The Green Belt saga - that vote again (letter to Abingdon Herald)

11.24.30am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Sep 2006

All I can say in reply to Cllr Brown is that I was not privy to his thinking (letters, 7th September) and therefore cannot say what he thinks he was voting on or why he did it. I can, however, tell him what the minutes say he voted against.

The published minutes of the meeting on 1st November say that Cllr Brown, and a significant number of other Conservative Councillors voted against part a of a motion from the Cabinet. Part a states: "that the Council, noting that SEERA has ruled out strategic green belt reviews in the context of the South East Plan, advises the Cabinet:

1. that proposals to be submitted to SEERA on the future distribution of housing should not involve encroachment upon the Oxford Green Belt;

2. that those options identified in the consultation responses which would involve such encroachment (such as those based on major development on the southern edge of Oxford or at Shipton Quarry) should not be adopted"

The only mention there of a review is to note that a review is ruled out. The only mention of Shipton Quarry is to say that it should not be included for major development.

So, if Cllr Brown thought that he was voting for a review, and particularly a review to exclude Shipton Quarry from the Green Belt, then he was sadly mistaken. I am pleased to hear any commitment to protect our "green spaces". That certainly did not seem to be the case when the Green Belt went to the vote last November!

Yours faithfully

Cllr Anne Purse

Shadow Cabinet member for Sustainable Development