Bishop's Castle Town SPECIAL Council Meeting 23 February 2009

MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF BISHOP’S CASTLE TOWN COUNCIL HELD IN THE TOWN HALL ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 23RD 2009 AT 8.OO PM.

PRESENT Councillor J. E. Gaffney, Mayor, in the Chair.
Councillors: J. M. Carroll, S.A. Farr, M. Furber, N. Hird, M. E. Holton, J.A. Magill, K.E.C. Pinches, M. Stanley and R.D. Wright.
In attendance: Mrs. M. Denton

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Resolved The following apologies were accepted:Cllr Dr Penney (away) Cllr W.J.Morris (working) Proposed by Cllr Wright seconded by Cllr Holton

2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
a) Declaration of personal interest:
Cllr Hird declared a personal interest in the matter before the Council as he is Treasurer of the Bishop’s Castle group.

b) Declaration of prejudicial interest: None

The Mayor, Cllr Gaffney moved to suspend the meeting to allow Mr Michael Dawes to speak. Seconded by Cllr Wright.

Mr Dawes spoke for the Bishop’s Castle Group, which is representing the Council at the Inquiry into the Biomass Plant.
Mr Dawes explained that the BC Group’s specific concerns were to do with the Air quality and Noise of such a plant. The figures for which are not in the public domain. He and the rest of the group felt that to present a satisfactory case, some expertise was necessary to counter the consultants used by the appellants. The District Council has put £100,000 aside to pay for the Inquiry, yet have done nothing. Perhaps some of this money could be used for the acquisition of these consultants. In the interim he wanted to ask the Town Council if it could underwrite this expense, which would be in the region of £5000.

Mr John Rimmer, a member of the public spoke against this proposal. He felt that as a Council Tax payer, he did not think that the Town Council should give this money as not everyone in the town is against the Biomass Plant. He was concerned about a rise in Council Tax.

The Council Meeting was resumed.

1. TO CONSIDER ACQUIRING EXPERT ADVICE TO PRESENT THE COUNCIL’S CASE AT THE BIOMASS INQUIRY.
Cllr Dr Penney, in a letter, outlined his concerns about health issues, the effects on tourism of such a large plant, and said that having already committed some money to fighting this plant we should commit the extra money now.
Cllr Pinches proposed that the Town Council is prepared to spend up to £5000, and that the clerk should write to the District Council asking them to reimburse the Town Council for this expense. Seconded by Cllr Hird.
Councillors voted in favour of this proposal without opposition.

The Mayor declared the meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.