Futures Forum: The East Devon Business Forum and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee: meeting Thursday 11th September: further comment
Firstly, there is the question of what is happening to the former Hon Secretary of the East Devon Business Forum
Nigel Harrison further distanced from Business TAFF scrutiny | East Devon Alliance
Lead Officer of stalled Business TAFF to quietly disappear | East Devon Alliance
Then there is the question of what is happening to the former Chair of the EDBF:
Disgraced ex-councillor Brown and the East Devon Business Forum: call for action at East Devon District Council | East Devon Alliance
In fact, there are two issues involved:
First: it is not clear what is happening to the Council's own scrutiny of the EDBF - and investigations into alleged malpractice by the former EDBF chair:
The Chair of the EDDC Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Littleham Councillor Tim Wood, told his Committee on Thursday 11th September that he shares the widespread frustration and dismay at the failure of the Council to pursue an enquiry into the Business Forum...
Councillor Wood said that he had been given “very firm legal advice” that the enquiry could not be permitted to reconvene until after the Devon and Cornwall Police had completed their investigations into alleged malpractice by ex-Councillor Graham Brown.
Councillor vows to challenge Police Commissioner | East Devon Alliance
Futures Forum: The East Devon Business Forum and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee: meeting Thursday 11th September: questions to be asked
Second: the local press is now showing a lot of interest in the affairs of former Cllr Graham Brown:
Concerns raised as former East Devon councillor attempts to lift £300,000 tie on farm house | Exeter Express and Echo
Former councillor attempts to lift £300,000 tie on farm house | Western Morning News
‘Deep frustration’ over ex-councillor probe - News - Sidmouth Herald
SIDMOUTH: Former councillor has breached planning condition for 10 years - View from Sidmouth
Today's Express & Echo reports on demands that the District Council's planning committee should consider the controversial planning application in the open:
Pressure heaped on East Devon District Council to discuss controversial Graham Brown in public
By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: September 25, 2014
Comments (1)
A long-standing East Devon district councillor is calling upon the authority to ensure a controversial application by a former councillor to lift a restrictive planning condition on his farmhouse, is heard in public.
Ottery St Mary councillor of 20 years, Roger Giles is demanding that consideration of former Feniton and Buckerell ward member, Graham Brown’s application must be heard at a meeting of the council’s Development Management Committee, rather than be decided between planning officers and the committee chairman at a Chairman’s Delegation meeting in private.
Cllr Giles said that as yet, his request has not been agreed to by the authority.
As previously reported by the Echo, Mr Brown – a planning consultant who resigned from the district council last year after being caught on camera boasting to undercover reporters that he could secure planning permission for a fee – wants to lift a condition which restricts the use of Ware Farm to those employed in agriculture.
Comments
Tsarchasm | September 25 2014, 1:12PM
Roger Giles is absolutely correct, this application must be determined in public. East Devon must not only reach a decision here in a responsible manner, they must be seen to be doing so. Transparency is of vital importance in whatever the Council decides to do in this case.
Pressure heaped on East Devon District Council to discuss controversial Graham Brown in public | Exeter Express and Echo
Our “transparent” council: a test | East Devon Alliance
There have been innumerable Freedom of Information requests over the last couple of years:
Monitoring Officer and Police Protocol D22 - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Investigation - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Cllr Graham Brown's correspondence - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Voting Records - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
When has Councllor Graham Brown declared an interest? - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Graham Brown - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
As a comment on the EDA blog suggests:
The longer this matter is kept quiet the more we think there is to hide.
Councillor vows to challenge Police Commissioner | East Devon Alliance
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Councillor vows to challenge Police Commissioner | East Devon Alliance
Futures Forum: The East Devon Business Forum and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee: meeting Thursday 11th September: questions to be asked
Second: the local press is now showing a lot of interest in the affairs of former Cllr Graham Brown:
Concerns raised as former East Devon councillor attempts to lift £300,000 tie on farm house | Exeter Express and Echo
Former councillor attempts to lift £300,000 tie on farm house | Western Morning News
‘Deep frustration’ over ex-councillor probe - News - Sidmouth Herald
SIDMOUTH: Former councillor has breached planning condition for 10 years - View from Sidmouth
Today's Express & Echo reports on demands that the District Council's planning committee should consider the controversial planning application in the open:
Pressure heaped on East Devon District Council to discuss controversial Graham Brown in public
By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: September 25, 2014
Comments (1)
A long-standing East Devon district councillor is calling upon the authority to ensure a controversial application by a former councillor to lift a restrictive planning condition on his farmhouse, is heard in public.
