I would like to wish Julie and Tony Knott well after their long planning legal ordeal with Caradon District Council. I am very pleased that they have at least had peace over Christmas and enter the new Millennium with better heart and spirit than they have enjoyed for a number of years.
i would like to add to Julie Knott's comments regarding her apologies to Caradon ratepayers for the expense these proceedings have involved. This is a very magnanimous gesture from a family so obviously affected by various judgements made by CDC officers and councillors which transpired to be wrong in law.
Most of the actions voted on by councillors occurred before I personally became a councillor. In fact I had great difficulty in securing previous details of the case from CDC legal department event though I would be required to make a decision on the related enforcement issue.
However I would like the public to know that my vote regarding the last episode in the Knott's saga was recorded. I was one of ONLY three councillors who voted against taking enforcement action.
Now we know that the enforcement action was also lost and must be paid out of council taxpayers' money.
My view remains the same as it did at full council meeting on October 21. We should have awaited the result of the High Court case which we all knew would take place on December 15. However the majority of councillors accepted their officers' advice to continue pursuing enforcement proceedings. Now further council taxpayers' money - your money - has been lost.
Readers may be aware of my endeavours to have all councillors decisions recorded on all matters. I believe that vote recording is still the best method of concentrating minds at council meetings.
You, the ratepayer, can then exercise your right and see back copies of agendas and vote us out through the ballot box if you don't like the decisions we have made on your behalf.
This is true democracy in action.
I wish the Knotts well in the year 2000 and beyond.
MRS DAWN AUSTIN,
Liskeard South Ward