Help
us to mount a legal challenge!
On the 10th
July 2006, Oxfordshire County Council resolved to grant planning
permission to RWE npower to fill in Thrupp Lake. However, because
the work to be done contradicts one or more of OCC's own policies
it has to be referred to the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly. She
refused to call the application in and has sent it back to OCC for
determination. Oxfordshire County Council could have reconsidered,
but they didn't. On the 4th January 2007 they issued the permission
to NPower with a list of conditions, which NPower will blithely
ignore because the Compliance Officers at OCC didn't bother with
the last planning application to check too carefully. Maybe
they will this time, but by the time they get round to it, the damage
will have been done.
So, what happens next? We have lodged a complaint with the
Local Government Ombudsman which will now proceed. So
far no response.
One of our
members has mounted a campaign to have the area turned into a "Town
Green". Oxfordshire County Council have agreed to hold a public
inquiry which started on 2nd April 2007 and adjourned on the 5th
because it ran out of time. After reconvening, the result
was promised in August 2007, but finally arrived in October.
The Inspector decided that people using the area did so because
they "strayed off the footpath" and that did not make
it a "Town Green". Radley Parish Council has mounted
a challenge to this decision. Oxfordshire County Council,
in their attempt to flatten the challenge has engaged a couple of
Leading QCs at a cost of over £20,000. This was entirely
unnecessary as the Parish Council asked them if they would not engage
counsel until discussions had taken place with NPower to see if
there was another route, apart from legal action. However,
Oxfordshire County Council ignored this request and promptly let
loose the Dogs of War. The case is now proceeding in the High
Court and we will need money to help pay for the legal fees
now being incurred.
If you would like to help the campaign please contact
our publicity team.
This is the best way which
we can win this Campaign. We do not endorse direct action,
nor do we perpetrate it. We are disgusted that one of our
campaign members has been the subject of a legal injunction, quite
undeservedly and would like to take the issue back to the High Court.
But our day will come and NPower will, in the meantime, receive
the bad publicity which their injunction has generated. They
have tried to silence protest and have failed. It has made
us even more determined than ever and more people are coming forward
every day to support this campaign.
Please give generously. |
Make
a Donation - Click on the button below to use PayPal - This goes
to a secure site at Paypal.co.uk to where you can make a donation
with your credit card.
If
you prefer, send a cheque - we don't pay charges to bank a cheque
donation. Please send cheques made payable to "Save Radley
Lakes" to The Treasurer at 3 Shaw's Copse, Radley, Abingdon,
Oxon OX14 3GZ
Click
here for full details on how to make a donation |