Salter accuses Tories of playing politics with Pincents Hill

Alex Gore • Last updated 30 Oct 2008 09:48 Comments 1 Comment

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READING West MP Martin Salter has accused the Tories of playing "schoolboy politics" over the controversial proposal to build up to 900 home on a green field site.

Mr Salter was angered when Alok Sharma, the Tory hoping to win his seat at the next election, organised a public meeting about the Pincents Hill proposal to take place the week before a similar forum set up by campaign group Save Calcot.

Mr Sharma's meeting, due to take place next Monday[3] at the Tilehurst Royal British Legion in Downing Road, is being organised with West Berkshire Tory councillors Joe Mooney, Emma Webster and Tony Linden.

Mr Salter said: "The local residents campaign group Save Calcot, which has worked so hard on this issue, are spitting tacks that the Tories are trying to go behind their backs by organising a rival party political meeting on the important planning issue of protecting Pincents Hill.

"This really is schoolboy politics from the Conservatives and I would encourage local residents to support the public meeting called by the campaign group for November 14 at 7pm in Little Heath School."

Save Calcot member John Betteridge said: "We would have preferred it if they had approached us and we could have organised a meeting together. If they are our councillors they should be helping us, not working against us.

"They obviously know that we are running a meeting on the 14th so why have they called their own meeting to take place before then?"

But Mr Sharma said: "Both Emma Webster and myself were at the original Blue Living meeting in September which Martin Salter was not at.

"We stood up and promised residents that when we got the results of Blue Living's consultation we would organise a public meeting.

"That's exactly what we have done. I was aware that another public meeting was being lined up, but I was not aware of the full details."

He added: "I don't think this is a party political issue. It just so happens that West Berkshire's Birch Copse ward councillors are all Conservatives."

Cllr Webster said: "I am happy to attend the Save Calcot meeting, but I am surprised that as the ward member I have not been contacted about it."

Mr Salter is due to speak at the Save Calcot meeting on November 14 as well as members of the campaign group and Tilehurst Parish Council chairwoman Jean Gardner.

For more information visist www.savecalcot.co.uk

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 29 Oct 08

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