Council and Police can say no to Bail House plans
The Prisons Minister, David Hanson, has indicated that council and local police should be able to say ‘no’ to plans for bail houses to be sited in their area.
This week saw North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson challenge Mr Hanson in House of Commons exchanges over plans to site a bail house in Bodmin. In response, the Minister said: “the issue remains: if, when ClearSprings proposes a property, the police or the local council object to it being used for such a purpose, it will be withdrawn from the potential use. If North Cornwall district council objects, we will certainly revisit the scheme”.
Mr Rogerson has now written to the Minister seeking urgent clarification, following North Cornwall District Council’s formal objection to the proposals.
Commenting, he said:
“The Minister appears to suggest that if the police or the local council lodges an objection, schemes will automatically be withdrawn.
“North Cornwall District Council has made its position plain, as have I as local Member of Parliament. The Government hasn’t produced any evidence of a need for a bail house in Bodmin, and local people will be unconvinced unless they can do so.
“Promises to ‘revisit’ these proposals will not do. The Council has objected and local people have protested. The Ministry of Justice must sit up and take notice.”
