I see that SNP supporter Colin Quinn was having a pop at Labour Councillors over the Planning Board's decision to refuse planning permission for a new retail development in Gourock in the Greenock Telegraph on Friday.
Regular followers of Mr Quinn on Twitter will be well aware of his deep contempt for the Labour Party and Labour Councillors.
If Mr Quinn had been present at the Planning Board meeting he would have realised that it was not only Labour Councillors who voted to refuse Planning permission.
Also if he has any understanding of how local government works he would be aware Councillors are not permitted to take political decisions on planning matters. I can assure him that planning applications are never discussed at Labour Group meetings.
Labour Councillors who participate in the Planning Board do so as individual Councillors and are not subject to the party whip.
Mind something tells me that Mr Quinn already knew all of this.
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Labour councillors were widely quoted in the article. Obviously keen to get their point our there-in a non politcal way of course.
ReplyDeleteIt seems your colleague Mr Moran is also confused about how planning works.
From the Telegraph article:
"...fellow board member Councillor Robert Moran said: "We have encouraged the traders to stay in the town and develop their shops. Now we are kicking them in the teeth.
"We have to say to the shop keepers that we are on their side."
When did competition become a planning issue?
My "contempt" is not reserved for the Labour party in Inverclyde. None of the local political parties offer anything in the way of solutions.
Inverclyde Council would be far better served by local, independent councillors like Councillor Ahlfeld.
In 2007 i voted for him. i will do so again in 2012.
Colin Quinn
Gourock
Labour councillors were quoted by the Telegraph reporter at the meeting.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a Labour Councillor who moved refusal of planning permission.
If you have such contempt for the current councillors why don't you stand yourself next year?
Given your high regard for Ronnie: you might care to ponder why he is happy to work in coalition with Labour Councillors if we are as incompetent as you think?
With respect, Councillor - you haven't answered the question. How do you justify your colleagues making a planning decision for stated reasons which would appear to be way out of their remit? It strikes me that there can only be two explanations: The first is that they are acting 'politically', and making sure they are not seen by the electorate to support a big, bad supermarket against the poor wee independents of Gourock. (Ironic given the mess that Tesco have been allowed to make of Inverclyde...). The second is that they are genuinely stupid, and don't understand the limits of their authority with respect to planning. So, they are being 'political' or 'thick'. Which one is it?
ReplyDeleteThe specific reasons for refusal will be set out in the minuted decision of the Board. Although I have not seen the minute yet I would be confident that the grounds for refusal are based on legitimate planning grounds. That of course does not mean that the Reporter will not take a different view to the Board if an appeal is submitted as planning decisions are subjective.
ReplyDeleteWell, I look forward to seeing the minutes of the planning meeting. I am pleased that you are confident that the grounds for refusal are legitimate, despite the reports in the local press suggesting otherwise. If however the reasons are not legitimate, and councillors have acted ultra vires, then I look forward to an answer to my question.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a complaint to make against any Councillor feel free to submit a formal complaint in writing to Elaine Paterson, the Council's Head of Legal and Democratic Services.
ReplyDeleteYou should be aware that there is a Legal Officer in attendance at every Council meeting to guide Members. I am confident, without being at the Planning Board meeting, that the Councillor who moved the motion to refuse will have checked the competence of his motion before he moved it.