Proposed Blydoit Abbatoir at Scalloway

[EM]

Or is that not okay with you EM? It's not all "cutting out the crap" that people espouse on here you know!

Quite OK, and your reminder of the wider role of Moderation is well worth stressing. I had indeed (wrongly) assumed that you were using the verb in the policing T&C sense.

[MuckleJoannie]

 

What do the rules state about other councillors stating their views during a planning board meeting? I believe a statement of objection was read out on behalf of Cllr Betty Fullerton, surely this is not allowed?

 

The meeting was set up to allow both SLMG and the objectors up to 5 minutes to address the Board, prior to discussion by councillors. The statement from Betty Fullerton was one of two statements from objectors. Ronnie Eunson spoke very elequently on behalf of SLMG.

[CrunchieSquirrel]

I know that Scalloway already has 2 shops, why can't they change the 'abbatoir' into a supermarket, which means I can just walk down to get groceries!

[Symbister]

As a member of the Planning Board Cllr Hawkins has stated many times that she cannot discuss planning applications with anyone prior to the Planning Board, for fear of appearing to prejudice the decision of the Board.

 

I can't find an SIC document but this one from COSLA (an umbrella body giving advice to councils) on the Highland Council website covers the ground.

http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/45D0E091-57BF-4D3F-9CD5-85B50AD4B229/0/coslaadvice.pdf

Lobbying of councillors during consideration

15. Applicants, supporters of and objectors to planning decisions have an interest in ensuring that councillors hear their case. Whilst lobbying is a normal and perfectly proper part

of the democratic process, councillors, especially those on the planning committee, should not respond in such a way as to give grounds to doubt their impartiality.

 

And

 

• Councillors should not indicate or imply their support or opposition to a proposal or declare their voting intention before the planning committee meeting. Any councillor expressing an opinion in this way may risk disqualification from taking part in the final decision.

• Those wishing to lobby councillors should be advised that councillors, especially those on the planning committee, will not decide on the merits of a particular proposal until all information is available and has been duly considered at the committee meeting.

 

What do the rules state about other councillors stating their views during a planning board meeting? I believe a statement of objection was read out on behalf of Cllr Betty Fullerton, surely this is not allowed?

 

Councillors who intend to take part in the making of the decision can listen to representations, but they can't express a view one way or the other in advance of the presentation of evidence and discussion at the meeting, any more than the Sheriff could express a view on guilt or innocence in advance of a trial. Councillors who don't intend to take part in the decision making process can present a case for one side or the other, or ask for it to be read out or circulated, in the same way as a member of the public, but mustn't then take part in the debate.

[brokenlink]

Thanks for clarification, just thought in the event of this going to full council for ratification it may put her in a difficult position, as she could then be part of the decision making process.

 

(***Mod Edit - Excess quoting removed***)

[EM]

On reading the Shetland Times report on the planning meeting I am left confused on the matter of petitions.

 

“Please bear in mind the local community council and two petitions have rejected this application.

A petition was raised containing signatures which we assessed as coming from 30 households in the area. On that basis two thirds of residents appear to have been quiet on the subject.

 

What is this two petition bit?

 

I also fail to see how a petition, in itself, can be said to reject something. Any petition, be it against a planning application or for two ambulances, is an indication of level and strength of opinion, but not an absolute judgement.

[MuckleJoannie]

What is this two petition bit?

 

 

As I recall the first petition was thought to be too general, so a second one was started specifically against the Blydoit proposal.

[number 7]

think there trying to turn it into a church noo ?

[Ghostrider]

^^ That'll be as noisy, and generate as much if not more traffic than the abbatoir would have, so I assume the same objectors will be getting another petition up against that. Or is hypocrisy going to be rife as usual.....

 

There's a purpose built fully fitted out kirk for sale at the Ness (so many of us have become heathens these days its not needed now ) at a give-away-price, why are they wasting their money on a tin hut when they could have the real thing instead.

[number 7]

tink it wiz da lerik methodist church , ness might b bit far to travel?

[Ghostrider]

The Ness one that's up for sale has a bonus though, it's already well used to Methodists, it was one all of its approx 100 year life until it was sold 10-15 years ago.

[MuckleJoannie]

think there trying to turn it into a church noo ?

 

The Mormons put in a planning application a few years ago for the Blydoit site but were turned down, partly, I think, because it was not an appropriate use for an industrial estate.

[number 7]

whatever mj were on bout the now you know that area dats now neither industrial nor should i dare say it (social housing) thank you very much s.i.c planning dept ( the left arms here! , now where did we put the right arm? )

did stuart hill get a job wit da planning dept ? coz dis is da calamity of the century!

[Mattie]

The Lord works in mysterious ways... Maybe a Church at Blydoit is the way forward - using that big empty building... Could the residents of East Voe endure the noise from hymn singing on a Sunday morning? - Rather than cows, pigs and sheep being slaughtered on a daily basis - I think so.

May the Lord proceed and do his stuff!!

[Ghostrider]

Well, the singing will be noisy, or it won't be happening. What noise would have eminated from the building had it been a slaughterhouse? They're actually quite quiet places, the occasional clank of a metal handling gate closing or the rattle of the hooks passing along the hanging rails is about as noisy as it gets, the animals rarely make any noise. Visit on and see if you don't believe me.

 

Then there's the traffic, a slaughterhouse would have had a dribble of traffic 9-5 Mon - Fri, mostly during hours the vast majority of bairns are not playing around outside. A kirk will have a significant ragged convoy arriving and leaving for every service, funeral and whatever else is held in it. At all hours and on all days, many of which bairns are likely to be on or near the road.

 

What if they decide they need a bell? I'd have no issue living next to a coo broalin steady from 10 minutes or however long it is every so often, probably because I pretty much always have, but somebody clanging at on a bell next door for the same time would have me stealing a ladder and swiping the clapper.