Residents get 20 minutes to oppose Bishop's Castle burner

Residents in a south Shropshire town today said they had been given just 20 minutes to state their case against a planned £5 million biomass incinerator at a crunch cabinet meeting next week.

Campaigners in Bishop's Castle are trying to stop the burner being built at the town's business park and plan to turn out in force at Wednesday's meeting of Shropshire Council's cabinet where the issue will be considered.

But they have been told only 20 minutes in total will be allocated for public speaking on the issue, and that the Shrewsbury Room at Shirehall, where the meeting will be held, will only accommodate up to 40 people.

Yesterday it was revealed campaigner Gill Lawler had paid for a 53-seater coach to take residents to the meeting, and members of the Bishop's Castle Group have not yet given up hope of the meeting being moved to the larger council chamber if there is sufficient interest.

Karen Bavastock, chairman of the Bishop's Castle Group, said the 12.30pm start time of the meeting would also present challenges to residents who may struggle to make the meeting.

She said: "I can certainly try to make sure members of the Bishop's Castle group do not repeat what they have said, but I cannot comment on others who feel they wish to speak."

In an e-mail to Mrs Bavastock, Claire Porter, from Shropshire Council, said: "The time allocated for public statements and questions is 20 minutes. The leader has advised that he will only allow the allocated time."