Green Councillors in Charnwood have joined with Labour Councillors to vote to block proposals put forward by the Conservative Group on Charnwood Borough Council that would have ensured the views of local residents and local councillors were better heard on developments affecting their communities.
At this weeks' Charnwood Borough Council meeting, Conservative Councillors put forward a motion to reverse the changes made by Green and Labour Councillors last year to how the Plans Committee works; changes that potentially made things less tough for developers, by changing the Chair's powers over call-ins, and by reducing the time for individual oral representations to the Plans Committee. The Conservative proposal would have reversed the Green/ Labour changes, and meant that the former process and rules would have been reinstated, giving more time for individual oral representations against developments in Plans Committee, and would have reversed the increased powers for the Chair. But, despite the opportunity to reconsider their position, as Edward called for in a letter to the Leader of the Green Councillors on 11th January, they again voted with Labour to keep the changes.
Edward said: "It is shocking that Green Councillors on CBC have rejected the opportunity to reverse the changes, and to give residents and councillors a greater opportunity to have their voices heard on new developments affecting their community. Instead they have doubled-down and joined with Labour once again in this vote. I wrote to the Leader of the Green Councillors on 11th January calling on them to think again, and Conservative Councillors, through this motion, gave them that chance to think again about their vote last year, and to vote to deliver tougher scrutiny of planning applications and a greater voice for local residents. But instead of living up to what they said at the local elections, they have opted to unite with Labour again on this issue."
