COUNCILLOR Luke Spillman, Conservative Chair of the planning, transport and regeneration overview and scrutiny committee has accused commissioners of trying to undermine the scrutiny of the local plan.
Cllr Spillman said “I wrote to commissioners expressing my concerns that the latest local plan papers will not have received any meaningful scrutiny before they are voted upon at next month’s extraordinary council. As a scrutiny chair it is my responsibility and duty to uphold the integrity of the scrutiny process.
“I received a response from commissioners that I regard as a justification for undermining and entirely circumventing scrutiny of one of the most important documents this council ever considers. A document that sets out the options for thousands of homes and the destruction of huge swathes of green belt.”
“Personally, I’ve become increasingly troubled by the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude that we see so regularly from commissioners. The government guidelines are clear. We’ve been promised capable and effective scrutiny within of the Council’s decision-making process. Yet commissioners appear to be of a mind that they can ride roughshod through this whenever they find scrutiny either inconvenient or challenging.”
“Despite being far from optimal. I’ve insisted, through my position of chair, that the Local Plan paper with be heard at the 5th December committee. Any councillor, and any member of the public, will have the opportunity to submit questions to officers within a formal scrutiny setting. This must happen whether commissioners like it or not. I am not the only Councillor asking why and how this paper is being railroaded through at such speed?”
