24 March (Part 1) - Old Farm Park. The Ides of March re-enacted
On 15th March Councillor Rob Leitch spoke for eight minutes on the disposal of four Bexley
parks and Councillor June Slaughter kept up the pressure for very nearly 20 minutes, but no one could beat
Councillor Francis’s 61 minutes of questions and
answers. Nevertheless, he came back for more.
He said the disposal was perhaps the most important decision he had to make
during his twelve years on the Council. He referred to the legal training he had
been given as a member of the General Purposes Committee and the definition of
an unresolved objection. He believed that the objection relating to the covenant
and planning conditions on Wilde Road were unresolved and “therefore I cannot
come to a conclusion on that matter”.
In West Street the “officers have told us tonight that again they can’t confirm
the position if that land did form part the [previously quoted] planning
agreement, therefore I believe that planning objection is unresolved”.
At Old Farm “the issue relating to the Gaelic Football Ground and the planning
application there, if you refer to page 158 of the main document, that relates
to our objections in 2004, and tonight we have been unable to get clarification
on whether the planning designation of the Gaelic Football Ground is the same as
Old Farm Park and therefore we are not able to confirm we are going down a
contradictory road and therefore I do not believe the objection has been resolved”.
“Given the fact they are unresolved I do believe an Inquiry is required on those
issues however I am happy to move that we defer for officers to come back on the
planning issues and those objections which I don’t believe have been resolved.
However I will say that if that vote is lost I shall be voting against because I
believe a Public Inquiry is needed because those grounds have not been resolved
this evening.” Loud applause from the public gallery.
The Human Resources Manager, Nick Hollier, said the Committee need only consider those
objections and whether a Public Inquiry was required depends on the Committee
believing it can “reasonably and practically deal with the issues that have been
raised and the criteria around what is an exceptional case relates to
significant disputes that the fact central to the ultimate disposal decision on
substantial disputes of law so it would be open to members of this Committee
having read the officers’ response to the objections that have been raised
having taken into account the consultation which has been included for
consideration by this Committee to conclude that it is able to deal with the
objections and issues that have been raised and to decide that a Public Inquiry
isn’t necessary”.
A hideously convoluted way of saying the Committee can do what ever it feels like doing.
Councillor Francis was not moved from his previous position and repeated
that he was happy to defer “so that officers could come back with an answer on those [issues]”.
Mr. Hollier repeated that “it was open to this Committee to weigh up what has
been said and what has been included in the responses. Where we haven’t got all
the information those matters would be dealt with in the normal planning
process. Members may take the view that that sufficiently deals with it in order
to be able to proceed.”
Opposition Leader Alan Deadman also spoke in favour of deferment. A vote was
taken on the deferral and of course it was defeated by the Conservatives.
Councillor Sharon Massey said she wanted to challenge some of the comments made
earlier by Sidcup Councillors Leitch and Slaughter.
She said that the Council had never said there was an over-provision of open
spaces - obviously Councillor Massey has not been paying attention.
At the Cabinet meeting last November there was a
reference to “the relatively high level of publicly accessible space in Bexley”.
She continued. “The statutory process which the officers followed is statutory. At times we
find it frustrating. If you had an objection to the consultation process then it
is down to you guys, but there is no argument that the public aren’t aware what
was out for consultation, the evidence is in the room.”
“I am a resident of Sidcup myself so you understand the position where I am
coming from, I’m doing it because I am supporting a recommendation put forward
at Cabinet and Full Council because I am here for all the residents of the
borough. We have got a quarter of a million plus residents growing all the time
so for me it’s not just about the residents in my ward. The decision I take
tonight is in the best interests of all of us.”
The Chairman asked the Committee Members if they were confident they could make
the decision. Councillor Massey said she had no unresolved objections. She
seconded
Councillor Betts’ proposal.
The vote was taken. You know the answer.
Of the six Tories with raised hands seen here, Councillors David Hurt (Barnehurst), Nick
O’Hare (Blendon & Penhill) and Geraldene Lucia-Hennis (Crayford) said
nothing for all of the 160 minutes. Nigel Betts (Falconwood & Welling) spoke only to move the motion and James Hunt (East
Wickham) asked only about the redaction of objectors’ personal details. So only Councillor Sharon Massey (Danson) made
any relevant contribution at all, and then only to say she was disappointed with Councillor
Daniel Francis for asking questions publicly.
Not a single relevant question from any of them. Nothing but Teresa O’Neill’s voting fodder.