Solar farm proposal for Selby green belt land rejected
Setting out their reasons for refusing the plans, councillor Angus Thompson said: "Whilst I fully accept that climate change is a special circumstance, this is good quality agricultural land."I can assure you I'm a retired farmer - I know all about sheep, I know all about arable land - and grade two is good quality arable land and it's in a green belt."
Councillor John McCartney said several other solar farms had already been approved for the Selby district, and further appropriation of land to generate solar power was "unacceptable". "The accumulation should say we shouldn't put any more in the Selby district," he stated."I get the point about the grid connections, but there's got to be fairness as well - and just raping the entire south Selby by putting solar panels on it is unacceptable."The meeting heard an application for a solar farm near Malton had recently been given the go-ahead by the secretary of state, after initially being refused by the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Councillors were warned that while the council would stand by the decision to refuse the application, the decision could still be overturned on appeal.Nearby residents, community leaders and the CPRE, formerly the Campaign for the Protection of England, had all objected to the proposal, with CPRE North and East Yorkshire claiming the development, on Austfield Lane, would not conform to local or national planning policies.Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
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The fall out continued when Cllr Goronwy Edwards resigned from his cabinet position and was 'removed' from the First Independent Group for not declaring membership of another party. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. Cllr Carr, though, said he left Reform on Wednesday after being a member since June, claiming he was unhappy Cllr Emery was presented as the party's Conwy leader. 'I left Reform yesterday (Wednesday). I wasn't a member for very long,' he said. 'I thought this was a new way forward, and it seems the Conservatives moved in. Cllr Louise Emery, she was deputy leader (of Conwy County Council) when they put the council tax up. She initiated the working from home. The four-weekly bin collections – she went along with that. Whether Cllr Emery believed in them (the policies) or not, she went along with them. 'The first thing they should have done is become independents and then apply to join Reform. But the way they did it, it's so obvious they are worried about their seats. Cllr Emery only won by a handful of votes the last time. They were both worried about their seats. 'It was more Louise (Cllr Emery), not so much Tom (Cllr Montgomery). He's not so tainted by the past. She was deputy leader and all the things she's done, chair of local Conservatives, all things I don't agree with, and all of a sudden, she's a member of Reform. 'You've got to put new people in. Everyone is fed up with the same old councillors, aren't they? I did speak to Louise, but she didn't seem very enthusiastic. I sent an email and expressed concerns. None of this is personal. If people want to join (Reform), that's fair enough, but for her to take a leading position… 'That is the most annoying thing. Nigel Farage said, 'We will not be a home for Conservatives who want to keep their seats' – of course that's what's happened. I was hoping new people would come along and things would change because my residents are fed up with filthy streets. They are fed up of council tax increasing year on year. 'I was excited to join Reform. I was enthusiastic that something was going to change, but when it is the same old Conservatives, I don't want to be part of it, so I decided to leave. If it's going to be the Conservatives again, it doesn't inspire confidence.' But Reform claims Cllr Carr's comments are nothing more than 'sour grapes'. In an official response issued by Reform UK, Cllr Louise Emery spoke on behalf of the Conwy group. 'David Carr was a Conservative member; he then joined the Labour Party seemingly to get elected in 2022,' she said. 'He then left the Labour Party and became an independent. He then joined the Liberal Democrats. Then left them to join Reform. All in three years.' She added: 'Our understanding is that David applied to be approved to be a Reform Councillor, and he was rejected by the vetting process. This is nothing more than sour grapes from a councillor desperately searching for a way of getting re-elected. We joined Reform because we believe in real change for the future.' Despite being a Reform member, Cllr Carr denied he attempted to become a Reform councillor. He responded: 'I did not apply to be a reform councillor. The vetting process takes five or six weeks. They said they were overwhelmed with the Senedd vetting for Senedd candidates. I never had any interests in becoming a Reform councillor. ' 'I just joined because I was quite enthusiastic about the things they were saying. I was quite happy to be just a member. I thought new people were going to come in, not tainted by the past. But it seems it is the same old Conservatives again. It's put me off.' 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That's why I don't want to be a member. I was disillusioned when that happened.' Leader of Conwy's Conservative Group Cllr Cheryl Carlisle also responded to Cllr Carr's criticism. Cllr Carlisle also referred to Cllr Carr and his former affiliation with several political parties and groups. 'Cllr Carr is entitled to his opinions, but members of the public are able to watch online council and scrutiny meetings and will no doubt be able to form their own opinions as to the value of the Conwy Conservative group's voting record against exorbitant council tax rises and constant cutting of vital frontline services,' she said. She added: 'Hopefully Cllr Carr will find a party or political group that will finally accept him, having been a member of in excess of five groups in the three short years that he has been a councillor.' Public notices in your area
