Author: Sal
Public Denied Access To Town Planning Meeting
Friday, 2nd February, 2007 at 12:17 pm, Isle of Wight
As you might remember a couple of weeks ago, I posted up information regarding Town Council meetings and asked if anyone attending would like to report back to the blog, in order that those who don’t have time to go, get to hear about what’s being discussed and how decisions are made.
This is something that we feel pretty strongly about given some of the Town Council’s recent decisions and how they behaved last year when discussing and approving the over development of St Josephs in Madeira Road.
One of our readers has taken up the gauntlet and agreed to act as correspondent for all Town Council meetings. So off he trotted last Monday, down to the Winter Gardens to take notes at the Planning meeting.
Just for clarity, the Town Council website states that “members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.”
Well, you can imagine that our correspondent was a little perturbed when he was told quite sharply by Town Clerk, John Farrant that the the public were NOT allowed to attend Planning meetings.
It appears that this was not only news to him (and us), but also Councillors Brian Lucas and Brenda Lawson. Both expressed surprise at the news and confirmed that the public ARE welcome to Planning meetings as well as Town Council meetings.
Just why John Farrant denied public access is still unclear.
Anyway, as we weren’t able to report on the discussions surrounding decisions made at that meeting, here are some of the notes they put out.
Perhaps I’ve misunderstood what she’s saying, but what confuses me about this one is that Brenda talks as if the application is a done deal.
Forgive me if I am wrong, but the democratic process regarding Cheetah Marines application to build on the public car park has not yet been completed.
Good for you Mr B Munt, I still can’t believe that the TC, despite huge public opposition, considered this application a goer. There still appears to be lots of question marks over the original deal and how a public amenity got sold off at a rock bottom price to a commercial entity.
Anyway, on a brighter note, it’s Friday and the sun is shining!
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February 5th, 2007 at 7:31 am
The general pubic are invited to all Town Council meetings, but are asked to leave when matters concerning council employed staff or commercially sensitive arrangements are discussed. Before the meeting starts, the public are invited to ask questions, which are answered either immediately or after the meeting. On the evening in question I am advised that the business agenda contained “some� confidential matters, but this was taken mistakenly by the individual concerned as an exclusion from the whole of the meeting. See the Council website http://www.ventnortowncouncil.org.uk for times and dates of meetings.
On the question of planning matters, the Councillors study the plans, visit the locations, consider all the implications and then vote at the meeting whether they wish the Town Council to recommend acceptance of the scheme. It is then down to the planning dept to make final judgements.
There are about 6000 electors in Ventnor and the Council has to decide what is right for the town overall. Sometimes their decision is at odds with the views of a few electors who oppose the planning applications, although those views are always considered. You could argue that the silent majority are either in favour, or undecided, not bothered either way - or, as is often the case not wanting anything, ever, to change, in their Ventnor.
February 5th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Not entirely correct Greenboy, the individual concerned was aware that a part of the meeting was scheduled to be behind closed doors, but that would be later in the evening. The first part would have been well worth attending.Good of you to take the time to research this though!
What might be helpful for anyone from the public attending the meetings would be more advance information, perhaps on the TC web site, and the TC could also put a posting on the Ventnor Forum and perhaps the Chronicle.
More timely and interactive communication with the electors would surely help the aim of the TC to be come a Quality Council?
February 7th, 2007 at 11:00 am
I do beleive looking at the TC some are getting (how can i put this politely) a bit long in the tooth. what is needed is an influx of younger blood, no, don’t look at me, I’m up there with them. (as much as I hate to admit it)
February 7th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Perhaps an apology is appropriate for the misunderstanding regarding the meeting and perhaps also those items open to public discussion and of particular public interest, should be rescheduled and discussions reopened in order that the council fulfils its commitments to the public. Could the council go further and promote effective communication of this and other events? A statement on here would appear relevant.
On a slightly parallel topic: if the TC are applying for Quality Council status, one of the qualifying requirements is a Code of Conduct for all councillors. Will the requirements within this Code of Conduct be publically discussed/consulted?