Independent Councillor and Chairman of Thanet Council’s
Overview & Scrutiny Panel (OSP), Ian Driver, has expressed his
“incredulity” at the Environment Agency’s refusal to attend a
public meeting and answer questions about their role in dealing with the
recent Southern Water sewage spillage into
the sea off Foreness Point.
The spillage which took place over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend
led to the closure of all of Thanet’s award winning beaches for over a week.
Said Driver, “the spillage
was a major environmental disaster that has cost local businesses a lot of
money. Local people have a right to
know what went wrong and why, and what steps will be taken to stop this
happening again”.
In a letter to Thanet Council Alan Cansdale Environment and
Waterways Manager for Kent and South London said that “I have had the advice
from our Regional Solicitor that, given that we are undertaking a formal
investigation, we should not take part in the scrutiny meeting”.
In response to the letter Driver said. “I cannot see how a
factual explanation of the actions taken by the Environment Agency in relation
to the spillage can in any way jeopardise formal investigations or possible
prosecutions. Perhaps there might be other reasons why the Environment Agency
might not want to appear at the meeting and answer questions”
“I will not accept Mr Cansdale’s excuses and will be asking
his boss and the responsible government minister to review his decision.
Thanet people have had to cope with the disastrous consequences
of this serious environmental disaster. Now it seems as though the Environment
Agency want to add to the damage by pouring buckets of the brown stuff over our
democratic efforts to investigate”
is this the Councillor who wont stay for questions at the Birchington meeting reported recently?
ReplyDeleteThe very one and he is now also an expert on law, probably of the barrack room variety.
ReplyDeletesorry guys I have nothing to do with Birchington I think you might have the wrong Councillor.
ReplyDeleteIan Driver
John Worrow uses ongoing standards investigations to avoid commenting on anything he wishes to avoid - he and his Tig colleagues can't really complain about others using the same tactic can they...
ReplyDeleteWell said on Environment Agency, Ian.
ReplyDeleteScandalous to use in-house lawyers funded by the public to attempt to refuse the required democratic scrutiny.
Take them to court with the TDC in-house lawyer if necessary.
Is there NO bandwagon driver will not jump on? "major environmental disaster"? Really? Are the dead wildlife still being pulled from the sea by the ton, or perhaps, just for a few short hours, raw sewage entered the sea, and was tha DAILY PRACTICE not 20 years ago!
ReplyDeleteSensationalism to promote a political agenda is STRONG in driver!