With thousands of pounds being raised to fight the towns' cause, Hatfield Against Incineration (HAI) were left dumbfounded by the actions of Clare Berry, a Hatfield resident and County Councillor, during a critical Herts County Council meeting on Tuesday 29th Nov. Despite being a representative of Hatfield residents, who are clearly against the proposed Veolia incinerator, Councillor Berry saw fit to vote to keep New Barnfield as a site for an incinerator.

As a Conservative councillor, she voted with the ruling party against the motion to exclude New Barnfield, but went much further than her colleagues by actually speaking AGAINST removal of New Barnfield from the list. She must be the only resident in her Ward and Division who actually WANTS an incinerator on her doorstep!

Hatfield residents have long been united against the planned waste burner. As a councillor, how on Earth can Clare Berry believe she is representing her electorate? She’s seen evidence, time and again, that the people of Hatfield don’t want this plant. She evidently believes she can decide for them and that they are mistaken and that she is right.

HAI believe this position is clear evidence that Cllr Berry is unfit for any public office.

The committee of HAI discussed this situation at their meeting on Tuesday evening. The unanimous view was that we should seriously consider standing an independent HAI candidate if Cllr Berry decides to re-stand for Hatfield Villages Ward when her period of office expires at the next election in May 2012, as a clear sign that we believe her unfit to hold elected office.

Simon Archer, HAI chairman, commented “Councillor Berry’s actions are simply unbelievable. Having over a thousand people on a protest march in her local town centre is apparently not enough to convince her that her ward residents don’t want this plant. Her actions are a slap in the face to the people of Hatfield and HAI will not let her get away with this. She has to go, and the sooner the better. We need someone who will stand up for their residents, not betray their trust in such an outrageous manner.”

The motion, put forward by County and Borough Councillor Malcolm Cowan was to exclude New Barnfield from the Waste Site Allocations Document Consultation. The vote was 43 for vs 20 against. Two Conservative councillors rebelled against the Party line, those being Cllr Stuart Pile and Cllr Steve Markiewicz.

Discussion of the position of Cllr Bill Storey, who also spoke against the motion, was postponed as he is not a borough councillor and his County seat will not be contested until May2013