Councillor defends decision to vote for a travellers' site (Leicester Mercury 7/2/09)

A councillor who was criticised after backing a plan for a permanent travellers' site on his patch has defended his actions, saying it was the best way to stop it going ahead.
Groby parish and county councillor Martin Cartwright voted for the proposed site in Anstey Lane, near the A46 and A50, at a Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council meeting in January.
His actions were strongly criticised at a meeting of Groby Parish Council on Monday, attended by about 70 people.
Speaking after the meeting, parish council chairman Peter Batty said: "Councillor Cartwright was left in no doubt as to what the large number of residents thought of him. He was told in no uncertain terms that they felt badly let down by him."
However, Coun Cartwright said he voted for the site in Anstey Lane to "make sure it absolutely wouldn't happen".
If the site in Anstey Lane was approved it would be on parish council land, which would mean the authority would have more control over what happened there.
At the borough council meeting in January, councillors were asked to vote on whether they would prefer a temporary camp near to the A46 or a permanent site in Anstey Lane.
Coun Cartwright said: "It was an either/or decision, there wasn't the chance to vote against both proposals. If there was a third option I would have taken it. I knew the people of Groby were 100 per cent against the temporary site and the permanent site would fall on land which we owned – which meant we had much greater control of the situation.
"The fact that people have been calling for my head merely means they don't understand what has happened.
"I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. This decision gives us the best possible chance to stop the site happening."
The borough council will start an eight-week consultation on February 9, when residents will be able to have their say.

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I cannot understand the hositility there seems to be about at Parish Council and Public Meetings towards Martin Cartwright.
He is on our side and does what he thinks is right which some people may not agree with.
He means well and we should not be in-fighting with people on the same side otherwise Divide and Rule will win the day.
It is only a question of How to resist the proposals , there is no right and wrong way as long as we all fight them how we see fit.
I think the events will prove him to be Clever by proposing a site furthest away from us all , which the parish council owns , becomes the favoured site on the plan and then Vote to not sell the land hence becoming a no goer.