Barnoldswick councillors’ walk-out slammed as 'childish'

10:21pm Thursday 17th April 2008

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A MEETING due to discuss a controversial planning application had to be cancelled when two councillors walked out.

Barnoldswick town coun-cillors Jenny Purcell and Keith Bailey left the town council planning meeting, which was due to look at a planning application for a supermarket on the Carlson Filtration site at The Butts.

Representatives from devel-opers Maple Grove and over 15 residents attended the town council planning meeting, on Wednesday evening, along with four of the five members of the planning committee.

Plans for the 3,575 square metres store were vetoed by nearly three quarters of the residents who took part in a poll last week.

And while the comments of the town council committee over the store will not be binding when the application goes to the West Craven Committee in three weeks time, they will still be taken into consideration.

But the meeting had to be cancelled after the two councillors left, citing the non-attendance of David Stead for their reason for leaving.

Coun Richard Whiteley, who chairs the committee said: "The councillor who could not attend sent his apologies and we could have heard the matter in his absence.

"He had work commitments. But because both councillors walked out we could not make any decision or even discuss the application.

"From my point of view it was absolutely childish behaviour."

Coun Purcell said the main reason she walked out was because the councillor should have been at the meeting, which was crucial' for the residents.

Coun Bailey said: "Basically I am getting fed up of councillors not turning up to meetings."

Coun Margaret Bell, who took notes on the night, said she and Coun Marjorie Adams were sharing the minute taking duties and it was acceptable for them to do this until a new clerk was appointed.

The planning application will be heard by the West Craven Committee on May 6.