IT WAS rather amusing to read Chris Grayling's latest offering. One could almost believe the Tories have not been in power for the past 18 years and all current ills are some form of natural disaster.

The fact is, the Tory party has monopolised the position of Secretary of State for the Environment for the past 18 years and the responsibility for all land use planning policies, land reclamation investment, confirmation of the local plan, etc. has ultimately rested with that office.

The new town planning consents were granted by the DOE, not the local authority.

The anarchy of business and housing developments on green field sites has been permitted by a Government philosophy of non-intervention in the market place or belief in long term planning for social need. Expensive housing is being created, intensifying car usage, while many people are homeless through a lack of council homes.

This Government has presided over the development of a rash of out-of-town shopping centres and then wonders why we have traffic problems and why town centres are dying. They also removed the potential to reverse the looming traffic crisis by introducing bus deregulation and privatising the railways.

One could argue that this Government couldn't run a drinking session in a brewery. Unfortunately there are no breweries left in Warrington to prove this point! NON SIBI, SED PATRIE

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.