SIR – Regarding your story last week about MP Grant Shapps petition over the New Barnfield incinerator site plans. Mr Shapps is pretending there is Conservative support for protest against this. I have received emails from Conservative officials claiming

SIR - Regarding your story last week about MP Grant Shapps petition over the New Barnfield incinerator site plans.

Mr Shapps is pretending there is Conservative support for protest against this.

I have received emails from Conservative officials claiming that if we do not have it [the incinerator] council tax will be higher. This is scare mongering the public into just accepting the incinerator.

One factor not mentioned so far at all is that it will lower the value of houses in Hatfield, because buyers now have environmental aspects as part of their surveys.

As the shadow housing minister, Grant Shapps stays clear of this, saying he wants 'cross-party' support.

Last week's article in the WHT sounds like an advert for Grant Shapps.

What you need to point out is that in the Conservative-led [county] council ALL supported this planned incinerator at New Barnfield.

You need to do a longer article.

The council is trying to gain money from selling off the land, because they lost loads due to the collapse of the Icelandic banks etc?

This story crosses a number of areas people are very interested in including house prices, financial irregularities, and the selling off of land that historically has been for the public.

The six companies bidding [for the waste disposal contract] are private companies, some of which have words related to green issues in their names, but all of whom are involved in burning waste, which in terms of local health is an outrage.

Dr Jason Lee,

Via website.