Conservatives Admit They Made A Mistake!

9.08.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 22nd Oct 2006

Barry Stamp and Liz Lynne MEP discuss Stafford's Riverside development

Stafford Borough Council's Conservative Cabinet admitted they had made a mistake in not asking for an archaeological survey to be carried out by developers building the new leisure centre on Lammerscote Road.

The admission of failure came after hard work by members of the Council's Liberal Democrat Group. Cllr Chris Baron put many hours of work into investigating why the survey had not be required as part of the planning permission for the site. Arm with Chris's findings Group Leader Barry Stamp took the opportunity at a recent meeting of the full the Council to asked a question aimed at finding out just what had gone on. In his reply Cllr Doug Davis - the Cabinet Member responsible for planning admitted the Conservative run Council had made a mistake!

"This is just another example of how the Riverside redevelopment scheme has been badly handled . From the very outset the Conservatives were so desperate to do a deal to get a new leisure centre built they cut corners and pushed the whole project through with no debate or scrutiny. Stafford is rich in history and we should do everything possible to record the towns past. As the site for the new centre is in the heart of the town it is inconceivable it should be allowed to go ahead without any archaeological monitoring taking place. But to put it simply the Conservatives just forgot," said Chris Baron