SIR: 'When will they ever learn?' aptly fits Bolton Council's stance over Birtenshaw farmland.

The Council's old chestnut "We turned it down - the Minister allowed it" was given a new twist by Cllr R Howarth at a council meeting. "We turned it down and the Government inspector agreed with us." (Here I would point out the latter was more thanks to the contributions of the residents at the public inquiry, than the efforts of the inadequate, in the face of the opposition, team fielded by Bolton as anyone who attended could testify). The Council leader ignores the legally-binding 1934 covenant which was designed to - and would have - prevented development, had Bolton invoked this document, instead of surrendering by issuing a press statement on May 27, 1989.

This Council would not listen to the pleas of residents, but took advice emanating from its own legal department "which no-one now contends was right" (court judgement). On June 7, 1989, the Assistant Borough Solicitor gave instructions for the local land charges to be removed. The judge pronounced "not only did the Council raise the white flag, but marched out and laid down its remaining weapons."

For the benefit of those members who quoted Nicholas Ridley, as the former Tory Environment Secretary, responsible for overturning the inspectors findings against Barratt, it was Patrick Jenkin who held the office of Secretary of State at that time, although the Under Secretary, Nicholas Ridley, in fact, was the minister who refused to release the covenant, and issued a press release to the effect that the ban on development at Birtenshaw farmland was to remain (November 23, 1988).

Of course the previous government blundered over this saga, but so did Bolton Council and they it was who held the ace - and threw it away!

Fly on the Wall

Bolton

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