District or County - Who's Calling the Shots?

I'M a little confused as to who is actually top dog in the Ormskirk Bypass scheme.

Lancs County Council bosses have certainly been getting out there and making sure we know what's going on and where.

But the district council? Well, apart from a small section on their website, not a lot has been emananting from the corridors of power at Derby Street.

Fair enough you might think, especially as technically speaking this is the County's baby and WLDC is basically just waiting for the planning application.

But I do hope that behind the scenes, Bill Taylor's men are having some input. Afterall, I'm pretty certain some part of the newly-built bypass will fall under the council's 'Street Scene' remit, or whatever it's called in 10 years time (probably Department of Routes, Accesses and Recyling Enablement or something equally as daft).

Even if it doesn't, it's still going to have a massive impact on West Lancashire and I'm sure the planners would have something to say on it.

But in a scheme such as this, who really calls the shots? West Lancs could, if its councillors were minded, scupper the whole thing by blocking the planning application.

Back in the real world though, such a decision is bound to get overturned by the government and the mischief makers would get a nasty rap on the knuckles.

On a slightlty different note though, it's interesting to note that up to now there's been no official party line and whip on this issue. There's pro and anti bypass sentiments in both the Tory and Labour ranks.

Personally, I think it would be a foolish party leader who tried to whip this issue. It's far too important to be dominated by party politics and so far it appears that this hasn't happened.

Long may that continue...

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