I received this from the ODPM today...

[The Large One]

Thank you for your correspondence to the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the planning applications by Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club Ltd. I am sorry for the delay in replying to you.

As you are aware, the Inspector's report into the planning applications has been received by this Office for consideration by the First Secretary of State. A decision has yet to be made. I can assure you that any representations received following the close of the public inquiry will be taken into account by the First Secretary of State, so far as they are relevant, in reaching his decision.

Once issued, a copy of the First Secretary of State's decision will be available on the ODPM website (www.odpm.gov.uk).

Yours sincerely,

Tim Elligott

*************

Which was very nice of them to write to me. The wierd thing is I never wrote to them in the first place... Ooooer.

 

[cheeseroll]

Which was very nice of them to write to me. The wierd thing is I never wrote to them in the first place... Ooooer.

yes you did ! we all did but it was months and months ago. i got my reply only today as well.

 

[Lammy]

The ODPM are not exactely greased lightening are they....

 

[Brovion]

I posted an identical thread a few days ago when I got mine! If you've only just got yours then poor old 'Tim' is obviously having to wade through all the email addresses and reply to each one individually.

 

[Yorkie]

I posted an identical thread a few days ago when I got mine! If you've only just got yours then poor old 'Tim' is obviously having to wade through all the email addresses and reply to each one individually.

Which may be holding up the decision because their clerical staff haven't had time to type it up yet

 

[Robbo]

I got the same reply today.

 

[cheeseroll]

hmmm i just got it again today, can they not just announce it and save on the email

 

[Scoffers]

Me and the missus got the same replies yesterday ..................

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

I got that today too.

 

[JJ McClure]

Yep, got that n'all.
As posted by cheeseroll if they just said YES they wouldn't have to bother with all these letters and e-mails.

 

[Marc]

same here, could it mean something that they are sending out this e-mail in the past week and now?

Dare I say ready for a decision next week?

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

You won't get anything until September now. 2 jags wont take a box again until the begining of September.

What it does mean though it that they aren't there bothering the civil servants so they can get on with all the work that has piled up.....

 

[NMH]

Yep, got that n'all.
As posted by cheeseroll if they just said YES they wouldn't have to bother with all these letters and e-mails.

I fear that you are right. If the answer is going to be 'no', then stalling and appeasing with politenesses would be a good policy.

 

[Bwian]

I fear that you are right. If the answer is going to be 'no', then stalling and appeasing with politenesses would be a good policy.

Isn't there an obligation for all elected MPs to reply to all letters they receive? If that is the case it could explain why people are now receiving their replies because the Falmer decision has been made and they're sending out letters because it's the next issue to be cleared up?

 

[BensGrandad]

I fear that you are right. If the answer is going to be 'no', then stalling and appeasing with politenesses would be a good policy.

I would take the opposite view that if the answer was no it would be easy to just say "No I have listened to Mr Hoile ( or whatever his name is) and agree with him". To say Yes he needs to be sure that he is making the right decision.

There is obviously arguments for both answers.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Isn't there an obligation for all elected MPs to reply to all letters they receive? If that is the case it could explain why people are now receiving their replies because the Falmer decision has been made and they're sending out letters because it's the next issue to be cleared up?

If you write to the Secretary of State, or a minister, you will only get a reply from an official. I have had to do several first drafts for my bosses, who then alter it and put in their own stuff, I sign it and send it out. This is because of the sheer volume of correspondence sent to members of the government. If you write to your MP, he or she will send your letter to the minister, and they will then get a letter signed by the minister, which they will show to you. The letter will still be drafted by officials, but the minister will at least read it and sign it, and be aware of the issue you have raised. If any of you wrote to your MPs, you should have had a ministerial reply, even if your MP disagreed with our plans. If this has not happened, that means the ODPM has not got its act together.

 

[m20gull]

I got reply from my MP and the Minister, so the system seems to work. MP still didn't sign the EDM (was that the complete fatuous waste of time it appears - have you seen some of the other ones that get submitted?)

 

[fataddick]

I got reply from my MP and the Minister, so the system seems to work. MP still didn't sign the EDM (was that the complete fatuous waste of time it appears - have you seen some of the other ones that get submitted?)

Hardly a waste of time given the raised profile it will have given to the Falmer issue within the corridors of Westminster.

Yes a lot of EDMs are a load of poo, but some things to bear in mind about the Falmer one are:

(a) It is the 86th most popular (in terms of signatures) of the 1,797 EDMs that have been filed since Labour came to power in 1997.

(b) It has more signatures than any other football-related EDM since Labour came to power.

(c) It is the second most popular (in terms of signatures) sport-related EDM since Labour came to power. Only one about the welfare of greyhounds (which is more animal welfare than sport really anyway) rates higher.

...all of which must count for something.

 

[Bwian]

Hardly a waste of time given the raised profile it will have given to the Falmer issue within the corridors of Westminster.

Yes a lot of EDMs are a load of poo, but some things to bear in mind about the Falmer one are:

(a) It is the 86th most popular (in terms of signatures) of the 1,797 EDMs that have been filed since Labour came to power in 1997.

(b) It has more signatures than any other football-related EDM since Labour came to power.

(c) It is the second most popular (in terms of signatures) sport-related EDM since Labour came to power. Only one about the welfare of greyhounds (which is more animal welfare than sport really anyway) rates higher.

...all of which must count for something.

That's actually quite impressive for a "provincial club". Bugger that-it's quite impressive PERIOD!

Thanks for that fataddick

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

yeah. my girlfriend got hers today. no sign of my reply yet tho.