From Dr Rob Pocock Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Sutton Coldfield Constituency Sutton Constituency Campaign Centre, 46 Rectory Park Ave, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7BN tel / messages 07767 32 6704 email RobPocock@SuttonMP.org _______________________________________________________________ PLEDGE TO BACK PEDDIMORE DECISION Labour's campaign manager for Sutton Coldfield Dr Rob Pocock, has confirmed he will back the decision to return the Peddimore site to green belt status, if the matter is referred back to the Government. Commenting on the recent Council decision Dr Pocock said, "The Sutton Coldfield Labour Party has opposed the Peddimore development from the outset, and we have run a long and determined battle within the Labour Group on the Council to get them to reverse the previous decision. For once, there has been all-party unity within Sutton Coldfield over the Peddimore issue, and I have pledged publicly to lobby the Deputy Prime Minister's office to reaffirm Peddimore's green belt status if it gets referred back to government. It's also important that we get a final confirmation that the Labour Councillors will sustain this position whenever Labour returns to power in Birmingham. All parties make mistakes and Peddimore was one heck of a big mistake for Labour. I hope this has now sunk in amongst my colleagues. Sutton benefits most where we can reach an all-party consensus and I'm eager to look for additional areas where we can achieve this, for example through the growing momentum for a full scale all-party Town Centre Summit" Dr Pocock was a leading campaigner in the battle two years ago to get Labour's Council policy conference to reverse the Peddimore decision. On that occasion the result ended in a tied vote and the matter was deferred. ENDS Dr Pocock is the Labour Party's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Sutton Coldfield Constituency.