I attended the Planning Committee meeting in Brigg today which determined the re-submitted planning application for the Flixborough Grange Wind Farm. Fortunately, despite the best efforts of a few Labour Councillors, the application was rejected. Every Conservative voted against the windfarm. This was the right result and credit must go to all those residents who worked so hard to oppose it.
We did however see Labour at their very worst today. One of the Labour Councillors who voted to support the application decided, from out of the blue, to launch a horrible verbal attack on me during the planning meeting. He was shouted down by residents, many of whom spoke to me after the meeting to express their disgust. He is just a bully so I wont be losing any sleep over his comments.
We then had the ridiculous situation of Labour running around Burton trying to beat us putting out a leaflet telling people about the decision. They really must think people are stupid as they did absolutely nothing when the first application went to planning in April. I actually had Labour leaflets handed to me whilst I was leafletting today with residents saying things like, "I don't want this nonsense." That speaks volumes.
Both applications were identical. I have kept residents informed for well over a year, ever since the wind farm issue first blew up. Back in April, Labour said nothing, did not inform residents about how to make their views known and the MP never even bothered to attend the planning meeting.
Today, with the same application, they suddenly ran around trying to claim credit for stopping it. The MP has trailed himself around the TV and Radio studios throughout the day to express his opposition and Labour then ran round delivering a leaflet after the meeting.
What has happened between April, when they could not be seen for dust, and today? Well call my cynical, but April was more than a year from an election, whereas today is only a few months away. I'm sure that had nothing to do with it!!!
Only the Conservatives keep in touch all year round, not just when there is an election coming.