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PARISH CHAIRMEN TAKE SHEPWAY TO TASK OVER LEISUREDROME PLAN

Dear Ed,

After what we consider to be an unconvincing answer by the Shepway District Council Leader to the full Council on the question of the Chief Executive's right to instruct the Development Control Committee to re-hear an application already determined, we as Chairman of our respective Parish Councils decided to raise this issue at the December Planning Users Group Meeting.

It arose over the Hawkinge Parish Council planning application for the Leisuredrome which was heard twice. We consider that overriding the issue of whether this should have been approved or not was the constitutional ability of Shepway's Chief Executive to 'instruct the committee to hear this application again'.

Because we believe this decision has potentially massive implications for the planning process and indeed also the licencing and housing processes, we gave the Officers of the Planning Department the opportunity to justify their position at the meeting. 

Under intense and direct questioning from us both, they were unable to do so and we are reluctantly forced to the conclusion that the Chief Executive's instruction could be unconstitutional.

Things have happened in this instance which we consider are an anathema to the whole of the planning process, and could bring Shepway's planning process into disrepute. 

Cllr. David Callahan - Chairman Hawkinge Parish Council 
Cllr. Colin Tearle - Chairman Swingfield Parish Council