COLIN MOORE, of Newton Abbot, writes:
Why did the councillors fly in the face of the expressed views of those living in the vicinity of Courtenay Park and recommend that Air Fusion be held there again? Were they just being protectionists? Better there than in the grounds of their beloved Forde House. The councillors had set about their review in a business-like fashion by asking for comments from those affected or involved in this event. Some of us had high hopes that common sense would at last rule the day. The evidence from those living in the immediate area makes uncomfortable reading. We suffered congestion, noise, litter, damage, anti-social behaviour and criminality, and not just for two or three days. The evidence from the police that they had sufficient resources was not borne out by residents' experiences. Cllr Hook described those who gave this evidence as 'the usual suspects'. Yes, we have been saying the same for the last three years. No-one listens. Nothing has changed. The one thing it seems the residents have in common with Cllr Hook is that most agree it would be better held at the racecourse. So why didn't the councillors recommend the racecourse? Was it due to Platform, the charity which organises the event, telling them: 'It (the racecourse) was not ideal for a small local community arts event like Air Fusion as the cost of the site is in the region of £15,000 not including set-up and strike. This would be 70 per cent of Platform's current budget of £22,000.' A compelling argument – if only it was true. The fact is, the racecourse management states it has never been approached by Platform or anyone else concerning the Air Fusion event. It has never given any costings. So is this a case of the councillors being deliberately misled, or being told something they wanted to hear?