Way of saying the application isn't ready

THE planning application for the Tropicana was finally submitted in February 2008, at the end of a six-month extension to allow Henry Boot even more time.It now looks like North Somerset Council are not going to get a look at the application to make any decision until at least September. Why the six-month wait?The noises I hear from the Town Hall tell me it is because Henry Boot are still 'refining' the application, which, to my mind, is another way of saying the application isn't ready. The only reason it was submitted in February was because the current administration had put its reputation on the line by offering Boot a six-month extension to the planning application deadline last September. So the application may get seen a whole year after that six-month extension was granted.What irks me most about the situation at the Tropicana is that in spite of the huge petition and countless objection letters to the local press, the current administration are happy for this farce to continue.The reason for this is because in 2005, when the Liberal Democrats came forward with a pro-active, fully-costed North Somerset Council-led plan to put a roof on it and open it up as a swimming pool, the Tories voted this down, meaning North Somerset had no option but to follow the Boot route.The Tories won the election last year and saw this as vindication of their Boot route.One fairly senior Tory has said that what North Somerset needed was one side with a clear majority, as the no overall control of 2003-07 had not been good for the district.I agree with this person on that score. However, I find it a shame, when I hear so much discontent about the Tropicana, that the party which got the clear majority are the ones who most want the Tropicana to follow the Boot route.What I can say on the future of the Tropicana, is if the Boot scheme fails to get the necessary planning permission, when the Liberal Democrats have the majority, we will do everything in our power to ensure the public gets what it actually wants - a swimming pool with a roof.MARK CANNIFORD - Via email