SIGNATURES AGAINST TESCO

A petition objecting to Tesco's expansion plans in our town can be found near the counter of a well-known Brigg shop. Several pages of signatures have been collected so far. If this is your view of this large-scale project (previously outlined at length by Brigg Blog) you can find the petition at Nisa Local (Dent's of Brigg), on Queen Street, and add your name. Everyone has a democratic right to petition local government, or the national version, for that matter. However, my long experience over more than 30 years covering countless council meetings, brings the oft-quoted phrase "on planning grounds" to mind. Councillors considering a planning application should only refuse it for valid and relevant reasons. Otherwise, expect an appeal direct to the government.
The current petition against Tesco's plans is certainly useful in demonstrating the views of the many adding their signatures, but I didn't see any reasons stated for objecting, other than reference to the firm's expansion in Brigg.
As long as Tesco's and Lidl's new supermarket plans have been lodged with North Lincolnshire Council, Brigg Town Council may well decide to hold a "full council meeting" on Wednesday, December 8, in the Angel Suite, to consider its views. Town councillors do not have the power to rule on planning applications but can make their collective view known to the North Lincolnshire authority, which has.
The suggestion of holding this special session on December 8 is to be considered tomorrow (Monday 22nd) by Brigg Town Council at its November meeting, again in the Angel Suite (7.45pm). There will be a 15-minute period set aside for Public Question Time, prior to the formal part of the meeting.
Those Brigg Blog followers wanting to remind themselves of Tesco's plans can use the search facility at the top of this page.