Council 'riding roughshod' over playground protesters
Torbay Council is hoping to see a new Lottery-funded £500,000 playground erected on Paignton Green.
But the Paignton Preservation and Local History Society and many users of the green believe the location is wrong.
Now the council has sent local residents a questionnaire seeking their views on whether they think having a playground on the green is a good idea.
Torbay Council has vehemently denied the allegations concerning the questionnaire saying it had allowed the society to pre-view its questions and was still waiting for feedback.
Eileen Donovan, secretary of the conservation watchdog, said many people in Paignton were furious with what she claimed were 'pre-loaded questions and biased questionnaire'.
She said: "Torbay Council is intent on riding roughshod over the views of local people on the issue of where to build a new children's playground in Paignton.
"The latest, and final, public consultation on the issue presents the plan to build the play park on Paignton Green as a done deal with five questions which don't address the main controversy — its location.
"It appears the disputed playground is to be put on Paignton Green whether the community wants it there or not.
"Torbay Council's so-called consultation questionnaire does not allow a choice in the matter.
"Those who oppose putting the playground on the green cannot say 'no'. All they are allowed to say is it is a poor choice."
A Torbay Council spokesman said: "The society was offered the opportunity five days ago to comment on the draft questionnaire and to date the Paignton Town Community Partnership has not received a response from them.
"We are making urgent efforts to contact the society so we can have further discussions with them and provide a more detailed response to the points they have raised.
"There is absolutely no question of us riding roughshod over the local community. We sincerely hope they are not trying to prejudice the consultation process before it has even got underway."
However, Mrs Donovan fears the plans will go ahead regardless while ignoring people's views.
The consultation questionnaire from Torbay Council regarding the Geo play park on the green includes questions such as: "What is your overall opinion of the play park project? or What is your opinion of the play park location?
"Is it excellent, good, OK, poor, don't know?"
She added: "The council will proceed with building the playground on the green, to the detriment of the regatta, BMAD, and all the other traditional activities previously enjoyed by Paigntonians and visitors.
"The people definitely do not want the playground on the Green. It seems the council is determined to ride rough-shod over the clearly-expressed wishes of the public.
"We may go to the courts or the ombudsman if the council continue to ignore the views of the people."
Tony Moss, chairman of the society, said he had received an email from the council but had only seen it late yesterday.
He added: "We would hate to see the Lottery funding go somewhere else.
"We are in favour of the playground, but in the right location and this means not on the Green."
Mr Moss said a campaign to protect the green from any development with a village green status were still on track.
He said: "We've replied to the council's objections. It will now be heard before the full council in December."
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