I NOTE with interest in last week's Public Notices column that council taxpayers are given nine days to object to the proposal to sell a plot of land off Oakenshaw Road.

It will have taken the council many months to decide upon this proposal, yet we the public get but a few days to research why we would want to sell off this open space.

All we seem to do is build on everything in sight, irrespective of the environmental consequences.

We have being trying to get written answers from the council, both elected members and officers, to questions we have raised over the proposed development at Grangers Lane/Rough Hill Drive.

While there would appear to be a target time set by the council to respond within 14 days, some of our queries go back to four months ago.

It is also interesting to note the degree of quietness from the council over the failings of its Planning Department. A publication elsewhere suggested that they had failed to meet government targets to process minor applications.

Sixty-five per cent should be dealt with within eight weeks whereas the current performance shows only 36 per cent are dealt with.

It is about this time of year when the county and the borough council consider their budget proposals for 2004/5 and we would ask them to bear in mind that before they consider any increase above the rate of inflation, they remember how much of our money they wasted over the road markings saga at Sainsbury's island and in the town centre.

In addition, the loss to us when they give away land free and then agreed to invest a further £300,000 of council taxpayer's money in levelling it out before any building work can start on site, as is the case at Grangers Lane/Rough Hill Drive.

Why should we pay any increase for these inefficiencies and the wanton distribution of our land assets at some knock-down price?

GEOFF ROUND

Chairman

Towbury Residents Action Project

Towbury Close

via e-mail