Peter Wotton, of South Pool, writes:
I am a parish councillor on South Pool Parish Council and would like to make some personal observations about your lead article, Gazette, March 25, regarding the conversion of Prowse Barn.
Local democracy demands that the deliberations of local representatives be transparent, and in this respect the minutes of the parish council reflect accurately its deliberations on this application.
The council was informed in its decision by preceding consultations with all parishioners with responses to the 10-year parish plan and the development of the conservation area. These two consultations reflected the wishes of the majority of parishioners and are on record.
Your article ignores the import of these wide-ranging and time-consuming exercises in genuine democracy as ‘among other things’.
Cllr Jacqi Hodgson’s comments serve to underline the problem of information distortion and mismanagement.
It is a matter of record that South Pool Parish Council sought approval for three-quarters low-cost houses to support local families and that South Hams Council refused to support this, despite land being offered by a local farmer.
It is difficult to square those facts with Cllr Hodgson’s statement that she wants to keep life in these areas.
What neither council has been able to comment on is the fact that all South Pool parish councillors have received emails during this period accusing them of behaving unprofessionally.
I speak only for myself when I say that this is outrageous behaviour, particularly when the senders identify themselves as ‘concerned residents of South Pool’, yet use an email facility – Guerrilla Mail – that erases all trace once the poison has been delivered.
Unlike the Guerrilla Mail users of South Pool, I and others like me volunteer our time in the – clearly mistaken – belief that we serve the greater good in helping the community. This requires the allocation of precious time and often resources, something that most others seem not to be prepared to do, judging by their absence from council meetings, which are open to all.