Gulf War veteran in row over council land (From This is The West Country)

Gulf War veteran in row over council land

12:00pm Friday 9th October 2009

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A GULF War veteran has been asked to remove a fence he put up around a plot of public land.

Former Royal Artillery sergeant Simon Aldridge cordoned off the site outside his home in Normandy Drive, Taunton, in 1979 and spruced it up with plants.

Now Mark Formosa, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Taunton, has criticised Taunton Deane Council for telling Mr Aldridge to remove the fence.

The council said individuals cannot take over public open spaces “however good their intention”.

Mr Formosa said the problem arose when Mr Aldridge tried to buy the land from the council.

“Instead of thanking him for looking after it and negotiating a nominal price, the council said he should immediately remove the fence and all his garden effects - or they’d move in and do it,” said Mr Formosa.

“Unfortunately, it’s becoming all too common these days for me to hear how the council is treating people in such an off-hand and unsympathetic manner.

“Here, we have somebody who has served his country and is now serving his community by looking after a piece of ground which would otherwise be littered with rubbish.”

A Deane spokeswoman said she could not discuss individual cases.

She added: “If a resident wishes to buy a piece of council-owned land, they’ll need to go through the proper process.

“The council won’t always wish to sell or transfer land.

“It’s important that open or amenity land is maintained as open space for all to enjoy rather than fenced off by individual property owners or tenants however good their intention.”

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