7:30am Saturday 20th March 2010
TWO of Bolton’s most senior councillors have been called on to apologise to residents over the way they handled a major planning application.
Renegade Labour councillor Laurie Williamson attacked senior members of his own party over plans for the new Essa Academy school.
Members of Bolton Council’s planning committee — which deferred the plans a month ago because of concerns over access and traffic close to the Lever Edge Lane school in Great Lever — gave the proposals the green light at their meeting on Thursday.
But Cllr Williamson, who represents Harper Green, shocked committee members with his outburst, saying there should have been more consultation when the plans were originally discussed.
Referring to a lack of information and consultation with ward councillors and local residents, Cllr Williamson — who was suspended by the Labour Party last year for his outspoken views — demanded apologies from Cllr Dr Ebrahim Adia, Executive member for children’s services, and Cllr Linda Thomas, the deputy council leader and Executive member for corporate resources.
He said: “I would like them to apologise to the residents for not doing their job. The problems have not been resolved in advance and they should also apologise to the headteacher of the Essa Academy for dragging the school into the mire.”
It comes after members of Bolton Council’s planning committee last month accused those behind the new school campus of not listening to concerns over access to the site and the knock-on effect traffic would have if access was via Lever Edge Lane and Slack Fold Lane.
But Labour Cllr Nick Peel slammed Cllr Williamson for what he described as a “disgraceful” attack on the two councillors.
He said: “This is a disgraceful personal attack on two Executive members who are not even here. He knows there are procedures in place for issues like this.”
Plans for the state-of-the-art scheme were revealed last year and a planning application was submitted by the academy in December 2009.
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