Complaint30 Jun 2020 00:11
Email to Chairman Planning Committee and council Monitoring Officer sent this evening
Sir,
I watched and listened to the live Planning Committee deliberations today as I had a vested interest in the outcome.
I am writing to complain ,not about the result, disappointing as it was, but the manner in which the discussions were held and the apparent lack of understanding by councillors on what they can or cannot object to.
Several of those present clearly were uncomfortable with the technology and struggled to use it effectively.
Some appeared to have either not read the application and recommendations from your officers or not understood them.
Many of the arguments against the application fell outside of the councils remit.
Those that were within their remit argued against your own officers views on what was safe and acceptable.
Finally after rehashing spurious arguments multiple times and your planning officers and legal team advising there were no planning or legal grounds for rejection a vote was called for rejection.
Despite your best efforts no apparent reason was stated why it was proposed to reject
The meeting then fell into a farce Brian Rix would have been proud of.
It appeared no one was clear whether they were voting on the proposal to reject or the
application. One councillor appeared to take advice from another person in his room and anothers vote was via a third party and not public. Result 6-5. in favour of accepting the proposal to reject
When asked by legal what was to be the reason(s) for rejection she was told , my words not his, its public please yourself. Fair enough she wasn't having any of that. After discussion you called for an adjournment .
On being reconvened another vote was held to , I believe, accept or reject the reasons for the initial rejection.
Result 11-1 . I am still not clear what reasons will be stated for rejecting the application. Amazingly in the space of 15 minutes or so most of those who voted against rejecting the application had now voted for the reasons to reject.Job done . Item 8 on the agenda.
To summarise:
Inability to use technology effectively
Failure to understand the detail.
Rejection of officers recommendations
Rejection of EA approval
Rejection of Legal advice
Rejection of your advice and recommendation
Total breakdown of due process
Total breakdown of voting process
Total lack of clarity before, during and after the final decision
Conclusion:
Ukog will appeal
You are likely to lose and cost the ratepayer a deal of money
More importantly your committee are an embarrassment to the council
You have made yourselves look like incompetent imbeciles
Recommendation:
When UKOG appeal you do not contest it assuming you are unable to reverse the decision in full council.
The government should relieve your council of powers to decide planning applications for such developments.