April 9th 2014
Like West Sussex County Council as a whole, the planning committee that will vote on April 29th on Cuadrilla’s application to flow test its oil well at Balcombe has a Conservative majority. InvestigatingBalcombeAndCuadrilla.com has been looking into the political backgrounds of the committee members and the balance of the planning committee.
Will the Conservative committee members follow the lead of David Cameron and support onshore oil and gas development? Or will they take account of the 900+ letters of objection to the planning application?
Who’s who on the planning committee – details and quick summary
Categories: Politics, Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
Let us hope that the free speech charter championed by the West Sussex County Times will help them vote on behalf of their constituents rather than their party.
The Charter states: “I undertake to speak, write and vote on behalf of my constituents without fear or favour of party discipline. If I am a member of a political party, I will respect its values and honour its pre-election manifesto pledges – but I will always put first the people I am elected to serve.”
It will be interesting to know/watch who from the planning committee signs it.
http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/local/breaking-news-tory-county-leader-louise-goldsmith-to-sign-free-speech-charter-1-5990617
Thanks for your comment Louisa. This is a very interesting development and definitely worth a post! best wishes, Ruth