AT a chaotic Planning Committee meeting last Wednesday (July 18), Wiltshire councillors managed to make the right decision - to refuse the proposed waste incinerator at Westbury - but for the weakest of all possible reasons.

The real reasons that they wanted to turn it down were the huge public opposition to the plan, and the concerns which local residents had raised about the damaging health implications of emissions from the plant, including dioxins and nitrous oxides, and particulates too small to be caught by filters on its chimney. However, council officers wrongly advised councillors that, having approved a smaller incinerator in 2015, they could only refuse this one on the grounds that a bigger building would be visually intrusive.

The officers chose to ignore at least four valid planning reasons for refusal put forward by objectors at the meeting, as well as the fact that councillors have an overriding responsibility to public safety.

Another totally compelling reason which was not even considered was the fact that since the 2015 decision the UK has signed the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and any waste incineration will further increase the

CO2 in the atmosphere, act against the UK's commitments, and worsen what has now become a climate change emergency.

It seems likely that the decision will now be called in for decision by the Government. We must now hope that this process will also include a full public inquiry, so that all these issues can be fully discussed and taken into account.

Brig Oubridge

Green Party candidate for Salisbury