Venue for the enquiry

Venue for the Inquiry is currently expected to be THE PORTAL GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB at Tarporley - but don't hold your breath on this one. There is considerable opinion that Tarporley is too far away from the concerned local community, and that ratepayers' money is being wasted on paying for the use of a private venue, when such an inquiry ought to take place in a public building - such as a town hall - which would also confer the necessary dignity on the occasion. More information to follow. Watch this space.

Dodgy going on in the cheshire gas plant plan

HEADLESS CHICKEN SHOOTS ITSELF IN FOOT

Scottish Power and its partner Ineos Chlor - "The Gas Plant Twins" - are so frightened by the massive flood of letters from the public, sent to Cheshire County Council opposing the planned Byley gas plant, that Ineos Chlor has shot itself in the foot by attempting to lever its employees into sending letters supporting the gas plant, and sending them from their home addresses as if they were impartial, rather than employees whose company would profit vastly from the gas plant.

An e-mail from Ineos Chlor to all North West employees, gives a standard letter, plus the technical refinement of a button to be "clicked" by employees enabling Ineos Chlor to know precisely who's been good and sent the letter - and who's been bad and not sent it! Said RAP member Dr Jamie Atherton, a retired local GP: "This is typical of the murky spin we've come to expect from the Gas Plant Twins. They're frightened now and they should be! RAP is regularly delivering 'no gas plant' letters to County Hall to save the cost of postage, and on one day alone: Tuesday 25th September, we took nearly 1,200 letters, with more arriving every day, and that's on top of the 5,000 already sent, and every one of them genuinely from worried members of the public." RAP Chairman, John Halstead added: "It's pretty dim to ask employees to send a standard letter. It was bound to get found out, and it has been found out, and it's further evidence of the ineptitude of Scottish Power and Ineos Chlor. And these are the people asking us to trust their competence to run a dangerous technology that's never before been placed among centres of population!" Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer

Death-Blow to Gas Plant Claims? RAP has arrived

Death-Blow to Gas Plant Claims? RAP has arrived

A detailed technical presentation by John Oakley, a highly-qualified engineer, has dealt a death-blow to Scottish Power's central claim that their Gas Plant is needed to secure national reserves of gas. Quoting strictly from published figures John showed that the Gas Plant will contribute only a miserable 3.5% to the national reserve of stored gas, a laughably-small compensation for the risk, pollution and environmental threat posed by this massive and untried industrial venture. John was speaking at the 12th July, Cranage Village Hall launch of "RAP" (Residents Against the Plant).

Welcoming the growing band of volunteers, RAP Chairman John Halstead announced that Vale Royal and Congleton Borough Councils have now rejected Scottish Power planning applications and are recommending Cheshire County Council to do likewise. He added: "Thanks for your efforts so far, especially the vital work of writing to Councilors to make sure they know that the entire local community opposes this wretched proposal that threatens our homes and our safety.

Now we must step up our careful, measured opposition, presenting a case backed by facts that will overturn Scottish Power's claims." Later, John Oakley - a champion whom Scottish Power have come to fear - went on to show that the only justification for the huge power of the thundering, jet-engine powered compressors that would cram gas into Scottish Power's underground caverns, is to enable Scottish Power to buy gas at the weekend when it is cheap, and sell it in the week when it is dear, making enormous profit for Scottish Power - profit which is the sole, entire and only reason for the Gas Plant. In closing the RAP meeting, Chairman John Halsted thanked John Oakley and commented: "Everyone should see your deeply-impressive presentation, especially those at Cheshire County Council who have the next decision on the Gas Plant!"