Ottery St Mary councillor of 20 years, Roger Giles is demanding that consideration of former Feniton and Buckerell ward member, Graham Brown’s application must be heard at a meeting of the council’s Development Management Committee, rather than be decided between planning officers and the committee chairman at a Chairman’s Delegation meeting in private.
Cllr Giles said that as yet, his request has not been agreed to by the authority.
As previously reported by the Echo, Mr Brown – a planning consultant who resigned from the district council last year after being caught on camera boasting to undercover reporters that he could secure planning permission for a fee – wants to lift a condition which restricts the use of Ware Farm to those employed in agriculture.
Ware Farm was recently advertised online for £1.55m on the property website Rightmove, but withdrawn by the estate agents. The lifting of the restriction could mean the value of the house could increase, the meeting he heard.
He claims he has not been using the house to conduct agriculture – a condition of the original planning permission in 2000. He is seeking a “certificate of lawfulness” for the property because he claims not farming the land means he has been breaching a planning condition for more than a decade.
Following a meeting of the planning committee, Ottery St Mary Town Council has written to the district authority with their concerns regarding Mr Brown’s evidence including that it is “contradictory”.
Cllr Giles explained that council procedure is that any applications by members are discussed by the committee. He argues that although Mr Brown is no longer a serving councillor, as the certificate of Lawfulness application relates to a time span when he was, it should be treated in the same way.
“This is a very controversial application, about which there is considerable public interest,” he said. “I have very great concerns that the planning system might substantially reward someone for flouting a planning condition. How the council deals with this matter is crucially important.
“For much of the 10 year period in question, Mr Brown was not only a serving district councillor but also a very prominent councillor in planning matters – he was deputy leader, he was environment portfolioholder, and he was chairman of the Local Development Framework Panel.”
He added: “In the interests of openness and transparency this application must be decided in the public domain. Not to do so would be an affront to British principals of justice being seen to be done. And not to do so would result in reputational damage to the council.”
He claims he has not been using the house to conduct agriculture – a condition of the original planning permission in 2000. He is seeking a “certificate of lawfulness” for the property because he claims not farming the land means he has been breaching a planning condition for more than a decade.
Following a meeting of the planning committee, Ottery St Mary Town Council has written to the district authority with their concerns regarding Mr Brown’s evidence including that it is “contradictory”.
Cllr Giles explained that council procedure is that any applications by members are discussed by the committee. He argues that although Mr Brown is no longer a serving councillor, as the certificate of Lawfulness application relates to a time span when he was, it should be treated in the same way.
“This is a very controversial application, about which there is considerable public interest,” he said. “I have very great concerns that the planning system might substantially reward someone for flouting a planning condition. How the council deals with this matter is crucially important.
“For much of the 10 year period in question, Mr Brown was not only a serving district councillor but also a very prominent councillor in planning matters – he was deputy leader, he was environment portfolioholder, and he was chairman of the Local Development Framework Panel.”
He added: “In the interests of openness and transparency this application must be decided in the public domain. Not to do so would be an affront to British principals of justice being seen to be done. And not to do so would result in reputational damage to the council.”
Comments
Tsarchasm | September 25 2014, 1:12PM
Roger Giles is absolutely correct, this application must be determined in public. East Devon must not only reach a decision here in a responsible manner, they must be seen to be doing so. Transparency is of vital importance in whatever the Council decides to do in this case.
Pressure heaped on East Devon District Council to discuss controversial Graham Brown in public | Exeter Express and Echo
Our “transparent” council: a test | East Devon Alliance
There have been innumerable Freedom of Information requests over the last couple of years:
Monitoring Officer and Police Protocol D22 - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Investigation - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Cllr Graham Brown's correspondence - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Voting Records - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
When has Councllor Graham Brown declared an interest? - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
Graham Brown - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
As a comment on the EDA blog suggests:
The longer this matter is kept quiet the more we think there is to hide.
Councillor vows to challenge Police Commissioner | East Devon Alliance
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