IT MAY NOT be Torquay, but it’s certainly a farce!

MOST RESIDENTS in the Lift Tower Estate know that a planning application is underway for abseiling events at the Lift Tower to be permanently increased to 26 a year. The public consultation was due to finish 21 days after 12 March. The planning application was due to be heard on 25 April. It’s been extended to 22 May.

SOME people have commented that they believe that this highly unpopular planning decision had been deliberately delayed until after the county council elections on May 2. They may well have been right! Many people living in the Lift Tower Estate voted Lib Dem on 2 May, and as a result you now have me, Jill Hope, as your Lib Dem county councillor instead of a Tory.

THE Lib Dems have always stood up for local people against the nuisance and invasion of their privacy caused by these events. Former Lib Dem councillor Pam Varnsverry helped local residents to reject the idea of a visitor centre here, because this is where people have their homes, not a visitor attraction. Labour and Tory councillors have not objected – perhaps that’s why they were not elected.

IF you don’t want abseiling every week through the summer, write to Jonathan Moore at Northampton Borough Council at The Guildhall, Northampton NN1 1DE and tell him what you think or email him at [email protected]

THE previous petition no longer counts, so if you want to object again you will need to sign another petition. I’ll bring one round before the cut-off date of 22 May.