CONSERVATIVE members of Forest of Dean District Council joined forces to throw out a motion against the Forestry sell-off from their former leader.

At a tumultuous meeting last Thursday, the public gallery was packed with HOOF supporters, as a debate raged for almost three hours.

Three knife-edge votes resulted in a motion passed which called only for protection of the "most valuable and biodiverse forest". It was described as "meaningless" and "a wrecking amendment" by its opposers.

Afterwards, HOOF chairman Rich Daniels said: "The Conservative group voted down well-thought-out motions and deliberately ruined them. The spineless nature of some councillors who sheepishly followed party lines to weaken or defeat perfectly good proposals is unforgivable considering the nature of the subject – the future of our Forest."

He called for people to lobby councillors "courteously, but leave them in no doubt how you feel" and said they should be held to account.

HOOF secretary Ian Standing said: "The result is a dog's dinner. I got the impression supporting the Government line was more important to them than supporting the Forest of Dean."

Legal expert Alan Robertson, who was instrumental in winning the 1981 battle against the Forest of Dean sell-off, was also in the public gallery. He has taken Coun Amos's substantive motion to task in an open letter, published on page 16 of The Forester.

All 23 Tories present voted against 21 Labour, Liberal and independent councillors to substantially alter a motion by Coun Marion Winship (Non-Political Alliance, Alvington, Aylburton & West Lydney) proposed by leader Coun Peter Amos (Con, Awre).

Coun Winship proposed the council should oppose any sell-off and insist to Defra that public consultation should take place before the Public Bodies bill is introduced to the House of Commons.

Her speech was applauded by the public.

However, Coun Amos tabled a hastily written amendment.

He also said in the debate that publicly-owned could mean the State or "interested parties".

A second amendment, by Coun Sue Henchley (Lib Dem, Mitcheldean & Drybrook), called for an exemption for the Forest of Dean in the Public Bodies Bill. It was rejected by the same ratio of 23 to 21, with Coun Preest (Ind, Lydney North) siding with Tories.

Coun Horne left the meeting after the first vote and also withdrew her motion against any privatisation.

Coun Amos's amendment was eventually sealed by 25 votes – all Conservatives present, plus councillors Derek Biddle (Ind, Lydney East), Philip Burford (Ind, Hartpury) and Alan Preest – called for public consultation but with no timetable.

The meeting continued last night (Wednesday). See our report: Council backing for Hoof campaign.