MP Demands Transparency from Government

12.00.00am GMT Mon 9th Dec 2002

"In November I wrote to Tessa Jowell MP (Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport), concerning future plans for Pen Ponds car park."

"I was somewhat concerned that in a letter she had sent to one of my constituents she had stated, "The Pen Ponds car park will not be closed until transport to and from Pen Ponds is in place"."

"This seems to imply that the decision to close the car park has already been made, riding roughshod over the second public consultation."

"The public have a right to have a say on this matter, especially in light of overwhelming opposition to the proposed closure, including from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust on grounds of safety."

"Furthermore the RPA have consistently failed to turn up to public meeting on the grounds that this may have had a negative effect on the consultation process, and they have also refused to release a copy of the Land Use Consultants Report (published May 2001) dealing with the proposed removal of the car park."

"I believe that in order to resolve this situation there must be transparency and honesty from all involved parties. If this does not happen I will not hesitate to refer the whole matter to the Parliamentary Ombudsman".