Today is the second day of a Judicial Review being heard in the High Court in London challenging the proposal by Lancashire County Council to site a waste technology plant at Farington Moss. The action is being brought by pressure group Residents Against Waste Site (RAWS) citing noise pollution and traffic concerns.
A most unsavoury spectacle in connection with the proposed waste plant has been the manner in which the local Conservatives used the RAWS campaign to get themselves elected at the local elections. The Conservatives promised that if people voted for them a Conservative council would give the extra £35,000 needed for RAWS to seek a Judicial Review. It certainly did the trick.
However, after Labour councillors and members of the public raised questions about the cost implications to local taxpayers which could have been much greater than the initial £35,000 and about the legality of such a donation (and the ethics!), pressure mounted on the Conservatives to reveal the legal advice that they had been given. But they refused to do so.
At the eleventh hour a mystery deal was brokered by the wannabe Conservative MP for the area. An unnamed 'wealthy philanthropist' suddenly provided £40, 000 for RAWS and saved the Conservatives from answering some serious and awkward questions.
There is certainly a bad smell around here and its not coming from any bin..>>
Find your Neighbourhood Police team 
