1, as one of your two elected members for Penyffordd, on Flintshire County Council, am dismayed and appalled by the recent decision of the Planning Committee to grant planning permission (by 13 votes to 9) for the new kiln. As you are probably aware, the decision was against the recommendations of the Planning Officers and, indeed, against the planning policies adopted by the Council.

I have, on 3rd February 2000, written to the Welsh Assembly (Mr Alun Michael) urging that he calls in the decision and holds a public enquiry. I have also written to our two Assembly members (Tom Middlehurst and Alison Halford) to seek their support and have urged Barry Jones MP and David Hanson MP to bring whatever pressure they can, to assist.

On Flintshire County Council, each member sits on one half of the committees. I am not a member of the Planning Committee. However, because of the strength of feeling in the Village, I did secure a place on the Planning Committee of 2nd February last by substituting for a Labour member from Holywell.

On 28th January, 2000 I received a letter from the County Secretary advising me that I should neither attend, speak nor vote at the Meeting because my wife (Vanda) was involved in a local campaign against the application (by Castle Cement).

The letter from the County Secretary stated that (accordingly) I should declare a non-pecunary interest in the matter. The letter went on to say that there is a real potential for the Ombudsman finding maladministration on the part of the Council if I were to attend, speak or vote. The letter also said that it may be that if the application is refused (as recommended by the Planning Officers) the applicant (Castle Cement) may seek to use any breach of the National Code of Local Goverment Conduct to assisit in a claim for a Judicial Revue.

I discussed matters with the County Secretary and subsequently wrote back saying that I, in no way, wish to give any party cause to challenge the decision of the Planning Committee, especially in view of the recommendations of the Officers and consequently declared a non-opecuniary interest thereby losing my ability to attend, speak or vote.
I would, of course, have voted against the kiln.

At a meeting of the Penyffordd Community Council held on the evening of the 2nd February 2000, I moved a resolution, which was unanimously agreed, that the Council should write to the Chairman of the Planning Committee to express our utmost disgust at the decision.

An emergency Meeting of  the Penyffordd and District Labour Party has been held and has unanimously reaffirmed it's total opposition to the kiln.

According to the Planning Report, the number of residents of the Penyffordd Ward who had written in to oppose the kiln were in excess of 670 whilst less than 55 supported the application.

WE MUST CARRY ON WITH THE FIGHT (ALL IS NOT YET LOST) and I urge you to write to Mr P.Law AM, Planning and Environmental Assembly Secretary, The National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1NA

letting him know your concerns and asking him to call in the application.