Winding Up BABTAG

I am writing to you about why the BABTAG management committee feels that the Action Group has run its course and recommends that it should be wound up. The reason is that all the office bearers wish to stand down after many years in post and it has not been possible to find replacement candidates from within the committee several of whom also wish to stand down. It also seems an appropriate time in that the traffic mitigation measures for Barkby and Barkby Thorpe that BABTAG has fought for so long are likely soon to be implemented.
As those of you with longest memories will recall BABTAG was set up in 2008 to oppose the building of the North East of Leicester SUE (now Thorpebury) and to defend the integrity and rural setting of the villages of Barkby and Barkby Thorpe. When the argument over building was lost and Charnwood Council approved the 4500 houses scheme BABTAG adopted a monitoring role and has sought to hold the developers to all the conditions they had had to accept to gain overall planning permission. Over the years that monitoring role has extended to a number of other housing proposals which may well see another 1500 houses on fields close to Barkby and Barkby Thorpe.
With BABTAG no longer operating who will keep wary eye on the developers? BABTAG has not been alone in defending the integrity of the villages and has worked closely with Barkby parish council to hold the Thorpebury builders to account and to oppose unwanted further encroachment. Given that four current members of the BABTAG management committee are on the  parish council I am sure that it will hold to those tasks in the years to come and keep the wider local community informed.
Owen Bentley
Chairman BABTAG and Barkby parish councillor