Resident says mob rule is just a group of pensioners (From Bucks Free Press)

Hughenden Valley man defends residents

9:35am Wednesday 1st December 2010 in High Wycombe By Rebecca Cain

Hughenden Parish Council's offices

A RETIRED scientist has hit back at a councillor who he said branded “a group of pensioners” a mob.

John Sherlock, from Fleet Close, Hughenden Valley, said the accusation of “mob rule” from a Hughenden Parish Councillor could not “be further from the truth.”

A row has ripped through the parish after residents became frustrated at the proposal of a rural affordable housing development on Warrendene Road, which is in the Green Belt, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and working agricultural land, earlier in the year.

The public gallery at the parish council meetings have been full since March and at the last meeting vice-chairman David Jarman asked why residents came to meetings in a “mob rule”.

Mr Sherlock, 66, said: “The accusation of mob rule- that really annoyed me.

“This wasn't a mob. This was a group of mainly pensioners. There is obviously a lot of feeling about the rural affordable housing. A lot of people question the need for it. The parish council, for whatever reason, seem intent it is going to be built and where it is going to be built.”

“There are a lot of people who are very upset about this. The council does not seem to be prepared to listen to the views of people they are there to represent.”

He said he attended the October meeting where John Beveridge was told to stop talking during the 15 minutes public speaking section by the chairman, Peggy Ewart.

Mr Sherlock said: “:People should have a right to address the parish council- provided the person doing the addressing is not offensive. That guy at the meeting was not offensive.”

Mrs Ewart, said on the council's website she was disappointed that there were not more residents at an open meeting held in Widmer End last month, where she said, “very few availed themselves of the opportunity the open meeting provided.”

Working with the council a second rural affordable housing survey from Community Impact Bucks was sent out to residents to identify whether rural affordable housing was needed in the parish. The results are expected in January.

The council has maintained it believes it would be a small scheme, of benefit to the parish. As part of the survey the council said residents must bear in mind that any site within the Hughenden parish area is likely to be a greenfield site within the Green Belt and AONB and any houses built would only be for people with a strong local connection to the Hughenden Parish.