DERWENTHORPE DECISION NOW IN THE HANDS OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

DERWENTHORPE DECISION NOW IN THE HANDS OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION

November 5, 2009 12:00 AM

The office of the UK Permanent Representative to the EU has confirmed that the letter from the UK Government in response to the Derwenthorpe case has now been sent to the Commission. The letter was in response to the reasoned opinion delivered in June to the UK Government.

Lib Dem Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Andrew Waller made a self funded visit to the European Parliament in October to put pressure on the UK Government to complete the paperwork in time, and to meet with Vice President of the European Parliament Diana Wallis MEP.

Cllr Waller said, "In essence the UK Government were being asked to give guidance to all local councils and there needed to be demonstration that City of York Council had upgraded its procurement training and rules to prevent a repetition of the situation."

"It has been difficult to get the wheels of Whitehall bureaucracy in motion at times, and the Commission has been very patient in extending deadlines. I would like to thank the offices of Diana Wallis MEP, and Rt Hon Rosie Winterton (as Minister for Yorkshire and Humber) for their staff's help in keeping the pressure on central Government to deliver the response as the City council was not allowed to do this directly. Council Officers and the Council's legal team have also been hard at work to help with the delivery of the document from the government.

"If the Commission are able to give a positive response by Christmas then work could start on the site in March, and it would bring valuable construction jobs at a difficult time for the industry and lead to the development of much needed family housing. I shall be working closely with Diana Wallis on this new phase of the issue to help gain a positive result for the city."