Jason Smith
Politician / Sports Hypnotist / Lecturer
Press Coverage
the advertiser
February 10, 2012
Telegraph & Argus
February 2, 2012
Store under fire over the state of land
Queensbury residents Stephen Hartley (left) and UKIP's Jason Smith
Supermarket giant Tesco has come under fire from residents who say they are unhappy at the state of a piece of land next to one of its new stores.
Residents near the company’s Queensbury supermarket, which opened just over a year ago, say the land on nearby Wellington Street has become a “water-filled ditch” and should be grassed over with a small footpath installed.
UKIP Bradford chairman Jason Smith, of Woodlands Avenue, Queensbury, said Tesco had planted a few trees but he feared the area may become hazardous to those using it to get to the store.
He said: “Residents are unhappy with the current state of the land as it has the potential to be hazardous.
“We expected as a goodwill gesture that Tesco would make sure the area outside the store was well maintained for residents living nearby.”
Resident Stephen Hartley said: “For such a large and prosperous business the residents are not asking for much to make good of the area instead of proving us with unwanted trees and unwanted swamp.”
Tesco declined to comment.
Halifax Courier
July 22, 2012
Village plagued by the pong steps up fight against firm
Who d live here? Campaigners Beverley Barker and Jason Smith give the Queensbury welcome sign the thumbs-down
CAMPAIGNERS are stepping up their fight against the firm behind the gruesome offal spills and foul stench plaguing Queensbury.
Swalesmoor Action Group has drawn up a list of demands for animal-waste company Omega Proteins after two major spills from its lorries.
Earlier this month, a motorcyclist was thrown from his bike after skidding on guts in Halifax Road.
Just over a week before, children found intestines and organs splattered near Foxhill Primary School.
Beverley Barker, Swalesmoor Action Group spokeswoman, said: “The spillages are devastating for the people whose houses they happen near.”
The group is calling for raw waste to be transported in tankers or frozen in bulk containers fitted with spill guards in the wake of the incidents.
They are the latest in a string of grievances against the company, which turns animal waste into meat and bonemeal (MBM) and tallow, used for pet food and fuel.
Rotting carcasses are stored at its site in Swalesmoor Road, Halifax, then taken through Queensbury to its Bradford rendering plant, Erlings Works.
Residents complain this causes a foul smell to linger in the area and the noise from the lorries disrupts sleep. Mrs Barker said: “We’re sick of the stench, we’re sick of the spillages and really, people are sick of the inconvenience.
“You don’t know when you can hang your washing out.
“You don’t know when you can use your garden, because you can’t plan for whether a smelly lorry is going to go past.”
The company has been prosecuted a number of times, most recently in May when it was fined £20,000 for breaching an environmental permit.
It also admitted breaching planning conditions limiting vehicle movements in and out of its Bradford site at an inquiry last November.
Campaigners say tough action now needs to be taken. As well as measures to prevent more spillages, they want:
l The fallen stock and MBM stores at Swalesmoor Road to moved to the Bradford site
l No lorries through Queensbury overnight
l Planning conditions to be complied with
l The company to work with Calderdale Council to make the Swalesmoor junction with the A647 safe.
The group has also joined forces with UKIP activist Jason Smith to examine the European laws governing the company’s operations.
Mr Smith said: “We have contacted our researchers in Brussels who are scrutinising the legislation and we hope to have a clear view of what the legislation allows and does not allow shortly.”
A spokesman for the Leo Group, which owns Omega Proteins, said the firm was forced to store waste at Swalesmoor due to planning conditions at Erlings Works.
He said: “We would be delighted if we could have round-the- clock access to Erlings Works.
“This would remove the need to transport material through the streets of Queensbury. However the decision about access rests with the local authority.”
He added: “The recent spillages were due to driver error and one employee has subsequently been dismissed.
“This shows how seriously we take our responsibilities.
“We are fully compliant with all legislation and follow best practice in our transportation methods.
“We maintain and run a very modern fleet of vehicles which is continually updated. All vehicles are subject to daily inspection and stringent checks.”