Page 7 - Phonebox Magazine February 2008

Write to: The Editor, Phonebox Magazine, Unit 2 Stanley Court, Olney, Bucks MK46 5NH
Email: yvonne@olney.co.uk Tel: 01234 713298
Phonebox Magazine 7
process and voting in support of the development with no conditions on the height of the turbines! It does make you wonder why he wasted everybody's time with his speech when clearly he never had any intention to stand by his words, in fact at the end of the meeting he simply told us who asked him what had happended that he had ‘made a mistake’. A complete disgrace from somebody who should be representing the views of those who elected him to his post. In contrast those councillors who could see through the almost 'guerilla' tactics of the developers, and the unacceptable balance of having industrial development of some of MK's most beautiful countryside, gave very eloquent statements of their position. Although the question, “Why are the turbines so high?” was never answered in the meeting, it is clear to everybody that it is because there is no commercially viable wind levels at the proposed site without having to install the heighest wind turbines in this country.
All in all, it left a very poor reflection on how our local council reach decisions on such important matters. Some of our councillors are clearly pursuing own agendas, and are not even making decisions in this important case on the facts presented to them. How any councillor in support of this development can possibly consider 125 metre high turbines placed in the most beautiful countryside (that our council is meant to be protecting) the right outcome for local residents is frankly disgraceful. I do recognise that we need renewable energy and I also recognise it has to come from a variety of sources – including offshore turbines. However, when it comes to onshore installations then we need to ensure that these industrial developments are placed in optimised locations where the wind is sufficiently strong to make them commercially and visually acceptable. To install 125 metre high turbines in such countryside as Petsoe Manor and so close to surrounding villages is not the answer although I suspect that those councillors who voted in favour of the development live no where near Olney and surrounding villages. I do hope that at least the planning committee involved, including those councillors who were in support of the development, will do the decent thing and host any subsequent meetings on this issue in the Olney area and have the decency to support their belief in their views with their full reasoning.
Gareth George Dear Editor
I am sure I am amongst many to be greatly saddened by the demise of the WI stall from the Thursday market. I, for one, used it regularly, with a fortnightly order of delicious lasagnes and meat pies, with inbetween visits for their superb quiches and cakes, often to impress my friends (I never lied!). They were a boon for my self-catering holidays, as I could take with me a wonderful selection of home cooked foods.
Perhaps in the future they may consider a stall on the monthly farmers market, if allowed, manned by volunteers ike myself (a terrible cook) to sell the wares on their behalf.
In the meantime, I would like to say a very big thank you to all the ladies for their stirling work and wish them all a happy retirement. Thursdays will never quite be the same, you will be sincerely missed.
Sue Moat, Olney
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