News

JAUNDICED VIEW OF SHEPWAY DISTRICT COUNCIL

Dear Ed

Re: Parish Chairmen take Shepway to task over Leisuredrome plans

Your article quoting Messrs. Tearle and Callahan does tend to give your readers a jaundiced view of the processes of Shepway District Council. 

It gives the impression, by association, that it is the views of the mentioned Parish Councils. That expressed is most definitely not the view of  the Hawkinge Council as it has never been discussed. 

What actually happened at Shepway was that the Development Control Committee heard an application for planning permission on a site in Hawkinge but had not, by mistake, been given all of the information they should have been before making a decision.

When that was was made known to the Chief Executive by one of the Independent district councillors, he had no choice but to return the matter to the committee for consideration of all of the facts which gained the decision expected. Any less than that would have been considered a serious breach of the democratic process upon which this Country is founded and governed.

The Chief Executive had no choice but to do this regardless of any disagreement by a couple of Councillors.

P F Hogben

Hawkinge Parish Council (Member)