I AM sure that most people will have read the report concerning the decision on the lighting at the cemetery near Keighley Tarn. As an opponent of the application, I would have liked to have spoken about it.

The decision was made by the regulatory and appeals committee, of which I am an alternate member. I am also deputy chair of the Keighley planning committee.

As a result of my known opinion, I was unable to sit on the committee. I asked for legal advice in advance to see if I could speak to the committee in order to oppose the planning application. It was confirmed in writing that I could speak.

I was told on the day that I could not. I understand that the original advice was wrong, but at that stage there was nothing I could do. I suggested resigning but the advice was that the application was so unlikely to pass that it wouldn’t be worth it.

I was dismayed that the application was passed. The site is green belt and next to Keighley Tarn, home to nesting and migratory birds, which along with nocturnal mammals and certain insects can be severely impacted by excess lighting. This was made clear in the biodiversity report. It has rather less to do with newts and toads, which can survive well in domestic habitats.

The site is in a protected area and yet now has 10m lights. It was compared to football stadiums at the meeting, usually sited in the centre of towns and cities, rather than in green belt.

No risk assessment, independent or otherwise, was submitted to justify the health and safety concerns.

I concluded that perhaps some members may have come to the meeting already decided about what they were going to do.

I am no longer confident that this committee and the Keighley planning committee could make impartial decisions. I resigned.

Paul Godwin, councillor for Keighley West

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