Heston & Cranford Area Planning Committee maladministration - Tory administration response incoherent

6.44.08pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Jul 2007

Cllr Dakers said that that many residents will find it difficult to understand why the Heston & Cranford area planning committee were considered competent to make general planning decisions but not enforcement

Cllr Andrew Dakers at last night's meeting of full council reiterated the Liberal Democrat group view that the Heston & Cranford Area Planning Committee should be suspended until all members had completed mandatory training. This followed a report from the Local Government Ombudsman on a planning enforcement matter which contained a finding of maladministration with injustice. Cllr Dakers stated that many residents would find it difficult to understand why the committee were considered competent to make general planning decisions but not enforcement decisions.

Cllr Dakers, Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats, added:

"The proposals set out in Cllr O'Reilly's report for mandatory frequent and extensive training on planning are a useful starting point and we support the recommendations. However, as we stated at June's full council we remain firmly of the view that the Heston & Cranford area planning committee should have been suspended until mandatory training was complete.

"Now that the committee's powers to make enforcement decisions have been moved to Sustainable Development Committee - which we support - many residents will rightly wonder whether this committee is competent to make any planning decisions.

"In coming to a decision as to how the £1000 of fines will be paid by the local area committee we hope that Cllr McGregor will ensure that the local voluntary sector does not suffer as a result of the councillors' maladministration. Fines must be paid out of the councillors own allowances.

"Finally, perhaps one month on from June's full council meeting, Cllr Sharma, Leader of the Labour Group, might explain what disciplinary action the Labour Party will be taking over this matter? Surely such behaviour by Labour councillors will not go by without action by the party."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Comparison of Enforcement decisions from different area committees between April 2004 and July 2006

Committee Enforcement Cases Agreed Officer recommendation Refused Deferred % agreed % refused % deferred

Heston & Cranford 64 30 12 22 46.87% 18.75% 34.4%

Isleworth & Brentford 24 22 0 2 87.5% 0% 8.3%

Chiswick 22 19 2 1 86.36% 9.09% 4.5%

Central 37 34 0 3 91.89% 0% 8.1%

West 19 18 0 1 94.73% 0% 5.3%

Total not including Heston & Cranford 102 93 2 7 91.17% 1.96% 6.9%

Total 166 123 14 29 74.09% 8.43% 17.46%