I WOULD like to respond to some of the letters that have been in the paper over the last couple of months, concerning the Local Development Plan (LDP), suggesting that Labour has reneged on its election promise to replace the LDP imposed on us by the Tories when they controlled the Vale Council.

Some people have claimed we had already made a decision when clearly we had not. Some had said we took too long - we did not. I also refute the claim made by the leader of the Conservatives in the Assembly that we have been embarrassed into making this decision and that we should have done it as soon as we took office in May. The fact is that the council’s constitution prevented us from overturning his Tory colleagues’ decision for six months.

The reality is that we promised not to make any knee-jerk reactions and to produce a report that was understandable, reasoned and logical and would be the basis for producing a sustainable alternative LDP – just as we pledged. We have therefore considered all the options and decided how this can best be done. If the council agrees our recommendation in January 2013 the process of producing the replacement LDP will begin in earnest.

Throughout our term of office (just six months) Labour has continually confirmed it will keep its pledge and the report to the Vale’s Cabinet on November 19, does just that. The idea that the Labour-led Vale Council has been forced to replace the old LDP by anyone’s letters to the newspaper or posts on social media sites is preposterous and is definitely not true. The truth of the matter is that, along with many Vale residents, Labour has always had fundamental concerns with the current flawed LDP and will work with the people of the Vale of Glamorgan to produce a sustainable plan that is right for the Vale of Glamorgan.

That, I would argue, is keeping to your pledges and will be a ‘job done and a promise kept’.

Cllr Neil Moore Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council Labour Councillor for Cadoc Ward