Spotlight on Chineham Newsletter - Winter 2000

Badly Let Down!

WHATEVER YOUR VIEWS of the rightness or otherwise of proposals to build a replacement waste incinerator on the site of the old, it has to be said that the process which brought about this conclusion leaves a lot to be desired. Why so?

• The public consultation by the county council on the planning issues was all but non-existent.
  The response by members of the county council to opportunities to raise issues on a face to face basis was abysmal.

• Aspects of the conduct of the county council's Planning and Transportation Committee meeting which eventually made the final decision was outrageous, (and may yet be referred to the Ombudsman).

• As predicted in an earlier issue of Spotlight, the capacity/will of the Environment Agency to handle all the issues, was seriously limited.

• The attitude of the Secretary of State - via GOSE (Government Office for the South East) - has been cavalier in the extreme. The January issue of the Chineham Chat contained a letter entitled "Incinerator Update" and claiming "careful consideration of the issues raised". This "careful consideration" was seemingly given to the hundreds of letters of objection sent, including from our MP, Andrew Hunter. Amazing.
  
  What the process has notably proved is what - despite the odds - can emerge...

• The small, but committed, group of residents from Chineham and beyond who gave varying degrees of their time and effort to fight the plans.

• The fact that some people are willing to put their money where their mouths are to a very generous extent.

• That our County Councillor Hazel Vanbergen is willing to put her head up above the parapet and doubtless face the displeasure of many of her party political colleagues, although County Councillor Phil Heath should also be thanked for his contribution at both county and borough levels.

• A Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Development Control Sub-Committee which was willing to give the time and trouble to allow a more balanced debate than is currently required of it.

• And lastly, but very IMPORTANTLY, the dedication, professionalism and massively time-consuming efforts of the Basingstoke Burner Action Campaign. Without them, and in particular the lead members Chris Tomblin and Geoff Webb, the anti-burner campaign would have appeared little more than a whimper.
  
  A big thank you to all who contributed in any way to the future quality of our community.
  
  The issue is not dead, and could still be resolved in a favourable fashion, but at this stage it would be foolish to hold one's breath too long on expectations of possibilities like John Prescott taking a serious and detailed interest in the matter and arranging an inquiry.

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