Old Man Stan gets up Tory noses !

10.15.00am GMT Fri 8th Jan 2010

Basildon's favourite muppet, Old Man Stan, has certainly upset administration members at Basildon Council, with his celebration of 2009 Bazza Christmas and his comments on proposals for Basildon Golf Course. Particularly peeved was the portfolio holder for Leisure and the Arts who has recently been highlighted in the local press for his regret that local people have used democratic procedures to try and overturn development proposals for the golf course. Such arrogance is not uncommon with council administrations whose paternalistic and centralist approach leads them to believe that, of course, they know best what the people want and are happy to completely disregard public opinion.

No matter how fervently the council administration may hope that the Golf Course Saga will come to an end and disappear, it will not until all legitimate means have been used to overturn the decision to allow this most handsome landscape to be permanently disfigured by the dumping of 100's of 1000's of tonnes of waste on it.