We say no to Tesco in Darlington!

10.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 15th Sep 2006

Darlington Liberal Democrats, at their monthly executive committee meeting this week, having reviewed all the evidence for and against the Tesco scheme, and having reviewed all the evidence from our ward surveys where we ask residents what they want to see in their town centre, have come out in opposition to the Tesco scheme.

Our statement reads: "At their monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 13th, Darlington Liberal Democrats' Executive Committee considered the evidence for and against the proposed Tesco development and also reviewed recent ward surveys which asked local residents what they would like to see in their town centre.

"As a result, Darlington Liberal Democrats will be opposing the Tesco scheme.We believe it to be a wasteful use of the publicly owned assets of the town centre for private commercial profit. It is reminiscent of the Shepherd scheme of the 1960s, when, as now, only one option was presented to the Council - an option which would have seen the destruction of the Victorian Covered Market. This option was thrown out, at considerable cost, when the Conservatives lost control of the Council at the local elections.

"There is considerable support in the town for a new bus station, and we would support that, together with an environmentally-friendly shuttle bus service around the town centre.

"We call on the Council to reject the Tesco scheme and to appoint a local commission to oversee a thorough and open-minded public debate about what the site should be used for. At the end of this the proposed solution should be put out to competitive tender so that a variety of commercial and leisure options can be considered."

This statement is not binding on our councillors who, as always, are not subject to a party whip and are free to make up their own minds about this issue, as with all other issues which come before the Council.