Last Friday was the Annual Council meeting at Crawley Borough Council. This is when a new Mayor is appointed for the year ahead and when the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the council’s committees are appointed. While the amount of Labour’s self-congratulation was way over the top at this meeting, what was more concerning was the outcome from the actual business of the meeting.
Sadly, Labour’s agenda of a closed-shop town hall has continued for a third successive year, by awarding themselves nearly all positions of responsibility for councillors, with most Opposition members excluded. This includes the absurdity of two brand new councillors of no experience being given positions of responsibility over experienced Conservative councillors as Chairman of Licensing and as Vice-Chairman of Planning. Despite Conservatives being 46% of the council, Labour deliberately excluded us from being either Chairman or Vice-Chairman on either committee.
Labour’s arrogance could potentially have serious consequences. We now have a situation where some council business is being put at risk as well as public confidence in deciding planning applications. Under normal circumstances, for planning applications that are determined by the Planning Committee, residents would know that any planning applications they make or ones nearby impacting on them, would be dealt with professionally by councillors who have received training and who understand what they are supposed to be doing.
I now fail to see how this can happen in the next few months if the Chairman of the Planning Committee is unable to chair a meeting that is deciding on planning applications, and it is chaired by his Vice-Chairman who is a brand new councillor and who has never even witnessed a meeting. This is actually very serious because it leaves the council open to planning appeals if unsuccessful applicants can see that the person chairing the meeting that determines their application hasn’t got a clue as to what they are doing. Planning appeals that are upheld have costs awarded against the council which can be very significant sums coming out of your council tax. Labour’s closed-shop town hall and pettiness may end up costing us all.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
1st June 2016