VOTE: Residents slate ‘gobbledegook’ on Cutacre form (From The Bolton News)

VOTE: Residents slate ‘gobbledegook’ on Cutacre form

6:13am Tuesday 23rd February 2010

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BAFFLED residents say they are struggling to officially register their views on one of the most controversial planning issues in Bolton’s recent history — because they cannot understand the jargon in a council form.

Bolton Council caused anger when it was revealed last year that planning bosses wanted to turn part of Cutacre, near Over Hulton, into an industrial estate.

Now residents who want to object to the plan are faced with a form which includes instructions such as “Please set out what change(s) you consider necessary to make the core strategy legally compliant or sound, having regard to the test identified at 5 above where this relates to soundness”.

Further questions read: “Do you consider the core strategy is legally compliant?” and “Do you consider the core strategy is unsound because it is not consistent with national policy?”.

Chrissie Maher, founder of the Plain English Campaign, said: “This is typical of council gobbledegook. It smacks of just paying lip-service instead of really involving the community.

“If the public really have a democratic right to give their input, then let’s bring down the 10ft wall of jargon so they can understand the information first time round.

“People are right to object to this language, and council employees should stand by plain English to get the job done.”

Cllr Andy Morgan, who is supporting the residents’ campaign against the development of Cutacre, said: “Residents are saying they haven’t got a clue what it’s on about. Someone even said it looks like they’re trying to stop people making representations.

“We’re asking people who have no knowledge of the planning or development process to comment on complex technical and legal matters, and it’s putting people off.”

More than 600 people registered their objection to the Cutacre plan during an earlier informal consultation, but so far only 14 people have managed to negotiate the official consultation process.

Ian Smith, aged 66, of Breeze Hill, Atherton, said: “I think a lot of ordinary people will struggle with the wording of these questions.

“I know quite a few people who feel very strongly about the issue, but they’re put off by the complication.

“It’s a bit of bureaucracy that makes it more difficult for people to object.”

A council spokesman said the questions were based on a standard form provided by the Government’s planning inspectorate.

He said: “It is very important residents have the chance to make their views known on Cutacre at this stage of the core strategy and we are making every effort to ensure that this happens.”

He added that anyone struggling with the form can call the council’s spatial planning team on 01204 333218.

The deadline for commenting on the plan is Friday, March 5. The scheme will be reviewed by the planning inspector in April and a public inquiry will take place later this year.

julian.thorpe@theboltonnews.co.uk

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