The chairman of West Leigh Residents’ Association, Les Sawyer, has given the proposal for a Havens Hospice at Belton Way his full backing.
As have some 3,000 Leigh residents, 250 of them from the immediate area surrounding the site, and some 20,000 overall throughout the borough and beyond who supported the petition.
In contrast, 50 or so from the immediate environs objected via a recent onsite protest rally, as did Nigel Holdcroft, West Leigh Conservative councillor and leader of Southend Council.
But never mind the maths, will this enlightened planning proposal get the recognition it deserves from the Tory-dominated development control committee as a result of Mr Holdcroft’s intervention or not?
The planning committee has an opportunity to prove itself an impartial politics free zone and restore, at least some public faith in local democracy.
John Haran
Broadway West
Leigh
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