WEST Devon Borough Council wants to impose large single

urban extensions on Tavistock and Okehampton. Devon

County Council wants to impose parking meters. Both of

these have caused the raising of considerable hackles,

but we are told that it is in our best interests, as they

know best. True consultation has never taken place, and

both are classic cases of top-down decision making. 

Your correspondent Charles Letchford (December 23)

writes to complain of poor democratic practise, John

Leonard supports him, but retired chief executive of West

Devon Borough Council David Incoll writes to say decision

making is difficult, and West Devon Borough Councillor

Robin Musgrave refers to those opposing the core

strategy.

What an excellent thing it is, therefore, that before

long we all are set to benefit from the pending Localism

Bill, designed to facilitate and encourage neighbourhood

involvement in decision making, to confront this lack of

true representational voice.  (Readers might also like to

know that a proportion of the money raised from

developments in the future, through the new Communicty

Infrastructure Levy, will have to be retained for the benefit

of the affected neighbourhood — and its exact application

will have to be determined in consultation with that

neighbourhood).

But there is also another benefit from the new

legislation. A change is being implemented to allow

councillors to vote according to their consciences, without

fear of being accused of bias. This should also weaken the

party political pressurising that has created such

contentious voting situations as we have seen in the

recent past.

Councils have had it too easy for too

long. Resentment throughout the UK has resulted in the

current legislation, to allow more meaningful

neighbourhood representation. And it is specifically

designed to free up the planning process It will be up to

all of us now to take advantage of it.  Then we will only

have ouselves to blame, or, hopefully, praise, with the

results.

Jeremy Davies

Tavistock