J WHITE, chairman of KREAG, writes:
The chairman of Kingsteignton Parish Council claims that Kingsteignton needs the chance to fight its own corner and the right to determine its own destiny by adopting town status.
He asks: 'Why should we be necessarily lumped in with Newton Abbot?' (MDA, October 31).
However, Cllr Tuckett (Letters, November 7) expresses his regret that the parish council voted against making objections to the South West Region Development Strategy which couples and designates Kingsteignton and Newton Abbot as a Strategically Significant Town, a primary focus point for development in the south west. Kingsteignton adopting town status sits nicely with that strategy.
If the parish council is not prepared at consultation stage to oppose such a joint designation and to fight to keep Kingsteignton's identity separate from that of Newton Abbot, why should the community of Kingsteignton accept it will fight its corner any stronger on development matters as a town council?
Claims that a town council in local government has a greater status than that of a parish council is simply mind games. I know, from my experience as a past member of Newton Abbot Town Council, that they carry equal weight.
The urban extension development of Kingsteignton was rejected at its public examination and by the community of Kingsteignton in parish council elections and in the community/parish plan surveys.
There is a reasonable possibility that the Secretary of State, on November 19, could refuse the proposed housing development of the Newcross Pond site.
To decide to adopt town status ahead of that decision is sending the wrong signal at the wrong time.
Kreag has yet to consider the proposal to adopt town status. We shall do so after the Secretary of State's decision is known.