Legal woes (From Penarth Times)

Legal woes

I READ the article 'Legal Challenge Fails' (Penarth Times, April 6) with a mixture of sadness and dismay.

It is always sad when the rights of ordinary citizens to challenge urban development proposals are thwarted by a legal system that seems to protect local authorities who claim to act for the 'greater good'.

For the council, the win should be enough.

However, for Cllr A J Williams to savage Mr Wallis so bitterly is conduct unbecoming an elected official.

His lack of control allows ill-tempered, ill-advised remarks that seek to stifle the rights of individuals, or concerned groups, to object to any proposal that he and his colleagues support.

Objections and appeals are an essential part of the democratic process and it is reprehensible that a Deputy Leader should ignore the rules that govern the conduct of public officials.

Worse still, Cllr Williams is serving notice that future objectors can expect the same treatment.

When a qualified barrister takes up such a matter, it is accepted as a proper legal case to be put before the court.

Therefore, for Cllr Williams to refer to the case as a 'spurious challenge', must alert electors to his right to hold such a responsible position. Robin Williams

Gwyn James Court

Sundew Close

Penarth

Via email