Two Town Councillors claims over working as consultants at the Omega Proteins site have gone up in smoke after the company refute the claims made following the Town Council Planning meeting held on Monday the 6th of January 2025.
During the meeting Cllr Shepherd and Cllr D Jayson both declared that had been working as consultants on a pro bono basis for the Leo Group during the consideration of a planning application for a new 25 meter chimney at the Penrith factory.
During the meet both councillors gave information to the rest of the planning committee that was given under the impression of having industry experience on the facts and information that resulted in the town council planning committee voting to object to the plans.
Following the publication of the Penrith.Town news article on the planning meeting with the meeting video the Leo Group as the applicant have watch the meeting and issue a statement to us on the situation.
Leo Group Ltd have said they would like to make it clear that, although Cllr Shepherd and Cllr D Jayson wrote to the Leo Group in March 2024 and Cllr D Jayson visited the site in September 2024, no Town Councillors have been engaged to work as consultants at the Omega Proteins site in Penrith.
They added “The Leo Group Ltd are deeply disheartened that Councillors, asserting relevant industry experience, explained the emissions report content to other Councillors present in which they provided incorrect and misleading information.”
The company has said that the emissions report for the application expressly considers odour emissions and dispersal. “Omega Proteins also provided further information to Westmorland and Furness Council for the planning application on 10th of October, 17th of October and 4th of November 2024 to address the Environmental Health Officer's queries on the emissions report, including clearer contour maps of modelled emissions, including odour.”
Following claims made by the two councillors in the meeting about the height of the chimney stack the company have said, “the dispersion report indicates no significant benefit to a stack height above 25m, therefore that is what our application proposes. The stack and associated thermal oxidiser's primary role is to destroy process odour”.
A full response clarifying all the issues raised by the Town Council has been sent to Westmorland and Furness Council to review by the company.
A spokesperson for the Leo Group said “In line with our corporate strategy and policy, Leo Group Ltd is committed to investment and continuous improvement by using the latest state-of-the-art technology for odour abatement and air pollution control systems.”
The company added they are committed to engaging with the local community in an ongoing process and plan to hold further public engagement events in 2025.
The town councillor claims have also raised questions amount the local community with some referring to the as “Clown Councillors” and other’s calling for them to resign.
The town council and the Cllr Shepherd and Cllr D Jayson have been invited to give a comment on the situation.
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