Voting records of the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee are being called into question.
It’s after one councillor said if members were voting against every application to be popular then they were not making a valid contribution to the committee.
Price: Some members have only voted in favour of something once or twice
The matter was raised by long-time member of the planning committee Cllr Matthew Price last week, after the controversial West Acre Park application was passed by a tight vote, six to five.
He said,
“I feel I, and other councillors, are being put in a position many times where we have to direct the committee, keep you on the straight and narrow, I don’t think it’s fair.
“There are members who I guess have only voted in favour of something once or twice.
“I am not trying to influence how members voted but we have a moral duty as an elected individual and of this committee to sometimes do what is the right thing.”
Price: Share voting records
He called for the voting records of committee members to be shared.
The planning committee meets to discuss and decide major, and sometimes controversial, applications which officers feel are out of their hands to determine.
On such decisions, councillors on the committee are not supposed to be predetermined on a scheme.
Andre: Doing the right thing
A newer member to the committee, Cllr Debbie Andre said,
“The reason we sit on here is to do the right thing and act in the best interests of residents, even if that means going against seemingly popular opinion.”
Brodie: It is easy to be populist
Cllr Price was joined by Cllr Geoff Brodie who asked chair of the committee, Cllr John Medland, to speak to political group leaders about who they put on the committee.
Cllr Brodie said,
“It is easy to be populist, but that is not what planning is about.”
He suggested having the wrong people on the committee could put the council in a “very serious financial and reputational situation”.
Spink: Would undermine committee members’ integrity
Cllr Peter Spink argued he did not vote just to be popular and said he did not think looking into the voting history was a good idea as it appeared to be a check to undermine the integrity of those who voted a certain way.
Cllr Price argued that was not the point.
Cllr Medland said he would look into the information.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
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