Planners first for special measures?

Dear Sir,

I note recent correspondents to your letter pages suggesting Cheshire East Council should be put under special measures.

I am not sure about the precise procedure for this, though perhaps its planning department could be used as a pilot, pending Cheshire East's application.

Whatever the reason, it seems ludicrous that an air quality assessment statement that could have a bearing on planning applications comes out days following the adoption of Cheshire East's local plan.

Is this the local authority equivalent of burying inconvenient news so that it competes with more newsworthy headlines that are more of a social dimension?

At best, it suggests the various arms of Cheshire East do not communicate and if they do have a worrying idea of behaving rationally.

"Not acting in the public interest" seems to be something that could be included in the reasons for this application for "special measures".

Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.