SO Councillor Harper considers his council has transformed what was a rural backwater into a vibrant community ( More room to improve vibrant Fens , Cambs Times last week). I wonder what his definition of a rural backwater is. Presumably, he is referrin

SO Councillor Harper considers his council has transformed what was a rural backwater into a vibrant community ('More room to improve vibrant Fens', Cambs Times last week).

I wonder what his definition of a "rural backwater" is. Presumably, he is referring to a time prior to his and his Conservative-dominated Fenland District Council coming into office. If so, many residents, previous councillors and council staff would take this statement as an insult.

The district council did much to regenerate the area long before he came into office. Look at all the environmental enhancements of our four town centres costing million of pounds, look at the regeneration of Wisbech port, look at the way the district council helped protect our unique Fenland landscape for many decades from industrial development.

Since the current council came into being I have not noticed any further enhancement of the area, only destruction of the countryside by the, seemingly, uncontrolled industrial development of turbines everywhere.

Statements of this kind seem to be political spin which is more than could be said of the many stationary turbines seen over the last few weeks.

Even the statement from MP Malcolm Moss about the McCain's turbines - "It's great to see a local company showing a real commitment to the environment through actions, not just words" - takes some believing.

It was only three years ago that I attended a planning committee meeting at Peterborough City Council when Mr Moss, spoke for two minutes objecting to a planning application for turbines near Thorney. His main objection being, that he was increasingly concerned at the number of turbines being proposed for the Fens. Dozens more turbines have been built since he made that statement.

Likewise, when people such as the corporate affairs director of McCain's states that "we hope that by introducing wind turbines McCain can help to try and keep the Fens from flooding" could be considered misleading.

The development of turbines, no matter how many are built, will have absolutely no effect at all on the protection of

any future flooding

of the Fens.

If he wants to achieve this, he should try to

persuade some of the biggest polluting countries to stop their excessive waste of valuable energy resources.

It must be great to be a politician, to claim 98 per cent customer satisfaction with your actions, being able to vary your views on the environment according to when it suits you.

Thank goodness most local residents can see through this type of political spin.

TREVOR WATSON

The Laurels

March