The lights are dimmed, the stage cleared and the curtains drawn on the first Courier public debate. Phew!
If you attended The Courier’s debate on the proposed biomass plant for Dundee then I hope you enjoyed what I thought was a lively but well-ordered event. If you didn’t get a chance to speak then I am sorry but time was limited. If you weren’t there then I hope you have enjoyed our coverage in the paper, on our website and followed it all on Twitter.
If your point of view was not represented in some way then I think you are in a very small minority.
All in all, I thought it was an event worth staging and, considering it was the first time The Courier has played host like this on a major local matter, I am calling it a success.
Having said that, there are some who are not happy on both sides. For every complaint of bias one way we get another for the opposing view. When you are in the middle and trying to stay in the middle, it is best to wear a hard hat.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=R7zTjKvh8iQ%3Frel%3D0
The truth is that The Courier has not taken a stance on the biomass project and neither will it unless or until an overwhelming case emerges from one side or the other. I believe that is unlikely and at the moment there are competing views and we are happy to let them battle it out at debates like the one at the Gardyne Theatre, or in the pages of our newspaper.
In my experience, anyone who holds deep-seated and well-researched views on a subject will always argue that newspapers are skewed one way or another. I have had it in the neck from both sides in the biomass debate. What really interests me though is the passion and conviction on both sides. Only by allowing that energy an outlet will we get to the bottom of the issue, if indeed there is a bottom to get to.
I suspect that whatever the decision on the biomass plant, there will be divisions across the city. If it is refused then I fully expect others to try again in the future. There is too much money and opportunity at stake for them not to. If it is given the go-ahead, I know there will be relentless scrutiny of and challenges to the project during the construction phase and when it is up and running. And quite rightly so.
I am proud that The Courier managed to stage such a well-attended event and that all views were represented on the panel. The general debate and public scrutiny of the issue would have been poorly served had we not stepped in to give it a focus.
Here’s to the next Courier debate on whatever local matter stirs your passion.