A HUMBERSTON man has criticised Council leader Chris Shaw for failing to answer questions on plans to shut off all utilities to the Fitties after 4.30pm in the closed season.
As reported, Councillor Shaw said he would pull the plug on electricity, water and gas supplies to the site as residents revealed they were taking North East Lincolnshire Council to the European Court of Human Rights.
They claim NELC's refusal to allow them to stay in their chalets 50 weeks of the year is an abuse of its power, which fails to uphold the democratic process and is an exploitation of its citizens' human rights.
However, Councillor Shaw said NELC planned to cut the utilities to the site, adding: "They don't need it after 4.30pm in the closed season. It is a holiday camp, not a residential estate. That is what they signed their leases for."
Gary Lee, of North Sea Lane – whose mother has a chalet on the site – was so angered by the move, he contacted Councillor Shaw to ask him for an explanation for his actions and challenge the legality of the plan.
He claimed under the Landlords' And Tenants' Act, provided utility payments were up-to-date, such services could not be cut.
However, until Councillor Shaw was contacted by the Grimsby Telegraph, Mr Lee said he had failed to answer his queries.
Mr Lee told the leader he believes it is "ridiculous" to leave the chalets without lighting, water, heating and security systems.
He also questioned why elderly chalet owners should be forced to empty their fridges and freezers each evening, when they can legally visit the chalets during the day.
However, he claims the response he received was "abrupt" and "not fitting" of a man in Councillor Shaw's position, adding he had refused to answer the questions he had put to him.
Mr Lee said: "Councillor Shaw is the person that has threatened to take this action, so Councillor Shaw is the person I want to answer my questions.
"I want to know whether it is true he plans to cut off supplies of water and electricity, even though these services had been paid for and, when he says 'we are going to cut these services off', who does he mean by we? Himself? NELC? Balfour Beatty?
"Also, if the council is going to do this, it must have been agreed by the legal department that he, the council or Balfour Beatty are within their rights to do it."
He added it was only when he had told Councillor Shaw he would not be voting Labour next election, the leader offered him a meeting.
However, Mr Lee replied that as he would only be asking the same questions he had put in his e-mail, he could not understand the need to "waste taxpayers' time and money".
