Correspondence relating to an accusation from Marshland Wind Farm about “dodgy dealings”

Press Release, 12th November 2008

From: Lyndon Mason
Sent: 10 November 2008 17:09
To: Ray harding
Subject: Statements from Marshland Wind Farm Ltd

Dear Mr Harding, 

I have today read a very alarming e-mail on the Public Access Website in relation to the planning application from Marshland Wind Farm Ltd.  The e-mail (which I understand has now been removed from the site) is from Ian Robinson (consultant to MWFL) and contains many contentious remarks.  I would like to initially draw your attention to the following statement referring to both Councillor Markinson and the Marshland St James Parish Poll which asked the question DO YOU WANT WIND TURBINES BUILT ON LAND WITHIN OR SURROUNDING MARSHLAND ST JAMES?  

Mr Robinson says: "You may be aware that I have previously written to the Chief Executive regarding this specific matter of pre-determination immediately after the election of Councillor Markinson. Our suspicions about such matters was further enhanced that all was not well with the conduct of the Council with regard to the Parish Poll and the refusal of the Council to answer the simplest of questions on this matter. All very suspicious and odd!!"

I am very concerned about the statements relating to the Parish Poll because they seem to imply that there has been some “dodgy dealings” in the way the Council have handled this.  Owing to the fact that Councillor Markinson chaired the public meeting that requested the Parish Poll and your good self presided over the actual poll itself, this would seem to be a personal attack against the two of you.  While this is very typical of the tactics of Marshland Wind Farm Ltd (ie to try and discredit everyone who does not agree with them) I think is very unfortunate that they have sunk to such levels.  I personally have suffered many such attacks from them but I believe that they have gone too far with this one. 

I welcome your comments especially about the validity of the Parish Poll in question which recorded the fact that 70% of voters opposed the development. 

Kind regards  

Lyndon Mason

From: Cllr David Markinson
Sent: 12 November 2008 17:37
Subject: Letter from Ian Robinson

Dear Mr Mason, 

I have seen a copy of the communication sent to the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk’s Planning office from Mr Ian Robinson on behalf of Marshland Wind Farm Ltd who are the applicants in the current application to build wind turbines in Tilney and Marshland. It is dated 5th November 2008. The document was published on the Borough Councils website and subsequently removed after I contacted the planning department and expressed my disgust after seeing it. My view after reading this document is that it is defamatory and derogatory.

Mr Robinson refers to "plans to pre determine the application" and states that he has already written to the Chief Executive regarding the "specific matter of pre determination immediately after the election of Councillor Markinson"He goes on to say that suspicions were further enhanced that all was not well with the conduct of the council with regard to the Parish Poll

Further remarks state that "We notice with concern and regret the level of untruthfulness of the protest group and one particular councillor which will be recorded in planning legend and appears in good health on the official planning website."

In the last paragraph Mr Robinson offers his sympathy to council officers who "may be suffering from routine bullying which may be occurring within the council with regard to this application."

Mr Robinsons email has been seen by a number of people before it was removed who have contacted me with regard to it and I am informed that extracts of it are already on the internet. Normally I would not respond to spurious diatribe such as this but the implications are very serious and warrant a response.

For clarity I will be taking no part in the planning process involved in the determination of this application, or any similar applications, or any applications that are related and I have already twice removed myself from meetings where this type of application was under scrutiny. That decision was made very soon after my election and following discussions with Planning and the Legal section of the Council. The Development Control Board will draw its own conclusions and make its decision on the basis of the evidence put before it at the appropriate time.

As far as I am aware the Parish Poll (Do you want wind turbines etc?) referred to was conducted legally and properly. The Chief Executive of the council acted as the Returning Officer. Votes were counted in Marshland Village Hall by council appointed staff in full public view and the results are beyond argument or question. The suggestion by Mr Robinson that there was something "very suspicious and odd" about the conduct of the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk with regard to this Parish Poll is ludicrous.

To the best of my knowledge no one employed at the council dealing with the application to build wind turbines has been bullied or is likely to be by anyone. It is an utterly ridiculous statement. As for Mr Robinsons reference to untruthfulness my view is that it is a subject on which people will largely drawn their own conclusions.

Kind Regards,
David
Cllr David Markinson
Member for Marshland St James & Walsoken
Borough Council King's Lynn & West Norfolk