Bridport waste row: A call for leadership
Leon Edwards
I’M PERPLEXED by recent coverage of the long-running moves to improve Bridport’s Waste & Recycling facilities. The Bridport News has now had two front pages [click here and here] bemoaning both the cost and the lack of movement, giving prominence to the opinions of vocal opponents of the Gore Cross proposals.
I can’t be the only person to see the contradictions in the claims of those who indignantly try to use the cost of consultative involvement as a stick to beat those trying to get this essential facility built. Of course a lot of money has been spent without a trowel being put to mortar because plans keep being objected to and referred back at the public consultation stage. The County Council hears the objections and has to re-evaluate all potential sites again, and again, at a cost.
Without explanation the Highways Agency recently lifted their block to any sites off the A35 which is helpful to the Nimby opponents of Gore Cross (who failed to publicly acknowledge these previous restrictions) but leaves the residents and council tax payers of Bridport no closer to a solution. With every new site proposal will come a new group of opponents and hold-ups, more money spent consulting and stretching democratic rights by putting the self-interest of vocal ‘anywhere-but-here-ists’ above the greater needs of the wider community. What we seem to need is some principled leadership, someone to use their position and influence to get the job done.
The logical candidate would be Cllr Ron Coatsworth. Not only is he a District and County Councillor but he is also a senior member of the [Conservative] Party grouping that runs both these Councils. In addition he represents a fair chunk of the local population and is ultimately accountable to us. He appears to be a lynch-pin and conduit between all interested parties. Surely the opportunity to be the town’s champion on Waste, after all we also contribute our own money to his ‘work’ as last year (08/09) Mr Coatsworth’s combined expenses and allowances from Dorset County Council & West Dorset District Council were £35,957.99. That’s £691.50 every week. Considering Ron Coatsworth has been a multi-Councillor for as long as our Waste Centre dilemma (over 13 years) surely his collective expenses over the period should be added to the sum being criticised by him and NOWTS mouth Mr Spear.
However, the only time we see/hear him is to use one of his Council positions to oppose his colleagues on the other. I note that the article referred to him as ‘Chairman of the District Council’ but not as a member of the larger authority which surely would highlight his selective accountability. If a new site outside his electoral division (and voters) becomes first choice can we expect him to revert to his other ‘hat’ as he encourages us to back it?
Sadly, the hope that this very well rewarded retired teacher can exercise the same ‘honesty and reality’ he wishes to prevail elsewhere appears small. If he was being honest he would accept that the vehicle movement numbers he quotes in support of alternatives to Gore Cross are the same as last time, just one extra vehicle every two minutes. Funny that such a minimal additional wheel-roll was a mitigating factor in opposing the last Plans but is now positive data.
The territorial noise of a small group of people is the real reason we will not have our new waste facility for another two years, at least. It is also ironic that we may well not have the new LIDL/Travis Perkins monstrosity if Gore Cross had been accepted as the best ‘available’ site. That’s the trouble with NIMBYism – when you oppose everything you lose credibility and a say in responsible, intelligent prioritising.
I feel for Steve Burdis and his staff. They are trying to do the job they are employed by us to do, openly and inclusively, and knowing that they won’t please everyone. It must be a kick in the teeth to have one of your elected ‘bosses’ undermine your efforts when they’ve been one of the few people privy to the same information and realities as you.
Maybe the time has come to limit the number of councils an individual can be elected to. This would leave us more democratically represented, allow councillors to concentrate on one job at a time and, more than anything, it might prevent such abhorrent examples of potential conflict and electoral self-interest.
Editor’s Note: Leon Edwards is a founder member of the award-winning community recycling enterprise Bridport TLC. Other Bridport TLC thoughts on constructive solutions to the problem of where to site a Bridport waste transfer station can be read by clicking on this link here.