Is Aberdeenshire Council Corrupt???
Regular readers know my feelings about Donald Trump and his plans to annihilate a sand dune system to turn it into a golf resort resplendent with a monstrous hotel that would blight the landscape, hundreds of houses and some condo towers. The fact that these sand dunes are now a rare type of eco-system and have SSSI status seems to be ignored by Trump, his organisation and various people in Aberdeenshire.
It was a short moment of celebration when it was announced that the infrastructure committee rejected the plans because the news soon broke that Aberdeenshire Council had decided to call an emergency meeting with a view to overturning this decision.
This brings into question the ethics of the council and the validity of the planning process - what is the point of putting development plans before these committees if the council leader will pull strings to get her own desired result?
I say this because it is my understanding that Anne Robertson, Aberdeenshire Council Leader, opened last week's meeting of the Formartine Area Committee with a speech wholly supporting the plans - this is a very unusual way of opening a meeting of a planning committee and does not exactly foster open debate and decision making.
She has also failed, thus far, to speak out against the assault of one of her Councillors, Debra Storr, following her vote against the plans in the infrastructure committee meeting.
My belief is that there is a process in place for development plans, and this process needs to be followed - it cannot be re-arranged to suit specific individuals.
So the need to speak out against this environmental destruction continues and first port of call is to add your vote to the Poll being run by the (heavily biased) Press & Journal newspaper:
You can also Digg the article for this poll HERE.
Sustainable Aberdeenshire would welcome the support of anyone who wishes to get involved with letter writing, awareness raising etc - and you don't need to be in Aberdeen or even Scotland 
You can sign the following petitions:
More information about the proposed development can be found on these sites:
Thank you!!!
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Tags: aberdeen, campaigns, donald trump, menie estate, north east
Posted on December 1, 2007 in Environment, Opinionated, Wordy.
Well I am AMUSED by your site, go get a life. Corrupt ?? Aberdeenshire Council, depends which half you are talking about the ones that are with you against Trump or the ones like me that are against you and are for Trump. Martin Ford comes to mind he must be right off the top shelf for what he has done, all for his own personal opinion and views. When reading the criteria how to become a councillor and the role he had to play as chairman, he has blatently disregarded what it says when it comes to decision taking. HE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE PUBLIC IN GENEREAL BUT A MINORITY WITH VIEWS LIKE HIS OWN. Why the hell he was allowed to become chairman with such biased views beggers belief.It is time he came off his penny farthing and got real. You lot would all be as well looking toward the stars and moon because you are no use on planet earth get real you lot. The only thing I see on those dunes are people walking their dogs who poo everywhere and leave their little deposits for future generations to step on, oops sorry and the hundreds of tourists that come to see your dunes and do so much for the economy NOT!! Well we will all be basking in solitude with just seagulls, sand dunes and sea air to keep us going. TRUMP SUPPORTER.
Thank you for your comments, I appreciate hearing your views.
Unfortunately when anonymous people use language like “go get a life” and other insults they demonstrate an inability to hear a different viewpoint – which is the cornerstone of real democracy, isn’t it?
‘Corrupt’ is the correct word.
There are two core issues here:
1) The proposed development wants to utilize land which is theoretically ‘protected’. End of story–the ecosystem is either protected, or it’s not.
In this case, the Council appears to think that ‘protected status’ is just a ’suggestion’ rather than a mandate against development. So much for the rule of law–if you have enough money, the Council will just ignore the laws in your favor.
2) Democratic process: as with any other application, this went to committee and was rejected via the usual deliberative process.
End of story. However, once again, if you have lots of money, it appears that the Council will simply ignore its own decision-making mechanisms and rule by mere fiat.
This is not ‘democracy’, but mere oligarchy, with those at the top ignoring laws and procedures as it suits them.
Frankly, there is absolutely no reason to vote for any local office, because councils and the Executive alike have proven repeatedly that such individuals have absolutely no impact–if a local authority’s decision is not pleasing to those higher up, they simply reverse it.
That being so–that the ultimate decision on ANY issue rests with the senior hierarchy–why bother with the charade of ‘democracy’ at all? Simply submit all planning applications straight to the Executive (the Reporters Unit, specifically) and let those half-dozen folk decide.
It’ll save lots of time, money and effort, since they hold all the power anyway.
Democracy is, I submit, dead in Scotland and dead in the UK, replaced by an unaccountable mandarin class which rules as and how they please, changing or ignoring the laws to suit themselves.
If you were homeless and jobless would you be so willing to turn Trump away for the sake of sand dunes and seagulls I THINK NOT!!!!!!!! ye get a life!!! HUNDREDS WOULD’NT SAY NO TO A JOB THAT OFFERS THE MINIMUM WAGE YOU OBVIOUSLY DON’T NEED THE MONEY and ye I am entitled to my opinion just the same as you are and if I want to be anonymous that is my right too !!!!!!
You are correct – you are entitled to your opinion and you are voicing it. Just as I am entitled to my opinion and I am voicing it. Whilst you are being rude and insulting, I haven’t removed your comments so your freedom of speech is not compromised.
Trump is welcome to invest in the future of Scotland as long as he is capable of following the rules and procedures that are in place and respecting things like the law. Simple.
I respect the right of anyone to air their views as indeed this anonymous person has done. However I think it is important that you don’t hide behind the cowardly blanket of anonymity.
Furthermore I am amazed and apalled that this issue has really brought out some real venom on the part of those who believe that the decision that has been taken is wrong for Aberdeenshire. Never before have I seen so many people be so outrightly rude and poisonous towards a group of people who genuinely think that the sands are worth protecting. The language used by this anonymous person is a further example of that.
I have been subject to a tirade of borderline abuse for having similar views to Taexalia. Caring about the Menie area does not mean you are naive or stupid.
A golf course in Aberdeenshire is not going to make or break our economy. People have an overinflated view of just what Trump will bring to the area. This isn’t “Local Hero”.