A CULCHETH councillor says he has accepted a personal apology from senior council officers who wrongly claimed he had been too late when he made representations over a planning application.
The application, for agricultural storage in Stone Pit Lane, Croft, was approved by officers under delegated powers, despite Cllr Chris Vobe requesting that the matter be dealt with by the development management committee.
After Cllr Vobe (pictured) protested that it was “outrageous” that his request was not granted, the council claimed he had failed to meet the deadline.
A council spokesman said: “Unfortunately Cllr Vobe’s request for a referral to the development management committee was made extremely late and after the decision was made and the decision notice issued.”
But later the council issued another statement which said: “The council has reviewed the issues surrounding the above recent planning application. It is clear that Cllr Vobe’s comments fell within the consultation period before the matter was delivered to the
council.
Cllr Vobe’s proposals on further improvements to councillor communication arrangements on planning matters will be considered shortly by the council’s Planning Improvement Board.”
Cllr Vobe said: “I am grateful that council officers have retracted their earlier statement, which implied that my objection to the planning application on Stone Pit Lane did not arrive until after the deadline for submissions.
“This statement was untrue, and it was quite wrong that it was made. However, I have received a personal apology from senior officers for this error, which I have accepted. In light of their apology, I consider that aspect of the matter closed.
“There were a number of mistakes made in the way this application was processed. Steps are now being taken to prevent these mistakes reoccurring, and I will be keeping a close eye on the implementation of these new measures over the coming months.”
Councillor accepts Town Hall apology
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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Reading the above and yesterdays announcement about new protocols there is change happening in planning, wherether it is planning officers or planning committee members which I think is good to see. Yes we could hark back to what has gone on but I’d rather embrace these changes especially introduced over the last few months by the new DMC planning manager. Planning decisions are difficult and no matter which way they go there will also be people who are not pleased just as there will be those that are. However there is little excuse for errors and for whatever reason they need to be understood and corrected. Whether it is the processes and procedures (protocol), understanding and knowledge of the participants somthing has to be done and if necessary put right. I would like to think that we are moving in the right direction but it is not something that can happen overnight and needs to happen quickly and carefully. At the end of the day it is the PLanning Committee Councillors whose role is to scrutinise the process and facilitate change.
Geoff – it does not matter how many planning protocols or procedures are introduced or how good they might seem to be, unless those responsible implement them properly and with honesty. It was the people involved and their intentions which let the side down previously and not the system. They made matters worse by covering up what they had done, while claiming those who expressed genuine concern were wrong and – in keeping with your wish not to hark back at what has gone on – that is putting a gloss on what they really said. We know some have moved on, but others are still around and I am told their legacies are still being uneasily felt.
Most reasonable people in Warrington had few doubts on the honest intentions of you and your fellow Planning Committee Members. But you can only scrutinize and determine what has been put before you. If that is has been abridged or does not give the committee all the facts, you should decide what is relevant not the people preparing the information for you, problems will occur. We had more than our fair share of them.
We know and don’t expect these much needed changes to happen over night. But, the manner in which they are being introduced bearing in mind what happened before is a cause for concern.
Like you, most of us would like to believe we are moving in the right direction and we hope the steps being taken will result in changes for the better.