Someone has just sent me the following link -

rlhttps://www.methley-village.com/html/residents_association.htmlrl

It would seem that Methley & Mickletown Residents Association are happy to potentially commit libel now as well. Do you think they know that is what they are doing by blatantly claiming things they know not to be true and publishing them?

I am doubly angry that they have used a very disappointing incident that saw someone (we have no idea whom) attaching Statements of Support to a school newsletter at Rothwell St Mary's Catholic Primary school and sending it home with all the children in the school, to further their anti-campaign! I can't believe they have even printed this in a community newsletter in the first place but then they have twisted the story to insinuate that we were behind this and that we 'used' the headmaster and the children. We were not, we didn't, we have no idea who did and we equally condemn them for doing so, but I am amazed that anyone could sink so low as to use this to further their own campaign. This is simply low and despicable behaviour and only strengthens my original resolve to fight for this development.

Accuse 'us' of (wrongly) using children and then purposefully stoop much lower themselves! Horrible and unnecessary!

I will be contacting the headmaster tomorrow and clarifying exactly what he did said in his newsletter to parents about this... I suspect, it is not what is being 'claimed' in this newsletter!

Jesus, haven't they done enough already!

Can't see anything libellous or potentially libellous in that at all.

It looks like someone has done summat daft, but let's not get carried away here.

You mean other than the opening two sentences -

Yorkcourt attempts to influence policy process despite Inquiry

So they have evidence that Yorkcourt have attempted to influence policy process at Wakefield MDC... do you think they will be pleased about being accused of allowing a developer to gerrymander in a open policy process?

Methley News can reveal that Wakefield Council, despite an impending Public Inquiry, has agreed to allow Yorkcourt Properties to increase the size of the Newmarket site that they wish to develop into warehousing.

This is a great claim, they are claiming Wakefield council have agreed to allow Yorkcourt properties to increase the size of the site... so once again not only is this not true they are claiming that Yorkcourt asked for an got more land for development at Newmarket despite the fact that this is still an ongoing public process.

The further sub-text is that Yorkcourt are trying to circumvent the PI by another route! Very dodgy claims indeed and I suspect not one shred of evidence to back up their claims?

Now of course, as much I think that both Wakefield MDC and Yorkcourt have been potentially libelled then they are only guilty of libel if taken to court and ultimatley found guilty of it, which will not happen because it is a waste of time and effort. However, there is a big difference between biased reporting and blatantly making things up (and publishing it) and I think they are much closer to one than the other!

It's what they've done since day one and I defo think the relevant parties involved in the accusations should be told.

The head teacher at st marys school is completely responsible for any children taking part in any activity such as this. He should have had the intelligence not to allow it, as the head in our comprehensive did.
Staff ok, but primary school pupils,what an idiot. If this is true I would imagine he will be sweating on his job!!!

cant see where they have libeled anyone

I seem to remember an article on the WTWC website stating that the community department were getting primary school kids to fill in statements of support. I thought that this could not be true as an average 6 year old would not be able to make an informed choice about national planning policy. I also thought to any one unbiased it would look pretty low.

Please tell me they did not fill in the same statements of support as every one else as the wording in that it hardly child friendly. As this was also done in school time please assure me they were given both sides of the argument.

Here you go rlhttps://www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/2011/01/local-schools-support-stadium/rl

Very poor form, I would get off your high horse if I were you mr stone, you made a big issue about the fact that even kids could fill in the form on your web page. Also you must have been aware of the community team getting statements of support from schools. Like I said I do not see how any kid could sign your statement off support as you being you could not help but try making a point and in doing so have made the statement sound like very personal to yourself and totally incomprehensible to the average child.

All schools under the auspices of Education Leeds are instructed to be impartial in any such matters, this is clearly a mistake by the head and he has apologised, via a letter home to parents.
The only people making anything out of this are the methley resident(s) who published this in the methley news. Says more about them.
I have contacted the head at the school and have sent him the link to the methley news article for him to read, he may well be more wary of people in the future, especially those with the track record of our "friends" down on Newmarket Lane.
I am certain that this is a clear mistake, by all parties involved, an honest one by ourselves and Mr Nicholson, but as for the Methley News?????
Story over.

A couple of years ago, I was involved in a pressure group that helped to save my kid's school from being closed by the county council. The thing to do is to use this to gain publicity for your own cause... send out press releases to the media (ie Local Papers, Local Radio, Look North, Calendar etc) highlighting your concerns about the way that this has been reported and a balancing argument.

Rest assured that all this publicity will not make any difference to the planning outcome, but if you can put forward clear and coherent arguments in a very reasonable way, you can at least win a measure of respect from the locals ("Well, I'm against it, but at least they seem like a decent bunch"icon_wink.gif.

Best wishes

Well I can tell you categorically Mr Rugbyball that I have every one of the signed statements and I do NOT have such forms signed by groups of children from schools as you are claiming.

Under current law, children who are likely to be affected have a right to be part of any decision-making process. How they are involved is a matter for the people leading the project and opposing campaign.

However, I think the argument here is that it was not to do with children being involved, but the school as an institution sending the letters home to parents (as it makes it look like the letter has the backing of the school, and by implication, the council.)

Hmmm, yes, apart from that bit.

Well read the link from your own site!!! Unless you mean you no longer have any!!!

I would say the article on the Trin site is pretty explicit about kids filling in statements of support.

Education Leeds' policy is one of neutrality in such matters, i know for a 100% fact that residents opposing the development have contacted schools in this area for their support, we just dont go around shouting about it or using underhand tricks which could result in someone losing their job to further our single minded campaign.