Public Issues
To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link: -
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1
The deadline for the submission of public questions is mid-day Wednesday 9 October 2024 (3 clear working days before the meeting).
The deadline for the submission of a statement is mid-day Monday 14 October 2024 (the working day before the meeting).
The deadline for the submission of a petition is Tuesday 1 October 2024 (10 working days before the meeting).
Minutes:
The public questions and statements set out in the minutes below are printed as per the wording used within the submissions made in accordance with the constitution.
As a number of public questions were on a similar topic a single response was provided as set out below.
Public Question from Alex McKinstry
On 16 November 2023, in exempt session, the Planning Committee discussed the Highmoor Farm planning application, seemingly at the behest of officers, who had "serious concerns" about the Committee's refusal of that application. What options were put to the Committee at that meeting? The outcome, as paraphrased by the director of planning, was that officers were to go away and seek "external expert advice"; so why did 34 days elapse between that decision and 20 December 2023, when such advice was finally sought from planning barrister Stephen Morgan? Was this a tactic by officers to allow the applicants room to appeal on the grounds of non-determination, which may have proved less costly for the Council? (Such an appeal was indeed launched on 5 December 2023, during the 34-day hiatus.) Finally, is this matter being audited, this being the third non-determination appeal on a major application since 2022?
Response by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Millie Earl
During the exempt session of the Planning Committee on 16th November 2023 relating to the Highmoor Farm planning application, the options for Members formed part of an exempt report from which the public were excluded. That was in accordance with Paragraph 5 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. In particular Exempt information – Category 5 (information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings). That position remains and so the content of the report and related advice cannot be publicly disclosed.
Between the meeting on 2nd October 2023 and the matter being brought back to Members in January 2024, Officers continued to progress the instructions of Members. On or around 5th December 2023, an appeal against non-determination was lodged by the appellant which also then needed to be addressed and prior to Officers being able to conclude Members’ instructions. There was no tactic by Officers as stated and the process described accounts for the period in question.
This case is not currently being audited, but the Monitoring Officer is aware and will keep the position under review along with the Director of Planning.
Public Question from Soo Chapman
Mass death & suffering caused by climate breakdown is a crime of oblique intent. The ICC & all 123 signatory nations have the power to prosecute. The public should be warned of "global ecological collapse"*, and that, if we conserve global resources, there could be a survival trajectory.
Media, politics and the judiciary hypocritically condemn non-violent direct action while Broadmoor policies, including massive subsidies for mis-sold deadly fuels, guarantee Grenfelling damage and at the same time play down the £trillions of costs as systems collapse.
How quickly please can BCP ... view the full minutes text for item 27