site F, I have NOT been consulted up to this point.
No one seems to have even been aware of the new Core Strategy Review, and ?Public? consultation. It was all hidden within the depths and layers of the SODC planning website, which no one would choose to visit unless to see details of a local planning application, or prompted by some public notice.
The residents near site F only found out about all this by sheer chance- a passing conversation of one person who then phoned SODC for information. They then sent just 30 or so pre- prepared leaflets only to houses bordering site F. These were received on Sat.9/10/10. From then on, over the last week, a few local residents have had to practically force TTC into action, by repeatedly visiting, phoning their offices, and making direct contact with the Councillors.
TTC only updated the home page of their website on 14th October, just 15 days before the deadline!
The offer of a public meeting, display of information, market stall, etc. were hastily thrown together on 14/15th October purely in response to this pressure. Therefore, I do not see his comment of the TTC?s ?efforts to facilitate a wide ranging public consultation?, as being remotely credible. If we had not shouted loud enough, nothing would have been made public. The deadline for ?informed? comment is 29th October: The school
