MP’s fury over Peel Park response (From Warrington Guardian)

Helen Jones fury over Peel Park response

3:02pm Tuesday 1st November 2011 in Orford

HELEN Jones has slammed Warrington Borough Council’s refusal to hand over more information on a proposed development at Peel Hall Park.

The Warrington North MP has been asking for more details about discussions between the council and developers Satnam Investments.

But the council refused to hand over e-mails sent between officers and councillors talking about the development following a Freedom of Information request from the Labour MP.

Helen Jones MP said: “The council has quoted ‘long established conventions’ as a reason not to release this information and has misinterpreted the act which governs the release of information by local authorities.

“The Environmental Information Regulations contain no blanket exceptions.

“A public interest test must be applied if an authority is seeking to claim an exception and the local authority has not sought to apply one. The public interest will be best served if the council stops blocking and releases the information I have requested so its plans can be scrutinised in full by the public.”

It comes after the MP had pushed for details on minutes held between council officers and developers discussing the scheme dating back from last year.

The notes from the January meeting reveal that up to 1,400 homes could be built on Peel Hall, Orford, in three phases.

Phase one would see 150 houses built, 950 houses in phase two and a final phase three would see an extra 300 houses built.