A BLUEPRINT that determines land use for the next 15 years in Barnsley has been approved despite a very vocal objection from one opposition councillor.
The local plan was adopted yesterday at a full council meeting after securing endorsement from all but four councillors.
The council meeting followed a private briefing which explained important points in the plan.
But Coun Hannah Kitching, one of the objectors, said that the local plan was full of ‘empty words’ and did not benefit Penistone.
She said: “In Penistone there has been a lot of houses built and I am not against that.
“They recognise, as I do, that Penistone is a very nice place to live and I can appreciate why people come.
“Where are the children going to go to school? The schools are woefully underfunded.
“I’ve seen that provisions are being made to create 250 extra places but that is catching up on the last five years and no mention of any more at all.”
The local plan sets out that 30 per cent of houses built will be affordable and there will also be ‘aspirational houses’ built in a bid to keep people in Barnsley.
Coun Kitching said: “Will there just be aspirational housing built that drives the most council tax?
“Some people believe that Penistone is Barnsley Council’s cash cow for this reason and there is nothing in the local plan that allows me to disagree.
The local plan however is not all bad. I do see some really good things about green space and active travel but is this just empty words from this council?
“I’ll fight for anyone in the borough.
“I’m elected to speak up for Penistone and I cannot support a destructive plan.”
Coun Kath Mitchell said that Coun Kitching’s words were upsetting to the people who have spent the last five years working on the plan.
“You need to stop trying to score political points,” she said.
“Everything you have said was fully discussed at the meeting yesterday and has enabled councillors to make a full and informed decision.”
Coun Kitching said that the councillors who had named her when making their comments were ‘personally attacking’ her and said to the full council: “When a 624 page document needs a meeting to clarify its contents, there’s something wrong with the document.”
n More on the local plan: page 3.
