An interesting motion was put up by the Lib Dems at the last full council suggesting that Full Council should have the final say on the Airport planning application to extend the runway.
It seems very democratic to suggest this but in reality it is a non starter as there is a specialised Development & Control committee which is highly equiped and had specilist training on planning applications.
Due to crazy government rules no councillor which will have a direct infulence on the eventual outcome of a planning application should predjudice the result by speaking out either for or against an application prior to the meeting.
After full council a resident sent me the following link from the Echo website in May this year. It seems from this article, which is correct as there hasn't been a printed retraction, suggests that the 11 strong Lib Dem group will oppose the extension of the runway at Southend Airport in line with National Party Policy.
For me, a simple lad who grew up on a council estate in Tottenham, seems to be clear pre determination and therefore all 11 Lib Dems should be prevented from passing judgement on the planning application at the Development & Control committee.
What concers me is that some of the reader comments also pick up on this fact. My fear is that should any Lib Dem councillor sit on Development & Control and pass judgement on this planing application then it could lead to a judicial review of the decision or at worst instigate a complaint to the Standards Board for bring the council into disrupte.
Lib Dem leader Graham Lonley is no fool but I can't believe that he would make such a comment because of the problems that it can cause.
If Cllr Longley was a principled, if not responsible, leader then he should publicly announce that none of his 11 strong group will sit on Development & Control because of the iportance of this planning application..
Just in case as I suspect this isn't forthcoming, I have asked the Brough Solicitor to provide judgement on this matter.
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