Lib Dems Force KCC U Turn On Brogdale

12.00.00am GMT Thu 13th Dec 2007

KCC's powerful all party Scrutiny Committee resolved yesterday (12.12.07) to write to Government as a matter of urgency in support of keeping the internationally known collection of fruit trees on its current site at Brogdale. The Committee decided to reject the position taken earlier by Conservative Cabinet Member Cllr Roger Gough who had advised DEFRA in May that Kent County Council supported removing the collection from Brogdale to East Malling Research Station.

They agreed instead to take the view of Lib Dem Group Leader Trudy Dean who forced the issue as a late entry onto the Scrutiny Committee's Agenda following an approach from Heather Hooper, Dr Joan Morgan and Simon Brice of the Friends of the Brogdale Fruit Collection. Dr Joan Morgan gave evidence to the Committee on the horticultural impact of the loss of ' an incomparable fruit collection unrivalled anywhere else in the world' and Tony Hiller owner of the Brogdale site spoke about the importance of retaining the international brand name and an important visitor attraction with associated jobs in Swale.

Under questioning from Trudy, Cllr Gough admitted that he had found the decision 'difficult'. He accepted that he ignored the objections of Swale Borough Council, and the local member Andrew Bowles to the removal of the collection and agreed he had not helped himself by consulting more widely. He also agreed that he had not asked for a scientific assessment of the effect of moving the collection from Brogdale, or any expert evaluation of the alternative bids submitted to DEFRA by companies wishing to manage the collection from next Spring when the current contract runs out. (It is understood three of the bids include keeping the collection at Brogdale ) He suggested he had not done so because Defra had indicated that the view of the County Council would have 'minimal effect' on their decision.

Members of all parties agreed to write to the Minister urgently when they were advised that the selection of the preferred bidder was to happen in the next few days. They also agreed to ask the Leader of the Council Paul Carter, who is understood to have been aware of Cllr Gough's letter, to reconsider his position and asked Roger Gough to withdraw his letter.

Trudy Dean said "It is a damming criticism of KCC's Cabinet system that Cllr Gough wrote his letter on behalf of Kent County Council without his decision becoming known to the rest of us until now. Given the international reputation of Brogdale and its importance to the economy of Kent it is even more outrageous that he took a decision without proper expert advice. I am pleased the Council's Scrutiny Committee has come to unanimous view on this issue and I hope it is not too late to persuade the Minister to keep the collection at Brogdale where it belongs.'