Grimsby News report about development threat to rare butterfly caused a bit of a flap at council HQ

 

The Wall - one of Britain's rarest butterflies survives (just)  in Cleethorpes

ON April 4, the Grimsby News carried a report under the headline, 'Tiny but scarce butterfly threatens to hold up controversial Cleethorpes  salmon-farming project'.

It included the following sentence:  "When members of North East Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee approved the project at a meeting in November last year, there was no reference to the tiny butterfly - either in the agenda papers or during the debate."

 

This was incorrect.

Although any reference was absent from the main agenda, we have since been advised that it was contained in a 'supplementary agenda'.

In a response to a request from North East Lincolnshire Council, we have therefore  amended our  post of April 4 accordingly.

However, it should also be stated that the existence of a supplementary agenda was not made plain to  the public and press.

Furthermore, it was published less than 24 hours before the start of the meeting, allowing potentially interested parties such as Natural England, almost no time nor opportunity to comment.

We understand that North East Lincolnshire Council's planning department has now resolved to update its notification processes in event late of supplementary information being supplied in advance of committee meetings.

Meanwhile, we stand by our assertion that there was no reference to the rare butterfly during the debate.

If there had been discussion about the under-threat insect, we should have reported it.