July 29, 2015
England

‘Feedback forms stolen and comment pages ripped away’ during Chislet Windfarm consultation

Canterbury Times | July 28, 2015 | www.canterburytimes.co.uk

A public consultation into controversial wind farm plans may have been sabotaged after completed feedback forms were reportedly stolen and pages torn from a comments book.

More than 100 Chislet residents squeezed into the local church to give their views on plans to build up to 11 wind turbines on land just south of Thanet Way.

However, RES, the company behind the turbine plan, subsequently discovered the forms had been removed from a closed box, which is illegal.

RES spokesman Alison Jones said: “We want to draw your attention to the fact that completed feedback forms were removed from a closed box and pages torn from the comments book at the Chislet public consultation event last night, at some time between the hours of 7pm and 8pm.

“Whether this was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the consultation, or intended as a silly joke, it is a very serious matter: under the Data Protection Act it is a criminal offence to knowingly obtain, disclose or procure the disclosure of personal information without consent.

“In light of this, we have reported the matter to Kent police.

“We hope that you will join us in persuading the culprit(s) to do the right thing by publicly censuring this thoughtless act as a serious infringement of the democratic rights of local people to have their views heard and respected – whatever those views may be.”

One of those who spoke out against the plan was the area’s MP, Sir Roger Gale, who called the proposal “a non-starter”.

He said he had no idea what had happened to the forms, but put it down to “feelings running high.”

“You will appreciate that your company`s desire to ride roughshod over the wishes of local people led to feelings running high and I am frankly not surprised by that,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/07/29/feedback-forms-stolen-and-comment-pages-ripped-away-during-chislet-windfarm-consultation/