THURROCK’S two MPS have been urged to apologise for criticising the Borough’s planning committee – but they have roundly defended themselves.
At last week’s meeting of the committee its chairman, former Tory Council leader Cllr Terry Hipsey – who quit the Conservatives to join Labour in 2009 – slammed the MPs after hearing a report on the performance of the Borough’s Development Management team which oversees planning issues reports the Thurrock Enquirer.
The report puts the Council in the top ten per cent of high performing authorities in the country and there were a number of plaudits in the report for development management team members.
In receiving the report, Cllr Hipsey criticised Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price and her East Thurrock Conservative colleague Stephen Metcalfe, saying: “It is exceptionally good news. Other politicians in the Borough have a strange view of how this department operates.”
He instructed the committee clerk to end the MPs a copy of the report and added: “We work perfectly across party, we have a sound committee that has a good understanding of what s needed in the Borough and we have a very good relationship with officers. Perhaps our MPs would like to make an apology for some of the disgraceful outbursts they have made.”
Cllr Tunde Ojetola said: “I am pleased with this report, it is good. Despite what I have read in various strands of the media, you have done a solid job. This external accreditation is showing that the planning committee and the officers are going in the right direction.”
Responding to news of the criticism, Mr Metcalfe said: “I am not aware that I have ever made any detrimental public statements about planning in Thurrock. I am pleased that the planning department is considered to be doing its job well but perhaps Cllr Hipsey should get his facts right.”
Ms Doyle-Price went further onto the front foot in her rebuttal of Cllr Hipsey’s comments saying: “I have nothing to apologise for. I make no criticism of the planning department. My criticism is of the planning committee.
“The committee is failing to deliver its obligations to uphold Thurrock’s own policies. It is poorly led and poorly trained. I think this is a rather pathetic attempt by Cllr Hipsey to hide behind officers when frankly the failings are his.”
The report did highlight the relationship between officers and councillors, saying there has been a ‘significant change’ in the relationship over the last nine years and councillors now have confidence in their officers’ capability and responsiveness. It also says member awareness of planning issues and the quality of decisions taken has risen.
The report also praised the development management team’s outreach into the community, particularly its liaison with community forums.
One outcome of the report is likely to be a rise in charges for pre-application fees given by members of Thurrock’s planning team. There is a wide divergence of costs in local authorities, varying from a low of £650 for a meeting in Uttlesford to £2,016 in Barking and Dagenham, but Thurrock’s costs are lower than everyone else and it is suggested that the charges do not adequately cover the time and costs given to such meetings. It is suggested the fees be reviewed.
In conclusion, report author Linda Durtnal, says: “The Development Management service at Thurrock has moved forward a long way over the last three years in particular, in terms of both performance and quality.
“This is a success story of good practice in the face of significant obstacles.”
Councillor Terry Hipsey used his casting vote, going against officers recommendations, to vote for the application to build houses on the former Fireman’s site in Aveley. Councillor Terry Hipsey is on record that his decision was based on the generous Section 106 proposal from the developers, including a substantial donation to Treetops Special Needs school. Council Officers described the Section 106 proposal from the developers as unusual.
Would Councillor Terry Hipsey confirm or deny that his step-daughter is employed at Treetops and did the generous donation from the developers to Treetops sway his decision to vote for 501 homes to be built on the green belt at the Aveley Fireman’s site?
Did Councillor Terry Hipsey declare this potential conflict of interests?
Was the Collinsons Report a complete waste of time, effort and money?
Whose agenda is Councillor Terry Hipsey working to?
I think Jackie Doyle-Price MP has every right to question the integrity of the Planning Committee under the Chairmanship of Councillor Terry Hipsey and some of their more questionable and odd decisions. If she isn’t going to ask these questions then who is?
I would add that I am not sure that the process by which this decision was made has integrity. The agenda item was withdrawn and reinstated and the committee did not have the opportunity to hear representations from the local community.
“There is a question therefore as to whether this application was fairly considered and whether it would get through a judicial review. It is essential that when controversial planning applications are considered they do go through due process.
“I have therefore written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to request that he does not give approval to this application.”
Date Published: December 5, 2013 Story by NewsdeskLeave a comment
Jackie Doyle-Price MP
19 February • Edited
I have welcomed the Government’s decision to refer the Planning application for the London Fire Brigade land in Aveley to a public enquiry. The decision follows representations made by me to the Secretary of State regarding questions over the integrity of the process by which the decision was made.
The decision taken by the committee flies in the face of Thurrrock’s agreed planning policies. It is on the greenbelt and it is not a site which has been identified for housing under the council’s local plan.
I do question whether some members of the planning committee understand their role. It is the planning committee’s job to approve or decline planning applications in line with council policy. To listen to members of the committee the council is simply a staging post with the ultimate decision being made by the Secretary of State. This simply isn’t the case. The Secretary of State will only override a decision made locally if it hasn’t been made fairly. Let us be clear.
Thurrock council is the planning authority and the responsibility for planning decisions and planning policy rests with Thurrock council and no one else. That is localism.
Perhaps Cllr Hipsey should get his facts right.”
Ms Doyle-Price went further onto the front foot in her rebuttal of Cllr Hipsey’s comments saying: “I have nothing to apologise for
. I make no criticism of the planning department. My criticism is of the planning committee.
It quite clear to me that Jackie Doyle Price comments stated above are most definitely criticising Thurrock Council as the planning authority and responsible for planning decisions, in her own words planning policy rests with Thurrock Council and no one else
I’ll think she’s made herself look a complete idiot
Not much to say apart from Charlie Curtis is on the planning committee, that just about sums it up.
It’s not what you know it’s who you know. Rules are for other people. Use your vote wisely next week and send some of these people down the road. Green belt is Greenbelt. Listen to the experts in Planning Dept not the cardboard public servants.
Charliefarnsbarns
It’s not what you know it’s who you know. Rules are for other people. Use your vote wisely next week and send some of these people down the road. Green belt is Greenbelt. Listen to the experts in Planning Dept not the cardboard public servants.
I’m listening to the experts Charlie you know the experts in the planning department who allowed Essex arena into the LDF process and the experts who recommended the building of 340 dwellings on the Aveley bypass and the experts in the planning department who recommended the relocation of the football club in Aveley so more houses could be build on the greenbelt I also listened intently when permission was given to build on a golf course by officer recommendation,
but what I didn’t hear was Jackie Doyle price get out of the pram about any of these projects and then come unstuck and try to backpedal out the situation, by blaming it on the planning committee, of which some of her colleagues sit on, and then stab her local council authority in the back
You’re quite right you have to be careful when you vote especially when it’s people with absolutely no integrity and no credibility, like Jackie Price
I hope she has the guts to turn up at the call in to be question