KEN TUCKETT, KREAG press officer, writes; Kingsteignton parish councillor Ron Cole writes (May 26) expressing doubts regarding 'villagers and councillors working together' and how his own ideas and views are often frowned on by his fellow councillors. He does not disclose his own ideas and views but then, neither have the Kingsteignton county, district and parish councillors disclosed the ideas and views they have discussed within the Bovey Basin Central Area Community Liaison Committee established at the beginning of 2003. Despite the existence of that community liaison committee, for the past three years Kingsteignton councillors have maintained they cannot consult, discuss or express views on the Kingsteignton urban village development without breaching their Code of Conduct. However, that myth has now been firmly dismissed by the decision KREAG obtained from the Standards Board. Achieving villager and councillor co-operation firmly rests, as it always has, with the Kingsteignton councillors but time, in relation to the LDF procedure, is now fast running out. KREAG supports the Kingsteignton Community Plan Steering Group – a KREAG committee member is a member of the group – but through the current lack of councillor consultation co-operation and representation, it is solely the county, district and parish councils in liaison with WBBM and Clifford Estates who are deciding Kingsteignton's future for the next 20 years, whatever Kingsteignton residents may want and say.
