Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

PFI decision 'called in' by Scrutiny Committee.
In what must be regarded as a victory for democracy over party politics, the much criticised decision, regarding various parcels of council owned land, will be re-visited.

The matter will be examined by the Scrutiny committee at their meeting on Wednesday 17 May when members of the public will, no doubt, air their views on the seemingly shoddy way in which this matter has been handled.

The call-in was instigated by myself and two other Independent councillors, joined later by a Conservative and a Lib Dem. I'm aware that my fellow Paxcroft Ward councillor regards Independent councillors variously as "piddling ... self-obsessed ... so-called 'Independents' ... fringe candidates" etc. etc. Perhaps what he, and other 'party' politicians, really fear is the fact that Independents can actually do what is right for the people without fear of intimidation! We're not gagged by having the blanket of party politics thrown over us and so we fall outside the cozy little world that the political parties like to control.