A WIN ! BUT MORE TO DO

HUGE WIN FOR THE FOREST OF DEAN!

At last Thursday's meeting, Councillor Bernie O'Neill's motion to pause the Biosphere application was successfully passed. The relief in the room was palpable.

Behind us sat the Commoners and the passionate campaigners who have fought tirelessly for this. For too long, local people have been completely bypassed, ignored, and left in the dark about the real consequences of this designation.

To be absolutely clear: this is a total pause. It guarantees that real, meaningful consultation must now take place, and we will be checking that the pause is total

Instead of listening to genuine concerns and accepting that they got it wrong, those of us who supported the motion are being accused by supporters of the Designation (who tend to be Green Party supporters from what we can tell) of "playing politics" and trying to damage the administration.

Let's be clear: I believe the Green Party is an utter calamity that is doing untold damage to the Forest of Dean Council in its final years. But they are nowhere near important enough to dictate anything regarding the actual future of our Forest. It was never about politics; it's about the Forest of Dean. They are also not the only Calamitous political group.

For half ( two) of the Labour Councillors to continue to support the Greens in the face of what the public was telling them is astonishing. Their other two Councillors did vote for the pause, but this current Labour group has Councillors who have now voted for the Two New Town Consultation on the Local Plan to go ahead, saved the Greens in a motion of no confidence and now gone against the Commoners' Association to support the Bisosphere application. All at a time when nationally the Greens are kicking Labour's backside. It says much.

What is truly offensive is watching Cabinet members look the public in the face and tell them they have been consulted, when those very people are saying they haven't. Telling the public they are wrong to be angry is an absolute failure of leadership.

Trust has been completely lost. The Cabinet member responsible for this Biosphere mess needs to fall on his sword. If he truly cares about this area and truly believes this biosphere badge will do it and its people well, he must step down and allow a new Cabinet member to start afresh, rebuild trust, and actually work with our Commoners, Freeminers, and the general public.

But they, whoever they may be, should note that if the public says No, it means NO,