DR JOHN BUTTERWORTH

Madron

IT was with both gloom and anger that I read your headline announcing the go-ahead for fencing and cattle grazing at Lanyon Farm, Cam Galva and Carnyorth Common. I recalled a statement in September's Cornishman by Ross Champion, the local HEATH project manager, that "If there's a common consensus and people don't want it we're not going to go ahead and just do it."

Despite requests for clarification Mr Champion has been coy about what a common consensus might be.

In canvassing opinions on this subject over the past three months, (and leaving aside direct beneficiaries of the project), I have met many hundreds of local people against it and only two in favour.

On the day of the Newlyn Fish Festival I found over 100 visitors against it and only one in favour.

St Just Parish Council recently voted eight to two against the enclosure of Carnyorth Common.

I have regretfully come to the conclusion that no amount of objections would carry any weight with our quangocrats.

On any objective analysis more than 95 of both locals and visitors who have expressed an opinion are against these proposals. Ross Champion knows it, but, with the support of a few local landowners, he chooses to ignore this inconvenient truth.

Whatever else is within its remit, the HEATH Project will certainly be successful in promoting political cynicism. Why should any reasonable person participate in sham public consultations where the overwhelming public view is going to count for nothing? It is demeaning and degrading both to the participants and to any idea of democracy. If these political manipulators get their way I fear they will find they have sown the wind.