Bucks Lacks Enough Wind

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Sadly, the motion at Monday’s Council meeting to overturn the Development Control Committee (DCC) decision to approve the application to build a wind factory at Petsoe End was narrowly defeated, with 22 Councillors in favour, 25 against, 2 abstentions and 1 absentee. It’s important to note that the motion was not to debate the planning application itself, but to assess whether due process had been followed and, if not, to pass the application back to the DCC for further consideration.

Regardless of the outcome, for me, it was yet another opportunity to see just how shambolic the Milton Keynes Council proceedings are with even members of the DCC expressing concerns about the way in which the wind farm planning application has been handled (although the chairman refused to answer any questions - presumably acting upon legal advice). And with 44% of the council in favour of returning the application to DCC for further consideration it seems to me that even the Council has its doubts about whether due process has been followed.

I find it a pity that Councillor Kevin Wilson saw fit to quote from this website in order to attack Councillor Brock’s motives. Indeed, I was disappointed by the number of Councillors who seemed to vote along party lines (despite this being a free vote) - effectively forcing Westminster policies onto a local issue instead of representing the electorate of Milton Keynes. It’s also worth pointing out that BLEW is a non-political organisation, that we are not anti-green, nor are we NIMBYs - the simple fact is that the “Milton Keynes Wind Farm” at Petsoe Manor would not be economically viable without substantial government subsidy and will make no difference to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. (It seems to me that there is plenty of hot air at the Civic Offices though.)

Thank you to everyone who turned up to show their support. It was clear that there were far more objectors than supporters present and that is certain to have been observed by Councillors.

One thing is for sure - BLEW is not giving up the fight to avoid the wholesale vandalism of our countryside in order for urban Milton Keynes to increase its green credentials (and if Milton Keynes wants to show how green it is, how about a line of vertical turbines along the very windy boulevards of Central Milton Keynes - just like the one at the Mercedes-Benz UK offices?).

Finally, you may have noticed the tone of this item - intended to inform our supporters of the campaign progress but making sure that any opinion is clearly stated as such (e.g. “I find it a pity”, “I was disappointed”).

Update: The front page of this week’s MK Citizen features an article on Monday night’s meeting.

At a shambolic meeting of the Development Control Committee (DCC) last Monday the councillors voted by the narrow margin of 6 votes to 5 to approve the “Milton Keynes Wind Farm”. Despite the disappointing result of Monday night we are not giving up. Councillor Debbie Brock has invoked Rule 15, a little known part of the Milton Keynes Council constitution which enables a Councillor with the support of 4 others (i.e. 10% of the council) to ask the decision of the DCC to be rescinded. This request needed to be submitted within 24 hours of the meeting and was done on Tuesday. By Friday the names of the additional supporters of this rule will have been submitted. This now allows the wind farm decision to be debated by the entire council on 8th January 2008 at 7.30pm in the Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate, Central Milton Keynes. Please keep this date free as the public will be allowed to attend and hopefully this time we will be allowed to question the committee.

In the meantime, please write to the Council, Milton Keynes Citizen, MK News and Olney Phonebox expressing your concern at the manner in which the Wind Farm proposal was debated and decided upon last Monday.

MK News
E-mail letters@mk-news.co.uk or write to The Editor, MK News, 1 Diamond Court, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DU.

Milton Keynes Citizen
E-mail editorial@mkcitizen.co.uk, fax 01908 632214 or write to The Editor, MK Citizen, Napier House, Auckland Park, Bond Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1BU.

Olney Phonebox
E-mail editor@phoneboxmagazine.co.uk, fax 01234 713398 or write to The Editor, Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney, MK46 5NH.