RECRIMINATIONS continued this week after an eagerly awaited public meeting organised by the company behind the Winkleigh biomass scheme was cancelled amid fears of ?violent conduct? by opponents of the scheme.
Peninsula Power Limited (PPL) board members said they were furious that Chulmleigh Community College had taken the decision to cancel the public briefing which was due to take place in the college?s main hall last Thursday.
But the education authority says it was only responding to fears of violence that it believes were raised by the company.
PPL chairman, Tony Fitzsimons said: ?This meeting was specifically called to allow those interested to hear from the authors of crucial independent reports so that they would be properly equipped with the right information at future public meetings.?
He said people would have also been able to view a scale model, putting the visual impact of the project into perspective and to view a ?fly-around? graphic representation of the buildings.
He added: ?It is ironic, that after continually being criticised for a failure to communicate, when we do lay on a means to engage with the community, it is local action that denies us.?
Mr. Fitzsimons added that Chulmleigh Community College had been selected as the largest venue available and that PPL had booked transport from Winkleigh village centre for interested parties unable to otherwise attend.
But opponents of the controversial scheme say the blame for the meeting?s cancellation rests with Peninsula Power.
Roger Smith, DUST (Devon Under Serious Threat) member said: ?PPL have clearly demonstrated their inability to handle even straightforward administrative and communicative tasks.
?PPL are reluctant to engage the parish of Winkleigh ? particularly in Winkleigh ? in regard to their biomass project. So far their attempts to do so have been PR disasters, they have provided no sense of rationality, reassurance or thoughtful decision making.?
A Devon County Council spokesmen, commenting on behalf of the college, said the hall had been booked just before half-term with no indication it was intended to be a meeting about a controversial matter.
The spokesman said: ?A representative of a security firm visited the school and said to staff that he was expecting trouble.
?At this stage, the principal didn?t feel it was a suitable meeting to be held on the premises.?
Matthew Jackson, UKIP prospective parliamentary candidate for West Devon and Torridge, who lives at Winkleigh, expressed outrage at the cancellation and challenged the company to call another public meeting before the consultation period expires on November 16.
He said it should be held in Winkleigh where the case could be presented to residents and questions answered.
Mr Jackson said: ?The time has come for Peninsula Power Limited to stop treating the residents of Winkleigh as a bunch of irate villages carrying flaming torches as if from a Hammer horror film, but rather as reasonable human beings with legitimate concerns for their own livelihoods, environment and welfare. It is time for Peninsula Power to stop playing games and grow up.?
The meeting had been arranged by the promoters to share the findings of independent studies of the project, carried out on its behalf, outlining the positive impact the plant would have on job creation in the area, as well as assisting in meeting targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.