North East Derbyshire planning decision could ‘look corrupt’ to the public claims councillor

North East Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee approved an application for minor alterations to road layour and plots at the Woodall Homes development in Clay Lane, Clay Cross, in a meeting on Tuesday, January 18, despite questions about flooding remaining unanswered.

Now district Councillor Ross Shipman has sent a letter to the council’s Managing Director Lee Hickin complaining about ‘predetermination and outside influence’ by senior officers and the leadership of the council.

Observing the meeting a non-committee member, he said nobody could have watched it and not thought the decision been ‘railroaded through’.

Coun Shipman justified his claim by stating: “No debate by members, just officers asked questions by the chair and it quickly being rushed through to vote.”

He went on to say that both officers and chairman Councillor Diana Ruff gave the impression there was only one option on the table, which he claimed was ‘misleading’.

“The committee could have approved, rejected or deferred the application if they’d wanted to, each of these options came with their own risk, even approving it did,” Coun Shipman said.

In response to the complain, a council spokesperson stated: “Consideration of the Clay Lane planning application on Tuesday picked up where it was left when the item was deferred in December.

“Previously the application had been presented by officers, public speaking had taken place, questions asked by members and then debated.

“It was then deferred for further information.

“When consideration of the application restarted on Tuesday the chair explained what had happened since the last meeting and where considering the application should then start from.

“She progressed with a proposition that was seconded and voted upon.

“This was picking up exactly where the meeting was previously deferred, prior to which all the planning issues had been fully explained and considered by members who therefore had had ample opportunity to consider how they might vote.

“It is fair to say that committee members have some empathy for residents over an unknown flood risk.

“Granting this permission is not a dismissal of that concern, but a reflection of the understanding most members had that this type of application could unfortunately not take on board this issue.”