I feel I owe it to the 800 residents who signed the petition raising concerns over the “windfall” issue and how it might impact on any proposed housing on Estover playing field and on any other unallocted land.

I feel this is a legitimate concern by residents.

Michael Rutter, the resident who spoke at the meeting of Fenland District Council on December 18 in support of the petition, did not deserve this type of treatment from people who have been elected to uphold the freedom of local democracy and to act in the best interests of the community.

The meeting was a total farce. Mr Rutter was subjected to embarrassment, with the chairman of council questioning and interrupting him in what appeared to be tactically orchestrated by the Conservatives to lessen the impact of what residents were actually saying.

The petition came about by a breakdown in trust between residents and the council in its insistence that windfall development can be interpreted to mean that 249 homes is acceptable in one planning application on any unallocated land in Fenland, as determined in the Local Plan under policy LP4.

The leader of council did not respond to the petition at the meeting, in fact he had no input into the debate that followed where only two councillors asked minor questions, which unfortunately, Mr Rutter was not allowed to answer.

The leader’s only response was that he would respond in writing. That response is still awaited.

CLLR PETER TUNLEY

District councillor, March North Ward

Via e-mail