IN response to comments made by Cllr Bob Penrose in the Penarth Times regarding the gypsy traveller site in Hayes Road, I would like to remind Cllr Penrose that his recollection of events is not actually correct (Penarth Times, March 13).

When Cllr Penrose put in his Request for Consideration on the above subject to the economy and environment scrutiny committee on October 9 2012, I was the vice chairwoman and Cllr Rhodri Treharne was actually the chairman.

The main thrust of his argument on the night was in effect to take the gypsy traveller site out of the LDP process and deal with it sooner rather than within the LDP itself. Cllr Penrose was told by the Director, Rob Thomas, that this was just not possible and would have to be discussed when the LDP process was being carried out, as this was the only way for dealing with this matter. Obviously, Cllr Penrose has either forgotten this or chooses not to remember why it failed, which was because of the technicalities of the LDP.

There is no point in Cllr Penrose “huffing and puffing” and trying to put the blame on somebody else, when there is no getting away from the fact that the two Sully councillors chose not to attend the economy and environment scrutiny committee on October 8, which I did chair.

This was the scheduled meeting of the economy and environment committee which was totally dedicated to the LDP. The Sully councillors could have represented the residents of Sully on the two matters they now seem to be concerned about. The first was the ‘Reserve Site’ in the LDP and the second was the travellers site. They chose not to attend this meeting which was incidentally also open to residents of Sully to attend. No one turned up.

The argument that because they were unable to have the traveller site considered outside of the LDP process in October 2012, so there was no point in turning up to discuss the LDP at the committee set up to do just that is preposterous and quite frankly does not stand up to argument. This meeting was precisely where they could make their representations on the LDP. The simple fact is that they chose not to take part in the LDP process. No matter how Cllr Penrose tries to dress it up, he can’t change the facts – they failed their residents by not using the correct procedure.

I also take great exception to Cllr Penrose’s comment that “incidentally the scrutiny committee is chaired by Cllr Anne Moore his [Cllr Neil Moore’s] wife.”

I should remind Cllr Penrose that I am a councillor ‘in my own right’ and have been a Borough councillor and a County councillor since 1994, and a Barry town councillor for eight years prior to that. I am not there because I am anyone's wife and I take exception to this insinuation.

All I can say is ‘stick to the facts Cllr Penrose’ and don’t rely on excuses. The question to be asked is, why didn’t you use the LDP process thoroughly and correctly? You and your colleague failed to represent the views of residents of Sully fully, so please don’t hide behind the facts and look to blame me or others for your ineffectiveness and the mess that you now find yourself in.

Finally, I have to say Bob, I did expect better than this from you.

Anne Moore

Labour Councillor for Cadoc Ward

Via email