14th April 2010

WEYMOUTH: Should the �will of the people� be exercised?

Councillor claims local community is being ‘ignored’ over bio fuel plant

by Harry Walton

ISLAND residents could get a shock vote on whether they want a green energy plant on Portland.

The idea emerged at the end of a public meeting to debate the plant which had been organised by the No Oil Palm Energy group and chaired independently by Anthony Moore of Thomas Hardy School, Dorchester.

More than 130 people attended and Portland town councillor Richard Denton-White said the strength of feeling against the plant was so great that “we need a re-run”.

He added that he would be applying for a village straw poll referendum on the island so people could vote on whether they wanted the plant.

W4BRE has already been granted planning permission for the plant but Green Party South Dorset general election candidate Brian Heatley got a huge roar of support when he suggested a “best of three” approach as the scheme had been rejected once and approved once.

Jacqueline Redfern said Portland water pressure was very low and where would the company get its supplies, W4BRE chief executive Richard Gudgeon replying that water would be recirculated by the plant but he would look into the pressure issue.

He also claimed that the plant would create an annual net carbon saving of 28,000 tonnes, but Liberal Democrat South Dorset general election candidate Ros Kayes said the whole issue was creating a viable form of energy. The local community did not want the plant but was being “ignored”.

Weymouth and Portland councillor Tim Munro said planning law had to be changed “to exercise the will of the people.”

After the meeting Mr Moore said: “I think the debate went really well. People were genuinely concerned and they were well informed.”

PICTURE: THE PANEL - From the left, Portland resident Julie Samouelle, Robert Palgrave of pressure group Biofuels watch, debate chairman Anthony Moore and W4BRE chief executive Richard Gudgeon. Also on the panel but not in the photo was Portland town councillor Richard Denton-White.

WEYMOUTH: Should the �will of the people� be exercised?

WEYMOUTH: Should the �will of the people� be exercised?

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