Vital report not revealed
A CRITICAL report by South Holland District Council conservation officer Elizabeth Mayle into the controversial Bull and Monkey development was not shown to councillors before they passed the plans.
Developer DGM wants to replace the Churchgate pub with flats and houses and submitted a scheme which it felt was suitable for the conservation area.
But Mrs Mayle submitted the report on October 12, two weeks before councillors met, and was unimpressed by aspects of the proposed design – particularly the rounded tower.
When committee members asked for her comments on the scheme they were told by planning manager Simon Machen that the conservation officer had been on long-term sick leave.
The authority has launched an internal investigation into the handling of the application after Mrs Mayle contacted council leader Gary Porter and chief executive Terry Huggins.
A formal complaint has also been lodged by Spalding and District Civic Society after councillors approved the scheme but asked officers to revisit some aspects – including the corner tower.
During the meeting on October 25 Coun Paul Walls asked why there was no report from the authority's conservation officer.
Coun Walls said: "I have a concern because in the papers here there is no comment from the conservation officer. What do we pay her for? What's her purpose?"
He moved the plans be deferred while a report from the officer was filed, but this was rejected by other members in a vote.
In response Mr Machen said: "Negotiations have been going on for some considerable time.
"The conservation officer has been absent on long-term sick-leave. It (the process) does not stop when someone is on sick leave."
Mrs Mayle joined the council last November and was on sick leave for four-and-half weeks from May 4 and had two days off in September after a minor car accident.
Council leader Gary Porter said the the investigation is being carried out by SHDC head of planning Steve Williams.
He said Mrs Mayle has made allegations against a senior member of staff and these are being looked into along with the handling of the Bull and Monkey site planning application.
Spalding and District Civic Society has lodged a complaint with South Holland District Council following the meeting on October 25.
Members are concerned the conservation officer's report was withheld but also have worries the application was rushed through.
A spokesman said: "The latter part of the process was done with undue haste it seems to us.
"For example, the officers' recommendation to the councillors was sent out four days before deadline for comments from the public."
The civic society submitted several objections to the application which can be viewed at its website www.hometown.aol.co.uk/spaldingdcs2 /page4.html
The elected member of South Holland District Council at the centre of planning issues has questioned the significance of the conservation report submitted by Elizabeth Mayle.
Development control committee chairman Roger Gambba-Jones said to have turned against the developer could have got the council into trouble.
He said given the fact that the conservation officer's report would have been submitted a long way into the process the applicant could argue the council had done a U-turn and "led them down the garden path".
He added: "My fear, and it's a very real one, is that we could be open to an accusation of maladministration."
Coun Gambba-Jones said developer DGM could have appealed on the grounds of non-determination, which would have led to the decision being take out of the council's hands.
He said the conservation officer came on board when a lot of discussions had already been held but added other officers used their expertise and did the best job possible.
Regarding comments Mrs Mayle was on sick leave Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said it is not for him to comment on staffing issues and added Mr Machen was speaking from an operational point of view.
During the meeting on October 25 Coun Paul Walls asked why the authority's conservation officer Liz Mayle had not filed a report.
He moved the plans be deferred while a report from the officer was filed, but this was rejected by other members in a vote.
Speaking last week he said he was extremely annoyed the officer's report had been withheld from members.
He said: "I was extremely concerned by the lack of a conservation report and obviously considered we should not have made the decision until we had sight of the report.
"My understanding is there was a conservation officer's report and it was not made available to members. There was a rush to get the application through."
Coun Walls added that because the site is one of the most important to be determined by the committee there should have been a design brief as well.
Source: SpaldingToday (14/11/2006)
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