Unanswered questions

The Parish Council's Planning committee last night recommended that the following letter be sent to CBC regarding its recent handling of the Flitt Leys Close development brief. This will go to Full Council on 17 April for ratification

"Cranfield Parish Council (CPC) has noted with dismay the decision of Central Bedfordshire Council’s executive to approve a development brief for Flitt Leys Close which includes a school.

"It is also disturbed by the report back from Councillor Alan Bastable that the cost of finding a site elsewhere – suggested as £2 million – was a factor in approving the brief against strong local opposition.  We were told that this factor had been known to council officers and some councillors for some time but ward councillors were not informed. Two scrutiny committee debates took place without this being disclosed. One of these meetings discussed a choice of the brief with or without a school but we now understand that the no-school option was not in fact available.

"We believe that Central Beds Council should explain first how the Parish Council, local people and ward councillors were significantly misled for so long about a substantive fact of matter. Secondly it should also explain why the cost of finding suitable land for education expansion is to be met by the village – not developers – unless an entirely unsuitable site is accepted."