Not sure if you heard the radio interview last night on County Sound 31st October evening with Beverly Hughes. Here is a transcript of it, some useful points for us I feel.

1. What were her concerns in the process?
2. If they have exhausted all possibilities where are they going to find any more from?
3. Were our council asked how to talk to locals?

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Transcript of Radio interview 31.10.01

BH - We have really exhausted every other possibility in terms of a better location that perhaps has less of an issue about it in terms some of the fears of local people here are expressing. I've ordered a fundamental review of all government owned properties across the country to see if I can find a better site.

Q - When were the home office going to tell local people about this?

BH - I first learned about it towards the end of August and began to ask questions about it and at that time officials were planning to talk to local people in a series of meetings in early October. I decided that before those meetings took place, as I say I was unhappy about some aspects of the process and I put a stop on it. During September, I think, officials in the Home Office were talking to local council because they wanted advice about how to talk to local people.

Q - What real opportunity will local people have to take part in this policy process?

BH - Well part of the reason I'm here today is to hear local peoples concerns and the specific points they've put to me, some of them I think are very valid, and I understand, I'm a parent myself and I understand the feelings people are coming with and what I've made clear is whilst the review is going, that local people we couldn't pack into the meeting ought
to feel free to write to me with their own particular views and I'll be responding to those and taking note of all of them.